Quackin Grass Nursery

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Stachyurus chinensis 'Joy Forever' - Chinese Spiketail from Quackin Grass Nursery

Stachyurus chinensis 'Joy Forever' (ex: Louis Raymond) - ​Bright yellow simple leaves with serrated margins spring from new pink-red stems. On Stachyurus chinensis longer chimes dangle than those of S. praecox in late winter or early spring. There appears to be some confusion as to whether or not the foliage on 'Joy Forever' is variegated yellow or solid yellow. The leaves we solid yellow. And the plants are gorgeous. The pendant racemes hang in clusters painted primrose yellow show before the sunny yellow leaves emerge. Flowers will open about 2 weeks later than those of S. praecox and in that may better escape a cold snap. This fine genus - one that gives us zone envy at QGN (we love the flowers!) - will grow wider than tall, mounding over time sooner where it is warmer, slower in the colder parts of its possible range. The foliage - that bright yellow with the pinky-red stems will provide a marvelous contrast and foil to other differently-colored garden denizens through the entirety of the growing season. But when in flower it is gorgeous with daffodils as is similarly Corylopsis ssp. Full to part sun in fertile, draining ground. More open shade in the warmer end of its range. This plant may be possible in sheltered parts of USDA zone 6b but it must be cloistered from extreme cold and even then it may be merely a foliage plant. Established potted Chinese Stachyurus from cutting.