Disporum smilacinum pink-flowered form

Japanese Fairy Bells Colchicaceae

A particularly choice and still rather uncommon form of Japanese Fairy Bells, with all the delicacy of the species but with its normally white, nodding, starry bells washed in soft pink. The slender, creeping rhizomes gradually form neat colonies of arching, deciduous stems, clothed in fresh green, elliptic leaves. Flowering in April–May, the 1–4 flowers are carried towards the tips of the stems and are followed by attractive black berries. 

This form was introduced by Crûg Farm from a Japanese nursery, where it was obtained as a new and rare form of D. smilacinum. It is essentially identical in habit to the species, but its pink flowers make it considerably more desirable—and considerably harder to lose amongst the woodland undergrowth. 

Best in cool, humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil in partial or full shade. Allow it time to establish and the creeping rhizomes will slowly make a handsome woodland carpet. The species occurs naturally from Japan and Korea to north-eastern China, Sakhalin and the southern Kurils. 

Height: 10–25cm
Spread: 30–40cm
Flowering: April–May
Hardiness: H5 — approximately −15 to −20°C
Aspect: Partial to full shade
Soil: Humus-rich, moist but well drained