Exochorda is an easy-going beauty
Q We have been given a shrub, but aren’t sure what it is. Can you give us any ideas, plus tips on looking after it?
Sophie Taylor (via email)
A I suspect that the mystery shrub is a form of exochorda, commonly called pearl bush. There are several species and hybrids – E. racemosa, E. x macrantha and E. giraldii among them.
Most hail from China and delight us with their spring display of copious snow-white flowers.
Hopefully, yours is E. x macrantha ‘The Bride’, a weeping variety whose arching branches are thickly sleeved with alluring blossom. This shrub is happiest in acid soil – they develop pale yellow patches in alkaline conditions – and are easy to grow and care for.
Plant it in a bed of moisture-retaining soil that’s been enriched with well-rotted compost or manure. Exochorda likes full sun. Feed them in spring and cut them back as soon as they have flowered to ensure lots more blooms the following year. They can tolerate having their branches cut back by half.
Exochorda can also be grown in containers as long as the pot is large enough and has good drainage. I would add a generous layer of gravel to the base of the container to avoid waterlogging.
Plant the shrub as deep
