Large erect-growing evergreen shrubs or small trees.An extremely variable species with attractive bell-shaped flowers (early to mid-spring) ranging in color from white or shades of yellow to pale pink and violet-rose.The beautiful flowers have colored nectar pouches and are usually spotted, often quite heavily.The foliage is smooth and quite variable in size and shape.A common and widely distributed species native to Yunnan, N Guizhou and S Sichuan, China where it grows in various habitats from 7,000 to 12,000 ft.
1964/222'Spatter Paint'CS(+5)Selection from the 1948 Rock expedition named for the heavy red speckling throughout the white corolla.
1966/651Sunningdale:MVW(+5).Chinese species in its typical unspotted flower, light pink in this form with a white throat.
1969/0073'Polka Dot'Exbury(+5\R1\7).A famous clone with bell-shaped flowers in a many-flowered truss.The flowers are white flushed rose and heavily spotted maroon.A beautiful and vigorous 1957 AM selection.
1995sd216PW#96:RSBG(+5to 0?\R1\8).Seedlings from seed collected at 5,500 ft. in Guizhou, China.
1996sd481(Ningyuenense Group)SEH#143:RSBG(+5\R1\6).Another new introduction from our 1995 expedition.These irroratum have yellow flowers!We have bloomed this already and the flowers have been a rich creamy yellow with very thick and lush petals that last for a long period in mid-spring.Collected at 7,900 ft. in NE Yunnan, China.Very vigorous.Should be quite tolerant of heat and sun.Really striking and beautiful flowers.
