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Pearlbush Flower Wikimedia Commons
Rosaceae

Pearlbush Flower

Exochorda racemosa

Pure springtime exuberance.

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Exochorda
Native to
China
Bloom season
Spring
Type
deciduous shrub
Height
200–400 cm
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral
Water
moderate
Hardiness
4–8
Lifespan
perennial shrub

Did you know

  • The common name 'pearlbush' comes from the round, pearl-like flower buds that cluster along the branches before opening.
  • The cultivar 'The Bride' is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner, forming a graceful weeping mound of white flowers.
  • It belongs to the rose family but looks nothing like a rose — its five-petaled white flowers resemble apple blossoms.
  • The genus name Exochorda comes from Greek words meaning 'outer cord', referring to fibers in the fruit capsule.
  • It was introduced to Western gardens in the 1840s by the plant explorer Robert Fortune.

Color meanings

White

unblemished joy and spring celebration

Uses

  • specimen shrub
  • spring borders
  • mixed hedgerows
  • cottage gardens