Other Names:  F.philliraeoides fortunei

Description:

A tough, attractive shrub with bamboo-like foliage, greenish-white flowers don't overwhelm; makes a good hedge for difficult sites; extremely tolerant, adapts to dry soil; a choice background shrub

Ornamental Features

Fortune Fontanesia features subtle panicles of white flowers along the branches in mid spring. It has green deciduous foliage. The narrow leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color. The peeling bark and gray branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Fortune Fontanesia is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Fortune Fontanesia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Fortune Fontanesia will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.