| Plant of the Month - May, 2005 |
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by Ellen Kelley ROOTS Board Member
YELLOWHORN I readily admit I'm a pushover for unusual plants. Yellowhorn was completely unknown to me until three years ago when I was at Wavecrest Nursery near Holland, Michigan. When I spotted this large, multi-stemmed shrub, I was immediately taken by its lustrous green compound pinnate leaves and graceful form. I could easily picture this in my garden. Unfortunately, Yellowhorn is seldom seen in midwest gardens or nurseries, although it is hardy to Zone 4 (Dirr) and adaptable to different soil types, even those with high pH. One hundred points for that! It requires full sun and a moist, but well-drained soil for best growth. The mature size ranges from 18 to 24 feet. Yellowhorn has no serious disease or pest problems. Best of all, Yellowhorn puts on a wonderful show of flowers, usually in early May. And what a show! The delicate, white blooms, growing to 1 inch in diameter, occur in 6" to 10" long racemes. They open with yellow-green throats, which change to pink and then to deep rosy red. As it continues to bloom, there are flowers at several stages of color all at the same time. Talk about unusual! Xanthoceras sorbifolium is also known as Chinese flowering chestnut because the fruits are three-valved and superficially resemble buckeyes. Yellowhorn can be seen at the Bickelhaupt Arboretum straight west of the prairie. 
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This plant was found by the Abbe David in 1868 in Northern China. Canon Ellacombe in his essay "In a Gloucestershire Garden" calls this the most beautiful flowering shrub of July (1893), but here in Iowa it starts flowering at the end of April or early May.