Leaf
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pearl bush
Exochorda racemosa (Lindl.) Rehder
Also known as: Common pearl bush
Family: Rosaceae
2 to 4 m tall
Borders and informal hedges, ordinary well-drained soil, in a sunny position
Flowering: April – May
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its perfectly round, pearly-white flower buds look like a string of pearls before opening into an explosion of white flowers — hence its name 'pearl bush'.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, alternate, oval, light green, finely toothed towards the tip
🌸 Flowers
Pure white, in short racemes, preceded by round buds resembling pearls before they open
🍎 Fruits
Small woody five-lobed capsules, not very ornamental
🪵 Bark
Grey-brown, slender, arching shoots
🗺️ Distribution
Native to China; introduced to Europe in the 19th century as a spring-flowering shrub
🐝 Value for pollinators
Simple flowers rich in pollen, visited by bees in spring
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted for the profusion of its white flowers covering the whole shrub in spring
🌿 Other Rosaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.
© Floraneo — profile content is protected; reproduction without permission is prohibited. Photos remain under their own licence (see the credit shown on each photo).