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Dichroa febrifuga


Dichroa febrifuga

A shrubby, evergreen member of Hydrangeaceae, Dichroa febrifuga would easily pass for a hydrangea, but for its spectacular fruit.

Dichroa febrifuga bears flattened clusters of starry blue flowers amidst glossy, deep green papery leaves in late spring. Flowers have five reflexed petals and prominent stamens, and open from round buds of pale blue. Iridescent indigo-blue berries follow in autumn (Hydrangea have unremarkable dry capsular fruit) and remain on the shrub for many months. The species is widespread over much of southeast Asia, but is rare in cultivation and most plants cultivated locally are derived from a single, hardy clone collected in the mountains of Guizhou, China.