Enkianthus


Enkianthus is a genus of shrubs or small trees in the heath family. Its native range is in Asia, as far west as the eastern Himalayas, as far south as Indochina, and as far north and east as China and Japan.
This genus is considered cladistically the most basal member of the Ericaceae, that is, the descendant of the common ancestor of that Ericaceae that branched earliest from the rest of that family. It is classified as the sole member of the subfamily Enkianthoideae.

Species

Twelve to 15 species are included in the genus by various authors.
Species include:
ImageNameCommon nameDistribution
Enkianthus campanulatus G. Nicholsonredvein ekianthusJapan
Enkianthus cernuus Benth. & Hook. f. ex MakinoJapan
Enkianthus chinensis Franch.China
Enkianthus deflexus C.K.Schneid.China, Himalaya, Nepal
Enkianthus nudipes Ohwi
Enkianthus pallidiflorus Craib
Enkianthus pauciflorus E.H.WilsonChina
Enkianthus perulatus C.K.Schneid.China, Japan
Enkianthus quinqueflorus Lour.China
Enkianthus recurvus Craib
Enkianthus ruber DopVietnam
Enkianthus sikokianus Ohwi
Enkianthus subsessilis Makino
Enkianthus serotinus Chun & W.P.FangChina
Enkianthus serrulatus C.K.Schneid.China
Enkianthus taiwanianus T.S.YingTaiwan
Enkianthus tectus Craib
Enkianthus tubulatus P. C. Tam.

Cultivation

Several species are found in cultivation, notably E. campanulatus, E. cernuus and E. perulatus. E. cernuus f. rubens has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Gallery