BEAUTYBUSH

An old-fashioned shrub that lives up to its name

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THOUGH HE COLLECTED thousands of plants during his explorations of Asia and South Africa, beautybush (Kolkwitizia amabilis) was a favorite of E. H. Wilson, author of the article shown opposite. Wilson died in a 1930 car accident, so he missed beautybush’s turn as a star garden shrub in the ’30s and ’40s. It later fell out of favor, perhaps because it does exceed the six-foot height Wilson described, or because it lacks multiseason interest. But reconsider it. Beautiful blossoms can be enough.

THE BASICS