Distylium

Distylium racemosum

Native to Southern Japan, this attractive and rare evergreen plant grows into a tree in its natural habitat, yielding valuable hard timber. In the United Kingdom, Distylium racemosum grows somewhat more slowly and has dark green, glossy, leathery leaves all year round. In spring attractive, small, red, Hamamelis-like flowers with lurid purple stamens appear on the older branches.