Styrax japonicus, commonly known as the Japanese snowbell, is captivating growers and gardeners alike with its delicate, bell-shaped blooms and elegant arching branches. This compact ornamental tree is not only a standout in the landscape but also a striking material for Ikebana. In Ohara School arrangements—especially Heika, Moribana, and Hana-kanade—flowering branches like the Japanese snowbell offer a poetic expression of seasonal transition, movement, and the beauty of intersecting lines. Learn why this understated tree deserves a place in both your garden and your flower container.
If you haven’t heard of the Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonicus), now is the time to take notice. This graceful, small-scale ornamental tree is stepping into the spotlight in both nursery catalogs and home gardens. And for those of us practicing Ohara Ikebana, it offers even more: a refined line material with gentle movement and luminous white or pink blooms that capture the essence of seasonality and space.
According to a recent article in Digger Magazine, the publication of the Oregon Association of Nurseries, Japanese snowbells are gaining popularity among growers and breeders for their compact size, fragrance, and pendant flowers that seem to float beneath the branches like wind chimes. Recent breeding work has introduced cultivars with stronger central leaders and more upright forms—qualities that not only appeal to landscape designers but also to Ikebana artists looking for expressive branch lines that hold their shape in a container.
Photo: JLPN Inc. introduced Marley’s Pink® snowbell, named after owner John Lewis’ daughter Marley and the tree appealed so much to Martha Stewart that she planted an alley of them bordering her tennis court in 2016. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PROVEN WINNERS® COLORCHOICE®
Photo: Styrax japonicus ‘Evening Light’ from J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. has glossy deep purple foliage that is unique amongsnowbells, providing a dramatically dark backdrop for fragrant white, bell shaped flowers that appear in June. COURTESY OF J. FRANK SCHMIDT & SON CO.
In Ohara Ikebana, flowering branches are used to mark seasonal change and establish the rhythm of an arrangement. The Hana-gata Cards describe flowering branches as ideal line materials, suitable for many forms including Heika, Moribana, and Hana-kanade. The arching structure of Japanese snowbells makes them particularly well-suited to Heika (upright vase arrangements), where their drooping blossoms contrast beautifully with vertical lines and accentuate the concept of space between. Their horizontal growth can also be adapted to Moribana, offering a visual echo of early summer landscapes.
In Hana-kanade, a three-dimensional arrangement that highlights the beauty of materials crossing one another (as described on page 4 of the Hana-gata Cards), Japanese snowbell branches can play an important role. Their elegant curves and open structure naturally support the dynamic interplay of lines central to this form. Page 81 of the same book illustrates how Hana-kanade can be constructed with line materials such as flowering branches, creating expressive compositions that feel both structural and poetic.
It’s worth noting that in the Ohara School, seasonal expression is a core value. Japanese snowbells bloom in late spring to early summer, offering a gentle bridge between the fresh greens of spring and the lush fullness of summer. As Ikebana practitioners, we’re always looking for materials that not only enhance our visual composition but also speak to the season—kado no kokoro, the spirit of the way of flowers.
As more snowbell cultivars become available—some even boasting pink or larger white blooms—Ikebana artists may find themselves with exciting new options for showcasing line, contrast, and motion. Whether you're a gardener, grower, or student of Ikebana, this understated tree has something to offer.
Next time you're selecting plants for your landscape, think about branches for your arrangements too and consider the Japanese snowbell. Its quiet elegance might just steal the show in your yard and creations.
Sources:
Joe Rotella
Associate Second Term Master
Ohara School of Ikebana
