Corylopsis is a genus of 25 species of shrubs in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern Asia with the majority of species endemic to China but with some also in Japan, Korea, and the Himalayas. This genus is also known from the extinct species Corylopsis reedae described from Eocene leaf fossils found in Washington State, USA.
They grow to tall, often with a crown wider than the shrub's height. The leaves are ovate with an acute apex and a serrated margin, long and broad. The flowers are produced in late winter in pendulous racemes long with 5-30 flowers; each flower has five pale yellow petals, 4–9 mm long. The fruit is a dry capsule 10–12 mm long, containing two glossy black seeds.
Species 25 species are accepted.
Corylopsis alnifolia – China (Guizhou) Corylopsis brevistyla – China (Yunnan) Corylopsis calcicola – China (Yunnan) Corylopsis coreana – central and southern Korea Corylopsis glabrescens – Japan Corylopsis glandulifera – China (Anhui, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang) Corylopsis glaucescens – China (Yunnan) Corylopsis gotoana – Japan Corylopsis henryi – China (Sichuan and Hubei) Corylopsis himalayana – Himalaya Corylopsis microcarpa – China (Gansu and Sichuan) Corylopsis multiflora – China and Taiwan Corylopsis obovata – China (Chongqing and Guizhou) Corylopsis omeiensis – China (Sichuan and Guizhou) Corylopsis pauciflora – Korea, Japan, and Taiwan Corylopsis platypetala – China (Sichuan, Hubei, and Anhui) Corylopsis reedae – extinct, Ypresian, Washington State Corylopsis rotundifolia – China (Chongqing and Guizhou) Corylopsis sinensis – southern China Corylopsis spicata – Japan Corylopsis trabeculosa – China (Yunnan) Corylopsis veitchiana – China (Sichuan, Hubei, and Anhui) Corylopsis velutina – China (Sichuan) Corylopsis willmottiae – China (Sichuan) Corylopsis yui – China (Yunnan) Corylopsis yunnanensis – China (Yunnan)
Cultivation and uses They are often grown in gardens for their very early, yellow flowers. They do have weak branches though, which are often damaged by heavy snow loads. Corylopsis prefers to grow in semi-shade or shade, protected from strong winds. It grows best on humus-rich soils. The sweetly scented flowering branches keep well in a vase. Corylopsis also makes good bonsai plants, especially C. pauciflora.
References
Radtke, Meghan G., Pigg, Kathleen B., & Wehr, Wesley C. (2005); "Fossil Corylopsis and Fothergilla leaves (Hamamelidaceae) from the Lower Eocene flora of Republic, Washington, U.S.A., and their evolutionary and biogeographic significance" International Journal of Plant Sciences 166(2):347–356 Flora of China: Corylopsis