Origin

Jinlingzi is a new cultivar of S. faberi mutated under the species. In mid-Sep 2011, seeds were collected from a sample tree in a natural population of S. faberi in Qiyun Mountain (29°49′13.5″N, 118°02′44.5″E), Xiuning County, Anhui, China. From late Sep 2011 to Mar 2013, the seeds were sown in batches after low-temperature stratification and sand storage. In 2016, plants with characteristics such as vivid yellow (RHS 9A) young expanding leaves, brilliant yellow green (RHS 154B) fully expanded leaf, and subleathery leaves were found in flowering seedlings. The colors were determined according to the Royal Horticultural Society (2015) Color Chart. After continuous cultivation and observation selection from 2016 to 2019, branches were collected from plants with stable traits. More than 30 asexual seedlings were propagated from hardwood cuttings in the spring from 2019 to 2021, and the cuttings of this clone showed consistent and stable traits through observation and comparison. Because of its distinctive characteristics, this new cultivar was named ‘Jinlingzi’ and officially authorized by SFGA.

Description

Compared with the original S. faberi (Table 1), ‘Jinlingzi’ differs in the color of the young expanding and fully expanded leaves, the texture of the leaves, the degree of depression of the leaf veins, the size of the leaf margin serrations, flower size, calyx, and pedicel color (Fig. 1A). The identifying characteristics of ‘Jinlingzi’ are as follows.

Table 1. Comparison of morphological characters between the original S. faberi and ‘Jinlingzi’.

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Habit and branching: Shrubs 1 to 2 m tall; branchlets slender, densely stellate villose. Mature branches are terete, brownish orange (Fig. 1B).

Leaf blade: Leaves alternate, subleathery, veins obviously sunken on upper surface, elliptic, obovate or elliptic-lanceolate, 4 to 11 cm long, 3 to 3.5 cm wide (Fig. 1E), apically sharply pointed or acuminate, base broadly cuneate or subrounded, margins awn-shaped coarse serrations, petiole 1 to 2 mm long, sparsely brown to gray stellate pubescent to glabrescent (Fig. 1G). Unlike S. faberi (Huang and Grimes 2003), its young expanding leaves exhibit a better vivid yellow (RHS 9A) coloration (Fig. 1C), transitioning to brilliant yellow green (RHS 154B) upon being fully expanded (Fig. 1F).

Flowering: Racemes terminal, three to five-flowered, axillary; stellate pubescent; flowers white, 0.8 to 1.2 cm; calyx cup-like and its color is strong yellow green (RHS 144B) to strong yellow (RHS N144B); color of pedicel is strong yellow green (RHS N144C) (Fig. 1J); corolla lobes membranous, lanceolate or oblong, 4 to 12 mm long, 2 to 3 mm wide, outside densely white stellate pubescent (Fig. 1J). Blooms from early April to May.

Cultivation Technology and Application

‘Jinlingzi’ is cultivated from live seedlings of its original species S. faberi and could be cultivated in both subtropical and certain warm temperate zones. It is sun-loving and thrives in slopes; ravines; and moist, well-drained soils, demonstrating high adaptability. Propagated mainly by cuttings in spring and fall (both twig and hard cuttings), the rooting survival rate of ‘Jinlingzi’ can exceed 80%. Spring cuttings (8 to 10 cm) can reach 15 to 20 cm by the end of the year and 40 to 60 cm long next year. There is no special requirement for the cultivation techniques, and its cultivation is like that of conventional popular seedlings (such as Styrax dasyanthus Perk.) (Huang et al. 2012). Thus, ‘Jinlingzi’ could serve as an excellent bonsai material and also be suitable for ornamental applications in gardens, landscaping purposes.

Availability

‘Jinlingzi’ is jointly owned by Nanjing Forestry University and Jinling Institute of Technology, which are both located in Nanjing, China. For inquiries about the research or request for ‘Jinlingzi’, please contact Xiaogang Xu (xiaogang.xu@njfu.edu.cn).