Styrax japonicus

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Styrax japonicus (野茉莉; also エゴノキ, egonoki), also known as the Japanese snowbell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Styracaceae, native to Korea, Japan, and Southern China. Growing to 12 m (39 ft) tall by 8 m (26 ft) broad, it is a graceful, spreading deciduous tree with oval, upward-facing leaves which occasionally turn yellow or orange before falling in autumn. Masses of slightly fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers hang from the branches in summer, followed by fruits (drupes) which resemble olives in both shape and colour. It is hardy down to −15 °C (5 °F), but prefers a sheltered position in full sun or dappled shade, with acidic or neutral soil. Due to its plentiful flowers, the tree has been widely cultivated in Western gardens. Properties such as analgesic, hypoglycaemic, and antibacterial effects have been observed in extracts and isolates from the flowers, stem-bark, and leaves, respectively.