Itoa tree : beautiful foliage and attractive flowers
Itoa, a member of the willow family, stands out for its lush foliage and showy flowers. Gardeners like it for landscape design.
Botanically, Itoa can reach 13 meters tall. Young branches show yellowish hairs. These hairs vanish as the branches age, revealing a smooth, lens-like surface. Its leaves come in varied shapes. They can be elliptical, obovate, or lanceolate. The leaves range from 9 to 42 cm long and 5 to 18 cm wide.
Leaf edges also vary. They might be smooth, regularly serrated, or just serrated. The top of the leaf is often smooth. The underside features stiff hairs, mainly on the veins. These hairs give the leaves a unique texture.
Itoa's yellow-brown flowers bloom from May to June. Staminate flowers display ribs and dense points. Tangled hairs cover them in the bud. Pistillate flowers appear small and alone. Paniculate inflorescences hold around 12 flowers.
The plant's fruits, seen from September to October, add to its charm. However, they are not for eating.
Itoa naturally thrives in broad-leaved evergreen forests. Its zone includes mixed and broad-leaved forests. You can spot it growing in China and Vietnam. It also grows as an ornamental tree in places like Australia, Cornwall, Great Britain, and Ireland.
Itoa grows best in moderate climates. It is well-suited to Eurasia and Australia's mid-latitudes. It endures temperatures from -10 to +40 degrees Celsius.
For healthy growth, Itoa needs direct or partial sunlight. It also needs rich, well-drained soil.