Stephanandra Crispa - Lace Shrub
Stephanandra incisa 'Crispa'
Overview
The Stephanandra Crispa, commonly known as the Lace Shrub or Cutleaf Stephanandra, is a charming deciduous shrub that brings delicate beauty and four-season interest to any garden. This compact, low-growing shrub is prized for its intricate, deeply-lobed foliage that creates a lace-like texture, giving the plant its common name. With its graceful arching branches and stunning seasonal colour changes, this versatile shrub is perfect for gardeners seeking an elegant, low-maintenance addition to their landscape.
Key Features
Distinctive Foliage: The most striking feature of Stephanandra Crispa is its deeply cut, serrated leaves that create an almost fern-like appearance. The bright green summer foliage transforms into brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and reddish-bronze in autumn, providing spectacular seasonal colour.
Compact Growth Habit: This dwarf variety typically reaches 0.5-1.0m in height with a similar spread, making it ideal for smaller gardens, borders, or as groundcover on slopes.
Delicate Spring Flowers: In late spring to early summer, the shrub produces clusters of tiny, cream-white flowers that add subtle charm, though the foliage remains the main attraction.
Year-Round Structure: Even after leaf drop, the attractive reddish-brown stems provide winter interest with their zigzag branching pattern.
Growing Conditions
Sunlight Requirements
Stephanandra Crispa thrives in partial shade to full sun conditions. Whilst it tolerates full sun, the foliage colour is often more vibrant with some afternoon shade, particularly in warmer climates. Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal.
Soil Preferences
This adaptable shrub performs best in well-draining, fertile soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0). It tolerates a range of soil types, including clay, loam, and sandy soils, provided drainage is adequate. The plant appreciates consistent moisture but will not tolerate waterlogged conditions.
Climate Tolerance
Hardy in the UK (RHS H6), Stephanandra Crispa is remarkably cold-tolerant and can withstand temperatures down to -23°C. It's also reasonably drought-tolerant once established, though regular watering during dry spells will maintain optimal appearance.
Planting and Care
Planting Instructions
Plant in spring or autumn when temperatures are moderate. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and at the same depth. Backfill with a mixture of native soil and well-rotted compost. Water thoroughly after planting and apply a 5cm layer of organic mulch around the base, keeping it away from the stem.
Watering Requirements
Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a strong root system. Once established, water deeply but infrequently, allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings. During hot, dry periods, increase watering frequency.
Fertilising
Apply a balanced, slow-release fertiliser in early spring. A 10-10-10 NPK fertiliser or well-rotted compost worked into the soil around the base will provide adequate nutrition for the growing season.
Pruning and Maintenance
Stephanandra Crispa requires minimal pruning. Light pruning in late winter or early spring helps maintain shape and removes any dead or damaged wood. The shrub naturally develops an attractive, mounded form, so heavy pruning is unnecessary and may detract from its graceful appearance.
Garden Uses
Landscape Applications
- Groundcover: Excellent for covering slopes or large areas due to its spreading habit
- Border Planting: Perfect for mixed shrub borders or perennial gardens
- Rock Gardens: Ideal for adding texture and seasonal interest to rock garden settings
- Foundation Planting: Suitable for planting near buildings where low-growing shrubs are desired
- Woodland Gardens: Natural choice for woodland or naturalistic garden settings
Companion Plants
Pairs beautifully with hostas, astilbe, heuchera, and other shade-tolerant perennials. Combines well with spring bulbs such as daffodils and crocuses, and complements other deciduous shrubs like Japanese maple and viburnum species.
Seasonal Interest
Spring: Fresh green foliage emerges, followed by delicate white flower clusters Summer: Lush, bright green, deeply-cut leaves create cooling texture Autumn: Spectacular foliage colour ranging from golden-yellow to orange-red Winter: Attractive bare stems with interesting branching pattern provide structural interest
Common Issues and Solutions
Stephanandra Crispa is generally pest and disease-free, making it an excellent choice for organic gardeners. Occasionally, aphids may appear in spring, but these can be controlled with insecticidal soap or by encouraging beneficial insects. Ensure good air circulation to prevent any fungal issues in humid conditions.
Summary
The Stephanandra Crispa Lace Shrub is an outstanding choice for gardeners seeking a low-maintenance, four-season shrub with exceptional foliage interest. Its compact size, adaptability to various growing conditions, and stunning autumn colour make it a valuable addition to any garden style, from formal borders to naturalistic woodland settings. Whether used as groundcover, in mixed borders, or as a specimen plant, this charming shrub will provide years of beauty with minimal care required.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
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