This is a fully hardy deciduous shrub with a very similar habit and size to Stephanandra or Physiocarpus. It is closely related also to Spiraea and is similarly easy to grow in all soils except particularly dry ones.
It was collected in 1908 by Ernest Wilson in Szechuan, China, and received an RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1931.Wilson originally called it Neillia longiracemosa but its range in the wild extends into the Himalayas and hence its name today.
N. thibetica is a popular plant in a woodland garden or in a shrub border. It grows to around 6ft in height but is readily pruned by removing older shoots from the base of the plant to make way for more vigorous young new growths which will appear and produce more flowers in subsequent years. You are, in effect, encouraging this attractive shrub to regenerate itself in the same way as you would a Philadelphus or Deutzia.
This plant spreads by suckers and has ovate three lobed pointed bright green leaves of up to 4in in length. It has erect downy stems and slender arching terminal racemes of pink flowers in May and June. These racemes are about 6in in length.
