Lantern Tree: Introduction and Full Guide to Common Questions

The Lantern Tree is a deciduous shrub. As its name suggests, its flowers are quite unusual: they bloom in bell shapes, densely hanging at the ends of the branches like little lanterns, and in autumn the leaves turn from green to red, giving it excellent ornamental value. Let's take a look at this unusual plant.

Morphological Characteristics

Also known as hanging bell flower and daughter's red, it is a deciduous shrub with a height of 3-6 m, and a few can reach 10 m; the leaves are papery and mostly grow at the tips of the branches, oblong or elliptical, with slightly pointed tips and wedge-shaped bases, serrated edges, and smooth, hairless surfaces. The flowering period is May, the flowers hang downward, the flower color is flesh-red, and the corolla is broadly bell-shaped; the fruiting period is June to October, with ovoid capsules. Seen from a distance, they look like lanterns blooming at the ends of the tree, and its leaves change color after autumn, just like maple leaves, giving it excellent ornamental value.

Growth Habits

It likes light, tolerates partial shade, and is cold-resistant. It is drought-tolerant and not demanding about soil, though it prefers to grow in calcareous soil. It has strong vitality, few pests and diseases, and is easy to manage. The Lantern Tree mostly grows on arid mountain land at an altitude of 1000 m, and is widely distributed in Anhui, Jiangxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan in China.

Main Value

Ornamental value: In addition to the ornamental value of its flowers and leaves, it has a special ability: it has a strong capacity to absorb phosphorus substances, which causes its leaves to contain a large amount of phosphorus substances. At night, the leaves release a small amount of phosphine gas. This gas has an extremely low ignition point and will spontaneously ignite, emitting a pale blue flame. On clear, windless nights, seen from a distance, it looks like a street lamp.

The above is an introduction to the Lantern Tree. Although the Lantern Tree is a good ornamental tree species, it is toxic. Chloride compounds can be extracted from its flowers and leaves, and they are highly toxic, so contact should be minimized.