Indian hawthorn

Sun

Full sun to light partial shade; flowering and leaf health are usually best in sun. Choose shelter from cold, drying winds near its cold limit.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, water deeply during prolonged dry spells; avoid frequent shallow watering and wetting the leaves.

Soil

Well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Tolerates sandy and clay soils if drainage is good; avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), occasionally taller

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m)

Flowers

White to pale pink, sometimes deeper pink in named selections, in spring; occasional scattered flowers later.

Foliage

Evergreen. Leathery, glossy dark green leaves with toothed margins; new growth is often bronze or reddish. Older leaves may turn red before falling.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.1 ft (0.65 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.7 ft (0.81 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (0.96 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.3 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Invasive in

Australia

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply during the first growing season whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring with a general-purpose shrub fertilizer if growth is weak; avoid heavy feeding.
• Allow space between plants for air circulation, and use drip irrigation rather than overhead sprinklers.
• Remove fallen spotted leaves promptly to reduce disease carryover.

Pruning. Prune lightly just after flowering, shortening stray shoots and removing dead or damaged wood. Avoid repeated shearing, which removes flower buds and creates dense growth that encourages leaf spot.

Early spring

Check for winter damage and remove clearly dead wood once new growth reveals what has survived.

Spring

Refresh mulch and feed lightly if needed.

Late spring

After flowering, lightly shape the shrub if necessary.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and check leaves for spotting.

Autumn

Collect diseased fallen leaves; avoid pruning that would remove next spring's flowers.

Winter

Protect young plants from severe frost near the cold limit, and keep containers from becoming waterlogged.

• Use as a low, informal hedge along a sunny path, allowing room for its natural rounded outline.
• Plant beneath windows where a compact evergreen shrub is needed without frequent clipping.
• Combine with lavender, rockrose and ornamental grasses in a sunny, well-drained coastal border.
• Grow a compact selection in a large, freely draining container in a sheltered courtyard.

Garden styles it suits: Coastal, Traditional, Southern, Mediterranean, Modern courtyard and Formal.

Plant it with: Lavender, Rockrose, Lilyturf, Society garlic and Dwarf pittosporum.

Wildlife: Flowers provide pollen and nectar for visiting insects, and birds eat the fruits and disperse the seeds. Deer may browse the foliage.

• Entomosporium leaf spot causes red-purple spots and premature leaf drop, especially in humid weather. Remove infected debris, keep foliage dry and improve spacing; choose a resistant selection when replacing badly affected plants.
• Root rot can follow prolonged waterlogging. Improve drainage or move the shrub to a raised planting area; do not keep the root zone constantly wet.
• Scale insects can cause sticky honeydew and sooty mould. Prune heavily infested shoots and use a labelled horticultural oil when conditions are suitable.
• Hard frost can scorch leaves and kill shoots. Choose a sheltered site and wait until spring growth starts before cutting back damaged stems.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is generally recognised as a serious poisoning hazard, but the fruits are not recommended as food; eating plant material may cause digestive upset.

Where it spreads. An environmental weed in parts of eastern Australia, including coastal New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland, where bird-dispersed seeds can establish in bushland. Check local guidance before planting near native vegetation.

• Yeddo hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis umbellata)

  Usually has broader, rounder-tipped leaves with smoother margins. Indian hawthorn generally has more pointed leaves with clearer teeth; hybrids can be difficult to distinguish.

• Red-tip photinia (Photinia × fraseri)

  Usually grows much larger, with bigger leaves and conspicuous bright red new growth. Its fruits are red rather than blue-black.

• Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)

  Has deciduous, deeply lobed leaves, thorny branches and red fruits, unlike Indian hawthorn's evergreen, unlobed leaves and blue-black fruits.

Rhaphiolepis comes from Greek words meaning needle and scale, referring to slender bracts, while indica means 'of India'.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer, using a freely draining propagation mix. Seed can also be sown, but seedlings may differ from the parent; use cuttings to preserve a named selection.

Accepted botanical name

Rhaphiolepis indica

Native range

Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Japan, Jawa, Laos, Nansei-shoto, Ogasawara-shoto, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Measured

Average height 490 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.