Grow Indian hawthorn in full sun, on soil that drains, and water the soil so the leaves stay dry. Indian hawthorn is Rhaphiolepis.
Give it full sun, soil that drains, and water at the soil, not on the leaves
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun for bloom and for leaves that dry after rain | Do not tuck it under a deep eave if you want flowers and clean foliage |
| Soil | Moist soil that drains; sand, loam, or clay is fine once water can leave the hole | Do not plant it in a pocket that stays wet |
| Water | Water a new shrub until it is established, then only in a long dry spell; use drip or a hose at the soil | Do not wet the leaves with a sprinkler |
| Kind | Indian hawthorn for a 4-to-6-foot mound; Minor for a 3-to-4-foot Yeddo mound | Do not water the two kinds on different calendars |
| Salt | Coastal beds and salt spray are fine once the shrub is in draining soil | Do not skip drainage because the tag says salt-tolerant |
Indian hawthorn wants full sun and a hole that still drains. Water a new shrub through the first season, then ease off; an established plant takes heat and missed water better than wet leaves. Use drip, or a hose at the soil, because wet foliage is the usual path to leaf spot. [1] Indian hawthorn is Rhaphiolepis indica, a 4-to-6-foot evergreen with fragrant white or pink spring flowers. Minor is dwarf Yeddo hawthorn, Rhaphiolepis umbellata ‘Minor’, sold as Gulf Green, about 3 to 4 feet. Both want the same sun and the same drip. [2] [3]
- Choose full sun and soil that drains. Shade and a wet pocket are the usual reasons the leaves spot and drop.
- Water a new shrub until it is established. After that, water only in a long dry spell.
- Water the soil with drip or a hose. Do not run a sprinkler over the leaves. [4]
Does Indian hawthorn need full sun?
Yes. Full sun gives you the best bloom and helps the leaves dry after rain. Light shade is tolerated, but flowering and leaf-spot resistance both drop.
How often should I water Indian hawthorn?
Water a new shrub until it is established, then only in a long dry spell. Water the soil, not the leaves.
Does salt spray bother it?
No. Established shrubs take salt spray and sandy coastal soil, as long as the hole still drains.
Will deer eat Indian hawthorn?
Yes. Deer browse it. Do not plant it as a deer-proof hedge.
How long does Indian hawthorn bloom?
The main show is late winter into spring. A few kinds throw a lighter second flush later, but do not count on summer bloom.
Prune after the spring flowers
The shrub needs little pruning. If you cut, wait until the spring flower clusters have finished, then take it back to size or open the middle so air can move.
- Wait until the white or pink spring clusters have finished.
- Cut for size, or take out dead and crowded wood so air can move through the mound.
- Do not shear in late summer if you want flowers next spring. Shearing that splits the leaves also browns the face.
When do I prune Indian hawthorn?
After the spring flowers finish. Cut for size then, and skip a late-summer shear if you want bloom next year.
Root a stem cutting in midsummer
Nurseries copy named kinds from stem cuttings. Seed is slower, and Minor will not come true from seed. Take a cutting after the spring flowers if you want the same mound.
- Take a 4-to-6-inch cutting of firm new wood after bloom, with the lower leaves stripped.
- Dip the cut end in rooting hormone if you have it, then stick it in a moist mix that drains.
- Keep the mix barely moist in bright light out of hot sun until new growth shows that roots have formed.
Not hawthorn — and not photinia or firethorn
A tag that says hawthorn may be a deciduous tree with thorns, which is Crataegus. That tree drops its leaves and carries haws, not a low evergreen mound. See How to Grow Hawthorn. Indian hawthorn is a 4-to-6-foot shrub, even when a listing calls it an Indian hawthorn tree.
Red-tip photinia is Photinia, a taller hedge with the same leaf-spot problem on wet foliage. It is not this shrub. Firethorn is Pyracantha, an evergreen with sharp thorns and showy berry clusters — see How to Grow Firethorn. Loquat is Eriobotrya, a related fruiting evergreen — see How to Grow Loquat. If leaf spot keeps stripping the mound, Distylium is a different evergreen used in the same foundation slot — see How to Grow Distylium.
Is Indian hawthorn the same as hawthorn?
No. Hawthorn is Crataegus, a deciduous tree. Indian hawthorn is Rhaphiolepis, an evergreen mound with spring flowers.
Set Indian hawthorn in full sun, on soil that drains, water the soil not the leaves, and prune after the spring flowers.
FAQ
Are the berries edible?
Birds eat the dark blue-black fruit. Do not pick it as a crop, and do not cook it as a recipe on this shrub.
Do you list Pinkie or Ballerina?
Indian hawthorn and Minor are the two kinds here. Pinkie, Ballerina, Snowcap, and Bay Breeze are extra shop names.
Is Yeddo hawthorn a different plant?
Yeddo hawthorn is Rhaphiolepis umbellata. Minor is the dwarf we list, and it wants the same sun and drip as Indian hawthorn.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rhaphiolepis-indica/ - [2] Clemson Home & Garden Information Center -
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/indian-hawthorn/ - [3] Garden Design -
https://www.gardendesign.com/shrubs/indian-hawthorn.html - [4] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/shrubs/indian-hawthorn.html
This note is part of Rhaphiolepis Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors