Plant Guide

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Fruit display

clerodendrum-trichotomum

Clerodendrum trichotomum

harlequin glorybower, glorytree, peanut butter tree

Large, evergreen shrub, native to Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, and India. Can be trained to grow as a tree with a single leader. Soft, downy, ovate leaves to 12 cm long, arranged in opposite pairs, emitting a peanut butter scent when crushed. Fragrant, white, jasmine-like flowers in clusters during late summer, followed by blue fruit, each subtended by a red calyx. Regarded as an 'unwanted organism' in New Zealand, where it has become invasive and poses a threat for the native vegetation. Seeds are poisonous and the rest of the plant may irritate the skin.

Prefers a sheltered position in full sun and any well-draining soil. Copes with partial shade also.Tolerates moderate frosts (USDA zones 7-10). Generally disease-free.

Beautiful shrub when in flower, and even more attractive when in fruit. May get leggy at the base, so use underplanting to hide this. In New Zealand, you will not be able to purchase Clerodendrum trichotomum since it has become somewhat too enthusiastic! There are still quite a few growing in parks and private gardens.

cornus-capitata

Cornus capitata

Himalayan strawberry tree, Himalayan flowering dogwood, evergreen dogwood, Bentham's cornel

Evergreen tree in the dogwood family (Cornaceae), native to the Himalayas. Dull green, ovate to lanceolate leaves with grey-green undersides, 8-12 cm long, arranged in opposite pairs. Some of the leaves may turn reddish in autumn. In areas with cold winters, Cornus capitata may behave as a deciduous or semi-deciduous tree. Flowers in late spring or early summer with insignificant central clusters, surrounded by four showy, creamy white to pale yellow bracts, 7-14 cm wide. Flowers are followed by bird-attracting, strawberry-like berries, about 3-5 cm wide. Fruit may be bitter, but is edible and can be eaten raw or cooked, or used in preserves. Naturalised in parts of Australia and new Zealand, and regarded as an environmental weed in some of these areas.

Synonyms: Benthamida capitata, Benthamia capitata, Benthamida fragifera, Benthamia fragifera, Dendrobenthamia capitata.

Prefers a sheltered, sunny or partially shaded position in well-draining, sandy soil, but can cope with other soil types, including clay soils. Likes moist conditions, but tolerates drought. Moderately frost-hardy (-5 to -10oC).

Lovely ornamental tree for flower and fruit display. The perfect tree to attract birds in your garden.

cydonia-oblonga

Cydonia oblonga

quince

Deciduous tree in the Rosaceae family, probably originating from to South-west Asia, and cultivated in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. Dull green, oval to elliptical leaves, 5-11 cm long, covered with very fine hairs. Foliage turns yellow in autumn. Flowers in spring with 5 cm wide blossoms, white and usually flushed with pink, emerging from pink flower buds in spring. Round or pear-shaped, fragrant, 9-13 cm long fruits, ripening to golden yellow in autumn. Quinces are used, among other things, to make jellies, jams, puddings, wine and cider. A number of improved cultivars have been developed, including 'Van Deman', 'Smyrna', 'Vrajna' and 'Champion', differing in growth habit, leaf size, fruit production, fruit shape, and hardiness.

Cydonia oblonga has a long history in the Middle East, and was also revered by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The 'Apple of Discord' Paris gave to Aphrodite when he was asked by Zeus to select the most beautiful woman, was a quince. He chose Aphrodite because she offered him in return the love of the most beautiful woman on earth, Helen of Sparta.

Prefers full sun and light soils. Tolerates most soil types as long as they are well-draining. Copes with less than all-day sun, but doesn't fruit well in a shady position. Requires a cold period (like apple trees, but shorter) to encourage flowering, and a warm summer for the fruits to ripen. Protect from strong winds. Self-fertile, so you only need one tree for fruit production. Prune in winter to open up the center of the tree, and train to a central leader with secondary leaders fanning out.  Without pruning and training, Cydonia oblonga tends to form an irregular tree with somewhat crooked branches from quite low to the ground. Frost hardy (zone 6).

An interesting specimen tree with gorgeous spring blossoms, and unusual, bright (but not glossy) yellow fruits weighing down the branches in autumn. For a lovely colour combination later in the growing season, plant Cydonia oblonga near shrubs with deep purple flowers in late summer and autumn, such as Salvia 'Black Knight', or blue flowers, such as Dichroa versicolor.

malus-jack-humm

Malus 'Jack Humm'

Small deciduous tree with a beautiful display of bright crimson red fruit, flushed with yellow-orange, during autumn and well into winter. New Zealand bred crab apple cultivar, developed from a cross between Malus 'Gorgeous' and Malus 'John Downie'. The plum-sized fruit are produced in clusters, usually untouched by birds until very late in the season, and are ideal for preserves and jellies. Green leaves with lighter undersides, turning yellow and orange in autumn. Pink flower buds open to reveal 3-4 cm wide, white flowers in spring. 

Prefers a sunny position in any fertile, well-draining soil, protected from strong winds. Frost hardy. Tolerates quite dry conditions once established. Avoid constantly wet or waterlogged soils.Prune when young to create an attractive framework, and thereafter prune occasionally to maintain a good shape, and remove dead or damaged branches.

Magnificent specimen tree, flowering and fruiting profusely. Great smaller growing alternative for cherry blossom trees. Suitable for large containers.

melia-azedarach

Melia azedarach

Persian lilac, Indian lilac, Cape lilac, bead tree, chinaberry tree, syringa berrytree, white cedar, Ceylon cedar, Texas umbrella, umbrella tree

Deciduous tree with a rounded canopy and glossy foliage, native to northern and eastern parts of Australia, and South East Asia. Belongs to the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). Leaves are 2-3 times odd-pinnately compound, to 50 cm long, and consist of 3-8 cm long leaflets with entire or lobed and/or toothed margins. Foliage is mid green, turning yellow in autumn. Small, pale purple to mauve and white, fragrant flowers in loose panicles during spring after the new leaves have emerged. Flowers are followed in autumn by 1.5 cm wide bead-like fruit, smooth and green initially, wrinkled and yellow when mature, remaining on the tree for a long time during winter. Has become invasive in some parts of the world. Poisonous fruits and foliage.

Synonyms (among many others): Melia australis, Melia japonica, Melia sempervirens.

Prefers a sunny position in well-draining soil. Copes well with partial shade. Adaptable to a wide range of conditions, but sensitive to waterlogged soils. Can handle considerable drought. Prune for shape to encourage a good branching structure. Suitable for coastal areas. Melia azedarach has a shallow root system and is best planted at some distance from hard surfaces. Tolerates moderate frosts (zones 8-12).

Attractive shade or specimen tree with graceful foliage, perfumed spring flowers, and a lovely display of yellow fruit in winter. When in flower, the canopy has a beautiful soft, smokey mauve appearance. Also suitable for erosion control and timber production.

nandina-domestica-richmond

Nandina domestica 'Richmond'

Evergreen shrub with finely divided leaves and showy brilliant red berries in winter. Stems are upright and cane-like, a bit like bamboo (but not suckering), hence the common names "heavenly bamboo", "Chinese bamboo" and "sacred bamboo" for the species. Foliaged is composed of many small lance-shaped to elliptical leaves to 2 cm long, some of which colour up to burgundy-red in the colder months of the year. Small creamy white, star-shaped flowers, 1 cm across, in panicles at the ends of stems mainly during summer.

Nandina domestica 'Richmond' is self-fertile, i.e. does not require another plant to produce berries. For Nandina domestica itself to  form berries both male and female plants should be planted together.

Prefers a partially shaded or sunny position in any, fertile soil. Copes reasonably well with  full shade. Quite drought-tolerant. If pruning is required, selectively prune some of the stems at a ttime instead of cutting the whole plant back.

Its growth habit and delicate foliage make this the perfect choice for gardens with an oriental theme. Can also be grown as a tub plant.

viburnum-japonicum

Viburnum japonicum

Japanese viburnum

Rounded evergreen shrub, native to Japan and Taiwan. Glossy green, leathery, ovate leaves in opposite pairs, 9-14 cm long and 6-9 cm wide. Leaves have prominent veins and a slightly serrated edge. Foliage may turn partially red during winter in cold climates. Flat clusters of mildly fragrant, creamy white flowers, 7-12 cm across, during spring. Shiny red berries in autumn and persisting through winter. Viburnum japonicum is not self-fertile and needs another plant of the same species nearby to produce fruit.

Prefers a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade and any moist, well-draining soil. Not suitable for areas with poor, dry soils. Tolerates moderate frosts. Since Viburnum japonicum is a naturally bushy plant, pruning is usually not required other than to develop a good shape or maintain a well-furnished hedge.

Ideal for use as a screen or hedge. Great filler in shrub borders for flower and fruit display.