Shrub · North Texas care guide
Ternstroemia gymnanthera
Nursery Pro tip: The evergreen for the shady side of the house. Glossy, no pests, no shearing needed. Keep it out of hot afternoon sun.
An underused evergreen with glossy, slightly wavy leaves, bronze-red new growth and small fragrant spring flowers — 8–10 ft, dense, and one of the few good-looking screens that genuinely prefers shade. The classic replacement for a leaf-spotted photinia hedge.
Part shade to full shade; it will take morning sun but burns in a west exposure. Wants acidic, well-drained, compost-rich soil. Space 4–5 ft apart.
Fall or spring. Hole twice the pot width, ball at grade, native soil blended with compost and pine bark, Root Stimulator, 3 inches of mulch.
Twice a week the first summer, weekly the second, then every week or two. Doesn't like to dry out completely.
Acid-loving fertilizer in early spring; chelated iron and sulfur in our pH.
After the spring flush. Prune to a joint rather than shearing to keep its layered look. Takes a hard cut in late winter if it outgrows the spot.
Iron chlorosis (the usual complaint here). Leaf scorch in too much sun. Scale occasionally.
Shaded screen along a north fence, or a backdrop for azaleas, holly fern, hosta and Japanese maple.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.