Shrub · North Texas care guide
Rhaphiolepis indica
Nursery Pro tip: Neat mounding evergreen with spring blooms. Give it air movement to avoid leaf spot.
A compact evergreen mound, 3–5 ft, covered in pink or white fragrant flowers in April with blue-black berries after. Neat, slow, and one of the most-planted foundation shrubs in Texas for a reason. 'Clara' (white) and 'Eleanor Taber' (pink) have the best leaf-spot resistance.
Full sun to part shade with good air circulation — crowded, shaded, wet spots invite leaf spot. Any drained soil. Space 3–4 ft apart.
Fall or spring. Hole twice the pot width, ball at grade, native soil, Root Stimulator, mulch. Don't plant deep.
Weekly the first summer, then every couple of weeks in the heat. Water the soil, not the leaves.
Shrub fertilizer in early spring. Iron if leaves yellow.
Right after flowering, lightly. It stays in shape with almost nothing; don't shear it into a box.
Entomosporium leaf spot — red-purple spots that spread in wet weather: choose resistant varieties, avoid overhead watering, rake up fallen leaves, and use a fungicide in spring if it's bad. Scale occasionally. Hard freezes (like 2021) can damage it; it usually regrows.
Foundation and mass plantings with dwarf yaupon, dwarf Burford holly, liriope and pansies for winter color.
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.