A compact, mounding natal plum with glossy, deep green leaves that resemble boxwood. It takes Phoenix heat better than true boxwood, carries fragrant white star-shaped flowers, and stays low with very little pruning.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Once established it tolerates dry spells, but regular summer water keeps it fuller and flowering. Too much water in heavy or poorly drained soil leads to yellowing and root rot.
Pruning
Most plants need little more than an occasional trim to tidy the edges. It can be sheared into a low hedge, though shearing removes some of the flowers.
Cold
A hard freeze can burn the foliage and kill back stems. Wait until new growth appears in spring, then cut back to live wood. Plants usually recover quickly.
Heat
In extreme heat, above about 115°F, a few branches may die back. Light afternoon shade helps in the hottest spots.
How our designers use it
A heat-tolerant boxwood look
It gives the clean, clipped look of boxwood in sunny spots where boxwood would scorch.
Low borders and mass plantings
Planted in groups, it fills beds as a low, glossy mass or edges a walkway or patio.
Pots and planters
Its compact habit suits containers and raised planters near the pool or patio.
Good to know
Around the pool
Low litter and generally thornless, so it sits comfortably beside a pool deck. It may set a few red, plum-like fruits, which are edible when ripe.
Sap
Broken stems ooze a milky sap that can irritate sensitive skin. Wear gloves when pruning.
