Cleyera Ternstroemia gymnanthera
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- tern-STROE-mee-uh jim-NANTH-er-uh
- Description
-
The Latin name Ternstroemia comes from the Swedish naturalist Christopher Ternstroem who died in 1748. He was a world traveler who developed this plant while in China.
Upright to rounded oval broadleaf evergreen. Salt spray tolerant - hence an excellent choice for NC coastal areas. It can be located in full sun to partial shade, however it does its best when situated in part shade. It may winter burn in full sun. It does not tolerate poorly drained soils.
Juvenile leaves emerge bronze to reddish, turning to green as the leaves mature. It will bloom in the summer, but the flowers inconspicuous. The fruit ripens in fall but is again relatively inconspicuous.
It is typically cultivated for its attractive growth habit and tiered branches with evergreen, blue-green leaves that appear whorled at the branch tips. This moderately drought tolerant specimen is utilized as a screen, a specimen, and in large borders. It can be pruned, however its slow growth rate makes pruning unnecessary. You can pinch new growth to encourage a more compact habit.
Growing best in acidic soils, the leaves will yellow when the soil is alkaline. Maintenance is not an issue for this easy keeper. It can be allowed to grow into a large shrub, or can be kept small through regular pruning.
Very similar to and often sold as Cleyera japonica. It is often planted as a substitute for the problem plagued redtip photinia and the Leyland cypress.
Quick ID
- Branches are tiered, leaves appear whorled at tips
- Evergreen blue-green leaves have purple petioles
- Erect shrub with sympodial growth
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious issues noted. Scale can be an occasional problem.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Bigfoot'
Large, upright plant with glossy light green leaves. - 'Bronze Beauty'
Bronze new growth and red/bronze fall color. - 'Burnished Gold'
Golden new growth fades to bronzy/green. - 'Le Ann'
Orange/red new growth matures to deep green. - 'Regal'
Dense, compact and rounded. Matures to upright multi-trunked. - 'Variegata'
Dark green leaves with a creamy yellow edge turn pink in winter.
- 'Bigfoot'
- 'Bigfoot', 'Bronze Beauty', 'Burnished Gold', 'Le Ann', 'Regal', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bigfoot'
Large, upright plant with glossy light green leaves. - 'Bronze Beauty'
Bronze new growth and red/bronze fall color. - 'Burnished Gold'
Golden new growth fades to bronzy/green. - 'Le Ann'
Orange/red new growth matures to deep green. - 'Regal'
Dense, compact and rounded. Matures to upright multi-trunked. - 'Variegata'
Dark green leaves with a creamy yellow edge turn pink in winter.
- 'Bigfoot'
- 'Bigfoot', 'Bronze Beauty', 'Burnished Gold', 'Le Ann', 'Regal', 'Variegata'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ternstroemia
- Species:
- gymnanthera
- Family:
- Pentaphylacacaeae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan, Korea, China
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Screening
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Salt spray tolerant, can tolerate severe pruning.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The 1/2 in. green to red berry-like speckled fruit in matures in the fall. Although the individual fruits are quite attractive, the low number of fruits and their location behind the foliage, they fail to make a showy display.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The creamy white flowers are small, less than1 inch wide, and borne in the leaf axils on the previous year's wood or on short spurs. The petals may have red pigmentation along the edges. The 5 petals are fleshy and obovate. They have 5 sepals and numerous stamens.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, simple, leathery, lustrous, dark green leaves; 2.5-4 in. long; new growth is bronze, reddish purple to red; reddish bronze winter color when grown in sun
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are rusty gray, glabrous; sympodial growth.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Patio
- Pond
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
