Cleyera Ternstroemia gymnanthera
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- tern-STROE-mee-uh jim-NANTH-er-uh
- Description
-
Upright to rounded oval broadleaf evergreen. Salt spray tolerant - hence excellent for NC coastal areas. Sun to partial shade; may winter burn in full sun; does not tolerate poorly drained soils. Juvenile leaves emerge bronze to reddish; blooms in summer, but flowers inconspicuous; fruit ripens in fall but is relatively inconspicuous; cultivated for it's growth habit and tiered branches with evergreen, blue-green leaves that appear whorled at branch tips; utilized as screen, specimen, large borders; often sold as Cleyera japonica.
Very similar to and often sold as Cleyera japonica.
Quick ID
- Branches are tiered, leaves appear whorled at tips
- Evergreen blue-green leaves have purple petioles
- Erect shrub with sympodial growth
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bronze Beauty'
- 'Burnished Gold'
- 'Le Ann'
- 'Regal'
- 'Bronze Beauty'
- 'Bronze Beauty', 'Burnished Gold', 'Le Ann', 'Regal'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bronze Beauty'
- 'Burnished Gold'
- 'Le Ann'
- 'Regal'
- 'Bronze Beauty'
- 'Bronze Beauty', 'Burnished Gold', 'Le Ann', 'Regal'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ternstroemia
- Species:
- gymnanthera
- Family:
- Pentaphylacacaeae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan, Korea, China
- 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. - 6 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
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 Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
-
-
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:
- 1 in. green to red speckled fruit in fall
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are small, white to yellowish-white, <1 inch wide, borne in leaf axils on previous year's wood or on short spurs; petals 5, fleshy, obovate; sepals 5; stamens numerous.
-
-
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
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- 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
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are rusty gray, glabrous; sympodial growth.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
