Other Names:  syn. Syzygium myrtifolia

Description:

This dwarf variety is usually round in habit but may be shaped; a popular bonsai or topiary selection; new foliage emerges bronze-red all year, then slowly matures to deep green; white flowers in spring or summer are followed by purplish-red fruit

Ornamental Features

Dwarf Brush Cherry features showy clusters of white ball-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches from late spring to early summer. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It features an abundance of magnificent red berries with purple blush in late summer. The rough gray bark and red branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Dwarf Brush Cherry is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dwarf Brush Cherry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Topiary
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Dwarf Brush Cherry will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant will benefit from an application of bonemeal and/or mycorrhizal fertilizer at the time of planting. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Dwarf Brush Cherry makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.