Snow Maiden Indian Hawthorn

Snow Maiden Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica 'Snow Maiden') is the low hedge that refuses to fail. A naturally rounded shrub to about 1.2m, it covers itself in clusters of white spring flowers over neat leathery foliage, then spends the rest of the year looking clipped without being clipped. Frost, drought, salt spray, heat and poor soil all wash over it, which is why landscapers specify it by the hundred for gardens that must look good with no fuss.

Why you'll love it

• Near indestructible. The tolerance list reads like a stress test: frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant, poor soil tolerant. Snow Maiden passes all of it.
• A naturally tidy dome. It grows into hedge shape on its own; one light trim a year is grooming, not maintenance.
• Spring snow. The white flower clusters smother the bush in spring, feeding bees and butterflies, with spot flowers afterwards.
• The right height for edges. At 1m to 1.2m it borders paths, drives and pool fences without ever blocking a view.
• Coastal certified. Front line salt wind leaves the glossy foliage unmarked.

Where it works best

Low hedging. Plant 60cm apart for a continuous knee to waist high hedge; a 6m run takes 10 or 11 plants.

Mass planting. Drifts across banks, verges and commercial beds stay uniform for years, the reason it anchors so many professional plantings.

Borders, pots and coastal beds. It behaves in a container, edges a driveway cleanly, and takes the beachfront position most flowering shrubs cannot.

Growing Snow Maiden in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest habit and heaviest flowering; light part shade is fine. It performs in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates, which covers almost every Australian garden.

Soil. Any soil with basic drainage, from sand to clay loam. Mulch 50mm to 75mm deep, clear of stems.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then rainfall is usually enough. A single spring application of controlled release fertiliser is all it asks.

Pruning. One light all over trim after spring flowering keeps the dome tight and sets up next year's blooms. That is the entire calendar.

What to expect when it arrives

Snow Maiden ships in every practical format: $10.95 tubes for big projects, 140mm packs of 10, 175mm and 200mm packs of 6 and 250mm packs of 3 for instant hedge runs, single 300mm to 500mm plants, and advanced 45L stock for immediate structure. Everything is currently in stock. Delivery is Australia wide, from $29.95, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Expect steady establishment and a first proper flowering the spring after planting.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Our pick of the best hedging plants
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants
• Plants for mass planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant a hedge?

60cm apart in a single row. The domes touch within a couple of seasons and read as one clean line from then on.

Is this the old Indian hawthorn that got everywhere?

Snow Maiden is a compact selected form selling as a garden shrub, far tidier than the rangy old types. In a maintained garden the annual post flowering trim also removes the berries that made older plantings seedy.

Will it grow under my established trees?

In light or broken shade, yes, with a slightly looser habit. Deep dark shade under a fig or a carport thins any rhaphiolepis; give it at least half a day of light.

How fast does it fill in?

From 200mm stock at 60cm spacing, expect a connected low hedge in about two seasons. Tubes take an extra season and cost a fraction per metre.