China Doll

China Doll 'Everlasting Beauty' (Radermachera 'Everlasting Beauty') is the shrub to plant when you want soft glossy cover that also perfumes the garden. It reaches about 3m tall and 2m wide, carrying finely divided evergreen foliage and white trumpet flowers through the warmer months. Growth is quick, so a light screen closes in within a couple of seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Fragrance you notice from the path. The white trumpet flowers carry scent across a courtyard, so position matters more than usual.
• Fast cover without bulk. At roughly 3m by 2m it screens a fence line or a window without swallowing a narrow bed.
• Foliage that holds all year. The glossy ferny leaves stay on through winter rather than thinning between flushes.
• Equally good in a pot. Container growing keeps it smaller and easier to control, indoors or on a warm balcony.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1m apart along a fence or beside a deck. The habit is open and airy, so it filters a view rather than blocking it outright.

Feature planting. One plant beside a doorway or seating area puts the flowers where you will actually smell them.

Pots and indoors. A pot 400mm or wider holds it for several years. Indoors, give it the brightest spot you have and expect a plant under a metre.

Growing China Doll in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun brings the heaviest flowering, though part shade suits hot inland gardens. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones. It is frost tender, so cooler southern gardens want it in a pot that can move under cover.

Soil. Free draining soil enriched with compost. It will not sit in wet ground, so raise the bed on heavy clay and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then keep it moderately moist rather than letting it dry out hard. Controlled release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer holds the colour and the flowering.

Pruning. Tip prune from the day you plant it, because that is what turns a naturally open shrub into a dense one. It takes a harder cut back after flowering and reshoots readily in warm weather.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it as tube stock and in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. Tubes are young single stemmed plants under 30cm, and they suit a long run because they establish fast and catch up within a season. The 140mm packs arrive better branched and screen a few months sooner.

Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Some leaf drop after transit is normal. Expect new growth in four to six weeks of warm weather, and a usable screen in the second season, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more fragrant plants for Australian gardens.
• Compare screening plants that finish between 2m and 4m.
• Read our guide to planting for scent through the year.
• See the indoor plant range for growing it inside.

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Often 60cm to 1m in a good warm season once the roots are away. Growth slows noticeably through winter and in cooler gardens.

Will it screen a fence on its own?

It gives a soft screen rather than a solid wall. Plant 1m apart and tip prune regularly, or pair it with a denser hedging shrub if you need full privacy.

Can I keep it indoors?

Yes, in a bright position out of hot sun through glass. Indoor plants stay compact, rarely above a metre, and want the mix to dry slightly between waterings.

Will frost kill it?

Frost damages the soft growth and a hard frost can kill a young plant. Where frosts are regular, grow it in a container and move it under eaves for winter.