Rhaphiolepis ‘Cosmic Pink’

Rhaphiolepis 'Cosmic Pink' (Rhaphiolepis indica 'Cosmic Pink') is a compact Indian hawthorn that holds a neat rounded shape at about 1m tall and 1m wide without being clipped. Soft pink flowers cover it in spring, followed by small dark berries the birds take. It is tough in the way older hawthorns are tough: heat, drought, salt wind and frost all pass over it.

Why you'll love it

• It keeps its shape by itself. A naturally domed 1m by 1m habit, so a low hedge or a row of mounds stays tidy with almost no shearing.
• Heavy pink spring flowering. Clusters of soft pink blooms smother the plant, then repeat lightly through the warmer months.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, which covers most of the ways a hedge plant fails.
• Bees and birds both use it. Bees and butterflies work the flowers, and small birds take the dark berries that follow.

Where it works best

Low hedging. Plant 70cm apart in a single row. At that spacing the plants meet within two seasons and give a solid 80cm to 1m hedge with one light trim a year.

Borders, edging and mass planting. The same 70cm spacing works for a mass planted bed or a driveway edge. For individual mounds with space between, stretch to 1.2m.

Pots and coastal gardens. A pot 400mm or wider suits it on a balcony, and its salt tolerance means it holds up in exposed seaside beds.

Growing Rhaphiolepis 'Cosmic Pink' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the densest habit, though it copes with part shade. It suits warm temperate, subtropical, Mediterranean and cool temperate gardens, and it is frost hardy once established, so its range covers most of the country.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil that drains. Improve heavy clay with compost and plant slightly proud of the surrounding level. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then only in dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring, before the flower buds open, keeps the display heavy.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering, taking the tips rather than cutting into old wood. That is usually the only pruning it needs in a year.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: tube stock, 140mm plants in a pack of ten, and 200mm plants in a pack of six. Tubes are the economical way to plant a long hedge and catch up within two seasons. The 200mm plants are already bushy and give a low hedge a visible start from day one.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a settling in period of two to three weeks, then steady growth, and the first full flowering in the second spring. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to choose and space edging plants
• Browse other low maintenance shrubs
• Salt tolerant plants for coastal gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

70cm apart in a single row. That spacing closes into a continuous low hedge in about two seasons while each plant keeps its foliage right down to the base.

How big does it actually get?

About 1m tall and 1m wide, and it holds that size naturally rather than needing to be cut back to it. That is the main difference between this and the older, larger Indian hawthorns.

Does it need much pruning?

One light trim after flowering is enough. Avoid cutting into bare old wood, and never shear it in late winter or you will remove the spring flower buds.

Will it grow in a pot?

Yes. Use a pot 400mm or wider with free draining mix, water more often than you would in the ground, and feed each spring. Expect it to settle a little under a metre in a container.