Serissa ‘Snow Leaves Pink’

Serissa 'Snow Leaves Pink' (Serissa japonica 'Snow Leaves Pink') is a miniature evergreen shrub built for small, detailed spaces. It reaches only about 60cm each way, with tiny leaves edged in creamy white and small pink and white flowers through the warmer months. The branching is fine and dense enough to clip into almost any shape, which is why it has been a bonsai subject for generations.

Why you'll love it

• It clips beautifully. The leaves and internodes are tiny, so a trimmed surface reads as a smooth plane rather than a row of cut stumps.
• Variegated all year. The cream leaf margins give a permanent light silver cast, so the plant carries a pot or a border between flowerings.
• Small enough to stay small. At roughly 60cm by 60cm it fits a courtyard, a balcony or a narrow bed without becoming a pruning problem.
• Flowers over a long season. Small pink and white blooms come in flushes rather than one burst, through the warm months.
• Heat and humidity are fine. A rare fine textured plant that copes with a Brisbane or Darwin summer.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. This is its natural home. A pot 300mm or wider is plenty, and container growing lets you place it where the detail is actually seen.

Topiary and shaping. Balls, low cloud forms and bonsai all suit it. It wants regular light trimming rather than hard cuts, so a pass every six to eight weeks.

Borders and small gardens. Plant 40cm apart for a low clipped border 40cm to 50cm high, a genuine alternative to box in warm humid gardens where box struggles.

Growing Serissa in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light part shade, with protection from harsh afternoon sun inland. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It takes light frost only, so in Melbourne or Canberra grow it in a pot that moves under shelter over winter.

Soil. Free draining and moisture retentive at once, which means a good quality potting mix in containers, or garden soil improved with compost. It dislikes both drying out completely and sitting wet.

Water and feed. Serissa is less forgiving about water than most small shrubs. Keep the mix evenly damp and check pots every second day in summer, because a full dry out drops most of the leaves.

Pruning. Light and often. Trim after each flowering flush to hold the shape and build density. It responds well to hard cutting, though give it a full season to refurnish.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock. Plants arrive small, typically 10cm to 15cm of fine branched growth, which is what you want if you intend to shape it, because you set the structure from the beginning. Expect a season in a 200mm pot first.

Fine leaved plants show transit stress more visibly than tough ones, so some leaf drop in a box is normal and not a fault. Pot it up promptly and keep it out of direct wind for a fortnight. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing edging plants for a defined garden bed
• Browse plants suited to topiary and shaping
• Compact plants for small gardens
• Plants that perform well in containers

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a low border?

Forty centimetres apart in a single row. The plants meet within a season or two and can then be clipped as one continuous edge at 40cm to 50cm high.

Is it suitable for bonsai?

Yes, it is one of the classic beginner subjects. The small leaves reduce well, it back buds readily and it flowers at miniature scale. Tube stock is the ideal starting point.

Why did mine drop all its leaves?

Almost always a dry out, a sudden move, or cold. Serissa is dramatic about change and sheds leaves in protest. Keep the mix evenly damp, leave it in one position, and it usually refoliates.