Delacour's Rhaphiolepis

Delacour's Rhaphiolepis (Rhaphiolepis x delacourii) is the pink flowered Indian hawthorn landscapers reach for when a hedge has to survive without anyone looking after it. It grows to about 2m tall and 2m wide, carries rose pink flowers through spring, and holds dense leathery foliage that shrugs off salt wind, heat and dry spells. As a hybrid of two hardy species it is tougher than either parent.

Why you'll love it

• Rose pink spring flowering. Clusters of pink flowers cover the plant against dark glossy foliage, then it goes quietly green for the rest of the year.
• A hedge at a useful height. At 2m by 2m it screens a standard fence line and a ground floor window, which is what most people actually want.
• Coastal proof. Salt and heat tolerant, so it holds foliage on a beachside boundary where softer plants brown off on the windward side.
• Frost hardy as well. Unusually for a plant this heat tolerant, it handles genuine frost, spanning cool temperate through subtropical gardens.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. The row reads as solid within two to three seasons, and because the plant holds foliage low it does not thin out at the base.

Coastal gardens. Use it as the outer layer where salt wind arrives first. The leathery leaves are built for that exposure, and sandy soils suit it well.

Mass and feature planting. At the same 1m spacing it covers a bank quickly. Left unclipped, a single plant makes a rounded 2m shrub that flowers heavily.

Growing Delacour's Rhaphiolepis in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering and densest habit. Part shade is tolerated but produces a looser plant with fewer flowers. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens.

Soil. Undemanding about type, but drainage matters. On heavy clay, raise the planting row on a low mound and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, back from the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then reduce as it becomes drought tolerant. A complete slow release fertiliser just after flowering feeds the growth flush and builds next spring's buds.

Pruning. Trim immediately after flowering finishes, the only timing that keeps both the shape and the flowers. It reshoots from old wood, so an overgrown hedge can be cut back hard in early spring and will refurnish from the base.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: a 140mm pack of ten, a 200mm pack of six and a single 300mm plant. Ten 140mm plants at 1m spacing covers roughly 10m and six 200mm plants covers about 6m, while the 300mm size suits a feature position or a gap in an existing hedge.

Younger plants arrive compact and upright, and branch out through the first growing season, especially if you tip prune at planting. Expect a hedge to close in two to three seasons. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Plant choices that work in coastal gardens
• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Browse the coastal garden range
• Rhaphiolepis 'Cosmic White' for a lower white flowered hedge

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. That gives a solid hedge at about 2m tall within two to three seasons. Planting closer will not close the gap faster and makes watering harder.

Can I keep it lower than 2m?

Yes. Trimming after flowering each year holds it at 1.2m to 1.5m comfortably, and because it shoots from old wood it stays furnished at the base instead of lifting into bare stems.

How does it compare with the compact white flowered varieties?

This is the larger, pink flowered option at about 2m in both directions, suited to a screening hedge. The compact white forms stop near 1m and suit low borders. Choose on the height you need first.