Xylosma senticosum
Description: Xylosma senticosum, commonly known as Brush Cherry, is an evergreen shrub or small tree valued for its glossy green foliage and dense, bushy growth habit. This plant is particularly appreciated for its versatility in the landscape, making it an excellent choice for hedges, screens, and specimen plantings.
Flowers:
- Blooms: The plant produces small, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers in late spring to early summer. The flowers are not particularly showy but contribute to the plant’s overall attractiveness.
- Fragrance: The flowers have a mild fragrance.
Foliage:
- Leaves: The leaves are glossy, dark green, and elliptical to lance-shaped, providing a lush and vibrant appearance year-round.
- Seasonal Color: The foliage remains green throughout the year, adding continuous visual interest.
Fruit:
- Fruit: The plant occasionally produces small, berry-like fruits that turn from green to black when ripe. These fruits are attractive to birds but are not typically significant for ornamental value.
Form and Size:
- Size: Typically grows 2-4 meters tall and 1.5-3 meters wide, forming a dense, rounded shape.
- Habit: Upright and bushy with a well-branched structure, making it suitable for various landscape uses.
Growing Conditions:
- Climate: Thrives in tropical to subtropical climates and is suitable for warm regions in Australia. It can tolerate light frosts but prefers warmer conditions.
- Soil: Prefers well-draining, fertile soils but can adapt to a variety of soil types, including sandy and loamy soils. Avoid waterlogged conditions.
- Sunlight: Best grown in full sun to partial shade. Full sun promotes the best growth and foliage color, while partial shade is tolerated.
- Watering: Regular watering during the establishment phase is crucial. Once established, it benefits from consistent moisture but can tolerate short periods of drought.
Uses:
- Ornamental Shrub: Highly valued as an ornamental shrub for its attractive foliage and dense growth habit.
- Hedges and Screening: Ideal for creating medium to tall hedges, screens, and windbreaks due to its dense growth habit.
- Specimen Plant: Suitable as a focal point in gardens and landscapes.
- Containers: Can be grown in large containers, making it versatile for patios and small gardens.
Maintenance:
- Pruning: Prune after flowering to maintain shape, remove dead or diseased wood, and encourage bushier growth. Regular pruning helps keep the plant tidy and promotes healthy new growth.
- Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring to promote healthy growth and vibrant foliage color.
- Pests and Diseases: Generally resistant to many pests and diseases. Monitor for common pests such as aphids, scale insects, and spider mites. Good air circulation and proper watering practices help prevent fungal diseases.
Notes:
- Hardiness: Hardy in USDA zones 9-11. In cooler regions of Australia, provide protection from severe frost to prevent damage to new growth.
Companion Plants: Pair with other evergreen shrubs and perennials, such as camellias, gardenias, and hydrangeas, to create a harmonious and visually appealing garden display.
Xylosma senticosum
Common Name: Brush Cherry
Botanical Name: Xylosma senticosum
Family: Salicaceae
Origin: Native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands
Read lessPlease note that all Plants on this site are a range of plants we grow through out the year.
Availability changes all through out the year. please check with us via our Sunshine Coast Garden Centre page for Pricing & Availability
Product Availability
Plants & Pots come and go all year around.
- Plants are seasonal and sometimes we run out but have more batches coming along.
- Some Plants are not always in-stock however we can either order it in. pending availability
- Available numbers change every hour of the day in store and where we grow so please check in with us on how many you are looking for
- we have access to thousands of plants. if you are looking for a specific plant please let us know and we will see if its coming into stock soon or if we can order it for you.
- we will sometimes keep plants on our website to show you the description of how it grows and its specific characteristics. they may not be in stock all the time however we will keep it up online so when it comes in we wont have to reload products
Where are our plants Grown and how do we grow them
- Plants are grown locally on the Sunshine Coast
- All outdoor plants are sun hardened and ready to grow
- Indoor plants are grown under 50% Shade and will transfer perfectly to indoor use
- Orchids are also grown under 50% Shade and are best brought indoors during flowering for show then returned back into a shaded area until the following flowering time
- we are Qualified horticulturists, greenkeeper as well as Qualified landscape Construction with over 35 years experience in the industry. We use Quality products and materials to grow all our plants.
How to Look after your plants like we do
- When using any Garden Care products or Fertilisers we always recommend reading the label before use
- We recommend using Earthlife crushed rock mineral on all plants when planting in the ground or in Pots.
- When planting in Pots in Our garden centre we use either Rocky Point Premium Potting mix or our own custom potting mixes blend to plant all our plants
- If planting in the ground we also recommend that you use good quality Bagged garden soil around your plants at the time of planting