Most loved for its graceful vase-shaped canopy, small glossy green leaves that turn shades of yellow to red in autumn, and mottled flaking bark that gives year-round character.
Approximate only. Minimum height important? Confirm with us.
Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.
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Ulmus parvifolia, the Chinese Elm, is a semi deciduous shade tree with a vase shaped crown and gracefully arching outer branches. The small glossy serrated leaves turn yellow through bronze before falling, and the trunk sheds patches of bark to leave a mottled pattern of grey, cream and tan.
It reaches up to 15 metres tall and 8 to 10 metres wide, adding roughly 50 to 80 centimetres a year. Full sun to part shade suits it, in any reasonably drained soil. Once established it handles frost, drought, wind, salt spray and the compacted ground of urban sites.
Councils and landscapers use it as a street tree, a car park tree and a shade tree in parks, and it works in larger home gardens where a broad canopy is wanted. Formative pruning over the first few years sets the branch structure, after which it asks very little.
About Chinese Elm
Ulmus parvifolia is a semi deciduous shade tree from China, Korea and Japan, grown here for its vase shaped crown, small glossy serrated leaves and mottled bark that flakes away to reveal cream and tan patches. It is one of the more urban tolerant deciduous trees available in Australia and is planted widely in streets and parks.
It reaches up to 15 metres tall with a canopy 8 to 10 metres wide in good conditions. In restricted street plantings and shallow soils it usually settles well short of that. Allow at least 8 metres of clear space around the trunk if you want the full arching form to develop.
Around 50 to 80 centimetres a year, which is moderate to fast for a deciduous shade tree. Growth is quickest in the first ten years and slows as the crown broadens. Advanced trees in larger containers give a usable canopy sooner, which matters on projects where shade is wanted early.
It is semi deciduous. In cool districts it drops its leaves properly through winter after colouring yellow and bronze. In warmer coastal and subtropical areas it often holds much of its foliage, shedding briefly in late winter as the new leaves push through. Either way the bare period is short.
Yes. It tolerates salt laden wind better than most deciduous trees, which is why it turns up in beachside streetscapes along the east coast. Plant it behind the first line of dunes rather than in full frontal exposure, and water it through the first two summers while the roots establish.
Its roots are less aggressive than those of many large elms, but it is still a substantial tree. Keep it at least 4 to 5 metres from house footings, paving and service trenches, and further again from older drainage lines. In street verges use a root barrier or a structural soil cell.
Water deeply through the first two summers, mulch out to the drip line and keep the mulch off the trunk. Prune in late winter while the tree is bare, removing crossing limbs and lifting the canopy over paths. Once established it needs little beyond an occasional check for deadwood.
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Ulmus parvifolia, the Chinese Elm, is a semi deciduous shade tree with a vase shaped crown and gracefully arching outer branches. The small glossy serrated leaves turn yellow through bronze before falling, and the trunk sheds patches of bark to leave a mottled pattern of grey, cream and tan.
It reaches up to 15 metres tall and 8 to 10 metres wide, adding roughly 50 to 80 centimetres a year. Full sun to part shade suits it, in any reasonably drained soil. Once established it handles frost, drought, wind, salt spray and the compacted ground of urban sites.
Councils and landscapers use it as a street tree, a car park tree and a shade tree in parks, and it works in larger home gardens where a broad canopy is wanted. Formative pruning over the first few years sets the branch structure, after which it asks very little.
About Chinese Elm
Ulmus parvifolia is a semi deciduous shade tree from China, Korea and Japan, grown here for its vase shaped crown, small glossy serrated leaves and mottled bark that flakes away to reveal cream and tan patches. It is one of the more urban tolerant deciduous trees available in Australia and is planted widely in streets and parks.
It reaches up to 15 metres tall with a canopy 8 to 10 metres wide in good conditions. In restricted street plantings and shallow soils it usually settles well short of that. Allow at least 8 metres of clear space around the trunk if you want the full arching form to develop.
Around 50 to 80 centimetres a year, which is moderate to fast for a deciduous shade tree. Growth is quickest in the first ten years and slows as the crown broadens. Advanced trees in larger containers give a usable canopy sooner, which matters on projects where shade is wanted early.
It is semi deciduous. In cool districts it drops its leaves properly through winter after colouring yellow and bronze. In warmer coastal and subtropical areas it often holds much of its foliage, shedding briefly in late winter as the new leaves push through. Either way the bare period is short.
Yes. It tolerates salt laden wind better than most deciduous trees, which is why it turns up in beachside streetscapes along the east coast. Plant it behind the first line of dunes rather than in full frontal exposure, and water it through the first two summers while the roots establish.
Its roots are less aggressive than those of many large elms, but it is still a substantial tree. Keep it at least 4 to 5 metres from house footings, paving and service trenches, and further again from older drainage lines. In street verges use a root barrier or a structural soil cell.
Water deeply through the first two summers, mulch out to the drip line and keep the mulch off the trunk. Prune in late winter while the tree is bare, removing crossing limbs and lifting the canopy over paths. Once established it needs little beyond an occasional check for deadwood.
Semi Deciduous
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is expected to grow 50cm to 80cm per year (moderate to fast) (approx.).
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) works in an:
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is an Semi Deciduous Tree
Mature Height: 10m to 15m (approx.)
Mature Width: 8m to 10m
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is expected to grow 50cm to 80cm per year (moderate to fast) (approx.).
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is expected to grow 50cm to 80cm per year (moderate to fast) (approx.).
They are considered to have a:
Is Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) frost tolerant?
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is Frost Hardy – Survives heavy and frequent frost without damage.
Ulmus parvifolia does not produce ornamental flowers. Its tiny, inconspicuous blooms appear in late summer to autumn and are quickly followed by papery winged seeds. This species is prized for its attractive mottled bark, elegant branch structure and glossy foliage rather than its flowering display.
Does Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) flower?
Flowering Period:
Flower Type:
Flower Colour:
Not Applicable
No
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) is Native to Native to China, Japan, and Korea, where it grows naturally in forests and along stream banks. Widely cultivated worldwide for its toughness and ornamental qualities.
Its dense, spreading canopy provides excellent shelter and roosting opportunities for small birds, while its fine foliage supports a variety of beneficial insects. These insects help sustain local food webs, making the Chinese Elm a valuable tree for enhancing biodiversity in suburban gardens, parks and open landscapes.
Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) will thrive best in:
Ulmus parvifolia performs best in well-drained loam or sandy loam soils with an acidic to neutral pH. It will also tolerate sandy soils if enriched with organic matter to enhance moisture retention and overall vigour. Avoid heavy clay or poorly drained ground unless significantly improved, as these conditions can impede root health and reduce growth. Keep the soil evenly moist during establishment, then gradually reduce watering as the tree matures.
Is Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese Elm) Drought tolerant?
As a young tree it requires regular deep watering to establish well. Once established, Ulmus parvifolia shows strong drought tolerance, performing reliably through warm, dry periods when planted in well-drained soil. It maintains excellent foliage colour and canopy density with minimal supplementary watering, even during extended heat.
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Photographs are not to scale. Heights are approximate and vary between individual trees.
We take pride in supplying A+ grade advanced trees. When stock at our farm is not yet ready, we work with our trusted trade suppliers to source the best available trees for your garden.
Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.
Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.
Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.
About Enriched Planting Mix
It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.
It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.
No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.
Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.
Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.
It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.
Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.
Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.
Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.
Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.
About Enriched Planting Mix
It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.
It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.
No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.
Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.
Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.
It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.
Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.
Ligularia reniformis carries enormous glossy kidney-shaped leaves that give a shaded garden the bold tropical texture usually only available in full sun. The Tractor Seat Plant is grown for foliage first, with tall stems of bright yellow daisy flowers through summer as a bonus.
Ligularia reniformis forms a clump 0.6 to 1 metre tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide, spreading slowly at 10 to 20 centimetres per year. That steady habit makes it reliable as a mass underplanting beneath established trees, an edging along a shaded path, or a single specimen in a large pot.
This is a full shade plant. It wants consistent moisture and protection from hot afternoon sun, which scorches the leaves, and it is frost sensitive, so in cold districts it needs a protected position. Given shade and water it is close to maintenance free.
About Ligularia reniformis
It forms a clump 0.6 to 1 metre tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. The individual leaves can reach 40 centimetres across, which is where the bold texture comes from.
The common name comes from the large round kidney-shaped leaves, which resemble the seat of an old tractor. The botanical name reniformis means kidney-shaped.
Yes. It performs best in full shade and will scorch in hot afternoon sun. It is one of the most useful foliage plants available for genuinely dark positions.
Tall stems of bright yellow daisy-like flowers rise well above the foliage through summer. The foliage remains the main feature for the rest of the year.
No. It is frost sensitive and may be damaged by frost. In cold districts plant it in a protected position, or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.
It wants consistently moist soil and does not tolerate drying out. Mulch well and water regularly through summer, particularly in pots and under established trees where roots compete.
Plant 0.8 to 1 metre apart for a continuous shaded groundcover mass. Closer spacing fills in faster but the clumps will crowd within a few seasons.
Buxus microphylla var. japonica, sold as Japanese Box, is a dense evergreen shrub clipped here into clean topiary balls. The small, rounded, mid green leaves sit tightly along short stems, so the surface holds a crisp edge after cutting. Growth is naturally compact, which is what allows the ball shape to hold between trims.
It grows in full sun to part shade and accepts most soils that drain, from sandy loam through to improved clay. Cool temperate, temperate and subtropical districts all suit it, and established plants handle light to moderate frost. Growth runs about 15 to 25 centimetres a year, slow enough that the shape stays where you put it.
Balls are used to edge beds and paths, mark an entry, sit either side of a doorway, or repeat down a courtyard to give a planting rhythm. They also underplant feature trees neatly. Because the form arrives already grown, a bed reads finished from the day it goes in rather than years later.
About Japanese Box Topiary Balls
It is Buxus microphylla var. japonica grown on and clipped into a sphere. The plant does the same job as any box shrub, evergreen, small leaved and tolerant of cutting, but it arrives already shaped. Ball diameters run from around 30 centimetres up to large advanced specimens, and the shape is then held with two trims a year.
The ball is held at whatever diameter it is clipped to, commonly 30 to 70 centimetres, with larger specimens available in bigger containers. In the ground, overall height sits close to the ball diameter. Left entirely unclipped the species would slowly reach roughly 1.5 to 2 metres tall and wide over many years.
About 15 to 25 centimetres a year, which is slow to moderate. That pace is an advantage in topiary because the outline drifts gradually rather than running away between cuts. Two trims a year, one in early spring and one in late summer, are usually enough to keep the surface tight and the profile even.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest, tightest surface, which matters when the appeal of the plant is a clean clipped edge. In hot inland gardens some afternoon shade prevents leaf scorch and bronzing. Deep shade thins the growth out and the ball loses its crisp outline.
Yes. Established plants handle light to moderate frost without damage, which covers most temperate and cool temperate gardens including Canberra, Melbourne and the southern tablelands. Newly planted stock is more exposed, so water it well going into winter and mulch the root zone. Any frost burnt tips can simply be trimmed off in spring.
Yes, they are one of the better plants for a container. A pot 40 to 50 centimetres wide suits a single ball for a courtyard, entry or balcony. Use a quality potting mix, water once the top few centimetres dry out, and feed in spring and again in summer. Repot or refresh the mix every few years.
Trim twice a year with sharp shears, cutting lightly and often rather than hard. Feed in early spring with a slow release fertiliser and keep water up through summer. Mulch to about 50 millimetres, keeping it clear of the stem. Watch for box psyllid on soft new growth and treat early if the tips start to cup.
Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl' is one of the best compact evergreen shrubs available for low hedges and borders. The glossy dark green foliage forms a naturally tidy rounded mound, and clusters of soft white to pale pink flowers appear from late winter into spring, followed by small dark berries.
Oriental Pearl grows to just 1-1.5 metres tall and wide, holding a neat uniform shape with minimal pruning. The compact form makes it ideal for low clipped hedges, narrow borders, mass plantings, and container planting, particularly where space is limited and a formal finish is wanted.
Oriental Pearl thrives across most Australian climates in full sun to part shade, tolerating heat, coastal exposure, salt spray, light frost, and a wide range of well-drained soils. It is both drought tolerant and salt tolerant once established, making it a reliable low-maintenance choice for coastal and low-water gardens.
About Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl'
Rhaphiolepis indica 'Oriental Pearl' grows to 1-1.5 metres tall and wide, forming a naturally compact dense mound.
Oriental Pearl has a moderate growth rate of 20-40cm per year once established.
Yes. Oriental Pearl is one of the best compact evergreen shrubs for low hedges, borders, and mass plantings, holding a tidy rounded form with minimal pruning.
Oriental Pearl produces clusters of soft white to pale pink flowers from late winter into spring, followed by small dark berries.
Yes. Oriental Pearl is both drought tolerant and salt tolerant once established, making it well suited to coastal gardens and low-water landscapes.
Plant 50-70cm apart for a continuous low hedge, or 80cm-1 metre for a softer informal border.
Oriental Pearl thrives across most Australian climates in full sun to part shade, tolerating heat, coastal exposure, and a wide range of well-drained soils.
Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen' carries small shimmering silver-green leaves on near-black stems, giving a light airy screen that moves in the wind rather than reading as a solid green wall. It is one of the most widely specified screening plants in Australian landscape design for exactly that reason.
'Silver Sheen' grows to 4 to 6 metres tall but only 1.5 to 2 metres wide at 30 to 60 centimetres per year, which makes it a genuine solution for narrow beds along fence lines and between buildings where height is needed but width is not available. Small cream flowers appear in spring and are lightly fragrant.
'Silver Sheen' grows in full sun to part shade and tolerates light to moderate frost once established, performing from subtropical Queensland through Sydney, Melbourne, Gippsland and Adelaide. It clips well, holds density under regular trimming, and is equally effective as a formal hedge or a loose screen.
About Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Silver Sheen'
'Silver Sheen' grows to 4 to 6 metres tall and only 1.5 to 2 metres wide, which makes it one of the best options for narrow screening where a tall hedge is needed in a shallow bed.
It grows at 30 to 60 centimetres per year once established, reaching a usable screening height within three to four years with regular water and feeding.
It naturally holds to 1.5 to 2 metres wide and can be trimmed to under a metre with regular clipping, which is why it is so often used in tight side-boundary positions.
Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge. Closer spacing fills in faster but needs more trimming.
'Silver Sheen' handles light to moderate frost once established. Young plants benefit from protection through their first winter in colder inland districts.
Yes. It performs in full sun through to part shade. In shadier positions growth is slightly more open, which suits a softer informal screen.
It performs from subtropical Queensland through Northern NSW, Sydney, the South Coast and tablelands, Melbourne and surrounds, the Western District, Gippsland and Adelaide.
Melaleuca nesophila, the Showy Honey Myrtle, is an evergreen Australian native shrub to small tree from the south coast of Western Australia. Fine grey green foliage sits on a dense rounded frame over papery bark, and mauve to pink pom pom flowers cover the outer growth through spring and summer.
Mature width is 2 to 4 metres, with height usually settling around 3 to 5 metres, and growth of 30 to 60 centimetres a year. It wants full sun and takes sand, limestone, gravel and moderately heavy soils. Salt wind, drought and light to moderate frost are all handled once the roots are down.
This is a screening and hedging plant first, used along boundaries, on coastal blocks and through council road reserves where conditions are hard and maintenance budgets are thin. Space it at 1 to 1.5 metres for an informal screen. It gives colour, density and habitat value from one low input plant.
About Showy Honey Myrtle
Melaleuca nesophila, or Showy Honey Myrtle, is an evergreen Australian native shrub to small tree from southern Western Australia. It has fine grey green foliage, a dense rounded habit and soft papery bark, and carries mauve to pink pom pom flowers through spring and summer that age to a soft grey.
It spreads 2 to 4 metres wide and generally reaches 3 to 5 metres tall in a garden, though regular trimming will hold it lower. Growth is moderate to fast at around 30 to 60 centimetres a year, so a screen planted from advanced stock closes over within three or four seasons.
For a dense informal screen, plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart. For a tighter formal hedge, bring that in to 80 centimetres. As a feature tree, allow 3 to 4 metres so the full canopy and form can develop, or 3 metres apart along an avenue for a uniform, soft textured line.
Yes, it is one of the better coastal Melaleucas. It tolerates salt laden wind, sandy and limestone soils, and exposed front line positions once established, which is why it is planted so widely along the southern coastline. In very exposed sites it will lean with the prevailing wind, and most people like the result.
The main flush runs through spring and into summer, roughly September to January. Flowers open mauve to purple pink in dense rounded heads across the outer foliage, then age to grey and stay on the plant. Bees and honeyeaters work it heavily while it is out, so expect plenty of activity.
It handles light to moderate frost once established, which covers most coastal and near coastal parts of southern Australia. Young plants are more vulnerable in their first winter, so plant in autumn or early spring and keep them out of low frost hollows. Hard, repeated inland frost will burn new growth.
Tip prune after flowering to keep it dense and stop the base going bare. It takes a hard cut back if it becomes leggy, though remove no more than about a third at a time. Water through the first summer, then it is largely self sufficient. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in spring on poor soils.
Osmanthus x burkwoodii, or Burkwood osmanthus, is a compact evergreen shrub with an upright bushy habit, a garden hybrid between Osmanthus delavayi and Osmanthus decorus. The small dark green leaves are leathery and glossy, and in spring the whole plant carries clusters of little white flowers with a heavy sweet scent.
It grows 2 to 3 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide at about 15 to 30 centimetres a year. Full sun to part shade suits it, in any well-drained soil. Cool temperate through to warm temperate gardens all work, frost is handled easily, and water matters mainly in the first summers.
Plant it 80 centimetres apart for a clipped formal hedge, 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a soft screen, or 3 metres apart down an avenue. Single plants hold their own near a seat or path where the spring fragrance is noticed. This is a hedge that asks for one trim a year.
About Burkwood Osmanthus
Burkwood osmanthus is a compact evergreen shrub, a garden hybrid between Osmanthus delavayi and Osmanthus decorus. It forms an upright bushy plant of small, leathery, dark green leaves, and in spring it carries dense clusters of little white tubular flowers with a strong sweet fragrance that carries across a courtyard.
It reaches 2 to 3 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide at maturity, growing about 15 to 30 centimetres a year. Clipped as a hedge it is easily held at 1.5 metres or lower. The habit is naturally neat, so it fills out from the base without the bare legs many shrubs develop.
For a tight formal hedge plant 80 centimetres apart. For a fuller informal screen allow 1 to 1.5 metres between plants and let them knit together over two to three seasons. If you are running it as an avenue of clipped shapes, 3 metres apart gives each plant room to develop evenly.
Spring, roughly September to November, with the heaviest display in the middle of that window. The flowers are small and white in tight clusters along the stems, and the fragrance is strong enough to fill an enclosed garden. Prune after flowering rather than before if you want the full display each year.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest growth and the heaviest flowering, while part shade suits it in hot inland gardens where afternoon protection helps. It will grow in more shade than that, but the plant opens up and flowers less. Avoid deep shade under dense evergreens.
Yes. It handles frost comfortably once established and is a dependable choice for cool temperate districts, including the tablelands and Victorian and Tasmanian gardens. It also grows well in milder coastal and warm temperate areas. Young plants benefit from steady water through their first two summers, which matters more than winter protection.
Trim once a year straight after flowering, taking the new growth back to shape. A second light tidy in late summer keeps a formal hedge crisp. Water regularly for the first two summers, then only through long dry spells. Mulch the root zone and feed with a general fertiliser in early spring.
Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Balls' is Star Jasmine grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere. The small glossy leaves sit tight on a woody framework, holding a clean rounded outline year round. White pinwheel flowers open in spring and carry a strong sweet scent right across a courtyard.
Ball specimens hold at about 1 to 1.5 metres tall and wide with light clipping. Full sun to part shade suits them, in any free draining soil. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year. They handle coastal exposure, light frost and dry spells once the roots are down.
Repeat them along a driveway, either side of an entry, or in pots on a terrace where a formal shape is wanted straight away. They read as structure in a planting scheme without the height of a hedge, and because the form is already trained, a new garden looks settled from the day it goes in.
About Star Jasmine Balls
They are Trachelospermum jasminoides, the common Star Jasmine, grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere on a woody framework. Instead of climbing, the plant is trained into a self supporting rounded shape. The foliage is small, glossy and dark green, and the plant carries scented white flowers through spring.
They hold at roughly 1 to 1.5 metres tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year, so a light clip once or twice a year keeps the ball tight at whatever size within that range suits the setting.
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest foliage and the heaviest flowering, while part shade produces slightly softer, more open growth and fewer flowers. Avoid deep shade, where the ball thins out and loses its outline. Morning sun with afternoon protection suits hot inland gardens.
Yes, and pots are one of the main uses. A container 50 to 60 centimetres wide with a quality free draining mix will hold a ball for years. Water more often than you would in the ground, especially in summer, and feed in spring and again in late summer. Refresh the mix every few years.
Yes, the foliage is held year round. The glossy dark green leaves take on a bronze tinge in cold weather and green up again in spring, but the plant never goes bare. That is what makes it useful as permanent structure in a scheme, particularly in winter once perennials have died back.
Flowering runs through spring, roughly September to November, and often carries into early summer in warmer districts. The white pinwheel flowers are small but produced in quantity, and the scent is strong on still evenings. Flowering is heaviest on plants in full sun that were not clipped hard just before bud set.
Clip lightly with hedging shears once after flowering and again in late summer if needed, taking only the new growth to keep the outline crisp. Water deeply in dry weather, mulch the base, and feed in early spring. The sap is milky and can irritate skin, so wear gloves when trimming.
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Ulmus parvifolia, the Chinese Elm, is a semi deciduous shade tree with a vase shaped crown and gracefully arching outer branches. The small glossy serrated leaves turn yellow through bronze before falling, and the trunk sheds patches of bark to leave a mottled pattern of grey, cream and tan.
It reaches up to 15 metres tall and 8 to 10 metres wide, adding roughly 50 to 80 centimetres a year. Full sun to part shade suits it, in any reasonably drained soil. Once established it handles frost, drought, wind, salt spray and the compacted ground of urban sites.
Councils and landscapers use it as a street tree, a car park tree and a shade tree in parks, and it works in larger home gardens where a broad canopy is wanted. Formative pruning over the first few years sets the branch structure, after which it asks very little.
About Chinese Elm
Ulmus parvifolia is a semi deciduous shade tree from China, Korea and Japan, grown here for its vase shaped crown, small glossy serrated leaves and mottled bark that flakes away to reveal cream and tan patches. It is one of the more urban tolerant deciduous trees available in Australia and is planted widely in streets and parks.
It reaches up to 15 metres tall with a canopy 8 to 10 metres wide in good conditions. In restricted street plantings and shallow soils it usually settles well short of that. Allow at least 8 metres of clear space around the trunk if you want the full arching form to develop.
Around 50 to 80 centimetres a year, which is moderate to fast for a deciduous shade tree. Growth is quickest in the first ten years and slows as the crown broadens. Advanced trees in larger containers give a usable canopy sooner, which matters on projects where shade is wanted early.
It is semi deciduous. In cool districts it drops its leaves properly through winter after colouring yellow and bronze. In warmer coastal and subtropical areas it often holds much of its foliage, shedding briefly in late winter as the new leaves push through. Either way the bare period is short.
Yes. It tolerates salt laden wind better than most deciduous trees, which is why it turns up in beachside streetscapes along the east coast. Plant it behind the first line of dunes rather than in full frontal exposure, and water it through the first two summers while the roots establish.
Its roots are less aggressive than those of many large elms, but it is still a substantial tree. Keep it at least 4 to 5 metres from house footings, paving and service trenches, and further again from older drainage lines. In street verges use a root barrier or a structural soil cell.
Water deeply through the first two summers, mulch out to the drip line and keep the mulch off the trunk. Prune in late winter while the tree is bare, removing crossing limbs and lifting the canopy over paths. Once established it needs little beyond an occasional check for deadwood.
