Japonica Cleyera - 3 Gallon

Japonica Cleyera - Evergreen Foundation Shrub | 3-4 ft, Individual Plant

Create elegant, low-maintenance landscapes with glossy evergreen foliage that provides year-round structure and seasonal beauty. The Japonica Cleyera is a dense, upright evergreen shrub with lustrous dark green leaves that emerge with striking bronze-red new growth tips. This exceptional broadleaf evergreen has become a premier choice for southern gardeners seeking reliable, heat-tolerant foundation plantings with sophisticated appeal. With its naturally compact 6-10 foot mature size and dense branching habit, the Japonica Cleyera creates perfect privacy screens while requiring minimal maintenance once established. The glossy, oval leaves provide rich texture and color year-round, complemented by fragrant small white flowers in late spring and attractive red berries in fall that add seasonal interest. Unlike many broadleaf evergreens that struggle in heat and humidity, this adaptable shrub provides consistent performance and elegant appearance that actually improves with age, developing denser foliage and more refined form over time.

Why You'll Love the Japonica Cleyera

Beautiful Bronze New Growth: Stunning bronze to reddish new growth tips emerge throughout the growing season, creating beautiful color contrast against the mature dark green foliage and providing continuous visual interest from spring through fall.

Perfect Privacy Screen Size: Reaching 6-10 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide at maturity with moderate growth rate of 6-12 inches per year, making it ideal for privacy screens, foundation plantings, and formal hedges without becoming overwhelming in smaller landscapes.

Exceptional Heat and Humidity Tolerance: Thrives in hot, humid southern climates where many other broadleaf evergreens fail, maintaining its glossy appearance and dense growth even through challenging summer conditions and drought periods once established.

Year-Round Multi-Season Appeal: A sophisticated landscaping choice due to its evergreen structure, fragrant spring flowers, colorful new growth, attractive fall berries, and excellent deer resistance - perfect for homeowners wanting elegant, low-maintenance plantings with seasonal interest.

Japonica Cleyera Details

• Botanical Name: Ternstroemia gymnanthera (formerly Cleyera japonica)
• Type: Broadleaf evergreen shrub
• Mature Size: 6–10 ft tall × 4–6 ft wide
• Growth Rate: Moderate — 6–12 inches per year
• Light: Partial shade to full sun (morning sun preferred)
• Soil: Well-drained, slightly acidic; adaptable to various soil types
• Water: Moderate; drought tolerant once established
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 7, 8, 9, 10

Growing Conditions

Soil Adaptability: Japonica Cleyeras prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5) but adapt well to various soil types including clay and sandy soils. However, they perform best with consistent moisture and organic matter, and cannot tolerate waterlogged conditions or extremely alkaline soils.

Light Requirements: Performs best with morning sun and afternoon shade, especially in hot climates. Can tolerate full sun with adequate moisture but may show some leaf scorch in intense afternoon sun. In cooler regions, tolerates more direct sunlight throughout the day.

Hardiness: USDA zones 7-10, making it ideal for southern and coastal regions with excellent heat and humidity tolerance. May experience some cold damage below 10°F but typically recovers well from minor freeze damage.

Care Instructions

Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish deep roots. Once established, shows excellent drought tolerance but performs best with consistent moisture during hot summer periods. Water at the base to avoid wetting foliage.

Pruning: Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Responds well to pruning and can be maintained as a formal hedge or allowed to grow naturally. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches to maintain good air circulation.

Fertilizing: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants in early spring. Add a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch around the base to retain moisture and gradually acidify the soil as it decomposes.

Landscaping Uses

Versatile Applications: Japonica Cleyera's versatility makes it suitable for: foundation plantings, privacy screens, formal hedges, mixed shrub borders, specimen plantings, container gardens, and as backdrop plants for colorful perennials and annuals.

Foundation Planting Excellence: The dense, upright growth habit and manageable size make Japonica Cleyera ideal for foundation plantings where it provides substantial year-round structure without overwhelming windows or walkways, while offering sophisticated texture and seasonal color changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far apart should I plant Japonica Cleyeras for a privacy screen? Space Japonica Cleyeras 3-4 feet apart for a dense privacy screen, or 4-6 feet apart for individual specimen plantings. For formal hedges, plant 2-3 feet apart. Their moderate growth rate allows for proper spacing planning without rapid overcrowding.

When do Japonica Cleyeras bloom and are the flowers showy? Japonica Cleyeras produce small, fragrant white flowers in late spring (typically May-June). While individual flowers are small, they're numerous and sweetly scented. The flowers are followed by small red berries in fall that add seasonal interest and attract birds.

Are Japonica Cleyeras deer resistant and low maintenance? Yes, Japonica Cleyeras are naturally deer resistant due to their tough, leathery leaves and are considered very low maintenance once established. They rarely suffer from serious pest or disease problems and maintain their attractive appearance with minimal care.