Osteomeles schwerinae
A dense evergreen Rosaceae shrub native to Asia with white hawthorn-like flowers, pinnate leaves, and bluish-black edible pomes about 6–8 mm that can be eaten raw or used to make jellies and jams, commonly grown as an ornamental plant or for bonsai and reaching 1–4 m tall, with propagation by seed after cold stratification, cuttings of half-ripe wood, or layering.
Common Names
Chinese Emperor Plum
Summary
Native to East Asia, this dense evergreen shrub grows to about 2 m tall and 3 m wide, with arching branches and leaves that are odd-pinnate on a winged rachis with 7–15 pairs of leaflets, each leaflet about 3–5 mm long. White flowers appear in cymose clusters and resemble hawthorn, followed by small edible pomes.
Culture favors a sheltered position in full sun with well-drained soil and tolerance for a range of soil types from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline; hardy in USDA zones 7–11, frost hardy to about −5°C, with the subspecies microphylla hardy to about −10°C, and it can be grown on sunny walls. Propagation includes seeds that require cold stratification (sow in late autumn), cuttings of 5–8 cm with a heel taken in July–August, and layering; practical uses include ornamental plantings in gardens and bonsai, as well as borders, hedges, and isolated specimens.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in
Spread
2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained fertile loamy or sandy soil, pH ~6–7.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Dark green on the upper surface and grayish green on the lower surface.
Fall Foliage Color
No fall foliage color; evergreen.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Bees, flies, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- C.K.Schneid.
- Publication
- Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 1: 763 (1906)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Rosales
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Genus
- Osteomeles
Inferior Taxa
Osteomeles schwerinae var. microphylla Osteomeles schweriniae var. microphylla Osteomeles schweriniae var. schweriniae
Synonyms
Osteomeles anthyllidifolia Osteomeles schwerinae var. schwerinae Pyrus osteomeles Osteomeles schweriniae var. typica