Ardisia crenataCoral Berry

Ardisia crenata, the Coral Berry, is a compact evergreen shrub of Asian forest floors, grown for berries rather than flowers. Glossy dark leaves with distinctly wavy margins sit above tight clusters of brilliant red fruit that hold on the plant for months, often right through winter.

It suits shaded understorey planting, interior schemes and container display, and is one of the few shrubs that gives strong colour in deep shade.

Specifications

• Height1 to 1.5 metres
• Width0.6 to 1 metre
• Native toEast and Southeast Asia, from Japan and China to northern India
• FoliageGlossy dark green leaves with crenate, wavy margins; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow to moderate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers moist, humus-rich, well-drained soils
• LightPartial shade to full shade
• WaterModerate; keep consistently moist and avoid drying out
• ClimateThrives in subtropical and warm temperate regions and dislikes hard frost

Additional Features

• FlowersSmall, star-shaped white to pale pink flowers in early summer
• FruitDense clusters of bright red berries that persist for months
• UsesIdeal for shaded understorey planting, interior landscaping and container display
• SpacingPlant 0.5 to 0.8 metres apart for a continuous low shrub layer
• Low MaintenanceNeeds little more than the removal of old stems; responds well to light shaping
• Pest ResistanceGenerally pest-free in shaded, humid conditions
• Seasonal AppealBerries carry colour through autumn and winter when little else is fruiting

The Coral Berry is a quiet performer that lights up deep shade with months of red fruit.