Other Names:  Hawaiian Rose, Hawaiian Hawthorn

Description:

This Hawaiian native plant may grow as an erect or spreading shrub, with fine compound leaves that are deep green and glossy; white star flowers are followed by white fruit that is edible; an interesting plant for dry borders or containers

Ornamental Features

Ulei features showy clusters of white star-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage. The small glossy oval compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It produces white berries in mid summer.

Landscape Attributes

Ulei is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Ulei is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Ulei will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Ulei makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.