Ternstroemia

( tern - STROE - mee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of evergreen shrubs needs partial to full shade and regular to ample water to perform well. They are relatives of Camellia, and have foliage that looks and feels similar. These popular landscape shrubs are native to China and Japan. They are great as basic landscaping shrubs or informal hedges, and also do well in containers on patios or walkways. Cut foliage is perfect greenery for fresh-cut flower arrangements.

Ternstroemia Species and Varietals

The genus Ternstroemia is a member of the plant family Pentaphylacaceae, and includes about 80 species. These plants grow best in zones 4-9 and 12-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map).

Ternstroemia gymnanthera (Ternstroemia japonica) (Japanese Ternstroemia, False Japanese Cleyera)
These evergreen shrubs can reach 6-11 feet tall and 4-8 feet wide, but is usually seen more around 3-4 feet tall. Leaves are borne on red stalks and mature foliage ranges from dark green to bronze or purple-red, depending on the sun exposure. Flowers are fragrant but not showy and are creamy yellow and bloom in summertime. Fruit that fallows is yellow to reddish-orange.

Caring for and pruning ternstroemia shrubs

Plant False Japanese Cleyera in partial shade to full sun conditions, in well-draining soil. If planting for a hedge, space individuals 3-5 feet apart for best coverage and airflow. They prefer some coverage during intense afternoon sun, especially in warmer climates, or their leaves can get a bit sunburned. Amend soil with plenty of organic matter before planting, and ensure that the soil pH is between 5.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged for best growth. Provide extra waterings during especially hot and dry periods. Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to increase soil moisture retention. These plants benefit from regular feedings with a water-soluble, well-balanced fertilizer each springtime. Leaves will start to yellow if soil is not properly acidic; this can be corrected by applying a plant food meant for acid-loving plants (like azaleas and rhododendrons) if this issue arises.

As the plant is getting established, pinch branch tips to encourage a bushier habit and a more compact plant size. Prune as needed at maturity to maintain a desired shape and size. Pruning activities are best completed either in late winter or early springtime before new growth emerges for the year. Remove any dead, damaged, diseased, and crossing branches at this time. False Japanese Cleyera is a semi-tropical shrub, and can take temperatures down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but will not handle repeated cold snaps well. Provide cover with a frost cloth if temperatures are going to be low for an extended period of time.

Propagation

Japanese Ternstroemia can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Ternstroemia by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Ternstroemia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. The black, shiny seeds are contained within the fruits produced by the shrub, and are ready to be picked around October. Harvest as many as you can, and place them in a paper bag. Once you've collected the fruits, head inside and remove the fruit from the seed, using either a knife or an abrasive surface. There should be a few seeds per fruit. Wash the seeds so that no pulp is present, and set them out to dry.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 3-4 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Fruit is ripe in October; and seeds can be harvested at this time.

Japanese Ternstroemia seeds are black and shiny, and look similar to those pictured here.

Problems and Pests

Ternstroemia gymnathera shrubs are susceptible to the following pests and diseases, though they rarely have serious problems:

Southern Red Mite
Cercospora Leaf Spot
Waxy Scale Insects

For more information on these issues, including how to solve them, consult the following links:

Pests & Pest Management

Plant Issues

Gallery

Japanese Ternstroemia is alternatively called False Japanese Cleyera, and is often sold mistakenly as Japanese Cleyera (pictured), a shrub to which it is very similar.