Raphiolepis indica Eleanor Taber

They say familiarity breeds contempt, but I can’t help loving Indian hawthorn -- a shrub that’s found in almost every foundation planting here in North Texas. I love the tiny pink flowers that appear each spring. The dark-green foliage that persists throughout the year offers a welcome hint of color during parched summers and blustery winters.

Despite its many strong points, Indian hawthorn has fallen out of favor among some growers and landscapers. This compact shrub has a tendency to develop leaf spot if it receives less than 6 hours of sun or poor air circulation. Fortunately, breeding advances have resulted in varieties resistant to leaf spot, including Raphiolepis indica ‘Conor’ Eleanor Taber.

Several university studies ranked Eleanor Taber No. 1 in disease resistance. The plant has received rave reviews from Louisiana State University, Auburn University and the University of Georgia. Eleanor Taber has higher cold tolerance than most Indian hawthorn, and is also heat and salt tolerant.

Eleanor Taber grows best in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil. It reaches 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It’s hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9. Plant Development Services Inc. (PDSI) in Loxley, Ala., holds the patent for Eleanor Taber and sells liners of the plant to licensed growers.

Cultivation pointers

Tim Gwaltny, a grower with PDSI, offered some cultivation tips for Eleanor Taber. Ideal soil pH is 6-7, but plants seem to adapt to lower pH as well. Plants in production can tolerate temperatures as low as 5°F-10°F with no damage. A balanced fertilizer applied at a medium rate should be all that’s needed to maximize growth.

“If you feed them early, use a maintenance level only, then fertilize for growth after they finish blooming,” Gwaltney said.

Eleanor Taber grows uniformly and requires very little pruning.

“Generally, light manicuring is all you need to do to shape the shrub or remove the occasional wild shoot,” Gwaltney said. “Do this after the plant has bloomed in the spring -- but wild shoots can be removed at any time.”

If major pruning is needed, Gwaltney recommends cutting the plant back about 30 days before the last freeze date in spring. Growers will see rapid recovery, but will sacrifice spring flowers.

Although rare, fire blight can cause problems for Eleanor Taber. This condition is most likely to develop during warm, wet springs. Fire blight causes flowers to turn brown and mushy. The disease travels down the flower stalks and into the plant.

Gwaltney recommends pruning out infected parts, cutting about 6-8 inches off stems until you reach clean wood. Clippers should be disinfected after each cut with a 10-percent bleach solution.

For more: PDSI, (888) 922-7374; www.plantdevelopment.com.

Specifics

Name: Raphiolepis indica Eleanor Taber

Common name: Indian hawthorn.

Family: Rosaceae.

Description: Evergreen shrub with dark-green leaves and low, compact habit. Small, pink flowers appear in spring. Small, blue berries emerge in the fall.

Propagation: Eleanor Taber is a patented variety, and unlicensed propagation is forbidden. Generally speaking, Indian hawthorn can be propagated by seed or cuttings.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 7-9.

Uses: Makes an ideal foundation and container plant. It’s also suitable for parking lot islands.

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- Sarah Martinez

August 2008