About
Azara integrifolia 'Variegata' is an upright evergreen shrub suited for warm walls or sunny, protected areas. Its leaves are oval-shaped, rigid, and exhibit pink and cream variegation. Clusters of small, globular flowers emerge in late winter to early spring, displaying a vibrant yellow hue. While the flowers lack prominent petals, they feature long, vivid stamens that resemble small, spiky pom-poms and emit a strong fragrance. The plant produces white to mauve berries, each measuring around 3 to 10 mm in diameter.
About the genus
Azara consists of evergreen shrubs or small trees characterized by simple leaves that frequently appear in asymmetrical pairs. These plants produce tiny, aromatic yellow flowers featuring prominent stamens, which grow in clusters or spikes emerging from the leaf axils. In some instances, these flowers give way to white or pale purple berries.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 4-8 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- Sub-tropical, Mediterranean climate plants, City and courtyard gardens
- Fragrance
- Flower
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in a warm sheltered position in sun or partial shade in deep, humus-rich soil. Flowers more freely when grown against a south- or south-west-facing wall than in the open. Protect from very cold, drying winds.
- Pruning
- Pruning group 8, or pruning group 13 if wall-trained.
- Propagation
- Propagate from semi-hardwood cuttings or by layering.
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility