About
Corokia x virgata is a shrub that can reach heights of up to 2 meters, and potentially 5 meters in warmer, sheltered locations. It features slender, silvery stems that exhibit a twisted growth habit. The leaves are green on the top with silvery-white undersides, providing a contrast. In late spring or early summer, the plant produces small, star-shaped yellow flowers with five petals, which are succeeded by bright orange fruits.
About the genus
Corokia are evergreen shrubs characterized by their tough, leathery foliage. They produce small, star-like flowers in bright yellow, which give way to berries that can be red, yellow, or orange.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Spread
- 1.5-2.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, Cottage and informal garden, Coastal, Mediterranean climate plants
- Native to
- New Zealand
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in well-drained soil in sun or partial shade in a sheltered position, such as next to a south-facing wall; in mild areas it may be grown as a free-standing shrub or as a hedge
- Pruning
- Pruning group 8 (early-flowering evergreen shrubs) - usually no pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by basal semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or autumn
- 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