Maintenance & Pruning for Dwarf Indian Hawthorn
If you are looking for a small, flowering shrub for a shady or sunny spot in the garden, consider the dwarf Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica). This member of the rose family has a dense growing habit and produces highly fragrant pink or white flowers in spring. Growing only 2 to 4 feet tall, it’s the right shrub to tuck into a spot that needs a pop of soft color in the spring and evergreen foliage in the winter. The best part of growing dwarf Indian hawthorn is that it’s a snap to care for. The shrub does best when grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 11.
Although the dwarf Indian hawthorn is drought-tolerant when mature, it is important to keep the soil somewhat moist during its first growing season. This allows the plant to develop a strong, deep root system. Once established, the shrub requires no supplemental water except during prolonged periods of drought or heat. During those periods, water the shrub slowly, to a depth of 10 inches and water again once a week, until conditions improve.
The dwarf Indian hawthorn doesn’t require repeated fertilizer applications throughout the season. Just one application in the spring will keep the plant healthy all year. Use an all-purpose fertilizer labeled for use on flowering shrubs or roses and apply it in the spring before the dwarf Indian hawthorn produces new growth. Always apply fertilizer to moist soil and place it on the soil at the shrub’s drip line. To ensure the fertilizer doesn’t wash away while watering or during rainy periods, use a rake to scratch it into the top 1 inch of soil.
Many gardeners choose dwarf Indian hawthorn because it doesn't need much maintenance. The shrubs rarely require pruning. If your aim is to create a formal appearance, wait until after the shrub flowers to shear it to the shape you desire. This is also a good time to remove any wayward stems and diseased or damaged shoots. Sterilize your pruning equipment after working on a diseased shrub.
The biggest problem you are likely to encounter with the dwarf Indian hawthorn shrub may occur just after an extended rainfall in spring or fall. Look for small red spots on both sides of the shrub’s foliage -- an early symptom of entomosporium leaf spot. To prevent the disease, ensure the dwarf Indian hawthorn has plenty of space around it for adequate air circulation, and water the shrub at the base, not from overhead. Remove and discard any fallen twigs and leaves to avoid the spread of disease.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Indian Hawthorn
- Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses; Michael A. Dirr
- Diseases of Trees and Shrubs; W. A. Sinclair
- Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images