Plant Profile: Elaeocarpus hainanensis

Names

Hainan Elaeocarpus

  • Photo of Elaeocarpus hainanensis (Elaeocarpus hainanensiss)

Phonetic Spelling:El-lee-oh-kar-PUS hy-nan-EN-sis

Genus:Elaeocarpus

Species:hainanensis

Family:Elaeocarpaceae

Hainan Elaeocarpus is an evergreen tree or sizable shrub that flourishes in the Hainan Islands, located off the southern coast of China, which is reflected in its common name. This species is typically found in tropical and subtropical regions across China and Indochina. It generally reaches a height of 16 to 20 feet and is often utilized as an ornamental plant for indoor spaces or in containers.

This tree thrives in full sunlight and prefers well-drained soils that maintain moderate moisture levels, demonstrating resilience to drought conditions. During its blooming period, the branches are adorned with fragrant white flowers that beautifully contrast with the tree's glossy green foliage.

Regarding health concerns, there are currently no reported diseases or insect infestations affecting this plant.

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Feature Summary

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#showy flowers
#small tree
#fragrant flowers
#drought tolerant
#white flowers
#flowering tree
#cream flowers
#glossy leaves
#evergreen shrub
#evergreen tree
#fringed flowers

Similar Plants

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Feature Summary

Attributes
Southeast Yunnan, Guangdong, and South Guangxi, provinces; Indo-China
Fruit is not edible.
Perennial
Woody
Fruit
Spindle shaped drupes with hard endocarp center
> 3 inches
Flowers
Fringed cream to white flowers appear in the summer in groups of 2 to 6 in racemes in leaf axils and have a sweet fragrance. White petals are as long as the sepals. Five-petaled flowers about 1 1/2 inches wide and 3 1/4 inches long, bracts ovate, sessile and leaf-like.
White
Cream/Tan
2-3 rays/petals
1-3 inches
Leaves
Deep green, narrow lanceolate, oblanceolate, narrowly oblong, hairy along midvein, base cuneate, apex acuminate margin denticulate. They clutster at the end of stems.
Oblong
Lanceolate
Oblanceolate
Denticulate
Glossy
Leathery
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Stem
Smooth/Hairless
Landscape
Asian Garden
Flowering Tree
Small Tree
Container
Houseplants

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Attributes

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Country Or Region Of Origin

China

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Distribution

Southeast Yunnan, Guangdong, and South Guangxi, provinces; Indo-China

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

drought

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Edibility

Fruit is not edible.

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Fruit

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Fruit Description

Spindle shaped drupes with hard endocarp center

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Fruit Color

grass
Orange

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Flowers

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Description

Fringed cream to white flowers appear in the summer in groups of 2 to 6 in racemes in leaf axils and have a sweet fragrance. White petals are as long as the sepals. Five-petaled flowers about 1 1/2 inches wide and 3 1/4 inches long, bracts ovate, sessile and leaf-like.

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Cream/Tan
filter_vintage
White

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Leaves

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Description

Deep green, narrow lanceolate, oblanceolate, narrowly oblong, hairy along midvein, base cuneate, apex acuminate margin denticulate. They clutster at the end of stems.

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Purple/Lavender

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Whole Plant Traits

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Cultural Conditions

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Stem

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Stem Buds

Hairy
Hairy tips
Scaly
Smooth/Hairless

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Landscape

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Elaeocarpus hainanensis Bark

Elaeocarpus hainanensis: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy