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Ochna spp.

ochna

Ochnaceae

Tropical and subtropical Africa, Madagascar, and tropical Asia

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Ochna spp. is a genus of about 85 species of evergreen and semi-deciduous shrubs and small trees in the family Ochnaceae, distributed across tropical and subtropical Africa, Madagascar, and parts of tropical Asia. Most species grow 3-20 ft (0.9-6 m) tall with glossy, leathery leaves that have finely toothed margins and a bronze-pink flush on new growth. Flowers are yellow and five-petaled, borne singly or in small clusters in spring. After the petals drop, the five sepals enlarge and turn red while the swollen receptacle carries up to five glossy black drupelets, the structure that gives O. serrulata its common name bird's-eye bush. Bark is grey and roughens with age. Growth is slow to moderate and forms a dense, twiggy framework. Cold tolerance is limited, and most species are damaged below 28 F (-2 C), restricting outdoor cultivation to USDA zones 9-11. Several species, including O. serrulata, have naturalized beyond their native range and are listed as environmental weeds in parts of Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.

Native Range

The genus is native to tropical and subtropical Africa, with centres of diversity in southern and eastern Africa, extending to Madagascar, the Mascarene Islands, and tropical Asia. O. serrulata originates in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa.

Suggested Uses

Grown as informal hedging, screening, and specimen shrubs in frost-free gardens, and kept in containers where winters are cold. In subtropical climates species are set in mixed borders, spaced 3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m) apart.

How to Identify

Identify Ochna spp. by its alternate, glossy leaves with finely serrated margins and a bronze-pink flush on new growth. In spring, five-petaled yellow flowers open, followed by a characteristic fruiting stage in which five sepals enlarge and turn red and one to five shiny black drupelets sit on a swollen red receptacle. The pairing of red sepals with black fruit separates the genus from other yellow-flowered shrubs.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 20'

Width/Spread3' - 12'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs mainly in spring, from September to November in the Southern Hemisphere and March to May where grown north of the equator. Individual flowers last only a few days, but the red sepal and black fruit display that follows holds for several weeks into early summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

glossy dark green, bronze-pink on new growth

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Across the genus, Ochna spp. grows in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil of moderate fertility. Most species accept a soil pH from 5.5 to 7.0 and grow slowly, taking several years to reach mature size. Established plants withstand short dry spells but are not frost-hardy, and foliage is damaged below 28 F (-2 C). In containers they grow in a free-draining mix and require shelter where winter temperatures fall below freezing. Growth is densest in bright light; in deep shade plants become sparse and flower less. Deep taproots make older specimens difficult to move once established.

Pruning

Light pruning after flowering shapes the plant and removes wayward stems. Across the genus plants tolerate hard renewal pruning and resprout from older wood. Where species have naturalized, removing self-sown seedlings limits unwanted spread.