Indian Hawthorn

Indian hawthorn is the compact, mounding evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green foliage and clusters of pink to white flowers in spring, a tidy, low-maintenance plant that works in borders, foundation plantings, and containers where a refined, dense form is needed without much height. It grows three to six feet tall with a rounded habit. The flowers are followed by small, dark blue-black berries that persist into winter. Native to southern China.

In Western Washington, Indian hawthorn is borderline hardy. It performs well in the mildest microclimates, sheltered south-facing exposures, protected urban sites, and coastal areas where winter lows rarely drop below the mid-twenties. In colder winters, foliage damage and dieback occur. Entomosporium leaf spot is the primary disease concern, the same pathogen that devastates red tip photinia, and it thrives in our wet spring weather. If you can provide a warm, sheltered, well-drained site with good air circulation, Indian hawthorn can work. If your site sees regular hard freezes or persistent spring moisture, choose a hardier alternative.