Cleyera

Ternstroemia gymnanthera

tree

Cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera), often sold as Japanese cleyera, is a refined broadleaf evergreen with a dense, upright, oval habit and tiered, layered branches. Its glossy, leathery leaves emerge bronze-red, mature to dark green, and take on bronze tones in winter cold, giving year-round color. Reaching about 8 to 10 ft, it makes an elegant screen, hedge, or specimen and is a popular replacement for disease-prone red-tip photinia. It grows best in part shade and acidic soil, where its foliage stays richest and avoids winter scorch.

☀️

Sun

partial shade

💧

Water

Every 7 days

🌾

Harvest

~60 days

📊

Difficulty

easy

🌱

Lifecycle

perennial

Comes back every year

↔️

Spacing

4-5 ft apart for a screen

⬇️

Planting Depth

Set at the same depth it grew in the nursery pot

🧪

Soil pH

5.0-6.5

Growing Details

Soil Type

Acidic, moist, well-drained

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7 – 9

When to Fertilize

In early spring as new growth begins

Fertilizer

Acidic (holly or azalea) fertilizer

🌱 Growing Guide

Grow cleyera in part shade for best results, though it tolerates full sun where summers are not extreme; in full sun and exposed sites the leaves can scorch or burn in winter. Give it moist, acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, and keep it acidic, as alkaline soil turns the leaves yellow. It is moderately drought tolerant once established but resents wet, poorly drained ground. Growth is slow and naturally shapely, so it needs little pruning; trim lightly after the spring flush to shape, and mulch to keep the roots cool and moist.

Planting Calendar

🌿

Direct sow

Apr 15

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Projected first harvest

Jun 14

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

Camellia: A broadleaf evergreen that shares cleyera love of acidic soil and part shade
Azalea: An acid-loving shrub that flowers at a lower layer beneath cleyera
Holly: A tough evergreen that combines for a layered, year-round screen

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

Scale
Occasional bumps on stems and leaves suck sap; treat with horticultural oil and prune infested twigs
Leaf spot
Minor fungal spotting; remove affected leaves and improve airflow

🌾 Harvest & storage

Cleyera is grown as an evergreen screen or specimen, not for harvest. It is naturally shapely and slow growing, so the main task is only light pruning after the spring flush to shape it and to remove any winter-burned tips. Mulch to keep the shallow roots cool and moist.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Cleyera is an ornamental evergreen landscape shrub, not edible. Its value is refined, tiered evergreen foliage with bronze new growth and winter color, ideal as a photinia substitute for screens.

For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.