Rhaphiolepis delacourii Coates Crimson

Rhaphiolepis delacourii Coates Crimson is a small evergreen bush that is highly decorative in mild climates. Not very tall, highly branched, with a well-defined rounded silhouette, it blooms abundantly in spring and intermittently until summer, depending on the climate, in the form of paniculate clusters of carmine pink flowers above a dome of tough and glossy foliage, where the olive green of mature leaves and the purple of young shoots blend together. It is not difficult to cultivate in soil that is not too chalky, but its growth is slow and it is sensitive to overly humid climates that make it susceptible to foliage diseases. This bush is an asset for dry gardens, which are often lacking summer flowers, and its modest stature combined with its real elegance make it an excellent choice for a patio, sheltered from severe frost in cold regions.

Raphiolepis delacourii is a horticultural creation born in France in 1896. It is the result of cross-breeding between R.indica, also known as Indian Hawthorn, native to southern China, and R.umbellata, native to Japan and Korea. These two slightly frost-sensitive species, native to warm and relatively dry regions of the Far East, are perfectly adapted to our Mediterranean or South Atlantic climates.

The 'Coates Crimson' variety is an American selection with a compact habit and more vividly coloured flowers. This bush naturally has a regular and rounded habit. It slowly reaches a height and spread of 1.10m (4ft). Its evergreen foliage is composed of tough, entire, elliptical leaves, relatively narrow and pointed at the tip. They measure 6 to 7cm (2 to 3in) in length, with a smooth margin at the base and finely toothed upper part. They emerge copper red and covered with white pubescence in spring, then turn a beautiful shiny olive green in summer before becoming red at the end of their life. The young branches are reddish-brown in colour.  The fragrant and nectar-rich flowering takes place from March-April to July, reaching its peak in spring. At the end of each branch, reddish clusters of about ten small star-shaped flowers with oval petals, 3cm (1in) wide, are born. These bright carmine pink flowers are enclosed in a pubescent calyx tinged with pink-red. The flowering is followed by the formation of small ovoid berries less than 1cm (1in) in size, initially red and then maturing to blue-black, which persist for a long time on the branches. Fresh seeds germinate very easily and quickly, within 8 days.

Rhaphiolepis delacourii 'Coates Crimson' is a perfectly round bush, floriferous, and colourful, absolutely delightful. If your climate and soil allow it, plant it in a flower bed or a small hedge, as well as on a sheltered and sunny patio. While it dislikes excessive limestone in the soil, icy winds, and cold winters, it is not afraid of heat or dry summers once established, and manages to bloom even in semi-shaded conditions. It is useful in coastal gardens, as its flowering, just like that of Olearias and Escallonias, brightens up the grey foliage of Atriplex, Bupleurum fruticosum, or Correa alba rosea, for example. In a large flower bed, it can be paired with cistus, lavender, Hebe, or spring-flowering bushes such as lilacs (Syringa microphylla Superba), Kolkwitzia amabilis, Leptospermum, or Melaleuca.