Fried Egg Plant is a flowering, evergreen tree or large shrub in the tea family that is native to western Malesia. It has gained its common name because of its large, fragrant, white flowers with lemony yellow centers. The flowers can be enjoyed on the tree as well as on the ground after they drop. The flowers make it a popular garden plant throughout the Pacific rim countries. At maturity, the plant can reach a height of 20 to 30 feet. The Fried Egg plant does best in full sun to partial shade with average, consistent watering in loamy soil. Chose a site that is sheltered from cold wind or, alternatively, grow in a pot for overwintering indoors. Very little maintenance is needed other than a light pruning in spring after flowering to maintain shape. In its native environment, it is often found on hillsides where it has evolved the ability to hold to slopes in the face of rain or storms making it a valuable plant for erosion control. Kew Garden and other botanical centers consider this plant to be in the genus Adinandra , species acuminata . Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Generally disease and insect pest free.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Oblong; Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Two to five inch long, 1 to 1 1/2 wide, thickly leathery leaves, hairy and shiny.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Large, showy white flowers 4 inches across with crepe-paper petals and yellow centers. The flowers have five white petals, and many yellow anthers. The flower fall off the tree before wilting.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
The fruit resembles the green part of an acorn.
Bark color
Dark Brown
Bark detail
Peels off in large smooth pieces, rather than fragments.
Stem detail
Stout, glabrous stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Malesia and Sumatra
Distribution
China, Taiwan, Viet Nam
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Small Space; Walkways
Landscape theme
Asian Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree; Small Tree
Garden tags
#flowering tree #evergreen shrub #low maintenance #evergreen tree #white flowers #small tree #spring flowers #large shrub #evergreen #small spaces #container plant #fragrant flowers #bee friendly #walkway