Snowrose is an evergreen or semi-evergreen deciduous shrub in the Rubiaceae (coffee) family. It is native to sub-tropical woodlands, streambanks and wet meadows in southeast Asia. It grows 2-4 feet tall and slightly wider with stiff branches covered in small glossy leaves and many white flowers. This plant requires consistent moisture in fertile well-drained soils in partial sun to partial shade. The morning sun is best with protection from the afternoon sun. Use this plant in borders, foundations, containers or along pathways. It is also used extensively in bonsai and is valued for its gnarled trunk, glossy leaves and frequent flowering. It can be difficult to grow as it prefers stable temperatures with little variation. It will grow in colder areas but will not be evergreen if temperatures drop below 40 degrees. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Red spider mites, scale, wooly aphis, and mildew are possible problems
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.
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
1/4-1/2 inch dense leathery, opposite, simple deep green leaves with yellow margins
Flower color
White
Flower shape
Funnel; Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1/3 inch white star-shaped flowers with a tubular base and 4-6 spreading petals. Buds are pink. Blooms are either single or in clusters and appear in the leaf axils or branch ends. Blooms profusely spring to fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
Rough light gray trunk
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Wiry green stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
Distribution
Southern China, Taiwan
Attracts
Bees; Pollinators
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Walkways
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Cottage Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Foundation Planting
Garden tags
#evergreen #long bloom time #showy leaves #showy flowers #bonsai #white flowers #small tree #difficult to grow #semi-evergreen