Plant This: Dwarf Barbados cherry
Are you looking for a native Texas shrub (native to South Texas) that stays 3-to-4 feet tall, attracts pollinators with pretty pink-and-cream flowers in spring and early fall, produces small red fruits that birds love, and is evergreen in mild winters? Oh, and did I mention that it likes sun, part sun, or dappled shade and shrugs off heat and drought? Meet dwarf Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra ‘Nana’).
After growing the tree-form Barbados cherry, Malpighia glabra, in my former garden, I was excited to find the dwarf variety several years ago, when I was looking for a plant to make a low hedge between the main garden (with pond, patio, and pool) and the lower garden. I spaced four in a row to make a 10-to-12-foot-long hedge, and they thrived in the clay-and-limestone soil.
Narrow green leaves are held on long, arching stems. Along the length of each stem appear small but charming flowers, with petals ranging from pale pink to carnation pink and bright yellow stamens. As the flowers fade, they ripen into glossy “cherries” beloved by birds.
Deep freezes can cause dwarf Barbados cherry to drop its leaves, but most winters in Austin (zone 8b) it remains evergreen or semi-evergreen. I prune my hedge lightly every mid-February to give it a more defined shape, but it’s equally attractive when left to its own devices. Here’s a wide view to give you a better idea of size. It’s the rounded shrub behind the gray wall, sparkling with tiny flowers.
Purple heart (Tradescantia pallida) has snuck under dwarf Barbados cherry’s thickety branches, but it harmonizes with the pink flowers, so I let it stay (not that I have a choice). Purple-leaved loropetalum makes a good companion too, if planted in dappled shade. I haven’t grown Barbados cherry out front, so I can’t comment on its deer resistance.
If you live in the southern half of Texas, zone 8b through 9, and have non-caliche soil, give dwarf Barbados cherry a try. It’s a handy little shrub.
Note: My Plant This posts are written primarily for gardeners in central Texas. The plants I recommend are ones I’ve grown myself and have direct experience with. Check online forums for your region or local independent nurseries to see if a particular plant might work in your area.
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Digging Deeper
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It’s a pretty thing! I’ve never seen them here (not that I have room for it in any case).
What a wonderful shrub that has everything going for it. I have several in the front yard and the deer never touch it!
Ragna
Not a plant I’m familiar with, but it looks charming in your garden.
Beautiful! I was considering these on a north facing foundation but am worried that lack of direct sun in the winter might be a problem. What do you think? I live in somewhat rocky soil in New Braunfels.
Patti, while it seems to handle shade just fine, I would suggest not planting it in a north-facing location. Otherwise you risk cold damage the next time we get a deep freeze. We’re in the northern range for this plant.
Can you shape the Dwarf Barbados Cherry? We planted 3 of them 2 years ago. They took a while to start flourishing, but they are doing so now. However, I find that they are just kind of “all over the place” and I’d like to try to shape them.
I’d like to shape the Cherries so that they really anchor the space. Right now, they are just intermingling with the rest and look messy. Any advice would be helpful. PS All this stuff grows like mad. I’m in Houston.
Hi Laura. I hope you don’t mind, but I had to edit out your middle paragraph because the spacing you used to try to convey your plant spacing made the comment text format weirdly. Dwarf Barbados cherry takes shearing well. I usually cut mine back by about 1/3 each spring (haven’t done it yet this spring though, and not sure I will), and I’ll shear the sides as well to create a low hedge. You could also round them off like boxwood balls. But if you find it’s too much work to keep them clipped, or they get twiggy over time, it’s better to just pull them out and choose something that’s the right size for your space, like a dwarf yaupon holly, perhaps ‘Micron’ or ‘Nana’.
Hi Pam, I think this plant will be perfect against my foundation. I have approximately 7 foot long space and am torn if I should put 2 or 3 plants in this space. Since it’s a foundation plant i would prefer a denser look but I also don’t want to overcrowd and be constantly needing to prune either. Based on your experience, what do you think? Any advice you have is appreciated.
Two of the dwarf-size plants should be good. Let them fill out naturally, and they should fill your space nicely.
Thank you Pam!
Mine was planted this past spring. It seems to be healthy but has struggled with leaf drop all summer. Any ideas as to why this might happen?
I’m afraid I don’t know, Ellen. I hope it rebounds.