Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Dwarf Pinkie
Dwarf Pinkie is a small Indian hawthorn that forms a dense, rounded mound of glossy dark green leaves about 2 to 3 feet tall. In spring it covers itself in clusters of soft pink flowers that bees visit, followed by small blue-black berries. It keeps a neat shape with little pruning, so it suits low borders, foundation beds and pots. In the Valley it does best with morning sun and afternoon shade.
Best for: low borders and edging on an east side, foundation beds under windows, raised planters and patio pots, and spring flowers for bees.
It stays a dense mound about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Line the front of an east-facing bed or a walk, where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade.
It holds a neat, rounded shape with little pruning, so it will not block a low window. Light shaping after the spring bloom is enough.
Slow growth and a small size suit containers and raised planters. Pink spring flowers bring bees to the patio.
Full west sun and reflected heat stress it. Alkaline soil can yellow the leaves, and overhead watering invites leaf spot.
- Hedge or ground cover30 in apart
Water regularly while it roots in. Once rooted, soak deeply about every 5 to 7 days in peak summer and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. Water at the base to keep the leaves dry.
Morning sun and afternoon shade suit it in Phoenix. Hot west sun stresses it and makes leaf disease worse, while deep shade cuts flowering.
Prune lightly right after the spring flowers fade. It keeps a neat shape on its own, so skip regular shearing.
Alkaline soil can yellow the leaves. Treat with an iron product. Leaf spot shows up in cool, moist weather, so water at the base and leave room for air.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Dwarf Pinkie get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. It grows slowly and keeps a rounded shape, so it suits the front of a bed.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in spring, with the main bloom around March in Phoenix. Clusters of soft pink flowers cover the plant, then small blue-black berries follow.
Where should I plant it?
An east side is best in Phoenix. Give it morning sun and afternoon shade, and keep it away from hot west walls and reflected heat.
How often should I water it?
Water regularly while it roots in. Once rooted, water deeply about every 5 to 7 days in peak summer and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. Water at the base, not over the leaves.
When should I prune it?
Prune right after the spring bloom, and only lightly. It holds its shape on its own, so skip regular shearing.
Why are the leaves turning yellow?
Alkaline soil is the usual cause. The leaves yellow between the veins when the plant is short on iron. Treat with an iron product for plants.
What are the spots on the leaves?
That is leaf spot, a disease that shows up in cool, wet spells and with overhead sprinklers. Water at the base and give the plant air around it.
Do bees like it?
Yes. Bees visit the spring flowers, so it fits a pollinator bed.
How cold can it take?
It handles cold to about 10°F, so a normal Valley winter is no problem and it needs no frost cover.
When is the best time to plant it?
Fall is best for shrubs in the Valley, with late winter and early spring next. Summer planting is the hardest.
Dwarf Pinkie for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Dwarf Pinkie is a compact form of Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica), an evergreen shrub from southern China. It stays about 2 to 3 feet and blooms pink in spring. Below: size, where it grows best in the Valley, water, pruning, yellow leaves, leaf spot and planting time.
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Indian hawthorn in Phoenix
Indian hawthorn grows well in the Valley on an east side with afternoon shade. Hot west sun and reflected heat stress it. It blooms in spring, around March in Phoenix.
How big does Dwarf Pinkie get?
Dwarf Pinkie stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. It grows slowly into a dense, rounded mound.
Watering Indian hawthorn in Arizona
Once rooted, water deeply about every 5 to 7 days in peak summer and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. Water at the base to help prevent leaf spot.
When to prune Indian hawthorn
Prune lightly right after the spring bloom. It keeps its shape with little help, so regular shearing is not needed.
Indian hawthorn yellow leaves
Yellow leaves with green veins point to low iron in alkaline soil. Treat with an iron product and keep the soil mulched.
Dwarf Pinkie vs Bay Breeze
Both are compact Indian hawthorns with pink spring flowers. Dwarf Pinkie is a small mound about 3 feet wide. Bay Breeze spreads wider, 4 to 6 feet, and turns maroon in winter.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.