Ardisia crenata – Plant

Description

Coral ardisia is a small upright shrub that can grow up to 6 feet in height. Ardisia can be seen growing in clumps, often times multi-stemmed. Leaves are dark green and thick, somewhat glossy, roughly 8 inches long with scalloped margins. The flowers are white or pinkish, borne in axillary clusters. The berries, which are readily eaten by birds, turn a bright coral red color and hang or droop on the plant. Ardisia is usually seen in fairly large colonies with its persistent red berries. Recent research has also shown the presence of large seedling clumps in association with larger plants. These seedlings can remain juvenile for quite some time and once removal of the larger, dominant specimens occurs, the seedlings begin to grow.