Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Osteomeles

Species:

Osteomeles anthyllidifolia

USDA Symbol:

OSAN

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from roots after fire damage; adapted to volcanic and fire-prone Hawaiian landscapes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, rocky or sandy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to coastal and dry forest areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard coat requiring scarification; cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI