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Rhaphiolepis
Rhaphiolepis ( RAF-ee-OL-ip-iss or RAF-ee-oh-LEP-iss) is a genus of about fifteen species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosaceae, native to warm temperate and subtropical East Asia and Southeast Asia, from southern Japan, southern Korea and southern China, south to Thailand and Vietnam. In searching literature it is well to remember that the name commonly is misspelt "Raphiolepsis". The genus is closely related to Eriobotrya (loquats), so closely in fact, that members of the two genera have hybridised with each other; for example × Rhaphiobotrya, the "Coppertone loquat", is a hybrid of Eriobotrya deflexa X Rhaphiolepis indica. The common name hawthorn, originally specifically applied to the related genus Crataegus, now also appears in the common names for some Rhaphiolepis species.
The best known species is Rhaphiolepis indica (Indian hawthorn) from southern China, grown for its decorative pink flowers, and popular in bonsai culture. Rhaphiolepis umbellata (Yeddo hawthorn) from Japan and Korea has blunter leaves and white flowers. It is the hardiest species, tolerating temperatures down to about −15 °C (5 °F).
The fruit of some varieties is edible when cooked, and can be used to make jam, but some ornamental varieties bear fruit that is of no culinary value.
Eriobotrya balgooyi · Eriobotrya cavaleriei · Eriobotrya deflexa · Loquat · Eriobotrya · Eriobotrya bengalensis · Indian Hawthorn · Sexton's bride
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Rhaphiolepis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
