Introduce your landscape to the vibrant Rhaphiolepis indica, Indian Hawthorn, a dense, broadleaf evergreen shrub offering year-round interest. Reaching 4 to 12 feet high and wide, this mounding shrub brings spring alive with its bouquet of small, fragrant white or pink flowers. The plant is enriched by dark berries that persist throughout winter, providing an attractive food source for birds and small mammals. The berries, once cooked, can be transformed into delicious jam. The oblong, serrate leaves are leathery in texture and evolve from a bronze hue to deep green as they mature. This oriental jewel, native to southern China, is a part of the Rosaceae or rose family. Indian Hawthorn thrives in hardiness zones 8 to 10, preferring full sun and moist, well-drained soils for optimal flowering and disease resistance. Avoid sprinkler use to prevent leaf spots. Post-bloom spring-time pruning is recommended. Deer are known to enjoy this flora, attracting wildlife to your garden too. Versatile in its utility, it can serve as an engaging specimen plant, a mass or foundation planting, a border, screen, or even as a hedge. Set it up on banks, in containers, or along coastal plains and watch your garden thrive.