Paliurus spina-christi

RHS Plant Profile

Christ's thorn

Other common names

garland thorn, Jerusalem thorn, ram of Libya

Synonyms

Rhamnus paliurus
Paliurus aculeatus
Paliurus australis

Shrubs

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A bushy shrub with slender, viciously thorny stems and rounded, glossy, bright green leaves. Clusters of small, greenish-yellow, star-shaped flowers in summer are followed by small, woody fruit, each surrounded by a large, disc-shaped wing, pale green at first, then brown, and lasting into winter

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Rhamnaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: A genus of eight species of either evergreen or deciduous shrubs and small trees, native to warm and dry areas such as Eurasia, North Africa, Eastern Spain, Japan and Taiwan. The smooth or toothed foliage is glossy and dark green, with star-shaped yellow flowers along the stems in summer followed by round, winged fruits
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun. In cooler areas benefits from the shelter of a warm wall

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame in autumn, or by softwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free