Corokia: Planting and Care

Description and Botany

The Corokia is an evergreen bush belonging to the Argophyllaceae or Corokiaceae family, depending on classification. It originates from rocky coastal areas, plains and forests of New Zealand, always in rather dry climates, not too humid. The Corokia genus includes about ten species, among which the Corokia cotoneaster is the most well-known. One can also find Corokia (x) virgata, a hybrid with many cultivars featuring beautiful coloured foliage such as ‘Frosted Chocolate‘ or ‘Banana Royal’, or the Corokia buddleioides with its buddleia-like leaves.

Corokia cotoneaster Botanical illustration

These bushes are characterised by a fairly dense bushy silhouette with tangled branches giving them a wild appearance. Most are distinguished by the particular architecture of their thin, black and angular branches that grow in a zigzag pattern (divaricate plant), a characteristic particularly common in New Zealand’s flora, a sign of adaptation to dry and sunny climatic conditions, much like its waxy leaves. The plant’s graphic appearance is enhanced by the black colour of the bark. C. buddleioides stands out with its straight shoots.

This bush forms a fairly compact habit, reaching about 1 to 3 m in height, depending on the variety and growing conditions. Its growth is relatively slow.

In Corokia, the main interest lies in the diversity and appearance of the foliage. On this zigzagging branchwork develops foliage that persists if the winter is not too harsh. The black bark, woolly on young shoots, offers lovely colour contrasts with the leaves. The shapes and colours of the leaves vary according to the cultivars.

Small, waxy and spatulate (spoon-shaped), oval to obovate, measuring from 0.5 to 4 cm long, the leaves alternate sporadically along the network of branches. They are rounder in Corokia cotoneaster ‘Little Prince’, narrower in Corokia (x) virgata ‘Banana Royal’, and felted white in the species type. They resemble those of the Buddleia (butterfly bush) in Corokia buddleioides. They thicken and darken in winter. They display varied colours ranging from silvery green to dark green tinged with purple, through to light yellow, green streaked with pink, coppery or frosted chocolate. Glossy on their upper surface, they are covered with a felt-like underside. The whole forms a bush with a very distinctive graphic charm.

Flowering appears from May to June in the form of a shower of fragrant stars. Gathered in clusters in the leaf axils, or solitary, small flowers 1 to 2 cm in diameter with five petals, dot the branches. They emit a light fragrance. They are very melliferous and attract pollinators. They are followed by small ovoid drupes in flamboyant shades of red, orange or yellow, reminiscent of the berries of the Cotoneaster. They persist during the cold season on the branches, delighting birds and adding colour to the garden in winter.

In its native lands, Corokia cotoneaster is used to stabilise sand dunes.

Left and centre: Corokia cotoneaster habit and flowering (© brewbooks). Right: berries of a Corokia ‘Red Wonder’

Main species and varieties

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Planting Corokia

Where to Plant It?

Originating from New Zealand, the Corokia retains a preference for mild climates. Not very hardy, it can only be grown in the ground in regions with mild winters, primarily coastal areas where gardens escape severe frosts. It tolerates cold only down to -5 to -10°C. In regions with harsh winters, smaller specimens can be grown in pots on terraces or balconies and sheltered indoors during winter in a cool, bright, unheated room.

It makes up for its sensitivity to cold with good drought resistance and tolerance to salt spray once well-established. This bush is ideal for coastal gardens and dry gardens. It is perfectly suited to gardens along the oceanic coastline of our country but also tolerates Mediterranean summers fairly well if given occasional but thorough watering. Undemanding, it adapts to all types of soil, even poor and chalky, as long as it is well-draining, as it dislikes waterlogged roots. It will thrive in fertile, light soil that is not too dry but rather fresh and well-drained. Plant it in full sun for abundant flowering or in light shade in the south of our country.

Versatile, it lends itself to various uses depending on your climate. In coastal areas, it can be planted in an open spot, as a standalone feature or in a free-form or trimmed hedge, exposed to salty winds. A gravel bed or even a slope where it will help stabilise the soil will also suit it well. Elsewhere, give it a sheltered spot away from drying cold winds, in a shrub border or against a sunny wall to protect it from severe frosts.

Its slow growth makes it perfectly suited to container cultivation—ideal in colder climates. Low-growing forms will do well in pots on a terrace, make excellent ground cover, or can even be trained as bonsai.

When to Plant Corokia?

Corokia is best planted in spring, avoiding periods of frost or drought. In mild climates, autumn planting from September to November is also possible.

How to Plant It?

In the Ground

This bush simply requires well-draining soil, as it dislikes clayey or waterlogged ground in winter. In water-retentive soil, opt for planting on a mound.

• Dig a hole at least twice the size of the root ball (around 40 cm in all directions)
• Add a 10 cm layer of pumice or gravel at the bottom to improve drainage
• Mix garden soil with compost or potting mix and some sand
• Plant and backfill around the root ball without burying the branches
• Firm the soil and water
• Spread a mineral mulch to keep the base cool in summer

In a Pot

• Choose a large container of around 30 litres
• Place a generous layer of drainage (gravel or clay pebbles) at the bottom
• Plant in a well-draining mix of potting soil and river sand
• Water regularly, avoiding excess

Corokia ‘Sunsplash’ (© Leonora Enking)

Maintenance, pruning and care

The Corokia is an easy-to-grow bush for mild climates that requires no particular maintenance. Monitor watering during its first few summers to help with establishment. Once well-rooted, it becomes drought-resistant, provided the soil remains cool at depth. Occasional but thorough summer watering, once or twice a month, will suffice. In pots, its water needs increase—water as soon as the surface soil dries out.

Add compost or well-rotted manure by lightly working it into the base in autumn to encourage growth. For potted plants, fertilise with organic or slow-release fertiliser in autumn. Repot or top-dress every 2 or 3 years.

In colder regions, as the first frosts arrive, mulch the base generously with straw or dry leaves and remember to move pots into a frost-free, well-lit space.

Tough and resilient, the Corokia is unaffected by diseases or parasitic pests.

How to prune Corokia?

Pruning helps maintain a balanced shape: lightly trim any branches that disrupt symmetry to preserve its decorative fruiting. Prune after flowering, in August–September. More severe pruning can be done to restrict growth or rejuvenate the young plant.

Propagation

The propagation of corokia is done by propagation by cuttings or sowing, with the first method being the quickest and simplest.

Propagation by cuttings

Semi-ripe cuttings are taken in July-August.

• Take semi-ripe stems, 10 to 15 cm long
• Cut just below a node
• Remove the lower leaves, keeping only two pairs of upper leaves
• Plant them in a well-draining mix of sand and compost
• Keep the substrate moist until rooting occurs
• Place your cuttings in a propagator
• Pot them on, then plant out in the ground the following spring
• Water well during the first year after planting

Sowing

The seeds require cold stratification to germinate.

1. In late autumn or winter, sow in pots filled with a well-draining seed compost
2. Keep outdoors and maintain moist substrate throughout germination
3. Once the seedlings have emerged, move them to a frost-free location
4. Plant in their final position the following autumn

Pair with

Versatile, the Corokia can be used in free-growing or pruned hedges, as ground cover, low hedges, on slopes, in large low-maintenance shrub borders, or even to create bonsai. This original bush is perfect for creating a permanent display in mild climates. With its striking silhouette and drought tolerance, it fits well in dry Mediterranean or contemporary-style gardens.

On slopes, it can be paired with creeping juniper ‘Blue Star’, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus Repens. It also complements heathers, whose long flowering period spans multiple seasons, or ornamental grasses with complementary shapes. In an easy-care shrub border for mild climates, pair it with Buddleias, rockroses (Cistus laurifolius), Fremontodendron californicum, evergreen Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’, and Olearia scillonensis.

Corokia cotoneaster, Fremontodendron californicum, Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’ and Olearia scillonensis (© Leonora Enking)

In coastal areas, it can be combined with Ballota and Phlomis, both with velvety foliage. In a low hedge, it can be paired with other small evergreen bushes like Leptospermum (Nanum Tui, Martinii, Silver Sheen). In a mixed hedge, plant it alongside other beautiful shrubs such as Hippophae rhamnoides, Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, and strawberry trees.

It can also be grown in large containers on patios or balconies, combined with dwarf conifers or other small bushes to create unusual evergreen screens.