How to Grow and Care for Ehretia

Fukien tea tree (Ehretia monopyrena) is a semi-evergreen shrub that is popular in Southeast Asia, India, and China. Its tiny, shiny leaves are easy to shape making it an excellent choice for gardens, parks, and a bonsai-type houseplant. Showy, white flowers blossom in late spring to early fall. It grows to a height of 2.5 to 3.5 m.

Anacua (Ehretia anacua) is a tree that flourishes in subtropical locations. It’s sometimes referred to as the “Sandpaper Tree” because of the roughness of its leaves. Anacua gorgeously blossoms in the spring with ivory, exceedingly aromatic flowers that dramatically cover the entire tree.

Puna is a common tree found across eastern Asia and Australia. It grows in wetlands from a pea-sized seed but can reach 30 m in height. The wood is relatively soft and easy to work, so it's often turned into furniture.

While it can grow up to 4 m in the wild philippine tea tree is often cultivated as a bonsai plant, forming an attractive dwarf tree shape. This Asian native has spread widely in the tropics and grows invasively in Hawaii. It is grown as a hedge or screen shrub in tropical gardens because of its dense growth form and attractive white flowers.

Ehretia longiflora is a tropical flowering shrub known for its elongated clusters of fragrant flowers that serve as a beacon to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Its glossy green leaves provide a lush backdrop to the delicate blossoms that bloom in abundance. Thriving in warm, sunny environments, ehretia longiflora can be an ornamental highlight in gardens, attracting wildlife with its bountiful nectar.