Ryugu

Character & interest

‘Ryugu’ is above all a cultivar of texture and detail: small leaves, fairly regular speckled variegation (spots/dots), and a naturally bushy silhouette (often without a true dominant leader). The young shoots can also be decorative: some sources describe wood that can be slightly flattened and ribbed on still-young twigs.

Colours

• Spring : small foliage, often bronze to orange-pink at budbreak, with pale speckling already visible.

• Summer : green to soft green foliage, variegated with cream and sometimes pink (in patches).

• Autumn : orange-red (often bright).

Habit & vigour

Dwarf, dense habit, rather upright-bushy. Slow growth; the plant keeps a compact, “ball-shaped” look over the years.

Indicative size

Order of magnitude: around 1 to 1.5 m at about 10 years depending on conditions, then often 2 to 3 m in the longer term in the ground. In a pot, growth remains more contained.

Exposure

Bright partial shade or gentle (morning) sun. A free-draining soil that stays cool in summer helps keep clean foliage. Very hot, dry situations can reduce variegation quality and mark the leaves.