Persea breviflora (Benth.) Pax

Sponsor this page

For information about how you could sponsor this page, see How You Can Help

Credits

Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton

Recommended citation
'Persea breviflora' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/persea/persea-breviflora/). Accessed 2025-03-15.

Family

Lauraceae

Genus

Persea

Synonyms

Alseodaphne breviflora Benth.
Machilus breviflora (Benth.) Hemsl.

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

flush: Coordinated growth of leaves or flowers. Such new growth is often a different colour to mature foliage.

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton

Recommended citation
'Persea breviflora' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/persea/persea-breviflora/). Accessed 2025-03-15.

Persea syn. Machilus breviflorus at Tregrehan, Cornwall, UK, with its lipstick red new growths in May 2024. Image Owen Johnson.

Tree to 10 m. Branchlets slender, reddish brown to brown. Leaves evergreen, leathery, 3–9 × 1–2.5 cm, obovate to broadly lanceolate or elliptic, upper surface shiny and glabrous, lower surface glaucous and minutely pubescent, 8–10 inconspicuous secondary veins on each side of the midrib, margins entire, slightly revolute, apex acute to acuminate or cuspidate; petiole 0.4–0.8 cm long, glabrous. Inflorescences axillary, fascicled with one to three branches, ~2 cm long with four to eight flowers. Flowers campanulate, ~0.3 cm diameter; tepals six, greenish yellow. Berry globose, black, 0.8–1 cm diameter. Kostermans 1974. Distribution CHINA: Guangdong, Hong Kong. Habitat Forests. USDA Hardiness Zone 8–9. Conservation status Not evaluated.

The only specimens of Persea breviflora in cultivation located in our research are at Tregrehan, where the larger (planted in 1998) is forming a respectable small tree, of 2.3 m in 2006 (Johnson 2007). It is growing vigorously, producing long new shoots with narrow leaves that flush bright red in spring. This material came from Hong Kong (TH 1087), and its hardiness cannot be judged until it has become more widely grown.

The leathery narrow leaves of Persea breviflora are evergreen, shiny and glabrous. Tregrehan garden (200300327, from TH 1087), Cornwall, UK. 17 July 2012. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

The lower surface of the leaves of Persea breviflora are glaucous and minutely pubescent, with entire margins. Tregrehan garden (200300327, from TH 1087), Cornwall, UK. 17 July 2012. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

Red new growth of Persea breviflora during summer. Tregrehan garden (200300327, from TH 1087 collected in Hong Kong), Cornwall, UK. 17 July 2012. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

The long new shoots with narrow leaves of Persea breviflora flush bright red in spring. Tregrehan garden (200300327, from TH 1087), Cornwall, UK. 8 May 2014. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

Contact the editors at