Propagation
Sow fresh seed during spring, but may produce inferior forms.

Take semi-hardwood cuttings from summer to early winter and use preferred branches of variegated cultivars.

Culture
This plant tolerates short period and drought mild frost, neglect and salt laden winds and may be kept pruned at any time of the year to form a compact habit. Once established it requires little care.


Botanic information
Leaf: The leaves are obovate to oval with an entire to crenate margin and are paler beneath. The petiole is up to 12mm (˝in) long. Many cultivars have cream yellow or grey-green markings.
Note
The 12mm (Ľin) long conical buds have up to 8-overlapping green scales that are reddish in winter.

Flower: The small inconspicuous 4-petaled stellate flowers are green to cream and are arranged in an axillary cyme with up to 12 blooms and appear during summer.

Fruit: The 4-valved pumpkin-shape capsule appears profusely, splitting to reveal orange seed. The small seeds are viable but the plant is normally reproduced vegetatively to maintain true to type.