Azara microphylla
Common name: 
Boxleaf Azara
Pronunciation: 
a-ZA-ra mi-kro-FIL-a
Family: 
Flacourtiaceae
Genus: 
Azara
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree, often to 12-18 ft (4-5.5 m) tall and 8-12 ft (2.5-4 m) wide, tree form to 30 ft (9 m), slow growing when small.  Leaves alternate but appear as 2-ranked, the seemingly opposite "leaf" pairs are made up of larger true leaves and smaller, leaf-like stipules (botanical oddity), may reach to 15 × 18 mm in size, obovate to round, margin entire or obscurely toothed, glossy green, has single accessory leaves.  Flowers very small, lack petals, greenish sepals and yellow stamens, strongly vanilla scented (For some a chocolate aroma without chololate calories, Hogan, 2008).  Fruit small, 3 mm diam., orange-red.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 8.  The hardiest of the azaras.     Native to Argentina and Chile, on both sides of the Andes.  
  • microphylla: small leaved
  • The most common cultivar is 'Variegata', which has leaves with irregular shaped white-yellow borders.  Considered weaker growing and less winter hardy than the species type.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: NW area of the inner courtyard of the dorm complex (Buxton, etc.) on Jefferson Ave; SW corner Weatherford Hall, across from dorm complex
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • plant habit and trunks, older plant

    plant habit and trunks, older plant

  • foliage

    foliage

  • branchlet

    branchlet

  • branchlet

    branchlet

  • in flower and flowering shoots

    in flower and flowering shoots

  • flowers and leaves

    flowers and leaves