Kopiya Plant in 8″ Pot

An evergreen shrub or small tree, usually 1–4 m (3–13 ft) tall (occasionally to 6 m), with a bushy, spreading habit. Stems have greyish bark; young shoots are finely puberulent. Leaves are opposite, elliptic to oblong, 10–23 cm × 2.5–9 cm, glossy dark-green, leathery, with wavy margins, slightly sunken veins giving a quilted texture, and a distinct drip tip; older leaves turn reddish before falling. Flowers are salverform (tube + spreading lobes), 3–5 cm long, 5-petalled, in small terminal clusters; buds are pink, opening to pale pink to white with a dark red to crimson throat (eye); mildly fragrant. Blooms year-round in warm climates, heaviest in summer–autumn. Fruit are fleshy, ellipsoid drupes about 2.5 cm long, dull red, covered with soft hairs, each with one seed. All parts contain milky latex and toxic indole alkaloids—poisonous if ingested.

Quick care: full sun to light partial shade (≥4–6 hrs; more sun = compact growth and more flowers). Prefers fertile, well-drained but moisture-retentive soil (loam with compost and sand/perlite; pH 6–7.5); tolerates soggy soils better than most shrubs. Water regularly—keep soil evenly moist (do not let it dry out for long). Warm, humid conditions (20–30 °C/68–86 °F); hardy USDA 10–12 (protect below ∼10 °C/50 °F; damaged by frost). Feed every 4–6 weeks in growing season with balanced fertilizer or compost; mulch. Prune lightly after flowering to shape—avoid hard pruning (it resents heavy cuts and may sulk). Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, air-layers, or seeds (short viability). Few serious pests; watch for mealybugs, scale. Use as specimen, flowering hedge, border, or container shrub.