How to care for China doll (Radermachera sinica)

Radermachera sinica · Emerald tree, Serpent tree

China doll (Radermachera sinica) — a bushy evergreen tree with glossy, mid-green leaves divided into many leaflets; it can reach 30 m in the wild but is seldom more than 2 m as a houseplant. China doll needs partial shade. Water it about every 7 days while it grows and about every 14 days in the winter rest.

Updated: November 4, 2026

Watering and repotting china doll through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 36 months.

When to plant China doll?

Plant or repot China doll in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every three years, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting china doll through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Radermachera sinica
Family	Bignoniaceae
Also called	Emerald tree, Serpent tree
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 36 months
Grown in	At home

China doll care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	—
Winter rest	every 14 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright, indirect light in a warm room; RHS accepts full sun or partial shade at an east-, south- or west-facing window.

Soil

Peat-free multipurpose compost with extra sand or horticultural grit for drainage; moist but well-drained, around neutral pH.

Care

Keep the compost moist but never soggy, because too much water can bring root rot. Avoid moving the plant or changing its conditions, which can make it drop its leaves. Pinch out the shoot tips of young plants to encourage branching; older plants can be cut back to keep them in bounds. Repot only every few years. New plants come from semi-ripe cuttings. Watch for aphids, mealybugs, scale insects and red spider mite.

Pests and diseases of China doll

2 problems are recorded for China doll; each has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.