‘Cinnamon Girl’ distylium is a tough, pest-free evergreen that takes heat and sun or part shade, and tolerates both wet and dry spells, which hollies will not. New growth comes out dusty plum-cinnamon before turning blue-green, and it stays low at 2–3 feet tall by 3–4 feet wide.

Plant in sun or part shade in ordinary soil with reasonable drainage. Use it as a low spreading groundcover or edging where you would otherwise reach for a dwarf holly or Indian hawthorn.