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cocoabeachlorax

Carol/ Love_the_yard... question

cocoabeachlorax
9 years ago

Hi Carol... your lovely post with a tour of your garden... there was a large bush with blue and white flowers. Can you tell me what it is and what conditions it likes ? It's gorgeous. I'd really love to try to find a place for one around here. Thank you ! :)

Comments (3)

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Cocoa,

    I know, I know. Everyone took time to write me lovely replies and I've been so busy that I have not had time to go back and respond in the way that I want to. But I will this morning. :)

    The tropical shrub is called Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Brunfelisa). Each bloom starts as deep purple. The next day it fades to lilac/ light purple and on the third day, it turns white. Hence the name! The color is truly purple, not blue, and you can see more photos of my shrub from a few years ago at the link below.

    I have two. The one in the photos I planted 10+ years ago on the northeast corner of my home. It was in full sun for the first few years but after I planted the crape myrtle bed that you can see in front of it, it is in part shade/part sun. It seems to bloom as well either way. It is a reliable March/April bloomer and the blooms last around a month. It is a beautiful plant, year-round and bonus - it is evergreen!

    The second one has been in the ground for about four years and is on the southeast corner of my home. It is just to the left of the white column of my front porch and you can see it in three of the pictures in my prior post.

    The plant usually sells for $12.99 - $19.99 in nicer nurseries, depending upon the size. I have not seen it in the big box stores yet.

    It is a very hardy shrub. I do not cover or protect them... but they are near the house and under the crapes which provides some protection. We hit a low of 23.5 this past winter (Jan 7) and yes, this plant tells you it did not like it one bit. It throws all of its leaves on the ground the next day. It is kind of funny, because the leaves do not turn brown, or slowly fall off, they are literally all thrown to the ground, green! Just like someone who had stripped off all their clothes. I will go outside the next day and say, "Ok, I see that you are not happy". But just as funny, it will regrow those leaves faster than I have seen any plant rebound. I'm talking mere 5-7 days and the leaves are coming back.

    I do not ever water (once established) and fertilize occasionally with an all-purpose slow release.

    I also do not trim or shape, except to remove branches that grow out into my pathway. It is a slow grower and that has worked just fine for me.

    It is very, very difficult to root from cuttings. I have suckers come up from the roots occasionally. I very, verrrrry carefully remove then and try to transplant to pots or a different place in the ground.... no. They pout and pout and sometimes never root at all.. They also put out seeds after the blooms and I haven't had any luck with them. I have never been able to successfully root a cutting.

    That's it! A great, hardy, reliable shrub that everyone will notice in the spring! Here are some more photos:

    I'll start with "Cranky YTT" taken March 6, 2010. You can see the new green leaves already coming back!

    Here is the same shrub, a month later:

    Here is the second YTT, planted June 27, 2010. This is at the end of my front porch.

    Some closer pictures of the blooms:

    Good luck! I hope you can find one easily!

    Carol in Jacksonville

    Here is a link that might be useful: Brunfelsia (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)

  • Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    One more - here's Mr. YTT today, out-of-bloom. This is what he looks like about 10-11 months of the year.

    Carol

  • cocoabeachlorax
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's lovely ! Thank you for all of the good information. I'm excited to find it and give it a home.