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antbeez6

Brunfelsia?

antbeez6
15 years ago

Anyone want to help me pick just one? I have never smelled one before so I am completely new to the Genus.

Comments (5)

  • jimshy
    15 years ago

    Well, since you'll be growing it in a container, the question is, how big a pot do you have room for?

    Brun. americana and jamaicensis both get big -- as in 5-6 feet tall and bushy after a few years. Of course, they also look and smell fabulous.

    If you're looking for fragrance, I'd be cautious about the brunfelsia australis/pauciflora/floribunda/ bunch, aka "yesterday,today and tomorrow" with the flowers that change from white to purple. Some have a nice scent, some have none, and some smell . . . not quite nice. But they all look great, and some cultivars can be pruned to stay around 3' tall, so they don't take up too much room.

    My fave is brun. nitida and its hard-to-find hybrid, 'Isola', which grows wide rather than tall and flowers in masses several times a year. It smells fantastic at night.

    Would love to hear from other brunfelsiaphiles, I think they're a great bunch of plants that don't quite get the respect they deserve!

    Hope this helps you make a decision!

    Jim

  • antbeez6
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I suppose I need to do more research. I know nothing about this plant. I suppose 3-5 gallon would be the largest I would be interested in growing the plant in, but in reality I would prefer something more like 2 gallons. Fragrance is what I'm going for. Appearance is secondary.

    Thanks for your input, Jim. I appreciate the head start.

  • jeelli
    15 years ago

    I have Brunfelsia Jamaicensis and Nitida. The Jamaicensis flowers intermittently. The flowers have a nice light clean scent, which reminds me of the scent of African Gardenia or Mandevilla Laxa- not too thick and sweet. Nothing yet from the Nitida. Maybe in the Spring!
    My plants are both from Logee's, and in the year I've had them, they are still pretty compact.

  • antbeez6
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    B. lactea or B. ameriacana?

  • jimshy
    15 years ago

    I don't know anything but what I've read about lactea, but I do know americana is supposed to be one of the most fragrant species, but it gets pretty big -- like 6 x 6 feet or more -- so it may be too big for the pot size you're considering. Brunfelsias can be pruned hard, but that can lower the number of flowers, so it's probably not worth trying; besides, lactea sounds like it's blooms more consistently and has a great fragrance as well!

    Jim