Choisya ternata
| Choisya ternata | |
| Light: |    |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 10' |
| Width: | 10' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Choisya ternata (common name: mexican orange flower)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[1]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 - 8cm long, early July in gentle heat in individual pots in a frame[2][3]. High percentage[3].
Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 10 - 15cm with a heel, August in a frame. Good percentage. Plant out in spring[3].
Cultivation: Requires an open sunny but sheltered position[2]. Plants can be damaged by cold winds[4]. Plants grow equally well whether in full sun or in deep shade[5]. They succeed in most soils[5], but prefer a rather light loam[6][2]. They require a well-drained soil, tolerating drought once established and atmospheric pollution[7].
A very ornamental plant[6], it usually survives very severe winters in Britain but can be damaged in spells of lesser cold, especially in the New Year[2]. Plants are normally undamaged at temperatures around -10°c but can be defoliated at -15°c[7]. Whole branches have a habit of dying for no apparent reason[8].
The Mexican orange flower is moderately fast growing when young, but it soon slows down with age[5]. The plants are very tolerant of pruning and can be cut right back to the ground if required[5]. Pruning is generally unnecessary for this species, apart from cutting out frost-damaged wood[4].
Some named forms have been selected for their ornamental value[9].
The flowers appear mainly in late spring[9][4], but plants can produce a few flowers in the autumn[9]. They often also flower intermittently all through the summer[4]. The flowers are borne at the shoot tips[4].
The crushed foliage has a pungent aromatic scent of oranges[5][10] and the flowers are sweetly fragrant with the powerful aroma of orange blossom[4][10].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].
Range: Southern N. America - Mexico.
Habitat: Chalky soils, often near the sea[11].
Usage: Plants can be grown as an informal hedge, they also respond well to clipping and so can be grown in a more formal manner[12].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Pollution: Tolerates environmental pollution.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Grey-Wilson, Christopher and Victoria Matthews. Gardening on Walls. Collins, 1983.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Davis, Brian. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Phillips, Roger. Herbs. Pan Books, 1990.
- ↑ Shepherd, F. W.. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society, 1974.