Choisya ternata
Garden Plant Information

Choisya ternata - whole

 

Choisya ternata - close up

Name

Choisya ternata  (also called Mexican orange blossom)

Genus  

Choisya

Species

ternata

Cultivar/variety

General description

Compact, dome shaped evergreen shrub grown for foliage and flowers. Tolerant of drought and atmospheric pollution, low maintenance, can be used for informal hedging. In a sheltered spot, in full sun or partial shade, Choisya ternata provides a good backdrop for perennials and acts as an excellent mainstay throughout the year.

 

Attractive to insects.

Season of interest

All year, but also has fragrant flowers in late spring and sometimes again in autumn.

Key horticultural features

  1. Evergreen, rounded shrub with dense habit. H: 2.5m, S: 2.5m.

  2. Stems green, rounded and straight.

  3. Leaves aromatic when crushed, glossy and dark green, each consisting of 3 rounded oblong leaflets.

  4. Flowers – fragrant, open, white, five petals. Grow in clusters from stem tips.

Cultural details

Aspect

Full sun or partial shade.

Soil

Fertile, well drained.

Hardiness

Frost to half hardy, depending on site.

Maintenance

Neglected plants can be encouraged to produce more vigorous flowering stems from the base by pruning out one in three of the oldest stems after flowering. Responds well to hard pruning. It's also worth removing any frost-damaged stems to the base.

 

Generally disease free but be affected by glasshouse red spider mite and snails.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer.