Brunfelsia

( brun - FELL - see - uh )

At - A - Glance Information

This genus in the nightshade family of plants is commonly called Raintree, Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow, or Lady of the Night. Species form small trees, shrubs, and vines, and naturally prefer to grow in light woodland and thicket landscapes. Flowers are large and showy in many species, making them great garden ornamentals. Take care when planting these beautiful shrubs in your yard, as they are highly poisonous to dogs, cats, and horses.

Brunfelsia Species and varietals

The genus Brunfelsia is named for the 16th-century German monk, Otto Brunfels and includes around 50 species. It is a member of the plant family Solanaceae. Brunfelsia shrubs grow best in USDA hardiness zones 9-11 or Sunset growing zones 12-17, 20-24, H1 and H2, though this varies somewhat depending on the variety grown. For more information, see the species descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Brunfelsia desiflora (Serpentine Hill Raintree)
This species, native to Puerto Rico, forms a shrub with small, elongated green leaves and tubular yellow flowers. These plants are commonly cultivated as ornamentals in the garden, but they are now considered endangered in their native range due to habitat loss from the agricultural industry expansion. This species is best in USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Brunfelsia grandiflora (Kiss-Me-Quick, Royal Purple Brunfelsia, Yesterday-Today-And-Tomorrow, Chiricsanango)
This species of Brunfelsia is native to South America, and reaches up to 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide when mature. These shrubs produce dense green foliage and fragrant flowers in various shades of white to purple. These shrubs bloom nearly year-round in their native habitat. Royal Purple Brunfelsia thrives in USDA hardiness zones 9b-11.

Brunfelsia latifolia (Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow, Kiss Me Quick, Brazil Rain Tree, )
This species is native to Brazil and is semi-deciduous in cooler regions, growing well in USDA hardiness zones 9-11. It reaches up to just over 3 feet tall when mature, and produces many branches. Leaves are green and flowers vary in color from white to purple.

Brunfelsia pauciflora (Brunfelsia calycina) (Today, Tomorrow Together, Yesterday-Today-And-Tomorrow, Kiss Me Quick, Morning-Noon-And-Night, Brazil Raintree)
This evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub is recognized by its blue-to-white flowers. It is a tropical American native bush with showy clusters of flowers that loses most of its foliage for a short period during the cooler months of the year. They are great candidates for container gardens, and should be placed in a spot where you can enjoy their profuse, colorful blooms. Flowers are scented, releasing their fragrance at night; they range in aroma from musk to spice. Cultivars are described below:

'Eximia'
This is the common cultivar of the species.

'Floribunda'
With profuse shows of purple to white flowers.

'Macrantha'
A cultivar with larger flowers.

Brunfelsia portoricensis (Puerto Rico Raintree, Puerto Rican Nightshade, Lady of the Night)
This species is endemic to Puerto Rico, and forms a shrub or small tree that typically reaches between 3 and 10 feet tall (at maximum 15 feet). Leaves are green, shiny and leathery, and flowers are long and white to cream colored. This species does well in USDA hardiness zones 10a-11b.

Caring for brunfelsia

Take care when planting these beautiful shrubs in your yard, as they are highly poisonous to dogs, cats, and horses. These shrubs prefer being planted in acidic soil (with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5) that is well-draining and amended with organic material. Plant in full sun to partial shade exposure; planting these shrubs under trees is a great option. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants perform well in consistently moist soils. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are slow-growers, and therefore pruning is not a necessity. Having said that, if you'd like to create a bushier habit, remove all spent flowers and trim the plant uniformly in late spring. Brunfelsia shrubs can survive in the landscape for between 10 and 15 years before needing to be replaced.

Caring for Brunfelsia in Containers
Brunfelsias can be grown in the ground or in containers, which allows for gardeners in cooler climates to grow these tropical plants. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Brunfelsia plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch. These shrubs, when grown in containers, will need to be managed for size. When the plant is in bloom, cut back all stems by about half. This will encourage a bushier habit and allow the plant to send out new growth. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; in springtime, choose a slightly larger container and repot.

propagation

Brunfelsia, or Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow, can be propagated either by using semi-hardwood cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Brunfelsia, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Brunfelsia by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, a clear plastic bag, a rubber band, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In summertime, choose your plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 8 inch cutting(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip off all of the lower leaves, leaving the top two on the cutting. Make a hole in your planting medium three inches deep by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, tap to remove extra, and plant it in your pot. Pack the soil gently around the base of the cutting to ensure it stays upright.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Cover the pot with the plastic bag and secure it around the top with the rubber band. Your pot should be kept in a warm area that receives filtered light. Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated Brunfelsia, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You can remove the bag at this point, as well. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the last chance of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home outdoors.

Propagating Brunfelsia by Seed

Keep in mind that the resulting plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds and plant all of them in your tray after soaking them in warm water for 24 hours. They will probably not all sow, and the ones that do will be of varying characteristics, especially with hybrid-variety seeds. The more seeds you plant, the more chances you will have to get the resulting shrub characteristics you want.
Barely cover the seeds with planting medium (about 1/4 inch down) and keep the soil moist but not wet by spraying it with your spray bottle. Place your seeds in a warm area (one that stays between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit) that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 1-4 months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.