Brunfelsia pauciflora
( brun - FELL - see - uh paw - see - FLO - ruh )
At - A - Glance Information
Also called Brunfelsia calycina, 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. Take care when planting these beautiful shrubs in your yard, as they are poisonous to dogs, cats, and horses.
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Brunfelsia pauciflora varietals
The genus Brunfelsia is named for the 16th-century German monk, Otto Brunfels. Brunfelsia pauciflora shrubs grow best in zones 12-17, 20-24, H1 and H2, though zones vary somewhat depending on the variety grown. For more information, see the species descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Brunfelsia pauciflora 'Floribunda' (Yesterday-Today-And-Tomorrow) This plant has color-changing blossoms; the common name refers to the fact that flowers turn from purple to lavender to white in a matter of three days. Flowers appear in clusters of a few blooms and open to be about 2 inches wide. Profuse blooms all over the plant make it a great candidate for a centerpiece shrub in your garden that you'll enjoy looking at often. Leaves are oval-shaped and dark green on top, pale green underneath. Can grow to be about 10 feet tall and wide, but can be kept as a more compact specimen through pruning. Has a spreading habit. |
Brunfelsia pauciflora 'Macrantha' (Brunfelsia magnifica) (Magnificent Brunfelsia) This type is less cold-hardy than 'Floribunda', and grows best in zones 12, 13, 16, 17, and 20-24. It also has fewer flowers that measure 2-4 inches across when fully open. Leaves are a bit larger than 'Floribunda', so it has a more tropical look, and must be watered often for best performance. |
Caring for and pruning brunfelsia pauciflora
These shrubs enjoy being planted in acidic soil 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. Keep the soil moist, especially during growing and flowering periods. These plants enjoy humid conditions. Feed with a balanced fertilizer at half-strength about once every two weeks during growing and flowering periods. If your soil is not acidic enough, make sure you pick up a fertilizer for acid-loving plants. They can also benefit from a dressing of pine needles or peat moss.
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. If you are growing your Brunfelsia pauciflora in a container, you'll need to do a bit more work. 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. Fertilize container plants every 1-2 weeks during their active growing season, and withhold fertilizer during the winter and early spring months when the plant is dormant. Potted plants will also need to be repotted; every spring, remove your plant from its pot and inspect the root system. If it completely fills the pot, you'll need to pot-up.
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. If you are growing your Brunfelsia pauciflora in a container, you'll need to do a bit more work. 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. Fertilize container plants every 1-2 weeks during their active growing season, and withhold fertilizer during the winter and early spring months when the plant is dormant. Potted plants will also need to be repotted; every spring, remove your plant from its pot and inspect the root system. If it completely fills the pot, you'll need to pot-up.
propagation
Brunfelsia pauciflora 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 pauciflora, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Brunfelsia pauciflora by Cutting
Propagating Brunfelsia pauciflora by Seed
Propagating Brunfelsia pauciflora 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. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- 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 pauciflora, 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 pauciflora 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. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after some time, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- 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.
Problems and pests
Brunfelsia pauciflora is relatively pest-free, though it can suffer from the following issues:
- Aphids
- Spider Mites
Gallery
Videos
All about Brunfelsia pauciflora shrubs.
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How to grow and care for these colorful shrubs.
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Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 205 - 206, Brunfelsia pauciflora
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