Mexican orange blossom

Mexican orange blossom: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Rounded, dense shrub 1.5–2 m tall and as wide.

Leaves

Palmately compound, with 3–5 narrow, finger-like leaflets; glossy green and aromatic.

Flower

Star-shaped flowers of about 3 cm in clusters at the tips, in April–May and often again in September–October.

Colour

White, opening from pink-flushed buds.

Scent

Sweet, reminiscent of orange blossom; the leaves smell spicy.

Flowering: April–May and September–October · Plants: April–May and September · Pruning: June

Why grow it?

• Evergreen: a fresh, rounded shrub all year round.
• Two flushes of scented white flowers, in spring and often again in autumn.
• Popular with bees.
• Aromatic leaves that you smell as you brush past.
• Finer leaves and a lighter look than the common Mexican orange blossom.

Mexican orange blossom: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade; it flowers best in sun.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Moist but never waterlogged.
• Sheltered from cold east winds, for example against a south- or west-facing wall.
• Allow 1.5–2 m of space.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -12 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Lavender: The same sunny spot; together fragrant and attractive for a long time.
• Roses: White flowers and fine green leaves as a calm backdrop for roses.
• Viburnum: Another fragrant spring-flowering shrub for the shrub border.
• Coral bells: Low, colourful leaves at its feet.

Mexican orange blossom: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Plant in April–May or in September, so it is well rooted before winter.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost; improve heavy clay with grit.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Water in thoroughly straight away.
5. Mulch with compost or wood chips to protect the roots.

Care

Watering

Regularly in dry weather during the first year; after that only in long dry spells.

Feeding

In April, some compost or an organic shrub fertiliser.

Mulching

A layer of compost or wood chips keeps the soil moist and protects the roots in winter.

Shape

It naturally stays nicely rounded; a light trim after the spring flowers is enough.

In a pot

It can grow in a large pot with free-draining compost; wrap the pot in winter.

Tip: Give it a spot by a path or patio, so you can smell the flowers and brush past the aromatic leaves. Prune only lightly, straight after the spring flowers.

Mexican orange blossom: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June.

When: Prune lightly in June, after the spring flowers.

How:

• Cut faded clusters and overlong shoots back to just above a leaf or side shoot.
• Remove dead and frost-damaged branches.
• An old, bare shrub can be cut back hard in spring; it will regrow, but flower less for a year.

Caution: Do not prune in late summer or autumn: the young shoots that grow then are vulnerable to frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In August–September, root 8–10 cm semi-ripe cuttings in moist cutting compost under plastic; they usually root readily.

Layering

In spring, peg a low branch into the soil; sever it after a year.

Mexican orange blossom: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −12 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Hardy to about −12 °C: no problem in a normal Belgian winter in a sheltered spot.
• Cold, dry east winds do more harm than frost alone: the leaves turn brown.
• Wait until April before cutting out frost damage; it usually regrows.
• In a pot: wrap the pot in hessian and stand it against a wall.

Diseases and pests

• Brown leaves: Caused by cold wind or hard frost. Wait until April, then cut out the brown parts.
• Yellow leaves: Caused by wet, compacted soil or full sun in drought. Choose a well-drained spot and mulch.
• Vine weevil: Notched leaf edges; the grubs eat the roots. Use nematodes against the grubs.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or pruning at the wrong time. Prune only lightly and straight after the spring flowers.

Through the year

• April: Flowering begins. Plant. Add compost. Cut out frost damage.
• May: Full flower. Plant.
• June: Light pruning after flowering.
• August: Take semi-ripe cuttings. Water in dry weather.
• September: Second flush. Plant. Take cuttings.
• October: Second flush.
• November: Wrap pots against frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Choisya is named after the Swiss botanist Jacques Denis Choisy.
• It belongs to the rue family, Rutaceae, like lemons and oranges; hence the aromatic leaves.
• Both parents grow wild in dry, mountainous regions of Mexico and the south-western United States.