One of the best evergreen garden shrubs, Choisya ternate is so easy to cultivate. Offering an impressive combination of lush, evergreen foliage and delightfully fragrant flowers, the plant is a medium-sized shrub that is just perfect for the garden or balcony. With its delightful scent and rich blooms, Orange Blossom offers you a great way to liven up and brighten up your outdoor space. Find out below how you can grow and care for the Mixican Orange Blossom yourself…
The Mexican orange blossom smells so wonderful!
Scented plants in the garden – a great idea!
Grow Choisya ternate or Mexican Orange Blossom in your own garden
Choisya ternate, also known as Mexican orange blossom or Mexican orange, is a flowering, evergreen shrub native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. This hardy plant blooms in spring and often again in fall. The white flower clusters exude a sweet orange scent. Even the leaves give off a scent when crushed. The Choisya shrub thrives on the Pacific Northwest coast. Although orange blossom is mostly frost hardy, it can suffer from intense or prolonged cold. Below are tips for caring for and pruning the Mixican Orange Blossom.
This garden plant can be a great focal point in your outdoor space
The Mixican Orange Blossom is prized for its interesting evergreen, golden or green foliage all year round. But also because of their adaptability and low maintenance requirements. It has an attractive dome-shaped or rounded habit that is easy to prune and is fairly drought tolerant once established. The orange flower fits into most garden settings, whether as a specimen plant, as a background in a mixed border or as a hedge plant in groups. It is also suitable for planters on the terrace. Popular Choisya varieties include ‘Aztec Pearl’, which has a pretty rounded shape and flowers for over a month. The ‘Aztec Pearl’ is hardy down to -15C. Another favorite is ‘Sundance’ with its bright golden yellow leaves, although it is less hardy and prone to frost damage.
The Mexican orange blossom is also suitable as a houseplant
Choisya ternate at a glance
- Type: Evergreen
- Location: Full sun / partial shade
- Flowering time: spring (possibly again in mid to late autumn)
- Pruning: After flowering (late spring)
- Size: up to 1.8 meters without pruning
- Weather hardiness: hardy down to temperatures of -12C
An evergreen flowering shrub
Cultivation and care of the Mexican orange blossom
Plant in fertile, well-drained soil in spring or fall. Water regularly, especially in the first year.
It tolerates partial shade, but locations in full sun bring a higher flower yield. A sunny, east-facing location that is shaded from the hot summer sun in the afternoon to protect it from burns is ideal. If the site is within the reach of bitterly cold winds in winter, it may need to be protected with burlap, or a sheltered site should be considered.
The Choisya benefits from a balanced fertilizer applied in early spring. A layer of mulch in the spring helps retain moisture.
After the flowering period, you can already cut your orange blossom
When and how to prune Choisya (Mexican Orange Blossom).
The choisya shrub can grow up to 1.8 meters tall, sometimes a bit more, but don’t let that put you off. Choisyas tolerate a slight to severe pruning.
An annual pruning in spring is advantageous for new growth and to maintain an attractive shape. Heavy pruning to restore shape to a neglected shrub or to limit the size of the shrub should be done after the last severe frost. And always remove any dead or damaged stems that have emerged over the winter.
Young plants should be cut back to a third in spring. This encourages new shoots to grow from the base and form a bushier and denser habit as they grow.
A low-maintenance plant for your garden
Older Choisya shrubs should be pruned back after flowering to maintain an even, rounded shape. If your plants develop bare or limp stems, cut back all main stems to about 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) from the ground in spring, once all danger of frost has passed.
In late spring, prune faded flowers by cutting just below the flower heads. This can encourage a second bloom in the fall.
In this way, you can liven up your outdoor area in no time at all
Enjoy this delightful scented plant in your own outdoor area and have a wonderful summer time! Here are 9 more plants that will keep mosquitoes away from your garden or balcony…
Beautiful flowers with a wonderful fragrance
