Height: 8 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Orange Jessamine
Description:
This spectacular shrub produces showy masses of bright orange tubular flowers over a long period; plant in sheltered area of the garden or along borders; dies back in colder zones; may re-sprout from roots after a hard freeze
Ornamental Features
Orange Cestrum features showy clusters of orange tubular flowers at the ends of the branches from late spring to late summer. Its pointy leaves emerge green in spring, turning forest green in color the rest of the year. It produces white berries from late summer to late fall.
Landscape Attributes
Orange Cestrum is a dense multi-stemmed annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Orange Cestrum is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Orange Cestrum will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.
Orange Cestrum is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
