Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-9.
Propagation: Propagated by softwood or hardwood cuttings and by seed.
This is one tough plant. There are a few on our property that came with the house. I don't do anything to them (in terms of water and fertilizer), and they grow just fine. It also appears that whoever planted the bed these plants are in did next to nothing to the native "gumbo" soil. This does not seem to prevent them from growing well.
This plant also appears to do well in the clay soils along the coast of Southern California. This is my grandfather's. He has allowed his to grow in its natural shape:
This one is mine.
When we moved into our house, it was shaped into a box hedge. This works ok, except in the summer, when the plant sends up long, vertical canes very rapidly. Last year, I pruned these off aggressively. Then I heard that these plants have fragrant flowers in the fall. Wondering if I had prevented it from blooming, I decided to let it go this year, and see what happens. So far, no blooming.
1 comment:
I have planted several of these in my gumbo (about a foot of clay over limestone) here in Austin. They are doing great. The "blooms" on mine are tee-tiny -- not for show -- and most references I've found say many people find them unpleasant. I found they had a cinnamon, spicy scent, but you had to actullay crush the bloom in your hands to smell it at all...
It's been a very mild winter so far, and mine are showing new growth already?! I'm going to prune it back by about a third after frost danger passes.
Anyway, they seem to be tough as nails, and grow like crazy. Be careful though, I've seen specimens in my neighborhood that have been "let go" and they can get 12-15 feet high and pretty wooly looking.
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