S & J Nurserys Guide to Growing
Lady of the Night / Fragrant Night blooming Yesterday Today and Tomorrow
for the Northeast Florida Landscape
( Brunfelsia americana )
Yesterday Today Tomorrow shrub Brunfelsia americana
Brunfelsia Americana lady of the Night is an exciting new introduction here at S & J Tree Farm and Nursery. This one is new to me and my garden. I’m so excited to have finally located it to try for our area landscapes. I will be planting it where I think it will grow based on the information provided, where I would like to have it and where I think it won’t grow well and we shall see!!! You never know what your gonna get, so experiment time it is. Fingers crossed! Hope you’ll join us and let us know how it goes!
IT WENT WELL! These plants have survived year after year without me bothering to fuss with them. They did burn one year when we had a pretty harsh winter with temperatures at about 29 degrees for 6-8 hours overnight , they damaged nearly down to the ground but regrew well by summer the following year. The other years I have not gotten much damage at all on them and hopefully they will remain in the garden setting for many more years to come, I love the unique long stemmed color changing blooms and the evening fragrance is a plus for me as I love to be out in the garden at home when it is cooler!
Lady of the Night Brunfelsia Americana Origins:
– Native to the American Tropics
Lady of the Night Brunfelsia Americana Preferred Exposure:
– Lady of the night will prefer a moist, shaded location that will be protected from frost. They also make a good indoor plant in a sunnier window.
Lady of the Night Foliage :
– Evergreen foliage is a deep glossy green elliptical form 2-5 inches in length.
Lady of the Night Brunfelsia Americana Soil Preference / Salt tolerance:
– Moist but well drained and fertile, slightly acid soils.
– Salt tolerance unknown
Lady of the Night Brunfelsia Americana Size Variance:
– Can reach sizes of 5-15+ feet H | 5+ feet W (has been known to grow even taller in the more tropical regions of Florida )
Lady of the Night Growth Habit:
– Tender shrub can be pruned into a woodier plant or allowed to wander and supported on a trellis system.
Lady of the Night Growth Rate:
– Lady of the Night Brunfelsia Americana will require a patient gardener. Slow growing plant best suited to those with the time and patience for a little TLC.
Lady of the Night Bloom:
– The Lady of the Night blooms are tubular and open to a flat rounded bloom with 5 petals much resembling a the much more common impatiens in appearance and size. But there is nothing at all common about these blossoms at sunset. They release their fragrance into the air each evening and are said to be unmatched for fragrance and described as jasmine with hints of oriental 5 spice and even cinnamon and cloves. The white blossoms quickly fade to creamy yellow and even a creamy tan in color.
Lady of the Night Water Requirements:
– Not drought tolerant Brunfelsia Americana Lady of the Night will need supplemental irrigation for best results.
Butterfly or Bird Attracting:
– n/a
Best Uses For Brunfelsia Lady of the Night:
– Hard to find plant that is perfect for the botanical enthusiast.
– Use lady of the Night Brunfelsias as a potted accent plant in a shady former of a patio or porch area where the fragrance can be enjoyed after sundown and the pot can be brought indoors and placed near a sunny window in the winter months. Or plant in a frost free zone in a well drained but moist shaded area of the landscape in zones 10-11. Protect from frosts.
Care of Lady of The Night:
– Amend soil at the time of planting with compost or well aged cow manure etc.
-Water every day during the establishment period.
-They will need good water during the establishment period and regular supplemental irrigation.
– Prune each spring removing and damaged branches and trimming back as many growth tips as possible for a fuller plant and a better blooms season.
– Can be trained to a single or multiple trunked tree form.
CAUTION : Although some information touts the fruits of this plant as an astringent and reported to be used to cure chronic stomach problems including diarrhea in French New Guiana and Martinique parts of the Lady of the Night plant are said to be poisonous if ingested including the seeds the roots and fruits.
– Fertilize each spring with a good handful of well aged compost or a slow release poly coated plant food for Acid loving plants such as Osmocote or Stay Green plant food, sprinkling the fertilizer on the ground in a circular pattern underneath the foliage of the plant taking care to keep fertilizers and mulch off the trunk.