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DEL CAMPO GARDEN CENTRE Cestrum Newellii Two plants from the same family but strikingly different in looks. Their family name in Greek – Kestron, means to be similar but unrelated. Originating in South America the group consists of 175 species. Cestrum Newellii, or Jessamine, is the less well known of the two plants but strikingly beautiful. It can reach three metres in height and becomes virtually drought tolerant if planted in the ground. It needs a lot more water and feed if grown in a container. Newellii will survive low temperatures, although if it gets below minus five, it will become deciduous. Newellii flowers abundantly through spring and summer, bearing burgundy tubular flowers. Later, it produces red berries. Both look wonderfully dramatic against its dark green foliage. Cestrum Nocturnum is of a similar height and spread, it too can become drought tolerant and thrives in full sun but looks strikingly different. Its arching branches bearing light green leaves and its insignificant cream flowers are nothing in comparison to Newelliis’. The one thing that makes the plant more than worthy of a place in our gardens is its intoxicating scent. In late summer, it releases a heavy fragrance that can be detected several metres away. Cestrum Nocturnum is otherwise
known as ‘night-scented jessamine’, or the Spanish common
name, which seems most apt, is ‘dama de noche’. Amanda Del Campo Plants |
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