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(Cestrum parqui)
Green Cestrum (Cestrum parqui)
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Romi Galeota Lencina
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Romi Galeota Lencina
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Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Romi Galeota Lencina | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Romi Galeota Lencina | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2021-09-19T11:23:36-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Cestrum parqui, commonly known as Green Cestrum, is a semi-deciduous shrub native to the temperate forests and scrublands of Southern South America, particularly Chile and Argentina. It can grow over 3 meters tall, particularly in warmer climates, and has a straggling habit with one or a few fragile green stems. The leaves are alternate, light green, and emit an unpleasant rubber-like smell when crushed. Green Cestrum is notable for its terminal sprays of small, fragrant, tubular yellow-green flowers, each about 2.5 cm long, blooming from spring to autumn. These are followed by clusters of small, black, egg-shaped berries from summer to autumn. Both flowers and berries can be quite showy, adding to the plant’s ornamental value. All parts of the plant are highly toxic.
Green Cestrum has been recognized for its horticultural merit with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in the United Kingdom. It is valued for its long flowering season and the fragrance of its blooms. This shrub is suitable for border planting and as an informal hedge, provided it is handled with care due to its toxicity. It thrives in full sun, requiring medium amounts of water, and prefers soils with medium to fast drainage. While it can adapt to a range of soil types, it does best in well-drained, fertile soils. Gardeners should be aware that Cestrum parqui can become invasive outside its native range, particularly in parts of South America, Australasia, and the United States, and should check local regulations before planting.CC BY-SA 4.0
Green Cestrum has been recognized for its horticultural merit with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in the United Kingdom. It is valued for its long flowering season and the fragrance of its blooms. This shrub is suitable for border planting and as an informal hedge, provided it is handled with care due to its toxicity. It thrives in full sun, requiring medium amounts of water, and prefers soils with medium to fast drainage. While it can adapt to a range of soil types, it does best in well-drained, fertile soils. Gardeners should be aware that Cestrum parqui can become invasive outside its native range, particularly in parts of South America, Australasia, and the United States, and should check local regulations before planting.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Shrub
- Height: 6-8 feet
- Width: 6-8 feet
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Flower Color: Yellow, Green
- Flowering Season: Summer
- Leaf Retention: Deciduous, Semi-Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun
- Water: Medium
- Drainage: Medium, Fast
Common Uses
Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Deer Resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird Garden, Low Maintenance
Natural Habitat
Temperate forests and scrublands of Southern South America
Other Names
Common Names: Chilean Jessamine, Willow-Leaf-Jessamine, Chilean Cestrum, Green Poison-Berry, Palqui, Iodine-Bush, Chileense Inkbessie, Chilenischer Hammerstrauch, Chilean Flowering Jassamine, Coerana
Scientific Names: , Cestrum parqui, Cestrum plicatum, Cestrum parqui var. glabriusculum, Cestrum mandonii, Cestrum parqui var. poeppigii, Cestrum parqui var. tomentistipes, Cestrum campestre, Cestrum glaucescens, Cestrum parqui var. oranense
GBIF Accepted Name: Cestrum parqui (Lam.) L’Hér.