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Chilean Hardy Willow Jasmine

Cestrus parqui

Other Common Names: Chilean Jessamine, Parqui, Mapuche, Cestrum Verde, Green Cestrum, Hardy Willow-Leafed Jessamine, Yerba Santa

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-11 Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 6-8′ in cool climates (Zones 7-9); up to 15 feet in tropical frost-free climates (Zones 10-11)

Width at Maturity: 6-8′

Spacing: 5′ for solid hedge

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Broad, Bushy

Growth Rate: Fast

Flower Color: Mustard Yellow

Flower Size: 1.5″ in clusters

Flowering Period: Late Spring or Early Summer all the way to Frost! – Year Round in frost-free climates

Flower Type: Single, trumpet-shape, tubular, in clusters

Fragrant Flowers: Yes – powerful jasmine-like perfume in the evenings and through the night

Foliage Color: Olive Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes

Berry Color: Black

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun, Morning Sun with Evening Shade

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy (amend for moisture retention), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Beneficial Pollinators

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect

Description

Named by the Royal Horticultural Society as one of their top 200 plants of the last 200 years, the Chilean Hardy Willow Jessamine is one of our favorite flowering shrub we grow. In our north-central Georgia gardens (USDA Zone 8a) the shrub has grow to 6 feet tall and wide over a period of 15 years. In frost-free climates it can reach double that size. Beginning in early summer and continuing through summer and all the way to frost, our bush is covered in clusters of soft yellow flowers that fill the garden with a powerful, jasmine-like perfume during the evening and through the night. During the day the hummingbirds are zooming in to feed on the nectar from the flowers, but the deer and other pests turn their nose up to it. A flowering powerhouse that deserves a spot in every garden where it will grow (USDA Zones 7a-11). Gardeners north of Zone 7a can grow it in containers that can be overwintered indoors.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 6 to 8 feet tall and wide in cooler climates and double that size in frost-free climates, the Chilean Hardy Willow Jasmine is ideal for use as a specimen, grouping, background or natural hedge in sunny to partially shaded landscape or flowering shrub and woodland borders. It is ideal around patios, decks, porches and other outdoor spaces where the fragrance and hummingbirds and butterflies feeding can be enjoyed from closeup. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, yellow gardens, and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 5 feet apart for solid hedge

Growing Preferences

The Chilean Hardy Willow Jessamine is exceptionally easy to grow in a most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full sun to part shade. We’ve seen no serious insect or disease problems and plants are quite drought tolerant when established.

Note: Find helpful advice from our experts under the Planting & Care tab above on desktop screens or below on mobile phones.

Plant Long & Prosper!

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