Brunfelsia Flowers

Plants of the Brunfelsia genus are commonly used in landscape and garden settings in south Florida and California in the southern and coastal regions. The plants are prized for their prolific and fragrant flowers which, in many Brunfelsia species, change color over time, providing a spectacular display during blooming season. The plants can be grown in containers and pruned regularly, or allowed to grow to full size, providing a striking accent in the landscape.

Plant Description

Brunfelsia are evergreen shrubs that can grow to around 8 to 10 feet tall and are often wider than that. The plants possess evergreen leaves that are long, oval in shape and leathery in texture. Preferring acidic soils in either full sun or partial shade, Brunfelsia are warm weather plants, growing only in the warmest areas of the U.S., including USDA hardiness zones 9B through 11.

Flower Form

The flowers of Brunfelsias form in large clusters that appear first in the early spring and persist throughout the summer. Each flower forms a narrow trumpet shape with five rounded, lobe-shaped petals at the end that project outward as a whorl, somewhat reminiscent of a pansy. The margins of the petals are often slightly ruffled. Some species of Brunfelsia, such as B. puaciflora, have smaller flowers with a shorter trumpet form, while others, including B. nitida, produce flowers with thin trumpets that are up to 6 inches in length.

Color

Plants within the genus Brunfelsia, such as B. pauciflora, B. uniflora, B. magnifica, B. australis and B. grandiflora, grow flowers that change color over a short period of time, giving them the common name "Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow" flowers. Initially the flowers appear as a deep purple. As the flower ages over the next few days, the color fades to a light lavender and finally a white color. The plants often possess all three colors of flowers at the same time. Other flowering Brunfelsia plants, include the B. plicata, B. jamaicensis, B. Americana and B. nitida, range in color from light yellow to pure white without the distinctive color changes of their close relatives.

Fragrance

Brunfelsia flowers are also known to have a rich, sweet and attractive fragrance and are often planted near windows and doors for that very reason. Some of the species are more fragrant at night. In particular, Brunfelsia nitida, nicknamed "The Lady of the Night," has an almost overpowering scent during evening hours and a lighter fragrance during the day.

References

• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Brunfelsia Grandiflora
• Magnolia Gardens Nursery: Brunfelsia Pauciflora
• Top Tropicals: Brunfelsia Plicata, Brunfelsia Jamaicensis
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Night Time Fragrance For Your Miami-Dade Garden; John McLaughlin; July 2009