On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 18:15:40 +0100, andrew bennett
wrote:


Hi I just wondered if anyone else has had any luck growing this shrub
outdoors in the uk? I have a plant that i brought back from the south
coast of Sri Lanka, which i accidently left out all last winter. It was
quite a large shrub, maybe 2ft in diameter, and survived right through
the winter in a pot only losing it's leaves in feb/march. It was back
in full leaf by the end of April and flowered all May and June before
resting for 2 months and just beginning to flower again. I'm wondering
if it was just a one off, or whether it's safe to leave it out again.
I'm in North London and i guess the minimum would have been minus 4-5.

I have brunfelsia calycina. I don't know how different yours is but
I'm sure they are not hardy in UK climates. You were lucky.
I did leave out 2 citrus plants last year and they survived. We
didn't have much frost. The coming winter might not be so balmy!

I have had mine over 20 years though the plant I have at present is
about the great-grandchild of the original. They just get too big.
I call it the plant with 9 lives, though that does not include
overwintering outside.

I can heartily recommend theone I have. When it flowers, usually Feb,
the scent in my living room is wonderful. Just one flower can make
its presence known. I have succeeded with cuttings but they are not
easy.
Have a look at this page.
http://www.davids-exoticplants.co.uk/Brunfelsiapage.htm

Pam in Bristol