COMMON NAME:
► Royal Purple Brunfelsia or Shady Lady
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
► Brunfelsia pauciflora macrantha
GROWER HINTS:
► Read this thoroughly, and follow faithfully for a happy Brunfelsia. If you are good to your Brunfelsia you should have heavy bloom in the spring, some flowers all summer, and a light bloom in the fall. See below for how to be good to your plant. Also, go to your calendar and circle November 15, December 1st and December 15 to remind you when to feed extra. This is a long term plant and you should get many years of beauty. Please Note: Brunfelsias are a toxic plant to animals and children.
GROWTH HABITS:
► If you are “good” to your Brunfelsia you should have heavy bloom in the spring, some flowers all summer, and a light bloom in the fall. She is really a tough old gal and can take the summer heat, but inland areas will not get a summer bloom. See under shade/sun and feeding/watering to know how to be good to your brunfelsia. Prune your Brunfelsia during the mid-winter period or right after its spring bloom, usually July. You can prune it up to 2 nodes if needed.
SHADE/SUN:
► This is a real “Shady Lady”, she does best in real shade. An hour or so of sun in the early a.m. or late afternoon is okay but no more than that!
FEEDING AND WATERING:
► Keep your plant moist, no soggy winter feet. She is a real PIG when it comes to nitrogen. Use Mir-Acid or Soil Acidifier. Feed every two weeks if possible …all year long. Add chelated iron twice a year if leaves seem yellow. This is a strange plant and it seems to benefit by extra fertilizer in the middle of the winter. Right now, circle November 15, Dec 1st and Dec. 15 to remind you when to extra feed. You make your fertilizer twice as strong for these three feedings only. Even though it sounds crazy, if you do this, you will have lots and lots of flowers in the spring. It is important that you understand that You Need to Feed Broomhilda All Year, Not Just in the Winter.
FLOWER/FOLIAGE COLOR(S):
► Dark green shiny leaves, deep purple flowers fading to pale lavender.
SEASON(S) CARRIED AT WEIDNERS:
► Spring/Summer only.
CONTAINER OR GROUND:
► You may grow it in a pot, in the ground, or train it into a spectacular basket
PARTICULAR PESTS:
► Oh yes, we love it, but snails, slugs and whiteflies all love it too. There are nontoxic snail and slug bait products available.
