Consulta Plantas

Care of the shrub Coleonema album or White confetti bush

The genus Coleonema, family Rutaceae, includes 6 species of shrubs native to southern Africa. Some species are: Coleonema album, Coleonema pulchellum, Coleonema pulchrum.

Common names: White confetti bush, White Breath, Heaven and Cape May. This species is native to South Africa.

They are highly branched evergreen shrubs with a compact bearing that reach 1.5 meters (4.92 feet) in height. They have small aromatic, needle-shaped leaves (up to 1.2 cm/0.47" long) and deep green in color. The flowers are white, starry and small but appear in great quantity; they have the perfume of honey. They bloom from mid-winter to mid-spring.

White confetti bush is used in rockery, in bushy groups with Erica, Metalasia muricata, Euryops virgineus and Salvias. It's ideal for coastal gardens, for growing in pots and for floral decorations.

Coleonema album needs exposure to full sun and high temperatures; it resists occasional frosts down to -5 ºC (23 ºF).

The soil must be well drained and contain abundant organic matter. In summer it is advisable to add a layer of leaf mulch to keep the roots fresh.

Water moderately in summer waiting for the soil to dry out; in winter water regularly without letting the soil dry out completely.

Fertilize in autumn with compost or manure and monthly with mineral fertilizer in winter and spring.

After flowering they can be pruned to maintain a compact appearance.

White Breath is a resistant plant to the usual pests and diseases. If the leaves turn yellow it indicates a lack of iron.

Heaven and Cape May propagates by cuttings in late winter or early spring; it produces flowers before the specimens obtained from seeds.

Images of the shrub Coleonema album or White confetti bush