Panama Rose (Rondeletia leucophylla)
Clusters of pink that just keep coming, with evening fragrance as the bonus.
Bright pink flower clusters nearly year-round, sweetest after dark.
Why it works here
It carries tight clusters of small, bright pink, star-shaped tubular flowers almost all year in our climate, so it is one of the more dependable color plants for a bed or a low hedge. Here is the fun part: the flowers do not turn fragrant until after the sun goes down, so it earns a spot near a porch or an evening sitting area. Hummingbirds and butterflies work it by day, and the night scent hints that moths visit too. Despite the name it is from Mexico, not Panama.
Care
Keep the soil moderately moist while it establishes, then water when the top inch dries. It flowers hardest with a little feeding, so give it compost and a balanced organic fertilizer in spring and again in midsummer, plus a couple inches of mulch. Light shaping through the year keeps it round and full, and a harder cut in late winter renews it. It blooms on new growth, so tip pruning actually brings more flowers.
Common problems
Sparse bloom in too much shade: give it more sun for a fuller show.
Cold damage in a hard freeze: it is tender, so site it in a warm, protected pocket and expect some winter burn in a cold year.
Leaf yellowing, called chlorosis, which is when leaves pale from a nutrient the plant cannot pull from the soil: usually iron or magnesium in our alkaline sand. Feed with compost and an organic micronutrient blend.
Common questions
Why can't I smell it during the day?
That is normal for this plant. The fragrance switches on in the evening, so plant it where you sit after dark.
Is it a true rose?
No, not related to roses at all. The name comes from the pink flower color. It is actually in the coffee family.
How cold-hardy is it?
Tender. It is happiest in a warm spot near the house, and in a hard freeze it can burn back. In most Stuart winters it sails through with light protection.
Interested in a panama rose (rondeletia leucophylla) in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.