Plant profile
Rondeletia
Rondeletia amoena
Also known as Yellow-throated rondeletia, Fragrant rondeletia.
Rondeletia amoena is a warm-climate evergreen shrub with rounded foliage and clusters of scented pink flowers with yellow throats. It makes a good informal screen or flowering shrub.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate
- Lifecycle
- Evergreen flowering shrub
- Light
- Full sun, Part shade
- Mature size
- Usually 2–3 m high and 2–3 m wide
- Spacing
- About 1.5–2.5 m apart
- Growth habit
- Rounded evergreen shrub with arching branches
- Native range
- Western and southern Mexico to western Colombia
- Natural habitat
- Subtropical forest, woodland and forest margins.
When to plant
Tropical
February–May, September–November
Subtropical
March–May, September–November
Temperate
September–November
Mediterranean
September–November
Tropical and subtropical: plant in warm weather with reliable moisture. Temperate: spring after frost risk.
Planting
Plant into free-draining soil and water regularly while establishing. Give it room to become a broad shrub unless you plan to prune it regularly.
Position and light
Full sun to part shade. Good light gives denser growth and heavier flowering, while a little afternoon shade can help the foliage in very hot climates.
Soil
Use loam or sandy soil with good drainage and add compost on poor ground. Avoid heavy sites that stay saturated after rain.
Watering
Water regularly while young and during active flowering. Established shrubs cope with short dry periods, but a prolonged lack of moisture reduces fresh growth and shortens flower displays.
Feeding
Mulch with compost and use a light balanced feed in spring if growth is weak. Heavy feeding is unnecessary for an established shrub in reasonably fertile soil.
Pruning
Prune after the main flowering flush to shape the shrub and encourage fresh branching. Older shrubs tolerate a firmer cut if they have become too large.
Propagation
Semi-hardwood cuttings are the easiest way to copy a good plant. Take healthy non-flowering shoots during warm growth and root them in a free-draining propagation mix.
Common problems
Scale insects may occur on stressed or crowded growth. Cold, frost and saturated soil are the main limits outside warm climates. Thin very dense shrubs if airflow becomes poor.
Worth knowing
Rondeletia amoena is an evergreen warm-climate shrub with scented pink flower clusters. It can be confused at a glance with Ixora, but it is an unrelated plant with different soil preferences and a looser natural shrub habit.
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