Choisya 'Aztec Gold' (Mexican Orange Blossom) – Golden Evergreen Shrub (3L Pot)

Fine, finger like golden leaves and sweetly scented white flowers on a compact evergreen.

Choisya x dewitteana 'Aztec Gold' is the narrow leaved kind, and the slender leaflets give it a lighter, airier look than the broad leaved Choisya ternata. The foliage is bright golden yellow all year. Star shaped white flowers open in late spring and early summer with a sweet scent, often with a second flush in autumn, and bees and butterflies come to them. It stays compact at around 1.5m tall and wide.

Grow it in full sun or partial shade in well drained soil, in a border or a large pot. Full sun gives the strongest gold, but golden leaved choisyas scorch in strong midday sun, so a little afternoon shade keeps the foliage at its best. It is hardy in most of Britain, though cold drying winds can scorch the leaves, so give it some shelter. Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone. A light trim after flowering keeps the shape and can bring on a second flush.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Mexican orange blossom
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: About 1.5m tall and 1.5m wide
• Growth Habit: Compact, bushy, rounded evergreen shrub
• Perfect For: Borders, containers, low informal hedging, cottage gardens and mixed planting
• Foliage: Bright golden yellow, slender, finger like leaves, held all year
• Flowering Time: Late spring to early summer, often with a second flush in autumn
• Planting Position: Full sun or partial shade, with some shelter from cold drying winds. Grows well in a large container.
• Soil Type: Fertile, well drained soil
• Hardiness: Hardy in most of Britain. Cold drying winds can scorch the leaves, so a little shelter helps.
• Maintenance: Low. Light trim after flowering.
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, summer and autumn
• Type: Hardy evergreen flowering shrub