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Vestia foetida

Chilean box thorn

a compact evergreen shrub to 2m, with narrow, glossy dark green, ill-scented leaves and clusters of tubular, yellow flowers 2.5-3cm long, with spreading or recurved lobes and protruding stamens

Synonyms
Vestia lycioides
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Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Yellow Green
Summer Yellow Green
Autumn Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Solanaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Vestia are evergreen shrubs with pungently scented foliage and nodding tubular flowers with recurved lobes and protruding stamens, solitary or borne in clusters in the leaf axils

Name status

Correct

Plant range
Chile

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun. In frost-prone areas, shelter from cold, drying winds in winter

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wall side borders
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Pruning group 8

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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