Vestia foetida

RHS Plant Profile

Chilean box thorn

RHS

Synonyms

Vestia lycioides

Shrubs

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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

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Foliage

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Solanaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: 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