White Luculia
Botanical name: Luculia pinceanna "Fragrant Pearl"
Family name: Rubiaceae.
Common name: White Luculia
Origins: The Luculia belongs to the same family as the Gardenia. Fragrant Pearl is a recent selection of L.pinceana which arose from seed collected in Vietnam.
Comments:
This is the first white Luculia other than L. grandiflora. Compared to L.grandiflora, Fragrant Pearl is rather fine featured, and more like the commoner pink forms, although the florets are larger ( the size of a 50 cent piece). The florets are blushed pink in the bud stage but open white, hence the "Pearl" aspect of the name, and the fragrance speaks for itself. It starts flowering in early April and continues into June. The scanned Jpeg shows an early bloom from a nursery plant.
Fragrant Pearl will grow into a large shrub, up to 3m tall in a sheltered position, although it is best trimmed after flowering (and posibility of frosts) to avoid the leggy habit which leaves it vulnerable to damage by wind. Fragrant Pearl prefers a well drained position that is frost free, and will grow and flower well in semi-shade or an open situation that is not too hot. Its preference for semi-shade means Fragrant Pearl can be planted, with careful site selection, in many areas in the country.
Propagation:
Fragrant Pearl is grown from cuttings, but will also produce seed if hand pollinated with pollen from another Luculia. This may prove worthwile, since double flowered Luculia pinceana plants were observed in the vicinity of the original seed collection.
Sources
- Fragrant Pearl is only available from
Mark Jury Nursery in Taranaki email: jury@jury.co.nz
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