The flowers open yellow or light orange and then deepen to dark orange or red as they age.
Both old and new flowers grow side by side within the same flower clusters, hence the common name, marmalade bush.
From South America, it grows in open woodlands throughout Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Streptosolen jamesonii is the only species in this genus and belongs to the Solanaceae family, the same family as nightshade, potato and tomato.
The marmalade bush is a fast-growing shrub up to 2.4m and tends to spread, scramble or climb as long as it has support to do so.
Its scrambling nature is useful for planting on top of banks, where it trails down the bank, or for hanging baskets, where plants can hang overand be viewed from beneath.
Streptosolen jamesonii has long, slender branches which are covered in fine downy hairs and green ovate leaves, usually 2cm-4cm in length, which are also covered in fine hairs.
The flowers are arranged in terminal clusters at the end of the branches.
Plants can be pruned back to tidy the loose scrambling habit and reduce in size, but I have found it best to prune only after flowering has finished, or flowering may be aborted for the season.
Unfortunately this plant is frost-tender and needs a minimum temperature of 7degC to remain healthy without dropping its leaves, so glasshouse protection is required in Dunedin's climate. It needs a bright, sunny position to flower well, with free-draining soil and it's important not to over-water.
Once established, this plant is quite drought tolerant and seems to need rather dry conditions to flower well.
Streptosolen jamesonii would grow well with other plants such as Strelitzia that like similar growing conditions. Alternatively, plant to add colour and contrast to subtropical displays that need that bright splash of colour.
Stephen Bishop is curator of the winter garden glasshouse at Dunedin Botanic Garden.
- By Stephen Bishop.
