Luculia 'Early Dawn'

Soft pink, cloud like blooms at the perfect time, in autumn to winter with the most amazing perfume, with strong notes of gardenia and hints of vanilla. Their height has them perfectly positioned at the back of a bed or border.

You will be drawn to this shrub in the cooler months to inhale and behold its beauty. The deep green leaves grow to form a lush, big (3m), rounded shrub that looks good year round. The flowers open at the ends of the branches in corymbs around 10-20cm across. They are lovely for picking but won’t last long in the vase.

This early blooming variety of these much loved, fragrant shrubs is a step above. Best in part shade as it needs protection from frost and that is about all you will need to worry about, once it is up and growing it will look after itself.

Plant in a protected position in moderately fertile to humus rich, well drained soil. Water to establish, then you only need worry if rainfall is low. A light fertiliser in autumn while establishing is all it will need. Minimal pruning required, only to enforce symmetry or control size, this is best done in spring. It won’t be bothered with a hard prune and will spring back to its full size in no time. Flowers open for us June/July. They are frost tender, growing mine for around ten years, under a now defunct Eucalypt, it has never been bitten by frost in the Dandenong Ranges, parrots however have bitten it many times!

Luculia gratissima is from the woodlands of the Himalayas, Luculia is from the Nepalese name for the plant, Luculi Swa. Gratissima is Latin, meaning ‘most pleasing’, which it is.