highly fragrant shrubs and very small hf trees?

I live in Tucson AZ in zone 9b, some say 9a. I am interested in planting very highly fragrant very small trees and highly fragrant shrubs. I have to narrow it down to just a few so would like the most fragrant ones, esp. ones that you can smell from a distance??

I highly recommend Summersweet Clethra- Clethra alnifolia (deciduous shrub, 5-8' H). There is a variety 'Hummingbird that is 3-5'. They are both very fragrant for about two weeks in the summer. You are at the south end of their tolerance, so you might have to keep them moist. It is native to the East Coast- add organic material to sandy soil for them.

When mine bloomed last year, you could smell it across the yard. It was wonderful. You could also look into the Burkwood Viburnums- I'm not sure of the zone for them.

For an unusual perennial, try to find Hemerocallis citrina- Evening blooming Daylilly. It opens in the evening, and smells good. It's not real strong, but when enough blooms open, as the plant gets larger, you can smell it as you walk by. Full sun to part shade, 3' bloom spikes, pale yellow blooms. It's nice for us working people to be able to enjoy a daylilly after work!

Susan K

Calycanthus floridus/ Carolina allspice AKA sweetshrub and several of the viburnums especially V. carlesii/ Korean Spice Viburnum.
Philadelphus coronarius/ sweet mockorange and some of the smaller varieties of Magnolia trees.

These are all very fragrant- and pretty.

Amen on the Calycanthus and viburnums, Berrygirl!

I have a couple of fragrant azaleas outside my bedroom window. I can lie in bed and smell the flowers!

WOW!!!!
What cultivars are they??

On second thought, about the viburnums- they are not heat lovers- zone 7 is their southern tolerance according to my sources. If a reputable nursery in your area offers them, you might try one in some shade, but I wouldn't bet the farm on them.

Susan K

Looked some more, and there is one viburnum- Sweet viburnum - Viburnum odoratissima (having 'odor' in the botanical is usually a fragrant plant). Also, Acacia, oleander, lorapetalum, vitex and lavender stoeches (Spanish Lavender?) are listed as fragrant shrubs/trees for zone 9-10. Some orange trees would be cool!

Susan K

My azaleas are from the Northern Lights family, I think they were developed in Minnesota for hardiness. I have the yellow one and the orange one, Golden Lights and Mandarin Lights. I don't remember if one or the other smelled stronger, but it was a lovely sweet smell, almost like a lily. I bought Rosy Lights and Orchid Lights too last year, but they had already bloomed so I don't know if they smell good. I did get a good price though, for buying them late in the year. I think that Bluestone Perennials carries them, got mine at a local nursery.

Thank you so much sylvi!!!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

only1joanie,
Since you live in Tucson, you will need to visit your local nurseries to see what is being sold and what will grow in your extreme conditions (heat and drought). Most of the plants listed above will not live in Tucson.

You also need to take local conditions into account when deciding what to plant. Zone 8, in the Pacific Northwest, is not the same zone 8 that is in the Southeastern USA. Your zone 9a is not the same zone 9a that is found in California. You cannot use just the USDA zones when making decisions on what to plant.

You might want to try a Brugmansia if you want something really fragrant (at night). Try the brugmansia forum for more info. You will probably need to grow the brugmansia as a pot-plant rather than growing it in the ground. I'm guessing the brugmansia will also need some shade where you live.
Good luck,
Mike

You might try Fiddlewood. it's a smallish tree (can be trimmed back) and highly fragrant. it grows in southwestern florida. don't know if it grows in Arizona. it's a little uncommon, which is also nice. we also have a sweet acacia tree, which is highly fragrant. it grows taller, though, and also don't know if it grows in Arizona.

Your post about fragrant azaleas really got me excited! *S*

I adore azaleas and my only disappointment is that they don't have a fragrance to match their profuse blooms.

As I was doing some research almost everything I read said it was a rhododendron and that it was deciduous.

Maybe this is a dumb question but does it really loose all it's leaves?

Dovey

Dovey,
Do all deciduous plants in your climate lose all or most of their leaves in winter?? If so then these azaleas prob. will too. Deciduous plants do so here in Ga but I am not sure about warm climes like Ca or Fl. If not planted as a foundation plant right in your front yard, they don't look too bad in the winter.


Maybe you are in a cold part of Ca. ?? I always assume all of Ca is hot but I know N. Ca. is cold- LOL!!

I am STRONGLY considering ordering these 2.
Forestfarm and Bluestone Perennials both sell these!!

Well, being a California gal (just a little inland from San Diego) anything under 60 degrees seems darn cold to me!
I have 3 azaleas in my garden now and none of them loose their leaves. The 2 in the ground do get just a little spindly in the winter. Although I have one in a big pot on the back porch and the crazy thing never seems to stop blooming.
I'm really excited about the fragrant azaleas and can't wait to give these a shot.

Thank for the response
Dovey

Take a look at http://www.flowerscentgardens.com. I just ordered two honeysuckles - one is in a bush form.

Yum, flowerscentgardens is one of my favorite venders, I order every year! Glen is usually very willing to give advice on what would do well for y'all, (if you catch him before the busy season!) See if this link works http://www.flowerscentgardens.com/ He has really changed his web site!

Yuska -

Thanks for the hyperlink! Glen's website is a delight. I've just sent him an e-mail re roses - can be a real pain to grow in south florida but worth it. hope he has some for this clime. In any event, the website is fun to read!!

I have to agree with skf on the choice of Clethra alnifolia. It blooms in July in PA and smells intensly sweet for weeks!!! Only drawback is that bumble bees love it and I find many people are uncomfortable with the bees.

I also think Lilac and Jasmine are wonderful choices. Not sure about the hardiness of Jasmine, you may have to overwinter it indoors.

thanks for all your suggestions. Joanie.

How's the book comments for Clerodendrun trichotomum regarding your area?

That's harlequin glorybower.

Very fragrant. Largest I've seen was in Seaside, Oregon, at about 20' tall.

I have a wonderful Summersweet Clethra- Clethra alnifolia that has been spreading like wildfire. If you are still looking come fall, just send me an e-mail and I will send you a rooting or 2. (I could send a couple in Spring, but I'm not sure they'd be able to handle the heat transitionfrom NY Winter to AZ Spring! It really is a lovely bush and looks pretty in all seasons. Even now against the snow it is eye-catching!

I sure would love that rooting of the summersweet. You just never know sometimes plants will do ok even tho the zone says different. It's worth a try. Just bought a couple of South African Jasmine plants. They are pretty cold tolerant but heat, I don't know.