Choisya ternata

Common name: Mexican Orange Blossom

Description: This popular evergreen shrub is cherished for its glossy, aromatic foliage and profusion of sweetly scented white flowers. The leaves are divided into three leaflets (hence 'ternata') and release a pleasant citrus scent when crushed. In late spring, clusters of star-shaped white flowers cover the plant in a spectacular display, filling the garden with their delicious orange-blossom fragrance. A secondary flush of flowers often appears in late summer or autumn. The dense, rounded habit creates excellent year-round structure in borders, and the plant responds well to trimming, making it suitable for informal hedging. This is one of the most reliable and rewarding evergreen shrubs for British gardens.

Other benefits: aromatic foliage, sweetly fragrant flowers, often repeat-flowering, excellent for hedging, low maintenance, good pollution tolerance

Wildlife attraction: bees, butterflies, pollinators

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 2m x 2m

Position: full sun to partial shade; flowers best in good light

Soil pH: adaptable to most soils; performs well in neutral to slightly alkaline conditions

Moisture: moderate watering required; drought tolerant once established; needs well-drained soil

Winter hardiness: hardy to -10°C; foliage may be damaged by severe frost but usually recovers