Dombeya Wallichie

Location

Butterfly Garden

  • Common Name: Dombeya (other common names: Dombeya Hybrid, Tropical Rose Hydrangea ‘Wallichie’)
  • Scientific Name: Burgessiae Wallichie, Dombeya Wallichie or Dombeya burgessiae
  • Family Name: Malvaceae
  • Origin: Tropical Africa
  • Height: 6’ – 8’ (With pruning it can be kept to about 5’.)
  • Width: 8’ – 10’
  • Growth: fast-growing
  • Zone: 10A – 11
  • Light Needs: Full sun – Partial shade (the more sun – the fuller the shrub and the more it blooms.)
  • Salt Tolerance: Low
  • Soil/PH/Texture: Prefers well-drained, slightly moist soil, such as clay, sand, or loam; prefers acidic to slightly alkaline soil (pH 6.1-7.5)
  • Soil Moisture: Average water needs – do not overwater
  • Drought Tolerance: is moderately tolerant once established. (supplemental irrigation during droughts)
  • Pests/Diseases: no serious pests or diseases are known.
  • Growing Conditions: Should be grown in a warm, sunny area with plenty of room to grow, away from other plants. Should be pruned occasionally for stronger structure.
  • Characteristics: Leaves are broad and heart-shaped, and may grow up to 8 inches long. Leaves grow alternately. Flowers are bright pink and showy, with yellow stamens and style. Flowers grow in a ball-shaped cluster on a scape that grows from the stem.
  • Propagation: by woody, semi-hardwood and hardwood stem cuttings, also by seed extracted from the flowerheads.
  • Wildlife: attracts bees, birds and butterflies.
  • Facts: It is sometimes referred as a tropical hydrangea because its flowers are likened to the hydrangeas, we see up North. In 1973 the USDA Plant Introduction Station in Miami released this cultivar for commercial use, and it has become a favorite for many Florida landscapes. Black rhinos are known to eat both bark and leaves.
  • Designer Considerations: Great for specimen plantings or as a patio tree. Its large size and showy, attractive flowers make it a great centerpiece for butterfly gardens.
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