How to Grow Choisya in the UK

Choisya is one of the easiest evergreen shrubs you can grow. You get glossy leaves all year and clusters of scented white flowers in late spring, often with a second show in autumn. Give it a sheltered spot and soil that drains, and it’ll look after itself for years.

It’s called Mexican orange blossom because the flowers and crushed leaves smell of citrus. Plant one by a path or door so you catch the scent. The RHS choisya growing guide is handy if you want more detail.

Which choisya variety should you grow?

There are five you’ll spot at most garden centres. The main choice is size, and whether you want golden leaves or lots of flowers.

Choisya ternata, the original

The classic green choisya is the toughest and flowers the most. It grows into a rounded dome about 2-2.5m tall and wide. Each leaf is split into three, which is what “ternata” means.

White starry flowers open in May and June, with a lighter flush in September and October. The scent is sweet and citrusy and drifts on still evenings. Pick this one for the most flowers and an easy life.

The classic green choisya covers itself in scented white flowers each spring.

Choisya ternata Sundance (‘Lich’)

Sundance has bright golden leaves that turn lime-green through summer. It flowers less than the green form, but the leaves light up a dull corner all year.

It grows a little slower, to about 2m. Give it light shade. Hot sun can scorch the leaves, and deep shade turns them plain green.

Choisya x dewitteana Aztec Pearl

Aztec Pearl has narrow, finely cut leaves that look lighter and more delicate. It stays smaller, at about 1.5m tall and wide.

The flowers open from pink-tinged buds to white and smell lovely. It’s a great pick for smaller gardens and pots, and makes a pretty informal hedge planted about 1m apart.

Choisya x dewitteana White Dazzler

White Dazzler is the compact one, staying under about 1.2m. It has the same fine leaves as Aztec Pearl but forms a neat cushion. In May it’s often smothered in flowers.

This is the choisya for pots, balconies and patios. It’s also a handy low evergreen shrub for the front of a border.

White Dazzler stays small, so it’s perfect for a pot on a patio.

Choisya x dewitteana Apple Blossom

Apple Blossom has pink-flushed buds that open to soft blush-pink flowers. It grows to about 1.5-1.8m. It’s a little more tender than the others, so in a cold garden give it a warm wall or grow it in a pot.

Choisya variety comparison

Where to plant choisya

Three things matter: shelter, sun and drainage.

Shelter comes first. Choisya keeps its leaves all winter, so cold winds can brown them. East-facing spots are the worst, as early sun thaws frosted leaves too quickly. A sunny west or south-west wall is ideal.

Sun means more flowers on the green types. Sundance prefers light shade. All of them cope with dappled shade but flower less. For a really shady garden, see our best shrubs for shade.

Drainage matters a lot. Choisya hates sitting in wet soil and the roots can rot. On heavy clay soil, dig a wide hole and mix plenty of grit into the soil you put back. It’s happy on chalky soil too.

How to plant choisya

You can plant a potted choisya any time the ground isn’t frozen or bone dry. Spring and early autumn are best.

1. Dig the hole twice as wide as the pot and the same depth. Don’t plant it deeper than it sat in the pot.
2. Help drainage on heavy clay by mixing grit into the soil. Sandy or loamy soil is fine as it is.
3. Soak the rootball in a bucket of water for 20 minutes first.
4. Backfill and firm gently with your fingers.
5. Water in well, then water weekly through the first summer if it’s dry.
6. Mulch with bark or compost around the base, keeping it clear of the stem.

Spacing: about 1.5-2m apart for the green species, 1-1.2m for Aztec Pearl and 0.8-1m for White Dazzler. Plant a bit closer for a hedge.

How to prune choisya

Choisya flowers on last year’s stems. So the golden rule is simple: prune in June, straight after the spring flowers fade.

Each year:

• Trim stems that have grown out of shape.
• Snip off any brown, frost-damaged tips.
• On older plants, take out an old stem or two at the base to open up the middle.

For an old, overgrown plant:

• Cut it back hard in late April or early May.
• It’ll regrow, but expect a year or so without flowers.
• Give it a general feed afterwards to help it along.

Prune in June once the spring flowers fade. Never cut back in autumn or winter.

Sundance likes a light trim in August too, which brings a fresh flush of bright golden leaves.

Monthly care calendar

Frost protection for young choisya

Older choisyas cope well with UK winters. Young plants have shallower roots and thinner stems, so they need a little help for their first couple of winters.

• Wrap them loosely in fleece when a hard frost is forecast.
• Weigh the fleece down at the base so it doesn’t blow away.
• Take it off in mild spells so the plant can breathe.
• Mulch the roots with bark to keep them snug.

Plants in pots feel the cold more, as the roots freeze faster. Move pots against a warm wall in November. In a cold snap, wrap the pot in bubble wrap.

Want more scent? Our guide to scented plants has plenty of partners that flower at other times.

Common problems

Brown leaf tips: Almost always cold wind or frost. Not a disease. Shelter or fleece helps.

Yellow lower leaves: Usually soggy soil. Improve drainage with grit.

Few or no flowers: Pruned at the wrong time, too much shade, or too much nitrogen feed.

Leggy, bare stems: Cut it back hard in April. Choisya regrows from old wood.

Leaf spots: Can appear in wet summers. Rarely serious. Thin out crowded stems to let air through.

Compared with many flowering shrubs, choisya has very few problems. Bees enjoy the spring flowers too.

Propagation

Take cuttings in June or July. Pick non-flowering side shoots 8-10cm long. Pull off the lower leaves and dip the end in rooting powder if you have some. Push them into a mix of perlite and compost, then cover with a clear bag. Roots usually form in six to eight weeks.

Pot them up once rooted and keep them in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out the following spring.

Frequently asked questions

Is choisya hardy in the UK?

Yes, an established choisya is hardy in most UK gardens. It copes well with cold in a sheltered spot. Young plants like a fleece blanket in hard frosts. Cold, drying winds can brown the leaves, so in an exposed garden grow it in a pot you can move.

When should I prune choisya?

Prune straight after the spring flowers fade, usually in June. Trim straggly or frost-damaged stems back to a healthy shoot. Don’t prune in autumn or winter, as you’ll cut off next spring’s flower buds.

Why is my choisya not flowering?

Usually because it was pruned at the wrong time. Autumn or winter pruning removes the buds. Deep shade and too much high-nitrogen feed also mean more leaves and fewer flowers. Young plants often flower lightly for a year or two.

Can I grow choisya in a pot?

Yes, and compact varieties are best. ‘White Dazzler’ and ‘Aztec Pearl’ are ideal. Use a pot about 45-50cm across with drainage holes, filled with John Innes No.3 and a little grit. Water often in summer and feed monthly from spring to late summer.

What causes brown leaves on choisya?

Usually frost or cold, drying winds. Morning sun on frozen leaves makes it worse. Use fleece in hard frosts or move pots somewhere sheltered. Soggy soil can cause browning too, so make sure the ground drains well.

Does choisya grow in shade?

It’s fine in light shade but flowers less in deep shade. In full shade you’ll get leaves but few blooms. Golden ‘Sundance’ likes light shade, as strong sun can scorch it. Green-leaved types flower best in sun.

How fast does choisya grow?

At a steady, moderate pace. A young plant usually reaches about a metre within a few years. Growth slows as it nears full size. A sheltered, sunny spot and a spring mulch help it along.