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El Niño® Desert Orchid Chitalpa  

Flower Season
  • Summer
Mature Size
15' 10' 4.6m 3.0m
Height: 10' - 15'
Spread: 8' - 10'
Height: 3.0m - 4.6m
Spread: 2.4m - 3.0m
New Plant
  • Details

    120 - 180 Inches
    96 - 120 Inches
    96 - 120 Inches
    3.0m - 4.6m
    2.4m - 3.0m
    2.4m - 3.0m

    Features

    This plant is practically a unicorn, combining the best qualities of two unique plants - desert willow and catalpa. This resulted in absolutely lovely flowers that somehow look both like orchids and snapdragons, but are way easier to care for than either of those plants. You’ll get to enjoy these sweetly scented blooms starting in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live, and then sporadically throughout the summer.

    Fragrant Flower
    Long Blooming
    Resists: 
    Deer

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Shrub
    Shrub Type: 
    Deciduous
    Height Category: 
    Medium
    Garden Height: 
    120 - 180 Inches 3.0m - 4.6m
    Spacing: 
    96 - 120 Inches 2.4m - 3.0m
    Spread: 
    96 - 120 Inches 2.4m - 3.0m
    Flower Colors: 
    Purple
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Shade: 
    Light green
    Habit: 
    Mounded
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Part Sun to Sun
    Light Requirement: 
    Sun

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Easy
    Blooms On: 
    New Wood
    Bloom Time: 
    Summer
    Hardiness Zones: 
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Needs Good Drainage
    Soil Fertility Requirement: 
    Average Soil
    Uses: 
    Border Plant
    Uses: 
    Container
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses: 
    Mass Planting
    Uses Notes: 

    Adds fragrance to any place it is planted.

    Maintenance Notes: 

    Prune to shape in early spring, just as the new growth is beginning to emerge.

    El Niño® Chitalpa   'NCXC1' USPP 35,880
  • 1 Review

    5
    1
    4
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    2
    1
    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • I am in a zone 5b/border 6a. This plant grew from a 12 " quart to a 5–6-foot branched tree in one season. The branches are leafing out even though we had -20 temperature a few months ago. Excited to see what it will do this summer. Beautiful specimen!

      Kate
      , Nebraska
      , United States
      , 29 weeks ago
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