I wonder who named this plant; am curious since the plant is nothing like its names suggest.
The Rondeletia odorata or Fragrant Rondeletia, also known as the Panama Rose is definitely not scented and the flower does not bear any resemblance to a rose.
But I’m not complaining. Its yellow-centred orange flowers may be small but they are bright and vivid. The fact that they come in clusters make them even more eye-catching.
When I first saw the Rondeletia odorata I thought it was a variant of the lantana. But it wasn’t.
I have never come across the plant before, but the lady at the garden centre assured me that it’s local. I wonder if that’s really so – Wiki says it’s native to Cuba and Panama. But why waste time splitting hairs. All that matters is that one has found its way to my garden! 😉
Apparently the Rondeletia odorata can grow up to 10 feet tall; a little hard to believe when I look at the small potted specimens and their even tinier blooms.
But this diminutive beauty came with a big price. Should I or should I not? I debated for no more than 10 minutes before making the obvious decision.
Any regrets? Not at all; especially when the buds burst into clusters of vibrant candy coloured hues. They may not be edible, but they sure look a treat!
.
.
Care and propagation : Full sun; garden soil, water moderately; propagate using semi-hard wood cuttings (will be a while before I get to try this)
Beautiful! And your account of it is charming.
Hello where did you buy your strawberry guava plant? I can’t find one in singapore. I am trying to germinate from seed but they keep damping off.
there are fruiting plants available in cameron highlands. mine has never set fruit before.