Cubanola domingensis is a terrific fragrant plant from (wait for it) the Dominican Republic. I first grew it a few years ago but lost it over the winter of 2015. A few weeks ago I found what was left of my original seed, gave them a soak before sowing them and the first one germinated last week. It's a plant that I've been watching grow for a few years now at Oxfords Botanic Gardens (where I first saw it and decided to seek out the seed) and so I thought that it was time that we paid another visit. We were in luck and it was in bloom................ Cubanola domingensis by longk48, on Flickr What did surprise me (and I'm sure that it will surprise @PeterS ) was how much it had grown. It's not the best photo as 1] it is growing behind other plants and 2] the photo was taken into the sun but as you can see it is now a large (three metre'ish) shrub.............. Cubanola domingensis by longk48, on Flickr
Cubanola domingensis. Forgive me please but at first this name caused my tiny mind to conjour up some form of Blessing. No offence. Hey! what a plant. Tends to remind me of the Daturas, with the long trumpet flowers. Please tell us more about the seed germination and the eventual growing of the plant. May I at the same time enquire . As you live in Oxfordshire, are you in anyway linked to the botanical gardens?
It is very like a Datura/Brugmansia, especially with it being so fragrant as well but it is a totally different family and is more closely related to coffee! Seed germination is easy - soak, sow and keep warm (20 to 25°c). After that it wants humidity and bright indirect light. Avoid anything even close to frost in young plants at all costs but older plants will (supposedly) come back from the rootstock after a short period of frost. Nope!
Lovely pictures LongK. I remember very well seeing it in flower with you at the Oxford Botanic Gardens. I always understood that it was a very slow growing plant, which has rather put me off. I did germinate some seeds once - but they died. Very nice to see it. I have never seen it at Kew or Wisley so I think it's really quite rare.
