Christmas Blossom/Lepidaploa arborescens
ASTERACEAE
Description
Taxonomists have changed the Christmas Blossom’s name a few times in the past from the more recent Vernonia divaricata Sw. to Vernonia arborescens and Lepidaploa arborescens. One thing is certain: No matter what the name, it is a beautiful plant in bloom at this time of the year.
Evergreen lush stems are inconspicuous until the festive season, when Christmas Blossom springs into a shower of mauve blooms laden with nectar. A flurry of butterflies drunkenly hover over each tuft, as they open up in a wide fountain spray.
This is an easy bush to maintain that will need to be cut back after blooming to keep it from getting straggly.
Dimensions: 4ft x 3ft
Growth habit: ‘V’ shape
Flowers: Mauve when it blooms
Soil requirement: Well-drained
Light requirements: Full-sun to part-shade
Environment tolerance: Drought-tolerant
Nature attracting: Lots of butterfly activity when in bloom
Distribution
Commonly found in Central America, Peru and the Caribbean. It is present on all three of the Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Horticulture potential
Christmas Blossom is an evergreen that remains lush when it is dormant. Its ‘V’ shape doesn’t take too much space in the garden and it is a good companion plant for our endemic Christmas Berry that blooms at the same time.
About Joanne Mercille
Mercille has called Grand Cayman home since 1997 and she has a keen interest in local flora. She is curator for the National Trust Herbarium and has created an online database for public viewing of the physical herbarium. She is also webmaster for www.caymanflora.org and owns Caribbean Blooms – a native plant nursery. She is an avid gardener and member of the Garden Club of Grand Cayman.
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