Tabernaemontana crassa

[Al in Kona]

Below is Tabernaemontana crassa, a very fragrant flowering small tree or large shrub.  It has very large size leaves that fit well into a tropical garden  I have mine growing as a large shrub and the delightful  fragrance from the flower clusters perfumes the nearby air.  Are many of you growing this plant

[Al in Kona]

#2   close up of flower cluster  . . .

[Jeff Searle]

Al,

 Thats very nice and would like to add that to my garden some day. I can't say I have ever seen this species before. It's pretty.

Jeff

[LJG]

Al, I am growing some here in SoCal: Tabernaemontana pachysiphon and Tabernaemontana africana.

I love this genus. The aroma just wafts throughout the garden. I have heard that this genus is touchy, but I have had no issues 'so far'. I treat them like a gardenia.

I would love to get Tabernaemontana crassa. I have never seen them outside HI. This includes for sale at the regular online places.

[palmmermaid]

I like this genus as well.  I've never seen the one pictured.  I have some T. divaricatum but would love to have this one.

[fastfeat]

I believe Rob Bobson of TFTS has this at his home in Homestead, FL. He told me it's much more difficult to grow in alkaline soil than T. pachysiphon. I believe it is more fragrant.

[Peter]

My friend in Lake Worth, Florida is growing T. crassa-it does well for him, albeit a little on the slow side.  I've got T. pachysiphon growing in Hollywood Fl. and it's a champ; big leaves, and maybe the best smelling flower out there.  Both of these are available in South Florida if you look in some of the specialty nurseries, such as Rob's, or  Bloomin' Good, or several others.

T. Crassa:

T. pachysiphon:

[fastfeat]

Peter--

That T. crassa sure looks healthy! I'm not sure which species was supposedly more difficult on FL soils. I remember seeing and smelling both at Rob's awhile back. I remember asking him about culture, and he said one was more difficult than the other; I may have gotten them reversed. I don't mean to give anyone wrong info or discouragement.  Most soil issues for these could probably be overcome with correct applications of micros.

[Peter]

Hey Ken,

in my limited experience, they both seem to do just fine in S. Florida, but Rob would certainly know more than I.

[heliconias]

I'm growing T. Holstii here in Melbourne Beach- they are slow and touchy, but I do get blooms and oh man do they smell great.

One bloom can fill the whole yard.

I saw T. Crassa at Selby gardens and it looks quite strong- I'd like to try to grow it, but have never run into it for sale anywhere.. anyone know of some sources for Crassa in Florida?

That bloom cluster looks like it smells heavenly

Here are two pictures I took of T. Crassa at Selby Gardens in Sarasota a year or two ago:

[MattyB]

Hey guys, is this one in the same genus?  I saw these all over Kailua, Kona.

DeanO in Kona Village.

[MattyB]

[Scott]

OOOPS!

Sorry , Thought this said something about a tabernacle. I'm in the wrong topic

[Jeff Searle]

I need some of these for the yard! Come on guys, help me out. Who's got some for a trade ?? I might just have a palm or two that could be of interest.

Jeff