7 Mexican orange blossoms to grow in pots

Choisya 'Little Bee' - Mexican orange

Choisya ‘Little Bee’ is one of the smallest Mexican orange bushes. It reaches a height of 55 cm at maturity with a width of 55 cm. Its habit is compact and rounded, and its flowering is repeat flowering. It bears small clusters of white, fragrant flowers from April to May and again from September to October. Its glossy leaves are dark green, finely cut. Well suited to a Mediterranean climate, it is hardy to -15°C and resistant to both drought and damp conditions. Plant it in well-drained soil. After the first flowering, a light pruning is advised to allow a second wave of flowers in autumn.

Grown in a pot on a balcony, it can be paired with daylilies which will add splashes of colour to create an exotic, summery atmosphere. If you like shrubs with golden foliage, choose the variety Choisya ‘Little Honey Bee’ which will bring a bright touch to your balcony.

Choisya 'White Dazzler' - dwarf Mexican orange.

Also compact in size, Choisya ‘White Dazzler’ is a dwarf Mexican orange tree, well suited to container cultivation. It features a globose, compact habit, growing up to 1.20 metres tall with a width of the same.

Very floriferous, it bears abundant white flowers in April–May and again in September. They exhale a sweet fragrance of orange blossom and sit on emerald-green, glossy, finely divided foliage.

Very hardy down to -15°C, it can be planted in almost all regions. It tolerates drought as well as frost and will grow in sun or partial shade in light, well-drained soil.

On your balcony, pair it with sacred bamboo to add an exotic touch.

Choisya 'Aztec Gold' - Mexican orange

For compact Mexican orange trees that are well suited to pot cultivation, discover Choisya ‘Aztec Gold’. This shrub grows up to 1.20 metres tall and 1.20 metres wide. It is distinguished by its golden foliage and elegant habit. The slender, highly aromatic leaflets bear 4 cm-long flowers, white and fragrant from May to June, and then from August to September. It has an irregular, bushy habit. Robust and easy to maintain, it tolerates drought as well as frosts down to -15°C. To perform at its best, this Mexican orange requires soft, well-drained, deep soil and a sunny position.

Grown in a pot, it can be paired with dwarf buddleias or with other flowering shrubs.

Choisya 'Apple Blossom' - Mexican orange.

Another Mexican orange bush reaching a height of 1.2 metres, the Choisya ‘Apple Blossom’ has the characteristic of producing white flowers delicately tinged with pale pink. This bush exudes a lot of charm during its fragrant flowering which takes place from April to May and from August to September. Its light-green foliage, finely divided into slender leaflets, takes on an almost feathery appearance. Hardy to -15°C, it adapts to any well-drained substrate, but prefers loose and deep soil as well as a sunny exposure. Remember to water it and to fertilise it regularly.

Plant it as a specimen in a large pot on your balcony, near a passage, to enjoy its orange blossom fragrance and the beauty of its flowers.

The Choisya 'Scented Gem' - Mexican orange

Choisya Scented Gem is a Mexican orange tree cultivar renowned for its pink and white bi-colour flowers, which appear in May–June and again in August–September. Its clusters are composed of rose-pink buds and highly fragrant white flowers. The shrub, naturally rounded, bears dark green palmately arranged foliage that enhances the flowering. The scent of the flowers and the crushed foliage is reminiscent of citrus, this plant belonging to the same botanical family. This small bush with a soft, rounded and spreading habit reaches 1.35 m in all directions at maturity. Hardy and drought-tolerant like all Mexican orange trees, this Choisya is easy to grow in any well-drained soil. It withstands frosts down to -12°C.

On your balcony, place it beside a Photinia ‘Little Red Robin’ whose red leaves will provide a superb contrast with the whiteness of the Mexican orange’s flowers.

Choisya ternata 'Snow Flurries' - Mexican orange

Mexican orange blossom ‘Snow Flurries’ is a relatively new English variety, prized for its compact, upright habit and its abundant flowering in large, fragrant white pom-poms. Star-shaped flowers appear in April and May, covering almost entirely the green, glossy foliage. The flowering may be repeat flowering in August. It reaches 1.5 metres in height with a spread almost as wide. Drought-tolerant once established and hardy down to -15°C, this small evergreen shrub adapts well to most regions and is suitable for pot culture. It enjoys warm, sunny spots, but tolerates partial shade and slightly calcareous soils. Plant it in a humus-rich, light, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic. Water it regularly for the first two years, and fertilise each spring.

Its compact dimensions make it suitable for container growing, ideal for terraces and balconies. Choisya ‘Snow Flurries’ pairs well with Japanese spiraeas or Abelias.

Choisya 'Goldfinger' - Mexican orange blossom

The Choisya ternata ‘Goldfinger’ is a bush that reaches 2 m in height with a 2 m spread as well. Its rounded, compact habit bears leaves divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, distinctive and bright thanks to their golden colour. Its star-shaped white flowers, tinged pink and highly fragrant, appear in the form of small cut flower arrangements in April–May and sometimes reappear in autumn. Hardy to -15 °C, this Mexican orange blossom adapts well to the north of the Loire, in light, well-drained soil that is not too calcareous, in a warm, sunny position sheltered from cold winds. A light pruning after the first flowering encourages autumn flowering and keeps a compact habit.

The Mexican orange blossom ‘Goldfinger’ can be planted in a large container. Easy to grow on a patio, it is ideal for bringing an exotic atmosphere thanks to its striking look and delicate fragrance.