Millingtonia hortensis - Indian cork tree

Millingtonia hortensis, also known as the Tree Jasmine or Indian Cork Tree, is a tropical tree native to South and Southeast Asia. With a slender habit, it bears delicate foliage and produces clusters of white flowers resembling those of jasmine. They emit a delightful nocturnal fragrance. Adapted to warm and humid climates, this plant thrives between 15 and 35°C and cannot tolerate frost. In Mediterranean regions, it is still difficult to grow it in the ground, but it can be cultivated in a large pot to be overwintered in a sheltered spot. On summer evenings on the terrace, this curious jasmine will amaze your visitors!

Millingtonia hortensis belongs to the Bignoniaceae family. Native to South and Southeast Asia, particularly India, southern China, Indochina, Malaysia, and Indonesia, it is the sole representative of the Millingtonia genus. In its natural habitat, it is mainly found in humid tropical forests and lowland wooded areas. This fast-growing tree reaches, in the wild and under a tropical climate, a height of 18 to 25 m with a spread of 7 to 11 m. Of course, when grown in a container, its development will be more modest. Its habit is slender and pyramidal, with an elegant silhouette. The straight and cylindrical trunk is covered with a greyish, thick, and fissured cork bark, hence its nickname Indian cork tree. The yellowish-white wood is relatively soft and may break under strong winds. The foliage of the Tree Jasmine persists year-round. It consists of odd-pinnate leaves, meaning they are divided into an odd number of leaflets. Each leaf, measuring between 15 and 50 cm in length, comprises several ovate to lanceolate, 4 to 8 cm long leaflets with slightly toothed edges and a smooth surface. These leaves give the tree a light and airy appearance. The remarkable flowering occurs in spring and summer in our climate. The white, tubular flowers are grouped in large terminal panicles. They only open at night and release an intense and very pleasant fragrance. Each flower is about 5 cm long and has a corolla shaped like a long trumpet flaring into five lobes, with four stamens featuring parallel anthers, a distinctive characteristic within the Bignoniaceae. The fruits are pendulous, smooth, flat and elongated capsules, measuring 30 to 60 cm in length. When ripe, these capsules split longitudinally to release numerous winged seeds, aiding their dispersal by wind. In cultivation, the viability of the seeds is low if not sown immediately after the fruit's ripening.

Millingtonia hortensis is commonly planted in gardens and parks in tropical and subtropical regions for its ornamental qualities and pleasant shade. In our climates, you can attempt to acclimatise it in very sheltered gardens in southern Europe. It only adapts to USDA zones 10 and 11 (frost-free). Everywhere else, it is essential to grow it in a container and overwinter it in a conservatory or greenhouse. In a patio or near a seating area, it diffuses its enchanting fragrance during summer evenings. It also fits perfectly in a bright winter garden, where its delicate foliage and corky bark bring a tropical ambience year-round. To complement its graceful silhouette, pair it with a Strelitzia nicolai, a Cycas revoluta, and a Brugmansia arborea, for example. The latter, with its large, pendulous, and fragrant flowers, will enhance the enchanting character of the Millingtonia.