Streptosolen jamesonii - Marmalade Bush

Streptosolen jamesonii, also known as Jameson's Streptosolen or Orange Browallia, is a tender South American bush with radiant flowering in vibrant citrus tones. On its beautiful dark green foliage, numerous clusters of flowers gradually change from yellow to dark orange, creating a magnificent gradient throughout the plant. This tropical shrub loves sunlight and warmth so it makes a superb terrace or balcony plant and should be grown in a pot anywhere except in the mildest regions.

Streptosolen jamesonii belongs to the Solanaceae family and is related to Solanum, Brugmansia, petunias, and tobacco. It is native to sparsely wooded regions of South America, particularly Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, in tropical areas where frost is virtually nonexistent. It is a persistent scrambling bush, more or less climbing when growing in the wild. It can only be grown in open ground in particularly sheltered areas. The plant contains toxic alkaloids if ingested.

When grown in a pot, Orange Browallia reaches a height of about 1.50 m with a spread of 1.25 m. Its flexible and spreading habit is due to its long, flexible, and arched branches. They can be trained on a small structure or pruned to shape the plant into a bushy shrub. Its evergreen foliage consists of ovate, 4 to 5 cm long, glossy, strongly veined, and slightly hairy leaves. The abundant flowering occurs from April to July, depending on the climate, and can last for several weeks, sometimes until the end of summer if conditions are favourable. At the end of the branches, clusters of flowers form 10 cm long corymbs. The flower has the characteristic funnel shape of this plant family: the velvety corolla is formed by a long, flexible, and twisted tube that widens into 5 shiny lobes. The warm colours of this flowering, ranging from yellow to reddish-orange, have earned Jameson's Streptosolen its English nickname 'Marmalade Bush'. The nectar-rich flowers are loved by pollinating insects. The flowers are followed by tough fruits that are capsules filled with very fine seeds.

Although tender, Jameson's Streptosolen is a beautiful terrace or balcony plant during summer and will also thrive throughout the year in a bright and lightly heated conservatory, just like hibiscus and Brugmansia. To accompany it, consider, for example, Cape Leadwort and Solanum rantonnettii: these easy-to-train spreading bushes can intertwine their blue or mauve flowers with the vibrant corollas of the Browallia.