Practical
Plants

Colletia paradoxa

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Colletia genus in the family Rhamnaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
3 m
Spread
5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Wood. Used for house construction, agricultural implements and wagons[5].

Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
S. America - Argentina, Chile.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing fresh seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse and stored seed as early in the year as it is received. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe side shoots, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[4]. Cuttings of mature side shoots of the current year's growth, 10 - 12cm with a heel, early winter in a cold frame. Leave for 18 months before potting up. Good percentage[7].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Grows well in a sandy freely draining loam[9]. Succeeds in dry soils[9]. Plants tolerate partial shade if they are grown in a perfectly draining lean soil[11].

A very ornamental plant[8], it is not very hardy in Britain, succeeding outdoors only in the milder areas of the country and tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c[11]. It succeeds outdoors at Kew but is shy to flower there[9]. It only flowers well after very hot summers[9][11]. The plants do not have leaves, but they have very sharp spines which are used instead of the leaves in the function of photosynthesis[10]. The flowers are fragrant[10].

A very slow growing plant[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

  3. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  5. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  6. Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. Shelter Trees and Hedges. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1984-00-00

  7. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

  8. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)

    ↩

  9. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)

    ↩1↩2

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Rosewarne experimental horticultural station. Shelter Trees and Hedges. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1984-00-00)

    ↩

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