Common name: Lady of the Night
Botanical name: Brunfelsia americana Family: Solanaceae (Potato family)
Synonyms: Brunfelsia undulata (misapplied)
Native to South America, Lady of the Night is a shrub growing up to 5 ft tall. The leaves are somewhat crowded on the ultimate twigs, often yellowish green, oblong-ovate, 5 to 10 centimeters long, entire, and pointed at both ends. Creamy white flowers with long tubes, which are extremely fragrant after dark. The scent floats in the air like a gardenia but much softer. New flowers are white and fade with age to yellow. It is named Lady of the Night for its powerful fragrance in the evening, but it is mildly fragrant during the day also. The flower-tube is about 4.5 centimeters long, slender, and somewhat straw-colored. The 5 petals are white, soon turning yellowish, oblique. Flower is about 5 cm in diameter.Berry like fruits follow the flowers. It is a good container plant. A little pruning is recommended. The Lady of the Night is perhaps the most fragrant of the Brunfelsias.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale
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