Summerscent Radermachera

Summerscent Radermachera (Radermachera 'Summerscent') is the screening plant to reach for when the fence line sits close to the path. It grows to about 3m tall and only 1.5m wide, so you get height without the bulk of a lilly pilly. Through late spring and summer it carries clusters of white trumpet flowers with a real perfume, strongest in the evening. Planted a metre apart it closes into a narrow fragrant hedge in about two seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Scent you notice from the back door. The flowers are genuinely perfumed, and they keep coming through the warm months.
• Narrow where it counts. At roughly 1.5m wide it screens a boundary or a side passage without pushing into the paving.
• Quick to fill a gap. Growth is fast in warm weather, and it handles hot summers and sticky coastal air where a lot of fragrant exotics sulk.
• Happy in a pot. The compact habit suits a large container on a balcony, close enough to a seat that you get the scent.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row. Closer spacing will not close the gap faster and makes watering harder.

Courtyards, balconies and small gardens. One of the few screening plants that stays under 2m wide. In a pot use at least 45L and water more often than you would in the ground.

Near outdoor living areas. Put it where people sit in the evening. A pair flanking a gate does more for the perfume than a whole row down the back fence.

Growing Summerscent Radermachera in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest growth and the heaviest flowering; part shade works, but the screen stays looser. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so in cool inland districts and frosty southern gardens grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.

Soil. Free draining soil of any reasonable type. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then a good drink in dry spells. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer keeps the leaf colour up.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density low down, then trim lightly after the main flush. Cutting hard just before flowering removes the buds.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube, 30L, 45L and 100L. Tubes are young single stemmed plants and the sensible choice for a long boundary. The 30L and 45L plants arrive already branched with usable height on day one, and the 100L is for the spot where the screen needs to be finished now.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet fortnight after planting, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Browse the full range of fragrant plants
• Star jasmine, a perfumed climber for the same fence
• Preparing a garden bed before planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. Because the plant is naturally narrow, that gives a continuous screen about 1.5m deep rather than a thick hedge, which is usually what a tight boundary needs.

Is the perfume strong or subtle?

Strong, and it lifts in the evening. One established plant will scent a courtyard. Down the back of a large block, expect to walk to it rather than smell it from the house.

Will it survive frost?

It is frost tender. A warm sheltered corner can carry it through the odd cold snap in a marginal district, but in genuinely frosty gardens it belongs in a pot you can shift under cover.