Yesterday Today Tomorrow ‘Sweet & Petite’

Yesterday Today Tomorrow 'Sweet and Petite' (Brunfelsia 'Sweet and Petite') is the dwarf form of the shrub whose flowers change colour as they age. Buds open deep purple, soften to lavender the next day and finish white, so all three shades sit on the plant at once. It holds about 90cm tall and 80cm wide, roughly half the size of the old garden form.

Why you'll love it

• Three flower colours at once. Purple, lavender and white appear together as each bloom ages, which is where the common name comes from.
• Perfumed, not just pretty. A sweet scent, strongest in the evening, easily fills a small courtyard.
• Small enough for a balcony. At 90cm by 80cm it fits a large pot or a narrow bed without outgrowing the space in two years.
• Made for warm humid gardens. Heat tolerant and humidity tolerant, so tropical and subtropical conditions suit it rather than test it.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. This is the use it was bred for. A container 400mm or wider gives it room for years, and a pot stand brings the scent to seating height.

Borders, edging and small gardens. It suits the front of a shaded bed or a narrow path strip, where a full sized Brunfelsia would take over.

Feature planting. A single plant flowering in three colours holds attention beside an entry or a window.

One thing to know before you buy: all parts of this plant are toxic to dogs and cats if eaten. In a home with a pet that chews foliage, keep it in a raised pot.

Growing Yesterday Today Tomorrow in Australia

Position and climate. Partial shade suits it best, ideally morning sun with protection from afternoon heat. It belongs in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and tolerates light frost only, so cool temperate districts should pot it and shift it under cover for winter.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of compost. Brunfelsias prefer a slightly acidic mix and resent waterlogging, so raise the bed on clay and mulch 75mm deep clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist through the first two summers and never let a potted plant dry out, since drought stress drops the buds. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and after the main flush.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering to keep it compact. Flowers form on new growth, so pruning late in the season costs you the next display.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is grown and sold as tube stock, currently on backorder and sent as soon as the next batch is ready. A tube is a young plant over a well developed root plug, and for a shrub this size that is a practical start: it fills a 400mm pot in the first year and is close to full size by the third.

Tubes are light and travel upright, so they arrive in good condition, though a few days of leaf droop after unpacking is normal. Pot it up within a few days, water it in, and expect new growth in four to six weeks. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Ideas for planting a small courtyard
• Browse fragrant plants for the garden
• Plants that perform well in pots
• Compare plants sized for small gardens

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All parts are toxic to dogs and cats if eaten, and the seeds and berries are the usual cause of trouble. Keep it raised or fenced if your pet chews plants.

Why did the flowers turn white so quickly?

That is the plant doing exactly what it should. Each bloom opens deep purple and fades through lavender to white over about three days, so all three shades show at once.

Can I grow it in full sun?

It prefers partial shade, particularly in hot inland and subtropical gardens where afternoon sun scorches the leaves. Morning sun with afternoon shade gives the best flowering.