Plant pick: brushbush

Published 5:05 pm Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Eucryphia glutinosa, also known as brushbush, is a deciduous to semi-evergreen treelike shrub native to Chile. One of the few shrubs that flowers in late summer, its sweetly scented, creamy white blossoms are four-petaled with attractive yellow filaments and crimson anthers. It has a fairly narrow, upright habit, making it useful for areas where a vertical accent is desired or where space is at a premium. Its distinctive, serrated leaves contain three to five shiny dark green leaflets. Fall color ranges from yellow to orange or red. Plant it in a mixed border or woodland edge. It needs protection from hot afternoon sun and from drying or freezing winds. It grows best in good garden soil, with its roots shaded and with even moisture. It resents root disturbance and is largely disease- and pest-free. It reaches 25 feet high and 15 feet wide. It is often multi-trunked and somewhat bushy.

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