calycinum grows to a height of over 2 m and also bears white flowers from September to October. These two species can easily be confused.

aspalathoides.Ĭoleonema album vs Coleonema calycinum. The confetti bush, Coleonema pulchellum, an erect shrub, 800 mm -1 m in height, bears pink flowers from May to October, also belongs to this genus, as does C. This genus belongs to the Rutaceae family also known as the citrus family. There are eight species found in the genus Coleonema, which occur in Western Cape and Eastern Cape. The species name refers to the white flowers. The filaments of the sterile stamens are enfolded in the channel of petals.

Regeneration takes place from seed.įrom the Greek koleos, sheath, and nema, thread / filament. The fruit is 5-lobed and ripe seed are ejected by a catapult mechanism. Ripe fruits may be found up to end of November. The leaves when crushed have a characteristic sweet nutmeg-like smell. Oil glands are visible on the reverse side of the leaves. Leaves are needle-like to linear-oblong, 12-13.5 mm long and 1.3-1.5 mm broad. It flowers from autumn until early summer, from May to November. The flowers are carried in such profusion that the bush is a cloud of white when in flower and attracts bees and butterflies. Crowded at the branch tips are 5-11 blooms. Flowers are small, white, 6-7 mm in diameter with a dark green disc at the centre. Closed flower buds are pinkish tinged and appear white when open. The inflorescence is solitary, axillary and crowded at the branch tips. Bark is greyish-brown, rough with horizontal leaf scars. Branching occurs from the base of the shrub. This fragrant buchu is finely branched and new shoots develop at the tips of old branches. Coleonema album an erect, much-branched and compact shrub grows to a height of 2 m.

Bonsai album