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Cestrum (old Greek name). Incl., Habrothamnus. Solanaceae. Greenhouse shrubs (or low trees) some of them with a climbing habit, and grown in the open in southern California and elsewhere South.
Leaves alternate and entire, usually rather narrow: fls. tubular, in axillary or terminal cymes, red, yellow, greenish or white, often very fragrant; corolla salver- shaped or somewhat trumpet-shaped, the long tube often enlarged at the throat, 5-lobed, exceeding the bell-shaped or tubular 5-toothed calyx; stamens mostly 5, all perfect, attached in the tube: fr. a scarcely succulent mostly reddish or blackish berry, derived from a 2-celled stipitate ovary and seeds few or reduced to 1.—Probably 150 species, in Trop. and Subtrop. Amer. They are much grown in warm countries, where they bloom continuously. For a monograph of the West Indian species (about 20) see O. E. Schulz, in Urban, Symbolae, Antillanae, vi, p. 249-279 (1909-1910).
Cestrums are among the most useful of bright- flowering shrubby greenhouse plants, and they may be grown either as pot-plants, or planted against the back wall or supports of a greenhouse, where, if given a light position, they will produce an abundance of flowers from January to April. The Mexican species will do well in a winter temperature of 45° to 50°, but the species from Central America require stove temperature. They are propagated by cuttings taken in February or early in March and inserted in sand in a warm temperature, keeping them somewhat close until rooted, when they should be potted in a light soil, after which they may be grown in pots, shifting on as often as required, or planted out in the open ground toward the end of May in a sunny position, where, if kept pinched back to induce a bushy growth and attention is paid to watering, they will make fine plants by the first of September. They should then be lifted and potted in a light rich soil and kept close and shaded for a few days, and then transferred to their winter quarters. After flowering, the plants should be given a rest for a month or six weeks, gradually reducing the supply of water to induce the leaves and wood to ripen, after which they should be cut well back, the old soil shaken off, and the roots trimmed back, and then either potted again or planted out for the summer. While in the greenhouse, cestrums are very subject to the attacks of insects, especially the mealy-bug. (E. J. Canning.)
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