x Chitalpa tashkentensis 'MORNING CLOUD'

Need a tree flowering in summer, ideally with an exotic look? Then chitalpa is the best choice! This beautiful and hardy hybrid was created in 1964 in Uzbekistan. It is a cross between desert willow with rather exotic flowers and Indian bean tree.

The orchid- or azalea-like flowers of Morning Cloud chitalpy are white with prominent purple to burgundy red veins leading out from inside the yellow throat. The petals have frilled margins. Flowers have a lovely, sweet scent.

Narrowly elongated leaves are 10-20 cm long, mid green, and look like peach tree leaves. They are very attractive and suitable for summer-style or exotic looking gardens as in the landscape they can do the same job as oleander leaves. In rapid temperature swings and humid weather in early summer they may suffer from powdery mildew. When you see the first signs apply a suitable fungicide to prevent from spreading the disease. One application is usually enough for the rest of the year.

Chitalpa does not require pruning but should you want to prune, trim or shape the tree, cut no more than a third of last year’s branches, in early spring as it flowers on current year’s wood. It grows medium slow to medium fast. If injured in winter or pruned hard it grows rapidly and makes strong, non-breaking branches that seldom bear flowers the same summer.

It needs direct sunlight and a hot summer for abundant flowering. Withstands drought once established. No special soil required. Morning cloud is the second, less hardy clone of the original hybrid and withstands winter temperature down to only some -18 °C (USDA zone 7).

Last update 13-08-2008; 18-07-2021