Brunfelsia pauciflora aka Yesterday Today And Tomorrow

Brunfelsia pauciflora is a woody shrub in the nightshade family. It comes from Brazil, from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina. It grows in woods and thickets and likes humid air. Gardeners call it yesterday, today and tomorrow for its changing flowers. It keeps its leaves year-round, though some sources describe it as semi-evergreen.

The shrub forms a broad mound with several stems. Its branches can give it a loose, open shape. Garden plants reach about 3–8 feet [0.9–2.5 metres] tall. Their spread reaches 4–6 feet [1.2–1.8 metres]. The RHS also describes plants reaching 10 feet [3 metres]. Growth ranges from slow to moderate across the sources. The bark is mostly smooth and grey-brown. Smooth, dark green branches carry glossy, tough leaves. These have pointed tips and paler green undersides. Leaf shapes range from oval to narrow and lance-shaped.

Scented flowers grow in clusters at the branch tips. Each cluster may hold as many as ten blooms. Each flower opens from a tube into five overlapping lobes. The blooms span about 0.16 feet [0.05 metres]. They start purple, pass through lavender, and fade to white. Several shades can share the shrub at once. Flowering peaks in spring and early summer, from March through June. More flowers may follow when growing conditions suit it. Butterflies visit the blooms. The berries turn brown as they ripen and hold many seeds.

Grow it in sun or partial shade outdoors. It needs rich, moist soil that drains well. The RHS recommends bright, filtered light under glass. Keep the soil damp rather than soggy. Reduce watering while growth rests. Sources place it in USDA zones 9–11 and UK rating H1C. It needs protection from frost. Use it in pots, borders, hedges, or as a specimen. Deer tend to leave it alone. Softwood cuttings provide a way to raise new plants. Pinching shoot tips helps keep growth compact.

Disease causes few problems, but pests can attack under glass. Watch for mites, whiteflies, thrips, mealybugs, and aphids. No part should serve as food. All parts are poisonous to people and pets, with berries posing particular risk. Swallowing them can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, or seizures. Contact can irritate skin and eyes, so wear gloves when handling it.