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photo of Dr. Tom Ranney

Meet the Breeder

Dr. Tom Ranney
North Carolina, USA

EL NIÑO­®

Desert Orchid

Chitalpa

'NCXC1'

PP#35,880

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A close up of multiple flowers on El Niño. "} El Niño in the landscape. A close up of the foliage of El Niño. El Niño in the landscape showing its habit. El Niño in the landscape. A close up of the flowers of El Niño. El Niño in the landscape showing its habit. YouTube video describing the plant shown on this page
  • Fragrant
  • Easy care
  • Long blooming
Description

The dark purple flowers look for all the world like orchids, but this interesting shrub or miniature tree is actually an intergeneric hybrid of desert willow (Chilopsis linearis)  and catalpa (Catalpa sp.). Chilopsis is well-known for its tolerance to poor soils and the dry heat of the American Southwest, its Catalpa percentage imbues it with wonderful performance in Asheville, North Carolina, with no signs of mildew. Look for its remarkable blooms to appear in late spring/early summer and sporadically appear throughout the summer, all the better to enjoy its beautiful fragrance. El Niño desert orchid is a new and very special flowering shrub that is as easy to grow as it is beautiful. We have the talent and innovation of NCSU's Dr. Ranney to thank for this new, uniquely compact introduction. 

USDA Zone
6 - 9 (-10°F/-23°C)
Exposure
Full sun, Part sun
Height
10 - 15'
Width
8 - 10'
Finish Time
1 season
Type
Deciduous
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Purple
Foliage Color
Green
Liner Sizes
2 1/4", 4", Quick Turn

Soil

Any well-drained soil will do.

Pruning

Prune to shape in early spring if desired.

Uses

Specimen, borders, foundations

Growing Tips

At the colder end of its hardiness range, it may die back to the ground in cold winters. Wait until new growth begins to emerge before removing any dead wood.