English: Bastard jasmine; Purple cestrum; Red cestrum.
Synonym: Cestrum puprureum; Cestrum paniculatum; Habrothamnus elegans.
Subgenus: Habrothamnus.
Region: Mexico; Americas, from Florida to central Chile.
Habitat: semi-shaded; fertile, rich, light, non-dense soil; tolerates drought; warm temperate to tropical climate, frost-free; half-sun, half-shaded areas; disturbed and open forest edges, streamsides, shrublands, dry gullies.
Use: ornamental, in conservatories and cool glasshouses or in hanging baskets.
Culture: poisonous when ingested.
BotanySlender, evergreen shrub; 2 m tall.
Stem: very compact; few branches; downy, pendulous, hairy shoots, densely covered with purplish hairs, becoming woody when mature.
Inflorescences: panicles, compact, at the top of the plant.
Leaves: simple, alternate; oblong, with pointed tips; mid green; ovate; entire margins; 8 cm long; distasteful smell
Flowers: smell sweet; funnel-shaped; bright purplish-red, almost blood red; with 5 pointed lobes; 2 cm long; blooming from August to March.
Fruit: berries, crimson to dark red.
Pollination: by hummingbirds.
Dispersion: by birds
Chromosomes: large genome size and few chromosomes.