Under The Jakfruit Tree

It is peek flowering season for one of the more colorful shrubs in the South Florida landscape, with an unusual common name. I am referring to the Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow shrub (Brunfelsia grandiflora). While it starts blooming in late September or early October, and continues into the springtime, mid-November thru December really is at its most spectacular.

Now, for an explanation of its common name: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow is referring to the three color phases of each flower. This gives the appearance that the shrub has three different colors of flowers, but in fact, every flower starts out purple, fades to lavender, and then to white before falling off. That is why, you only see white flowers on the ground. Since flowers continue to bloom each day, you do in fact see three different colors at the same time. Yesterday they were purple, Today they are lavender, and Tomorrow they will be white. By the end of the day, all of the white stages of the flowers fall to the ground. Each flower blooms for approximately three days.

Richard Lyons Nursery currently has this shrub in stock.