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Choisya ternata 'Sundance'
Golden Mexican Orange Blossom
Overview
Choisya ternata 'Sundance' is a vibrant evergreen shrub that illuminates gardens with its brilliant golden-yellow foliage and fragrant white flowers. This striking cultivar of the traditional Mexican Orange Blossom offers all the reliability and charm of its green-leaved parent whilst adding a spectacular splash of year-round colour. The combination of luminous foliage and sweetly scented blooms makes 'Sundance' one of the most desirable shrubs for contemporary garden design.
Key Features
The most distinctive feature of 'Sundance' is its brilliant golden-yellow foliage, which is most intense in spring and autumn, softening to lime-green during the height of summer. Each leaf consists of three glossy, oval leaflets that emit a delightful citrus fragrance when touched. The pristine white flowers, measuring 2-3 centimetres across, appear in clusters and carry an intensely sweet orange blossom scent that can perfume entire garden areas.
Mature Size and Growth Rate
This compact shrub typically reaches 1.5-2.5 metres in height with a similar spread, though it can be easily maintained at a smaller size through light pruning. 'Sundance' has a moderate growth rate, adding approximately 25-35 centimetres per year once established. Its naturally rounded, dense habit creates an attractive dome shape that requires minimal intervention to maintain its form.
Growing Conditions
For the most vibrant foliage colour, 'Sundance' performs best in partial shade to dappled sunlight. Whilst it tolerates full sun, the leaves may scorch in intense midday heat, and too much shade will result in greener, less colourful foliage. It adapts to most well-draining soil types, from sandy loam to clay, and prefers neutral to slightly alkaline conditions, though it will tolerate mildly acidic soils.
Hardiness and Climate
This robust shrub is hardy in RHS hardiness rating H4, making it suitable for most gardens in southern and central Britain. It tolerates temperatures down to approximately -10°C, though in exposed or colder locations, some leaf browning may occur during harsh winters. Planting in a sheltered position protects the golden foliage from cold winds and maintains the best year-round appearance.
Care and Maintenance
'Sundance' is remarkably low-maintenance once established. Water regularly during the first growing season, then only during extended dry periods. The plant benefits from an annual feed of balanced fertiliser in early spring to maintain vigorous growth and intense foliage colour. Light pruning immediately after flowering helps maintain shape and size, whilst removing any reverted green shoots preserves the golden foliage effect.
Garden Uses and Positioning
This golden shrub excels as a specimen plant where its luminous foliage can be fully appreciated, particularly effective when positioned to catch morning or evening light. It creates stunning colour contrasts in mixed borders, works beautifully as an informal hedge, and is excellent for foundation planting around homes. 'Sundance' is particularly valuable in winter gardens where its bright foliage provides welcome colour during the darker months.
Flowering and Seasonal Interest
The main flowering display occurs in late spring, typically May to June, when clusters of fragrant white flowers create a beautiful contrast against the golden foliage. A secondary flush of blooms often appears in early autumn, coinciding with the most intense period of foliage colour. Throughout winter, the evergreen golden leaves provide continuous structural interest and brightness.
Planting Tips
Plant in spring or early autumn in a position that receives morning sun but some protection from intense afternoon heat. Ensure good drainage by incorporating compost or grit into heavy soils. Plant at the same depth as the container level, water thoroughly after planting, and apply a 5-centimetre layer of organic mulch around the base, keeping it clear of the main stem.
Companion Plants
The golden foliage of 'Sundance' creates stunning combinations with purple-leaved plants such as Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea' or Cotinus 'Grace'. It pairs beautifully with blue flowers like ceanothus or delphiniums, and complements other golden plants such as Euonymus 'Emerald 'n' Gold'. Silver-leaved plants like lavender and artemisia also make excellent companions, whilst the shrub provides a perfect backdrop for spring bulbs.
Colour Variations and Seasonal Changes
The foliage colour of 'Sundance' changes throughout the seasons, being most brilliantly golden in spring and autumn when temperatures are cooler. During summer heat, the leaves soften to a lime-green colour, which is still attractive and provides a cooling effect in the garden. In winter, the foliage may develop bronze tints, adding another dimension to its year-round appeal.
Pest and Disease Resistance
This hardy cultivar shares the disease resistance of its parent species and is generally trouble-free. It's naturally resistant to deer and rabbits due to its aromatic foliage. Occasionally, aphids may appear on soft new growth, but these rarely cause lasting damage. The plant's robust constitution and pest resistance make it ideal for low-maintenance and wildlife-friendly gardens.
Special Notes
'Sundance' may occasionally produce shoots with plain green foliage that should be removed promptly to maintain the golden effect. The aromatic leaves make this plant excellent for sensory gardens, whilst the fragrant flowers attract beneficial insects including bees and butterflies. This cultivar received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, recognising its outstanding garden performance and reliability.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.
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