Crinodendron, the lantern tree

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Fuchsia-pink lanterns hang along the branches from late spring to almost the end of summer, set off by long, thin, leathery evergreen leaves. The lantern tree (Crinodendron hookerianum), native to Latin America, is grown for that ornament alone; give it part sun where summers turn hot and shelter from hard frost, and it flowers for months.

• Read also: Abutilon, the other lantern tree

Caring for this plant, from planting to pruning, will increase growth of your crinodendron and appearance of flowers.

Planting crinodendron

Crinodendron loves sun-covered spots, but it doesn’t like it when it gets too hot. In that case, favor part sun.

It is best to plant in spring because the crinodendron is vulnerable to strong frost spells.

• A young specimen will be even more vulnerable, which is why it’s better to plant specimens that have already grown somewhat.

For areas that have a rather mild winter, you can plant in fall.

• Refer to our guidelines for planting shrubs.

Crinodendron in pots

For Crinodendron grown in pots or garden boxes, remember to bring it under shelter in winter, especially if temperatures routinely fall below 23°F (-5°C).

Indeed, under 23°F (-5°C), crinodendron probably won’t survive.

• Prepare a blend with two parts soil mix and one part heath.
• Prune your potted crinodendron every year at the end of winter before bringing it back out.

• Water potted crinodendron with rainwater where possible, because this acid-loving Chilean shrub dislikes lime; the calcium in hard tap water raises the compost’s pH and can yellow its leaves through chlorosis.
• While under shelter, keep the compost of actively growing or evergreen plants just moist — never bone dry, never waterlogged — but keep dormant tubers, bulbs and succulents almost completely dry.
• Use a container with drainage holes and avoid leaving it standing in a full saucer, as the roots rot in stagnant water.

Planting and overwintering: matching the situation

How you plant and protect a crinodendron depends on where it grows and how cold your winter gets. The table gathers the thresholds given below.

In hot spots, part sun suits it better than full sun whatever the situation.

Pruning and caring for crinodendron

It isn’t necessary to prune the plant. Nonetheless, if you wish to balance the shape or reduce the size of its branches, wait for blooming to be over.

Water regularly as it flowers, but not too much and possibly provide organic fertilizer to stimulate the opening of cute flowers.

• Where tap water is hard and chalky, use rainwater for lime-sensitive plants such as camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons and blueberries; for most other plants, ordinary tap water is perfectly adequate.
• Spread a mulch of pine bark or leaf mould over the root area to keep the soil cooler and more evenly moist, reducing evaporation and the need for frequent heavy watering.
• Shrubs that bloom on the previous year’s growth are best pruned soon after their flowers fade, since this gives the new shoots a full season to ripen and set next year’s buds.

Learn more about crinodendron

A very beautiful shrub native to Latin America, crinodendron bears magnificent and unique fuchsia pink flowers.

In Chili, it’s also called the Lantern tree; that’s where the common name comes from.

Its bushy bearing, long thin leaves and lantern-shaped flowers make it a very ornamental shrub.

Abundant blooms appear from late spring to almost the end of summer. In certain climates it can even start mid-spring (mid-spring) and end in early fall (early autumn).

Quite a hardy fellow, it can survive freezing very well, easily coping with temperatures as low as 14°F (-10°C).

Leafage is somewhat thick and leathery, like many other heath plants like azalea, camellia and rhododendron. And in the same vein, its growth is generally considered rather slow.