Michelia Alba, or White Champaca, is the quintessential tree for exquisite, penetrating fragrance. Its slender, creamy-white flowers emit one of the most prized and intoxicating perfumes in the plant world, used in high-end perfumery. This fast-growing, broad-leaved evergreen brings a lush, tropical feel and unforgettable sensory appeal to sheltered, frost-free gardens in the Bay Area.

• Prized for the intensely sweet, complex, and long-lasting fragrance of its creamy, narrow-petaled flowers, which bloom intermittently from late spring through summer.

• Grows rapidly into a medium-sized, densely foliaged evergreen tree with a broad, spreading canopy of glossy, dark green leaves.

• Requires a warm, protected microclimate; it is frost-tender and should only be planted in the warmest, most frost-free pockets of Zone 9a. Damaged by temperatures below 28-30°F.

• Prefers rich, well-drained, acidic soil, consistent moisture, and protection from strong afternoon sun and drying winds.

• Its exceptional fragrance makes it a coveted specimen for planting near patios, entryways, or open windows where the scent can be enjoyed.