Cliff jamesia / waxflower
Jamesia americana
Cliff jamesia / waxflower (Jamesia americana) is a Colorado-native shrub suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 3–6 ft tall and 3–5 ft wide, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun to partial shade. Underused CO foothills native, waxy white-to-pink blooms, scarlet-orange fall color. Plant Select introduction.
Colorado nativelow to medium water3–6 ft tall and 3–5 ft wideXeric / water-wisePlant Select®Zones 2–3 (keep it back from the house)Deer-resistant
Photos
- Photo 1: (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 2: (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 3: (c) peganum, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
- Photo 4: (c) peganum, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
- Photo 5: (c) peganum, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
- Photo 6: (c) Andrey Zharkikh, some rights reserved (CC BY)
At a glance
Will it survive here?
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4–8
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- Best in full sun; tolerates partial shade.
- Soil
- sandy, loam, well drained only
- Soil pH
- 6.5–8.0
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- high
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Firewise (defensible space)
- Zones 2–3 (keep it back from the house)
- Site uses
- Slopes & erosion control
How big, what shape?
- Mature size
- 3–6 ft tall and 3–5 ft wide
- Planting spacing
- ~5 ft apart (4 ft for a hedge/screen)
- Growth rate
- Moderate
What it looks like, and when
- Bloom time
- late spring, early summer
- Bloom color
- white, pink
- Bloom length
- 2–3 weeks
- Fall color
- Red, orange
- Foliage
- Deciduous
Who else benefits
- Pollinator value
- high
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
- Colorado native
- Yes
- Native ecoregion
- foothills, montane
Planting & establishment
Water weekly first 2 summers, slow to establish. Minimal water thereafter.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cliff jamesia / waxflower good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Cliff jamesia / waxflower is a well-suited shrub for Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Cliff jamesia / waxflower get?
- It matures to about 3–6 ft tall and 3–5 ft wide.
- How far apart do I plant Cliff jamesia / waxflower?
- Space Cliff jamesia / waxflower about 5 ft apart for a full, natural form, or about 4 ft apart for a faster hedge or screen.
- Is Cliff jamesia / waxflower hardy on the Front Range?
- Cliff jamesia / waxflower is hardy in USDA 4–8. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is well within range.
- How much water does Cliff jamesia / waxflower need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- How fast does Cliff jamesia / waxflower grow?
- Cliff jamesia / waxflower is a moderate-growing shrub. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- What color does Cliff jamesia / waxflower turn in fall?
- Cliff jamesia / waxflower turns red and orange in autumn. Fall color intensity varies with the season and site on the Front Range.
- Is Cliff jamesia / waxflower native to Colorado?
- Yes. It is a Colorado native.
- Is Cliff jamesia / waxflower deer-resistant?
- Cliff jamesia / waxflower is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
- Is Cliff jamesia / waxflower a good firewise plant near the house?
- Cliff jamesia / waxflower is suitable in defensible-space zones 2–3, best kept back from the house rather than in the area right against the structure. This is general suitability guidance based on CSU Extension firewise plant lists, not a guarantee that any plant won't burn, a well-irrigated, well-maintained plant is the goal. Follow CSU Extension defensible-space guidance and check with your local fire district before planting in the wildland-urban interface.
- Is Cliff jamesia / waxflower a Plant Select® winner?
- Yes. Cliff jamesia / waxflower is in Plant Select®, the plant-recommendation program run by Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens to highlight plants that thrive in the region.
- How long does Cliff jamesia / waxflower bloom?
- Cliff jamesia / waxflower blooms for about two to three weeks on the Front Range. Bloom timing shifts a week or two with elevation and spring weather.
