Best in full sun to part shade with regular watering, although it can be surprisingly drought resistant once established. Avoid heavy soils unless on a slope and do not over water. It is hardy to about 20 degrees F and tolerates near coastal windy conditions. A great plant along pathways so that those passing by will brush against the soft foliage and bring out its fragrance.

Coleonema pulchellum is found growing naturally along coastal flats from sea level to about 500 feet in elevation from Knysna to Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The name for this genus in the Citrus family (Rutaceae) comes from the Greek words 'koleos' meaning "a sheath" and 'nema' meaning "a thread" or "filament" because the filaments of the sterile stamens are enclosed within a fold of the petals. The specific epithet is the Latin word meaning "pretty". This plant has long been sold in the California nursery trade as Diosma pulchrum or Coleonema pulchrum, but the true Coleonema pulchrum was originally described with larger leaves and the plant in wide cultivation is all considered to be Coleonema pulchellum.

We have grown and sold this plant since 1981 and also offer a compact form of this species Coleonema pulchellum 'Compact Form', a darker pink flowering cultivar Coleonema pulchellum 'Dark Pink' and a golden foliage cultivar Coleonema pulchellum 'Sunset Gold', as well as the white flowering species Coleonema album. 

Information displayed on this page about Coleonema pulchellum is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.