I grew from a seed from Kew Acnistus australis, now known as Iochroma australis. It is a small tree with white trumpet blooms. It is 8 years old and lives in the shade between two houses. I need to move it. Can you suggest methods for transplanting successfully? Also, any other information you might have about this plant would be great.
The current name of your plant is Iochroma australe, and it is in the Solanaceae family.
Is this tree hardy for you? Sunset Western Garden Book (2007) indicates that other species of Iochroma are not frost-hardy. Iochroma takes full sun to part shade, and requires regular watering. It is not a common plant in our area, and information about it is scarce. There is a reference to it in an article called “Get the Wows!” by Brian Minter in the October 2002 issue of Gardens West, where it is mentioned as an unusual container plant which is brought to a location under an overhang for the winter (in British Columbia). Iochroma is also featured in an article by Julian M.H. Shaw (pages 154-192) in the September 1998 issue of The New Plantsman (published by the Royal Horticultural Society). The name Iochroma comes from Greek for violet-colored. Since your plant has white blooms, it is probably a cultivar. There is one called ‘Andean Snow’ which has white blooms and is mentioned in the New Plantsman article. It grows “in a sheltered bay about four metres from the nearest wall,” and is hardy in Nottingham, England.
Fall is often a good time for moving trees and shrubs. Be sure to get as much of the root system as you can when moving your Iochroma. I am assuming you are moving it to a sunnier spot, possibly one with some shelter from fall rains and winter cold. The Royal Horticultural Society has helpful information about how to move mature trees and shrubs.