Description:
Tibouchina urvilleana, commonly called princess flower or glory bush, is a large, dense, rounded-but-sprawling, tropical shrub that typically grows to 6-8' tall, but may reach 15' in optimum growing conditions. It can be trained as a small tree. It can also be trained as a vine for growing on an arbor or trellis.
Reddish, pubescent, somewhat brittle, square branches are clad with serrulate, downy, ovate to ovate-oblong (2-4" long) evergreen leaves, each having 3-7 prominent longitudinal veins. Rose-purple flowers (to 3-4" diameter) with purple stamens bloom singly or in clusters in summer. In tropical areas, it will bloom sporadically throughout the year. Full bloom is often spectacular. Fruit is a 5-valved capsule.
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Scientific Classification:
Common Name: | Princess flower, Glory bush, Lasiandra, Pleroma, Purple glory tree. | ||
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Scientific Name: | Tibouchina urvilleana Cogn. | ||
Family: | Melastomataceae | ||
Subfamily: | Bromelioideae | ||
Genus: | Tibouchina | ||
Synonyms: | Tibouchina maudhiana,Tibouchina semidecandra,Lasiandra semidecandra | ||
Temperature: | Temperature in rest period – min 7°C max 13°C (45-55°F) | Temperature in active growth period – min 16°C max 24°C (61-75°F) | |
Origin: | Tibouchina urvilleana native to Brazil. | ||
Toxicity: | ?? |
How to Grow and Care:
Tibouchina urvilleana is grown as indoor plants but require some special conditions and are unlikely to thrives without them. It has a fairly narrow margin for error: leaf drop and plant decline are unfortunately common, most often because of watering or temperature issues. It is a fast growing shrub. Shorten main shoots by half their length and cut side-shoots back to two pairs of leaves each spring. In this way the leggy growing habit of Tibouchina urvilleana is kept under control and will enhance the flower display.
Light: The princess flower prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade, provided it still receives at least five hours of direct sunlight each day. In fact, if you are in a particularly hot area, it's a good idea to provide some shade.
Soil: Your princess flower will appreciate damp, rich soil. While the plant does need regular watering, it's important that the soil drains well; princess flower can experience root rot if the soil is soggy. This plant prefers a slightly acidic soil, which can be provided through soil amendments such as peat moss, or by feeding it with an acid fertilizer.
Water: Princess flower is somewhat tolerant of drought but does best when regularly watered. Unless it's very hot, weekly watering is sufficient (no more than 1 inch of water per week, through a combination of rainfall and irrigation). Be careful to avoid overwatering, as very wet soil can injure the plant.
Temperature and Humidity
Princess flower cannot tolerate a real frost and will die back once a frost hits. If you want to keep your plant from dying back you can bring it indoors for the winter. One option is to cut a potted plant back to about 8 inches and keep it in the garage or basement. If you do keep the plant in the dark, water it only enough to keep it from drying out.
Fertilizer: It's best to fertilize your princess flower each spring, summer, and fall. You can use fertilizer intended for acid-loving plants such as rhododendron or azalea, but your plant will also appreciate a bit of manure. Mulching will help your princess flower to retain moisture.
Propagation:
Take stem or tip cuttings 8-10cm (3-4 inch) long in spring. Trim each cutting to just below a pair of leaves, remove the bottom leaves and dip the cut end of cutting in hormone rooting powder. Plant the cutting in an 8cm (3 inch) pot filled with a moistened equal parts of peat moss and coarse sand or perlite. Enclose the whole in a plastic bag or propagating case and stand it in a warm room in bright filtered light.
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