Tibouchina semidecandraGlory Bush

The flower of Tibouchina semidecandra is an intense royal purple, five broad petals wide, with a set of curved purple stamens at the centre that give it an unmistakable profile. Flowering peaks in late summer and autumn and continues sporadically through the year in warm climates.

The leaves are worth noting too: velvety, strongly ribbed with five parallel veins, and edged in red as the weather cools. It makes a fast, rather loose shrub of two to four metres that repays annual pruning.

Specifications

• Height2 to 4 metres, occasionally to 5 metres
• Width1.5 to 3 metres
• Native toBrazil
• FoliageVelvety ovate leaves with five prominent parallel veins, dark green edging red in cool weather; evergreen
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilRequires acidic, humus-rich, moist, free-draining soils; dislikes alkaline ground
• LightFull sun to partial shade, with shelter from strong wind
• WaterModerate to high; needs consistent moisture and is not drought-tolerant
• ClimateThrives in humid subtropical and warm temperate regions; frost sensitive

Additional Features

• FlowersLarge royal-purple flowers with distinctive curved stamens, peaking in late summer and autumn
• UsesFeature shrub planting, shrub borders, courtyard specimens and container display
• SpacingPlant 1.5 to 2 metres apart for a continuous mass
• Low MaintenancePrune annually after the main flush to keep the plant dense and prevent it becoming leggy
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound where drainage and airflow are good
• Seasonal AppealA strong late-season display when most flowering shrubs have finished
• Frost SensitivityDamaged by frost and needs a sheltered position in marginal climates

The Glory Bush is the late-season purple flowering shrub for acidic, humid and sheltered positions.