Pseuderanthemum carruthersiiFalse Eranthemum

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii, the False Eranthemum, is a Pacific island shrub of 1 to 2 metres grown almost entirely for foliage: broad glossy leaves that run from deep bronze-purple to green, often marbled or margined in a contrasting tone.

It is used as a colour block in tropical bedding, as a low informal hedge and as the dark foil that makes brighter flowering plants read.

Specifications

• Height1 to 2 metres
• Width0.8 to 1.2 metres
• Native toVanuatu and the western Pacific islands
• FoliageBroad ovate glossy leaves in deep bronze-purple to green, often marbled or margined; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers free-draining, humus-rich soil that holds moisture
• LightFull sun to partial shade, with the deepest colour in bright light
• WaterModerate; regular irrigation in dry heat
• ClimateThrives in humid tropical and warm subtropical regions; frost tender

Additional Features

• FlowersSmall white flowers spotted purple-pink, carried in terminal spikes intermittently through the year
• UsesIdeal for foliage colour blocks in mass bedding, low informal hedging, borders and containers
• SpacingPlant 0.6 to 0.8 metres apart for a closed block
• Low MaintenanceClip to keep the habit dense and the foliage colour young
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound with basic care
• Seasonal AppealFoliage colour is held year round rather than depending on a flowering season
• VersatilityWorks as a hedge, a bedding block or a container feature

The False Eranthemum is a foliage-first shrub that gives a tropical scheme permanent colour without waiting on flower.