Tibouchina
Tibouchina are tropical shrubs and trees with beautiful, showy purple flowers that bloom over a long period. Plants kept as shrubs tend to become leggy and sprawling. They need frequent tip pinching and a major trimming in Spring to keep bushy. Prefers sun.
The naming conventions for Tibouchina used in gardening books and on the Web can be confusing. Tibouchina urvilleana or Princess Flower is consistently named. However, "Princess Flower" is also applied to tibouchina semidecandra. Then you have various permutations of "Glory" applied to plants in this genus. See the Overview link below to Dave's Garden for a good representation of Tibouchina.
- Overview
- Glory Bush or Princess-Flower (tibouchina semidecandra)
- Princess-Flower, Glory Flower or Purple Glory Bush (tibouchina urvilleana) Ornamental tree grows to 10' to 15' high, however, typically grown as a shrub. Prefers full sun. 5" purple blossoms.
Hardy in Zones 8 - 11. While probably the hardiest Tibouchina, it will suffer some damage in a light frost.
- Purple Glory Tree (tibouchina granulosa)
Of the various Tibouchina varieties, this is the best for training as a tree.
Can grow to 40' with wide spreading form. 2" wide purple flowers. Hardy Zone 10B - 11
- Silver Leafed Princess Flower or Large Leaf Princess Flower (tibouchina grandifolia or tibouchina heteromalla)
Large, oval leaves with long, spectacular flower spikes.
Grows 6' to 7' tall.
Hardy Zones 10 - 11.
Can be a difficult plant to grow.
- Dwarf Tibouchina (tibouchina spp.)
Ground cover with profusion of purple flowers.
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Silver Leafed Princess Flower or Large Leaf Princess Flower
( tibouchina grandifolia or tibouchina heteromalla) |
