Tibouchina urvilleana (Princess Flower)

A spectacular sight when in full bloom, Tibouchina urvilleana (Princess Flower) is a large, sprawling, tropical, evergreen shrub or small tree boasting a lush foliage of elliptic, softly hairy leaves, 2-4 in. long (5-10 cm), sometimes edged in red, with prominent longitudinal veins. In summer, ravishing royal purple flowers, 3-4 in. across (7-10 cm), with long purple stamens bloom singly or in clusters. In tropical areas, Princess Flower will bloom sporadically throughout the year. Versatile, Tibouchina urvilleana can be trained as a standard or espaliered against a west-facing wall receiving at least five hours of full sun. It can also be trained on a trellis or arbor as a vine. Great for containers, as a houseplant and in Mediterranean gardens.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Grows up to 10-20 ft. tall (3-6 m) and 6-10 ft. wide (2-3 m). This plant will spread in the garden by suckers and can form dense thickets.
• A full sun lover, this plant is best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained soils. Prefers some afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Protect from strong winds and apply mulch to keep the roots cool.
• Can be grown outdoors in frost-free area. In colder areas, this plant should be grown in containers and brought indoors for overwintering before the first fall frost. In zone 8, this plant is root hardy and will typically die to the ground in winter but will return each spring.
• Perfect for Mediterranean gardens, city gardens, wall-side borders and containers.
• Plants grown under glass may need restrictive pruning in late winter.
• Propagate by seed sown at 16°C in spring or strike softwood cuttings in late spring and semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, both with bottom heat.
• This evergreen shrub blooms on the previous or current year's growth. It needs little pruning. Prune lightly removing unsightly shoots as required.
• Pinching new growth helps increase branching and will enhance the floral display.
• Keep an eye out for aphids, mealybugs, glasshouse whitefly and oedema under glass.
• This shrub is considered to be a noxious weed in Hawaii where it has escaped gardens and naturalized.
• Native to southern Brazil.