Sanchezia nobilis glaucophylla above purple Alternanthera dentata
This handsome shrub from Ecuador is not for the faint hearted as the bright variegated foliage is loud and not considered in good taste. It is even more arresting when in flower as the bright terminal panicle flowers are yellow with bright red bracts. Birds love it. It grows well against a hot western facing wall in cooler climates and in semi shade in sub tropical ones.I have yet to convince anyone of its merits so it may just end up in that horticultural dustbin of history like so many other plants.
2017 update: I still have a plant of it in the garden but no longer propagate it for sale.
2017 update: I still have a plant of it in the garden but no longer propagate it for sale.
One of my favourites, and not easy to grow in the dry tropics. It is a bit loud when in flower, but adds nice striped foliage to the garden.
ReplyDeleteIt is very loud but ok in the dry I thought. It just droops and looks a bit ragged. Snails love it and the birds when in flower but it's unlikely to be ever widely grown again
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