I’ve been waiting on this one to bloom for awhile. And boom! Yesterday her first flower unfurled and the entire plant is loaded with flower buds. The velvety leaves sparkle in the sunlight. The flowers are unique. Nothing like a little royalty in the garden and, boy, does the Princess flower deliver!
The princess flower plant, also known as Tibouchina and Glory bush, is an exotic shrub sometimes reaching the size of a small tree. When growing Princess flower shrubs in the landscape, you’ll find they quickly reach a height of 6 or 7 feet with a spread just as wide.
I have had this one for three years and it lives in a large urn. She’s obviously a happy camper. I remember when the leaves crinkled, turned black, and fell to the ground after that first winter. It almost brought me to tears. I cut everything to about 4″ above the soil line and voila, in the spring, new growth shot up. The Princess flower may be a late bloomer but well worth the wait.
In their native Brazil, they bloom year round but I will settle for August through the first frost here in Georgia.
To be so beautiful and delicate looking, Tibouchina is actually pretty hardy. Here is the 411 on care:
- Regular watering but allow it to dry out between waterings.
- Tibouchina performs best when protected from late afternoon sun.
- Fertilize every spring with a product formulated for azalea, rhododendron and other acid-loving plants. Reapply fertilizer in summer and autumn. Remove blooms as soon as they wilt to encourage continued blooming.
- I dump about two inches of my fireplace ashes on to the plant each winter. Seems to love that!
- Mulch the area heavily to retain moisture, control weeds, and keep the roots cool.
- Princess flower bushes are easily multiplied from cuttings that can be overwintered in a greenhouse, or even indoors as a houseplant. In fact, don’t be surprised to see a few purple blooms on the princess flower plant indoors when it is happily located in a sunny window.
If you are interested in adding a Princess flower to your garden I can tell you they are not easy to find. Mine came from a small nursery that seems to specialize in exotic plants. There are a few options for on-line ordering including Plant Delights Nursery. I’ve ordered from them in the past and their plants are healthy and good quality.
Happy planting!
