- Scientific Name: Tibouchina mutabilis. (Vell.) Cogn.
- Synonyms: Melastoma Mutabilis, Lasiandra mutabilis
- Common Names: Manaca, Brazilian Sendudok in Malay.
- Family: Melastomataceae
- Genus: Tibouchina
- Species: T. mutabilis
Planting Tibouchinas
Now there are a few tricks for abundant flowering. Firstly, they need a good sunny position and like to be planted into a rich acidic soil. They don't like alkaline soils (those soils with a pH of 7 or above), but flourish in slightly acidic soils with a pH of around 5.5 to 6.5. If your soil is alkaline, the pH can be lowered by adding to the soil Sulphur Powder. Follow the directions on the container to suit your soil type. Alternatively you can plant straight into Azalea, Camellia & Gardenia Specialty Mix for both gardens and pots.
Tibouchinas like a warm to hot climate and don't mind some cool weather in winter, but they will be affected by frosts, so may not be suitable for those gardens that are frosted.
Caring for Tibouchinas
Watering: When first planting a Tibouchina, they will need regular watering until established, to ensure a good start to their life. Once they have established a good deep root system (after the first year), a good deep watering once a week should suffice. If you live in an area that receives a moderate to high rainfall, you may very well find that these beautiful shrubs will hardly need any additional watering at all.
Pruning: The real trick to promote profuse flowering for the next season is to prune them back hard immediately once the last flowers fall. This will encourage more new growth, helps to keep the foliage compact and results in more flowers.
Growing Tibouchinas is good fun and they require very little maintenance. They are an easy to grow plant, and when in flower, they are just stunning, decorating the garden with a lovely and profuse display of deep purple blooms.
Problems With Pests And Diseases
Problems with pests and diseases while growing tibouchina may exist. When cultivated in these ideal conditions, glory bush resists most pests and disease.
If kept in poor soil, it will naturally lose resistance and may fall prey to pests.
If the soil lacks good drainage, root rot, and fungal infection may result. A glory bush with root rot usually ends up culled and disposed of. They do not recover well from this condition.
A glory bush with weak resistance may become plagued by:
- Red Spider Mite attacks
- Nematodes
- Plant Scales
In the garden setting, the introduction of beneficial insects preying on spider mites and scales handles the issue well. Severe infestations require an application of horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. These treatments are also effective indoors.
Dealing with nematodes spells a lengthy and complicated process. However, mostly involves sound gardening practices. If you provide your plants with proper care, you may likely avoid dealing with a nematode infestation.
Provide ample sun and light, loam or sandy loam soil with slight acidity. Water judiciously and on a regular basis. Protect your plants from high winds and sub-freezing temperatures.
Origin: Tibouchina mutabilis Native to Brazil, Esparto Santo, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Southern America. However, many hybrids, cultivars and varieties have emerged by enthusiastic breeders, especially in Australia.
