Tibouchina urvilleana - 'Purple glory tree'

Tibouchina urvilleana, commonly called princess flower or glory bush, is a large, dense, rounded-but-sprawling, tropical shrub that typically grows to 6-8' tall, but may reach 15' in optimum growing conditions. It can be trained as a small tree. It can also be trained as a vine for growing on an arbor or trellis. Reddish, pubescent, somewhat brittle, square branches are clad with serrulate, downy, ovate to ovate-oblong (2-4" long) evergreen leaves, each having 3-7 prominent longitudinal veins. Rose-purple flowers (to 3-4" diameter) with purple stamens bloom singly or in clusters in summer. In tropical areas, it will bloom sporadically throughout the year. Full bloom is often spectacular. Fruit is a 5-valved capsule.

Scientific Name:Tibouchina urvilleana Cogn.
Common Names:
Princess flower, Glory bush, Lasiandra, Pleroma, Purple glory tree.
Synonyms:
Tibouchina maudhiana,Tibouchina semidecandra,Lasiandra semidecandra
Family: Melastomataceae
Genus: Tibouchina
Species: T. urvilleana

Origin:
Tibouchina urvilleana native to Brazil.

Hardiness:
Hardiness zone: 9a-11
Temperature in rest period – min 7°C max 13°C (45-55°F)
Temperature in active growth period – min 16°C max 24°C (61-75°F)

source pic: wikimedia.org

How to Grow and Care

Tibouchina urvilleana is grown as indoor plants but require some special conditions and are unlikely to thrives without them. It has a fairly narrow margin for error: leaf drop and plant decline are unfortunately common, most often because of watering or temperature issues. It is a fast growing shrub. Shorten main shoots by half their length and cut side-shoots back to two pairs of leaves each spring. In this way the leggy growing habit of Tibouchina urvilleana is kept under control and will enhance the flower display.

Propagation: Take stem or tip cuttings 8-10cm (3-4 inch) long in spring. Trim each cutting to just below a pair of leaves, remove the bottom leaves and dip the cut end of cutting in hormone rooting powder. Plant the cutting in an 8cm (3 inch) pot filled with a moistened equal parts of peat moss and coarse sand or perlite. Enclose the whole in a plastic bag or propagating case and stand it in a warm room in bright filtered light.

When new growth appears, uncover it and begin to water it moderately. After a further eight weeks, move the young plant into a 10cm (4 inch) pot of standard potting mixture and treat it as a mature specimen...- Learn more at HOW TO GROW AND CARE Tibouchina 'Purple glory tree'