Otacanthus - little boy blue

Out of stock

Re-stock: in 4-6 weeks

$4.25

This Brazilian beauty goes by quite a few names, which helps him slip under the radar. Which is a pity - because for a subtropical frost-free garden or a lounge room in colder zones he's got a lot to offer the gardener.

Deep blue flowers of a shade much sought after, but so rarely found in nature. Fast lush leafy growth. Foliage fragrance described variously as pine, mint, or camphor - see what you think it smells most like!

In higher temperatures little boy blue appreciates a little shade; in cooler ones he can deal with sun. In tropical climates he might reach a metre and flower off and on through the year; in cooler ones you might find he's shorter-growing, herbaceous, putting on his best flowering display in late summer-autumn and dying back in winter.

Flower images : Dinesh Valke cropped to size.

We can't ship this product to Tasmania, Western Australia.

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Description

Otocanthus caerules, Matourea azurea, Achetaria azurea - little boy blue, Brazilian snapdragon, Amazon blue

APPEARANCE: Herbaceous perennial with two-petalled purple-blue flowers like a large lobelia, each with a central white spot, and stems of soft green leaves. Leaves are slightly sticky to touch and have a resinous scent. Flowers all year round in tropical climates; mainly in late summer and autumn in cooler ones
ORIGIN : Brazil
USE FOR : Cottage gardens, fast flowers, mixed borders, potted colour indoors and out
CLIMATE : Frost free locations. Herbaceous in cooler climates, dying back in winter; evergreen in tropical ones.
PLANTING: Full sun to full shade, depending on climate and available water. Likes well drained soil, on the neutral-acid side, and regular watering.
CARE: Responds well to light pruning after flowering, which shapes it and improves bushiness. Water regularly during the first 8-12 weeks until the plant is established. Reportedly very pest resistant and resilient.
HEIGHT 30-90cm around
YOUR PLANTS : These are tubestock plants, healthy young plants with new roots that will establish quickly in your garden. The pot size is 80mm high and 42 mm wide.
You can see an example in the image gallery.
What is tubestock?

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