Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville'

Description

A large shrub or small tree with a vase-shaped habit and a spreading, rounded crown. Leaves are dark green on the upper side and paler below with large, longitudinal veins. A brilliant display of buttercup-shaped, violet/purple flowers, cloaks the canopy in late Summer and Autumn. Prefers full sun to light shade in a moist, fertile, well-drained soil which is slightly acidic. Water regularly to establish and after a couple of years the plant should be fairly drought tolerant. Tibouchina ‘Alstonville’ is a versatile plant suited to both residential and public spaces making it an excellent specimen or street tree. Responds well to pruning and should be lightly cut back, or pruned hard, straight after flowering. If leaf tips are brown it could be a sign of soil alkalinity, requiring the addition to the soil of an acidifying fertiliser, or suphur, around the drip line. Train from an early age to be a single-trunked tree if desired.

Specifications