Tibouchinas
As you fly into most cities and towns of Australia at the moment, you’ll see purple dots before your eyes.
If you are sober, these are almost certainly tibouchinas – which are purple flowering shrubs. The two favourites are Alstonville which grows 5m or so tall & Jules which is a small shrub growing to about 1m.
These are hardy plants in the middle to warmer areas of Australia. There are also a few new varieties:
A much improved tibouchina variety that flowers for nine months of the year called either Carol Lynn or Jazzie.
A variegated-leaved one called Olivia that produces dazzling pink leaf variegations in winter.
Tibouchinas are for all but the coldest areas of Australia.
If you have an old Tibouchina that’s a bit straggly remember that they love to be pruned. Prune Tibouchinas in late winter, after the danger of frosts has gone.
Hooroo!
