Tibouchina Groovy baby

The Tibouchina Groovy baby is a new Australian variety, more branched and compact than the typical one, maintaining throughout its life the appearance of a small, bushy and rounded shrub of less than 1 metre (3 feet). This dwarf tibouchina, also with slightly increased hardiness, does not require repeated pruning and literally disappears under a multitude of large, unique blue-violet satin flowers throughout the summer. Outside of our mildest regions, spared from heavy frost, this wonderful bush will be planted in a large pot to be stored during the winter.

The Tibouchina urvilleana (synonyms Lasiandra semidecandra, Tibouchina semidecandra, Pleroma macrantha) is a large bush or small tree of the Melastomataceae family, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Brazil, appreciating warm and humid atmospheres. It is also called Tibouchine or Spider Flower, due to its long, recurved and jointed stamens resembling small legs.

The 'Groovy Baby' variety, resulting from a cross-breeding with Tibouchina mutabilis, is distinguished mainly by its shorter internodes and more numerous ramifications, giving the bush a much more compact and bushy habit. At maturity, the potted bush will reach about 80cm (32in) in height and 1m (3ft) in width, with slightly greater development if planted in the ground. It forms a very short trunk from which numerous quadrangular-sectioned branches, of a purplish hue and covered in hairs when young, emerge, later taking on a more brownish-gray color. These stems bear particularly ornamental foliage that appears woven with velvet. The leaves, smaller than those of T. urvilleana, are entire, elongated oval in shape with a tapering tip, and covered in very soft, transparent hairs, giving the lamina a magnificent silky sheen. They have a fairly dark green color on the upper side, more matte on the underside, and are traversed by 3 to 5 highly prominent longitudinal veins. Before falling, they take on a lovely orange hue. The flowering, particularly long and abundant, begins in August and can last until the following April if the plant is kept in full light and in a warm and humid atmosphere. Most often, this flowering withers in winter, due to a decrease in sunlight and temperatures. The solitary or clustered floral buds are tinged with purple. They open into 8cm (3in) diameter flowers, composed of 5 satin blue-violet petals arranged in a very open cup shape. The centre of the corolla, of a purple color, is occupied by long stamens of the same shade. All these colors, green, orange, purple, and bright violet, are found on this bush in full bloom, creating a rather fascinating spectacle.

The Tibouchina Groovy Baby is a sensational plant that irresistibly attracts anyone who has seen it in full bloom, covered in large corollas of an almost fluorescent blue-violet color, and dressed in antique green velvet. As it is only slightly frost-resistant (up to -3/-4°C (26.6/24.8°F) in a very sheltered position), it should only be planted in the ground in sheltered coastal gardens. The small orange flowers of shrubby potentillas ('Hopley's Orange') or the red flowers of shrubby salvias ('Royal Bumble', 'Flammenn') will perfectly enhance its large flowers. Just like the small yellow bells of the Diervilla splendens. Growing it in a large pot allows it to be adopted anywhere in Europe, where it will spend the entire summer outdoors and the winter in a greenhouse, conservatory, or even in a moderately heated room. It dislikes direct sunlight and thrives in a light, fertile (as it is a heavy feeder), moist but well-drained soil, close to neutrality.