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Information by: The Plant Nerd Inc.        Photographer: Normans/Susan Frommer

Description

This round shrub will grow about 10' tall and wide and has medium-sized green leaves with lavender blue flowers that bloom all year.

Maintenance Tips

Alyogyne huegelii is a large, free-form shrub with large, dramatic purple flowers that resemble hibiscus. Also known as Blue Hibiscus, this shrub prefers full sun and well-drained soil. To keep this plant looking and performing its best with very little maintenance, make sure to plant it in a sunny location and give it 8-10' of space to reach its full maturity. It is a woody shrub so as it grows and the canopy becomes dense, the interior branches will no longer see sunlight and will no longer grow leaves. To keep the shrub free-form and blooming throughout, it is best to use the thinning method of pruning and make some of the cuts back to the main trunk to allow the sun to reach the interior of the plant. Shearing the plant is never a good idea because all of the blooming potential is at the tips of the branches. Shearing will take off all of the blooms and will cause the plant to send out excessive growth and the natural shape of the plant will be forever lost. This plant is susceptible to aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Instead of using pesticides to control these pests, it would be better to use a hard jet of water or even bring in ladybugs to treat the infestation. That will ensure that the beneficial insects and birds can continue to enjoy the flowers.