Common Name(s): Strobilanthes Botanical Name: Strobilanthes attenuata Type: Tender perennial /Annual Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 to 11 Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade Water Requirements: Average Bloom Color(s): Deep blue-violet Bloom Period: Mid-summer to mid-fall Height: 18 to 24 inches Spacing: 24 inches Features: Showy blooms, good late season display Precautions: None known Description: This dwarf Strobilanthus species is native to Nepal and a treasure for the late season border. This Hardy Persian Shield is highly adapted to shady conditions, and blooms the first season if started early. Plants form a sprawling mound of upright stems covered in pubescent ovate to elliptical, lime-green to grey, toothed foliage. Beginning in mid-summer, dense branching spikes produce dark, purplish, hairy buds which later reveal large, hooded, dark blue-violet blooms which persist through October. With cooling autumn temperatures the leaf margins become bronzed with reddish-purple hues. The pungent leaves act as a natural repellent for insect predators. Easy to grow from seed and maintenance free once established. Uses/Culture: Front of mixed beds and borders; woodland margins, naturalized under trees and shrubs. Blooms best in fertile, moist, but very well drained soil. Best in partial to dappled shade, but will tolerate full sun in the north. Germination Requirements: Germination occurs in 1-3 weeks under warm, moist conditions. If germination does not occur in 3-4 weeks, a 2-4 week period of cold stratification is recommended.

• Seeds per packet: 10

Seeds per packet: 10