Description

Family Lamiaceae
Originating from China, N India.

• Wildly exotic large deciduous foliage with purple tints
• Big bubblegum-scented loud pink flowers
• Easy to grow, vigorous, and spreading though easy to control

Outstandingly exotic, intensely aromatic, loudly coloured and scented. This invaluable deciduous shrub is one of Urban Jungle’s go-to species with large, handsome, lusciously dark green leaves that are purple-tinted when young. They are broad with slender, pointed tips and handsomely veined, with irregularly serrated edges, and have a pungent peanut-like scent when brushed.

The upright stems are densely clothed in the foliage and are topped with large flat heads of sweet bubblegum-scented, flamboyant deep pink flowers that appear over a long period from mid-summer into autumn. The fascinating flowers emerge in multitudes of fat deep purple/pink buds, crowded into a broad, flat corymb. The deliciously sweet-scented individual blooms open to a paler, yet still rich rose pink, and are present alongside developing buds, making a multi-colored flower.

Suckers grow around the base of the plant, and as it establishes they can spread some distance from it, making a slowly spreading clump. Although this is most welcome in most instances, they are easily removed by simply pulling them.

This fantastic plant is easy to grow in any soil in full sun or light shade.

Height and spread after 2 – 5 years 1.5m x 1m.