We planted 5 princess flower plants last weekend. Can't find much about them here. Does anyone have experience with these? Any tips? So far they look really wilted and yellow, though we've had lots of rain. Should I fertilize with acid fertilizer even though they were just transplanted? They are about 5' tall.
Princess Flower - Tibouchina urvilleana
You got one 5' tall?? did you change the light?
from the tag on the one I bought last week. Performs well under moist hot conditions. Plant in well drained soil. Pinch growing tips to promote bush growth. Responds well to heave pruning. We had one several years ago, and it got huge in one summer. about 4' tall 3' round or something like that. I only watered to establish, had it in full GA sun. I'm trying to find something on line, but haven't yet.
Yep, 5' at the plant store, but stalky--not bushy. I had never seen them before. I will pinch back the tops so they get bushier. I hope I can revive these guys!
I hope you can too. Remember, my tag said can tolerate heavy pruning. And bushy is prettier to me than not. The one I just bought isn't bushy, but I have to wait til the flowers on the ends bloom. Ain't missing those babies. Oh, and down here, it's called 'China Princess' so if you ever see that, it should be a tibouchina.
take pictures!!!
tiG
You are right about the conditions. I know this plant better as Tibouchina semidecandra and is a native of the tropics (Brazil mainly I think). I have several in pots but also put one in the greenhouse border. BAD MISTAKE as it is rapidly taking over. I has flowered this year and I've got some pics - I'll try to get them on the photo forum sometime but, in the meantime, if anyone wants a look, mail me.
Dont think they have a particular preference for soil type (mine get what they are given !). As to wilting, the lower leaves have a tendancy to go yellow and fall off (which why they benefit from pruning I guess). As to pruning you can be pretty brutal. I have only ever lost one pot specimen in the 10 or more years I have had them, and mine get cut down to about 18" high each year. (THINKS... maybe I ought to try that with the one in the border.) I'll be tasking cutting again this year so if you want to risk it, I'm happy to trade them.
El Tel
I previously had one that did great in a large pot. It came back the second year and I got to thinking, and shouldn't have, of how great it would do in the ground. BYE, bye Princess. Mine was labeled Princess I remember I had my granddaughter with me and I told her they named a plant after her. Several years later I started seeing in at nurseies and it was labeled Tibouchina.
I am in South GA. zone 8, mine gets killed to the ground every year but that doesn't hurt it..Already nealy as tall as me at 5ft 4 inches and usually reaches at least 6 ft+ and almost as wide.
Larkie
if I can find out how to take cuttings, I'm going to put one in the ground and mulch it good.
Hi tiG,
Cuttings of Tibouchina I find are easy. For me they seem to do best taken as side shoots of the main stem (soft wood rather than hardwood cutting) and preferably shoots that dont have flower buds forming. Stick them in a potting or seed compost (I dip them in hormone rooting powder as well) and place them in a propagator with bottom heat of 65f. It also helps if you keep them shaded - they wilt very easily.
Hope that helps.
El Tel
i was suppose to recieve one in trade to try as a houseplant-trader never sent it!=[
Ive seen pictures-they are beautiful!!
good luck growing
dori
Dori,
Do you want me to add you to my list for a cutting (assuming I can grow enough !!)
El Tel