Real World Gardener Lilac Hibiscus is Plant of the Week

PLANT OF THE WEEK <p style="font-weight:400;">Scientific name: Alyogyne heugeli</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Common Name:Blue Hibiscus or Lilac Hibiscus</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Family: Malvaceae</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Flowering: late spring to summer</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Position: Full sun to part shade.</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Fertiliser; low phosphorus (P) or native fertiliser only.</p> <p>As in all Hibiscus, the flowers open in the morning and last one day.  </p> <ol><li>huegilii is a prolific flowerer-lots of flowers from late spring until the end of summer.</li> </ol><p>I’ve seen it grown at the back of the border, amongst exotics like May Bush, Loropetalum, and in front of Princess Lillies, and I must say, I regret having pulled mine out because the flowers are really lovely.</p> <p>This plant blends so well with any other plant on the planet.</p> <ul><li>The original A. heugelii needs to be pruned to promote lower growth and this one grows to about 2 ½ metres tall. </li> <li>Although, you can keep it down to 1 ½ metres because it sends out fast-growing shoots from old wood.</li> </ul> <p style="font-weight:400;">There are new select forms that are more compact and lower growing.</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Alyogyne heugelii Karana-a medium shrub 1.5m by 1.5m wide</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Alyogyne heugelii Misty-a medium shrub 1.5m by 1.5m wide; also frost tolerant.</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">Have a listen to the podcast.</p> <p style="font-weight:400;">I'm talking with Adrian O’Malley, qualified horticulturist and avid native plant expert.</p>