Re: request for info about Strobilanthes sp.

Gary Matson wrote:
> 
> This may not be strictly a Mediterranean plant, but it seems to do well
> so far up here in the Northern Sacramento Valley.  With the plant
> expertise out there, I couldn't think of a better place to ask.   I was
> given cuttings of what is supposed to be a species of Strobilanthes.  In
> 
> reading an old edition of Bailey's Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture,
> it might be S. anisophyllus.
> 
> I'm wondering how I might know which species it actually is, and what
> are the limits and/or peculiarities of this plant? How little water will
> 
> it endure? (I was hoping it might tolerate dry shade),  how much cold
> will it endure?   What uses is it especially suited to?
> 
> Does anyone have information about this plant?

Gary.
I had nearly given up, as most of my books have never heard of
Strobilanthes and then I looked in Beth Chatto's "Dry Garden" and found

S atropurpureus 
"an uncommon plant from the Himalayas. It thrives in any soil in full
sun  and stands drough amazingly well considering it makes a large plant
(4 ft) of many-branching stems carrying dark green hairy nettle-like
leaves. In late summer it becomes a mass of purple-blue hooded flowers."

So dry, but not shade, for that species at least.`

In the Alpine society's seedlist ( but not necessarily meaning it is
alpine) I found
Strobilanthus  (Acanthaceae)

S oligantha from Japan perennial 12-25", but they don't give cultural
information. Flowers few, pale purple.

S alternata (More properly Hemigraphis) A greenhouse pot plant from the
tropics. Purplish leaves, white flowers.

Can't trace S anisophyllus, but from what I know of Acanthaceae I think
it unlikely any will grow happily in shade.

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, 
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
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