Re: Mystery (to me) Plant

Tim,

Your plant is Hypoestes aristata--a semi-hardy member of the same genus as the polka-dot plant. It blooms from mid-October through most of December if not cut down by frost. I find it reseeds profusely in a garden with regular water, but not so much as to become a pest. It will take full sun to fairly deep shade, but prefers morning sun and afternoon shade in the Pasadena area. It may need staking if it does not have an adjacent woody shrub to lean against. Wait to cut it back after flowering until new shoots begin to form in spring. Then prune to about one foot high, cutting immediately above a health new growth. I find that If I cut it back to bare wood, I usually lose it.

John MacGregor
South Pasadena, CA 91030
USDA zone 9 Sunset zones 21/23

On Oct 25, 2006, at 10:50 AM, Tim Toohey wrote:

I wondered if someone could help identify the plant depicted in the link below. It is approximately 3-4 feet tall, has light purple vaguely salvia-like flowers, and is blooming in Pasadena in late October. I "inherited" this plant with my new home and haven't been able to find it in any of my books. Thanks for your help, Tim

http://home.netcom.com/~tj2e/mysteryplant/













Other Mailing lists |
Author Index |
Date Index |
Subject Index |
Thread Index