Tibouchina lepidota

Tibouchina lepidota, also known as alstonville, Andean princess flower, lasiandra, or glory bush, is a medium-sized ornamental tree or a large shrub native to northwestern South America that is cultivated for its masses of purple flowers from autumn right through to winter.[1]

Tibouchina lepidota
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Melastomataceae
Genus: Tibouchina
Species:
T. lepidota
Binomial name
Tibouchina lepidota
Baill. (1877)

Description
Flower close-up.

The plant is usually between 5 metres (16 ft) to 12 metres (39 ft) tall, but can be as tall as 20 metres (66 ft), creating a vase shape with a spread rounded crown and thick, ligneous, branching stems. The trunk measures up to 80 centimetres (31 in) in diameter at its base, with reddish barks that flake off.

The evergreen leaves are dark green in colour and lighter below with large, longitudinal veins. They are hairy, simple, opposite and rather rough with a serrated edge, marked ribs and a blunt tip. Their base is rounded and they measure 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long and 4 centimetres (1.6 in) wide. As the leaves age, they turn crimson and are covered by small scales that are brown in colour.[2]

Inflorescence

The flowers range from violent, mauve to magenta, 6 centimetres (2.4 in) in diameter. Their petals are extended and separated from each other. Their stamens are yellow in color, are clustered in inflorescences composed of panicles, and have brown scaly axes. Flowering occurs from late summer through to late autumn in the southern hemisphere.[3]

The plant produces fruit most of the year, but more frequent between March and December. The fruit is light brown in colour, flaky to the touch, cup-shaped, measures 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) in diameter, which releases seeds through holes located at the apex and contains enough seeds. The seeds are brown in colour, small in size, similar to the shape of a snail, with a hard cover.[4]

Distribution

Tibouchina lepidota is native to the Andes mountains in Venezuela (Merida and Tachira), Ecuador (Azuay, Carchi, Chimborazo, Imbabura, Loja, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Pichincha, Tungurahua, and Zamora-Chinchipe), and central Peru (Amazonas, Huanuco, San Martin), in the montane humid and cloud forests, between 800 metres (2,600 ft) and 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) above sea level. In Colombia it is distributed in the Andean region, being found wild in the temperate and cool thermal floors.[5]

Cultivation

Tibouchina lepidota is used as an ornamental plant for its violet coloured flowers. Thriving in full sun to part shade, it is planted in parks, public squares, and gardens. Its wood is used in the manufacture of fencing posts, tool handles, furniture and firewood. It is to be pruned after flowering to encourage dense, bushy growth. It may not withstand severe frost or drought, but may still survive in cooler areas provided that it's sheltered and if it is watered regularly if in dry conditions. It is propagated by means of seeds.[6]

Cultivars

Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville' is a common cultivar in Australia, which was developed by Ken Dunstan a resident of Alstonville, New South Wales, hence the common name of this plant. There are smaller growing varieties that are grown in pots or containers in the country, such as ‘Jules’, which is 60 centimetres high and wide, ‘Jazzie’, which is a metre in height and features large purple flowers, and ‘Groovy Baby’ which is only 45 centimetres high and wide. All these dwarf varieties can be grown in containers, garden beds or as a low hedge. Some may only flower in the warmer months.[7]

In Australia, both this species and Tibouchina grandiflora (including its cultivars) are commonly known as Lasiandra. They are in the same family (Melastomataceae) of a native shrub Melastoma affine, which is known as Native Lasiandra.

  • Bunch of flowers
  • Budding flowers
  • Flowers and leaves
  • A variety with red and purple flowers
  • Native habitat
  • Leaves close up
  • Branch and flowers
  • A shrubby specimen

References
  1. Tibouchina Fact Sheet by ABC Australia. Retrieved 2 April, 2020
  2. Mahecha G., Ovalle A., Camelo D., Rozo A., Barrero D. (2004) Vegetation of the CAR territory. 450 species of its plains and mountains Bogotá, Colombia 871pp
  3. Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville' Tibouchina Alstonville, Glory Bush by Alpine Nurseries. Retrieved 2 April, 2020
  4. TIBOUCHINA LEPIDOTA ALSTONVILLE
  5. Todzia, C. A., & Almeda Jr, F. 1991. A revision of Tibouchina section Lepidotae (Melastomataceae: Tibouchineae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences., 47(6): 175-206
  6. Rodríguez-RJO, Peña-SJR, Plata-RE (1984) Flora de los Andes. One hundred species from the Cundi-Boyacense Altiplano, Bogotá, Colombia 247pp
  7. Tibouchina by FlowerPower. Retrieved 2 April, 2020
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