Description
This evergreen, fast growing shrub grows to 0.75 m in height. It has a lovely, rounded shape with dark glossy green leaves with purple undersides. The flowers are sprays of lavender flowers dashed with purple markings. It flowers very unpredictably, but does well in autumn and flowering can be extended right into early summer with regular dead heading. It does very well in either shaded or partly sunny positions. When it receives sun it tends to stay smaller and more compact and the leaves exhibit a much more intense colouring. It doesn’t tolerate very cold conditions, although it does survive light frosts. If you live in an area prone to winter frosts then plant it in spring and it will flower in the autumn before the winter frosts take their toll.It attracts birds. This is the larval host plant for Bush Bronze, Mocker Blue, Eyed Pansy, the March Commodor and the African Leaf Commodor butterflies. The name is derived from the Greek plektron = a spur; anthos= a flower. These plants have conspicuously spurred flowers.
