Trichostema lanatum x purpusii - Midnight Magic
An intriguing hybrid between the amazing but notoriously finicky "Wooly Blue Curls" (T. lanatum) from CA and the much easier to grow T. purpusii from Mexico. The resulting shrub retains the showy purple flowers with long curving stamens of its CA ancestor (but not the wooly buds), and it gains a more compact growth habit. Plus (according the breeder at Suncrest Nursery), it is easy to grow in reasonably well-drained soil. The shrub is evergreen with dark aromatic foliage and grows 3-5' tall and wide. The flowers appear over a very long season from spring through fall and are exceedingly attractive to hummingbirds as well as butterflies and other pollinators. Plant in sun to part sun and give moderate to occasional Summer water. Protect from frost.
Description
An intriguing hybrid between the amazing but notoriously finicky "Wooly Blue Curls" (T. lanatum) from CA and the much easier to grow T. purpusii from Mexico. The resulting shrub retains the showy purple flowers with long curving stamens of its CA ancestor (but not the wooly buds), and it gains a more compact growth habit. Plus (according the breeder at Suncrest Nursery), it is easy to grow in reasonably well-drained soil. The shrub is evergreen with dark aromatic foliage and grows 3-5' tall and wide. The flowers appear over a very long season from spring through fall and are exceedingly attractive to hummingbirds as well as butterflies and other pollinators. Plant in sun to part sun and give moderate to occasional Summer water. Protect from frost.
