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Turquoise Puya
Lobostemon fruticosus

Its flowers have been called "luminous," "heavenly" and "ethereal".  The delightful blooms of Lobostemon fruticosus are one of my favorite parts about Spring!  This rare South African beauty lights up with its unusual color combination of sky blue and glowing pink.  You'll swear the flowers emanate their own light!  This is a very hard to find plant, and not usually seen for sale.

Lobostemon fruticosus

 Lobostemon fruticosus is an evergreen perennial bush related to Borage and Echium.  It grows about 3-4 feet tall and wide, with woody stems and stiff, fuzzy foliage.  The bell-shaped flowers are about an inch long and appear from late winter to early summer.  Each 5-petaled bloom starts as a pink bud and opens with light blue petals blending to pink at the center.

Lobostemon fruticosus
 
Lobostemon comes from the Cape region of South Africa, where the climate is mild and spring-like year-round.  It can handle temperatures in the 80s, but i have no information on how it will do in warmer areas.  It can tolerate dips into the 30s, but it is not frost-hardy and needs protection from freezing temps.  It can be grown in a 5 gallon pot and moved indoors for the winter, provided that the air isn't too dry.  It prefers full sun, well-draining soil, and average watering.

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Rare and exotic plants

Turquoise Puya

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