Botanical Name: Hypoestes aristata
Common Name: Ribbon Bush

 

Use: Outdoors
Indigenous/Exotic : Indigenous
Evergreen/Deciduous : Evergreen
Plant Type : Shrub
Flower Colour : Purple, mauve
Foliage Colour : Green
Best Season : Winter
Light : Sun to semi shade
Hardiness : Semi hardy
Attributes :  
Height (m) : 1.5
Spread (m) : 1
    
Notes: During winter, the ribbon bush becomes smothered in small, mauve, ribbon-like flowers which show up well against its dark green, rather prominently veined leaves. Although best suited to our warmer areas, this indigenous plant adapts very well to ordinary garden conditions. As it prefers a semi-shaded position, you could plant the ribbon bush as a follow-on to blue hydrangeas or mauve, pink-mauve or white plectranthus.

 

The ribbon bush is indigenous to the warmer parts of the country, the southern and eastern Cape coast and the KwaZulu Natal coast. It can be grown in cooler areas, however, provided these are frost free.

 

Plant it in a semi-shaded position in rich, well-drained soil. Keep it well watered during summer, especially dur­ing long periods of dry weather. It should be pruned back hard after it has flowered.