Family: Acanthaceae
Common name: Eranthemum
Pseuderanthemum family has over 60 species of flowering plants ranging in leaf and flower colors, but all of them happy to keep blooming. Few common species are:
- Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum with deep purple leaves; pink and white patterned flowers on tall spikes.
- Pseuderanthemum reticulatum with green leaves; white and purple flowers on tall spikes.
- Pseuderanthemum laxiflorum with green leaves and violet flowers blooming all over the plant.
Though all of them are garden favorites, Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum’s purple leaves are a good contrast to the green plants in your garden. The leaves are a deep purple, glossy and beautiful.
These plants grow to a height of 1-2 meters depending on the species, and flower for most of the year. Since they are fast growing, and blooming plants, they needs good sunlight, adequate watering and biweekly fertilization. They cannot grow well or bloom indoors. The plants are grown in gardens as ornamental plants, for their colorful leaves and exuberant flowering.
Pseuderanthemum flowers have nectar, thereby attracting birds, bees and insects that help in pollination. The plants should be pruned when they are young so that they grow bushy, instead of growing tall and lanky.
Propagation is from stem cuttings, which have a better success rate with rooting hormones.
