Tibouchina ‘Melodie’

Tibouchina 'Melodie' (Tibouchina 'Melodie') gives you the tibouchina flower show without the tibouchina size. It settles at about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, which keeps it inside a courtyard bed or a large pot rather than swallowing a small garden. The velvet purple flowers come in flushes, and the main display lands in autumn when most gardens have gone quiet.

Why you'll love it

• Purple you can see from the street. Deep violet flowers held across the whole plant, not only at the tips.
• Small enough for a small garden. At roughly 1.5m by 1.2m it suits a courtyard or a narrow bed where a full sized tibouchina needs constant cutting.
• Genuinely good in a pot. Compact habit and modest roots mean a 400mm container holds it for years on a balcony.
• Bees and butterflies work the flowers. Each flush brings pollinators in, which counts if the rest of the bed is foliage.
• Comfortable in humidity. Warm wet summers do not bother it, so it holds up where other flowering shrubs struggle.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant carries the autumn display. Give it 1.5m of clear space so the flowering wood is not shaded by neighbours.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Use a container at least 400mm wide with real drainage, and expect to water through summer.

Informal hedge. Plant 1m apart for a soft flowering hedge around 1.5m high. It will not clip into a formal wall, so treat it as a loose screen.

Growing Tibouchina 'Melodie' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering; part shade thins the display. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so in cold inland, tableland and frosty southern gardens grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover.

Soil. Slightly acidic and free draining, enriched with compost. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Steady moderate water suits it, and it should not dry out while buds are forming. Feed a controlled release fertiliser for flowering shrubs in early spring, then again once flowering finishes.

Pruning. Flowers form on new growth, so prune straight after the autumn flush and tip prune young plants two or three times in their first year. Avoid cutting in late summer, which removes the wood about to flower.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown as tubestock: a young single stemmed plant with a strong root system in a narrow pot, usually knee height or less. That is the honest trade. You are two to three seasons from a 1.5m shrub in full flower, at the price that makes planting several realistic.

Tubes travel well because the root ball is compact. Plant or pot yours up within a few days, water it in, and expect a quiet fortnight before new growth appears. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow tibouchina in Australian gardens
• Compare the smaller cultivars, including Tibouchina Little Beauty.
• Browse more flowering plants for warm gardens.
• Find a container in our plants for pots range.

Common questions

How big will it actually get?

Around 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide in an open bed, and closer to 1m in a pot. Sizes for newer compact tibouchinas vary with climate and feeding, so allow some room.

Will it survive frost?

Not reliably. It is frost tender, and a hard frost burns soft growth and can kill a young plant. In cold districts grow it in a pot and shelter it over winter.

How do I get more flowers?

Full sun, steady water and pruning immediately after the autumn flush. Late summer pruning removes the buds and costs you the season.