{"title":"Tibouchina","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen a tibouchina flowers, the whole plant turns purple. Few shrubs deliver colour this saturated, and it arrives in autumn when most gardens are fading. This range runs from dwarf forms under a metre for pots and borders, through 1.5m to 2m shrubs in purple, pink and white, to the Alstonville, a 4m small tree that is a landmark of east coast suburbs. They are warm climate plants and repay a sheltered spot. Delivered Australia wide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to choose a tibouchina\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSize ranges widely. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/alstonville-tibouchina-tibouchina-lepidota-alstonville\"\u003eAlstonville\u003c\/a\u003e is the tree form, 4m tall and 3m wide, covered in violet flowers from late summer to early winter. Noelene reaches about 3m and its flowers open white and age through pink to mauve, so the bush carries three colours at once. Kathleen is the pink at 2m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor smaller spaces, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jazzie-tibouchina-tibouchina-jazzie\"\u003eJazzie\u003c\/a\u003e grows to about 2m but can be kept lower and flowers for much of the year. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tibouchina-jules-tibouchina-jules\"\u003eJules\u003c\/a\u003e is the true dwarf at 80cm with full sized purple flowers, and Peace Baby is its white counterpart. Chameleon, Illusion, Skylab and Melodie fill the 1.5m band in shades from white and pink to blue purple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere tibouchinas work\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e come from Brazil and are happiest in warm, humid, frost free districts: coastal Queensland and New South Wales above all, and sheltered gardens in Perth. In Melbourne and Adelaide grow the compact varieties in pots against a warm wall and protect them from frost. They flower best in full sun with shelter from strong wind, because the branches are brittle. Use them as feature shrubs, informal screens and street trees, among other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eflowering plants\u003c\/a\u003e for \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-subtropical-climates\"\u003esubtropical climates\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting and spacing\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant shrub varieties 1m to 1.5m apart and Alstonville 3m apart. They need acidic, free draining soil rich in organic matter. Dig in compost, plant level with the surface and mulch well. Avoid lime and fresh concrete rubble near the roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare basics\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eKeep the soil moist through summer. Feed in spring and midsummer with a fertiliser for acid loving plants, the same one used for azaleas and camellias. Prune after flowering: take shrubs back by about a third and tip prune young plants to make them bushy. Yellow leaves with green veins mean the soil is too alkaline. Our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003egrowing Alstonville tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e covers feeding and frost protection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen do tibouchinas flower?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main show is late summer through autumn. Alstonville peaks from March to May. Jazzie and Jules spot flower from spring to autumn in warm areas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan tibouchinas take frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot well. Light frost burns the tips and heavy frost can kill young plants. In cold districts keep them in pots that can be moved under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDo tibouchinas grow in pots?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dwarf and compact varieties do very well in a 40cm or larger pot with a mix for acid loving plants and regular feeding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow fast do they grow?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuickly in warm weather: shrubs reach flowering size in their first or second year, and Alstonville makes a small tree in about four years.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"alstonville-tibouchina-tibouchina-lepidota-alstonville","title":"Alstonville Tibouchina - Tibouchina lepidota 'Alstonville'","description":"\u003cp\u003eAlstonville Tibouchina (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina lepidota\u003c\/em\u003e 'Alstonville') is bought for the few weeks each autumn when the whole canopy turns solid purple and the leaves disappear behind the flowers. It makes a rounded evergreen tree of about 4m tall and 3m wide, fast enough to be doing real work in the garden within three years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAutumn colour you can plan around.\u003c\/strong\u003e Flowering peaks through March and April, and on an established tree the purple covers the canopy rather than dotting it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast without being coarse.\u003c\/strong\u003e It gains height quickly while holding a neat rounded head.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA screen that flowers.\u003c\/strong\u003e Planted 2m apart it forms a soft evergreen barrier that pays you back once a year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoastal ready.\u003c\/strong\u003e Salt tolerant and comfortable in humidity, which suits exposed beachside and subtropical gardens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScaled for small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 4m it fits a courtyard where a larger flowering tree would not.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One tree in lawn or against a light coloured wall, because the purple reads best with space around it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering screen.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 2m apart in a single row. The canopies meet without crowding, and light still reaches the sides so the screen flowers along its length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMass planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e Groups of three or five at 2m spacing give a block of colour a single tree cannot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Alstonville Tibouchina in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun for the heaviest flowering; part shade gives fewer flowers and looser growth. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, which covers Brisbane, northern New South Wales, coastal Sydney and Perth. It is frost tender, so colder southern and inland gardens want a warm sheltered wall or a pot that can be moved. Shelter it from strong wind, which strips the flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic, free draining and enriched with compost. It resents lime and waterlogged clay, so on heavy soil plant on a raised mound and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. Feed in early spring and again after flowering, avoiding heavy nitrogen late in summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune as soon as flowering finishes, cutting back by up to a third. It flowers on new wood, so a late prune removes next season's display. Annual trimming keeps the canopy dense rather than twiggy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is grown in three sizes. Tubestock is the economical start for a screen or mass planting, and it catches up quickly because this plant grows fast. The 200mm pack of six suits several trees at once, and the 45L is an advanced plant with a formed head and height already made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a month of settling, then a first worthwhile flowering in the second or third autumn. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eAlstonville tibouchina care and getting the autumn purple\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-trees\"\u003eBrowse more flowering trees\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hedging-screening\"\u003eCompare privacy and screening plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/how-to-prepare-the-soil-for-planting-tips-tricks\"\u003ePreparing soil before you plant\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is mine not flowering?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToo much shade, or pruning at the wrong time. It flowers on wood produced after the previous display, so a cut in late winter or spring takes the buds with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow hard can I prune it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUp to a third of the canopy immediately after flowering, every year if you want it dense. Neglected plants can be cut harder and will reshoot, though they skip a season of flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it grow in Melbourne or Adelaide?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn frost free coastal suburbs, yes, given a warm north facing spot with wind protection. Where frosts are regular it is safer in a pot that can be moved to shelter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":44836585668927,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10) (Backorder)","offer_id":55100317434175,"sku":null,"price":167.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"180mm (Pack of 6) (Backorder)","offer_id":55100317368639,"sku":null,"price":177.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":54140119023935,"sku":null,"price":200.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300mm","offer_id":55100317401407,"sku":null,"price":172.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"45L","offer_id":48042159571263,"sku":"QLD","price":330.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"75L","offer_id":55100317466943,"sku":null,"price":610.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100L","offer_id":55100317499711,"sku":null,"price":605.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Alstonville-Tibouchina-Tibouchina-lepidota-Alstonville_48b8b971.png?v=1766222415"},{"product_id":"jazzie-tibouchina-tibouchina-jazzie","title":"Jazzie Tibouchina - Tibouchina 'Jazzie'","description":"\u003cp\u003eJazzie Tibouchina (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Jazzie') is the compact lasiandra for gardens that cannot house a 4m Alstonville. It settles at about 2m tall and 1.5m wide, then covers itself in deep purple flowers as the weather cools in autumn. Small footprint, heavy seasonal display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePurple flowers when little else is going.\u003c\/strong\u003e The main show lands in autumn, between the summer perennials and the winter camellias.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenuinely small.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 2m by 1.5m it fits a courtyard bed or a large pot without an annual hacking back.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCoastal and humid gardens suit it.\u003c\/strong\u003e Salt tolerant and comfortable in humidity, where many flowering shrubs mark and spot.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies work the flowers.\u003c\/strong\u003e A useful pollinator plant when other forage is thinning out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow maintenance.\u003c\/strong\u003e One prune straight after flowering, a feed in spring, and that is the year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot 400mm or wider holds it, and in a container it sits nearer 1.5m. Shelter it from strong wind, which shreds the petals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall gardens and feature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant near an entry earns its space on the autumn display alone, and it will not shade out its neighbours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLow flowering hedge.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 1m apart in a single row for a hedge of about 1.5m to 2m. Be clear on what you are getting: a flowering divider, not the solid wall a lilly pilly gives you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Jazzie Tibouchina in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it takes part shade and wants afternoon protection in hot inland gardens. It belongs in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. Frost tender is the honest label: a cold snap browns the growth, so the tablelands, cold inland districts and frosty southern gardens should pot it and move it under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic, well drained, improved with organic matter. Mound the bed on heavy clay, because cold wet soil through winter kills a tibouchina more often than the cold itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep the water steady while it establishes, twice a week through the first summer, and never let a potted plant dry right out in flower. An azalea and camellia fertiliser in early spring and again after flowering suits its taste for acid soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune straight after the autumn flowers finish, taking up to a third off and shortening long whippy growth. Leave it later and you cut away next season's flowering wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo sizes are grown: tube stock, and established plants in 200mm pots sold in packs of six. Tubes are young, usually a single stem under 30cm, and they catch up quickly in warm weather. The 200mm plants are branched and closer to garden ready, the size to choose if you want flowers in the first autumn after planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTibouchina foliage is soft, so a few tired leaves after transit are normal rather than a fault. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect roots to take hold in two to three weeks in the growing season, then steady growth, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eguide to growing tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare it with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tibouchina-kathleen-tibouchina-kathleen\"\u003eTibouchina 'Kathleen'\u003c\/a\u003e, the same size in soft pink.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse more \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eflowering shrubs and trees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSee what else suits \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003ea small garden or courtyard\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does Jazzie Tibouchina actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 2m tall and 1.5m wide in the ground, and less in a pot. It is a compact selection, so it holds that size without the hard annual cutback a taller lasiandra needs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it cope with frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot in a genuinely cold garden. It is frost tender, so in cold districts keep it potted and move it under eaves or into a glasshouse for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it on a balcony?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, one of its best uses. Use a pot at least 400mm wide with a free draining acidic mix, and site it out of the strongest wind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":44956453863743,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":55100317565247,"sku":null,"price":198.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":54140119187775,"sku":null,"price":213.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Jazzie-Tibouchina-Tibouchina-Jazzie.png?v=1766222422"},{"product_id":"peace-baby-tibouchina-tibouchina-peace-baby","title":"Peace Baby Tibouchina - Tibouchina 'Peace Baby'","description":"\u003cp\u003ePeace Baby Tibouchina (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Peace Baby') is the white flowered dwarf of the tibouchina family, and it stops at about 90cm tall and 80cm wide. The flowers open pure white and age to a soft pink, so an established plant carries both tones at once. That size and that colour make it one of the few tibouchinas that genuinely belongs in a pot on a balcony rather than in a large garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo colours from one plant.\u003c\/strong\u003e Blooms open white and soften to pink as they age, giving a two tone effect across the shrub.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA true dwarf.\u003c\/strong\u003e Around 90cm tall and 80cm wide, well short of the 4m tree tibouchinas, so there is no annual hard prune to schedule.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour late in the season.\u003c\/strong\u003e The display comes when most gardens have finished flowering, which is the whole appeal of the genus.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt for warm humid summers.\u003c\/strong\u003e Heat and humidity tolerant, so it keeps performing through a subtropical wet season, and bees work the open flowers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 300mm to 400mm pot holds one comfortably for years. Because it flowers at eye level, white against dark velvety foliage reads far better than it would across a large garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and edging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 60cm apart along the front of a bed for a continuous band of white. At that spacing the plants merge instead of sitting as separate dots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e Where a full sized tibouchina would take over, three or five along a path give the same seasonal event at a fraction of the size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Peace Baby Tibouchina in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, with a little afternoon shade helping in hot inland gardens. It belongs in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones. It is frost tender, so in cool southern and tableland gardens grow it in a pot you can move under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic and free draining. Work compost through the bed, and on clay plant high on a mound. Keep 75mm of mulch over the roots. It dislikes lime, so use a mix made for acid loving plants in containers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer, then deep soak whenever the top of the soil dries. It is not drought tolerant, and a dry spell during bud formation costs you flowers. Feed a controlled release fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Trim lightly as soon as the flowers are spent. Buds form on growth made through the warm months, so an early trim thickens the plant and sets up the next display. Avoid cutting back into bare old wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety is supplied in one size, 140mm pots in a pack of 10. Each is a young branched shrub, well past the tube stage, so a pack gives you enough matched plants to edge a bed or fill several courtyard pots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Expect a quiet few weeks after planting, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather, and a reliable display by the second season, all covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eGrowing tibouchinas in Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-balconies\"\u003ePlants that perform on a balcony\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eMore shrubs sized for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/small-courtyard-garden-ideas\"\u003eIdeas for a small courtyard garden\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 90cm tall and 80cm wide at maturity. That is a genuine dwarf, so unlike the tree tibouchinas it will not need reducing every year to stay in bounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are some flowers white and some pink?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are the same flowers at different ages. Blooms open white and gradually take on a soft pink, so a plant in full display carries both tones at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is frost tender. Light frost damages the soft growth and a hard frost can kill a young plant. In cold gardens keep it potted and move it under cover for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":44949563015487,"sku":"QLD","price":199.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300mm (Backorder)","offer_id":55100361244991,"sku":null,"price":115.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Peace-Baby-Tibouchina-Tibouchina-Peace-Baby.jpg?v=1741858502"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-chameleon-tibouchina-chameleon","title":"Tibouchina ‘Chameleon’ - Tibouchina ‘Chameleon’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Chameleon' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Chameleon') earns its name: the flowers open white, blush through pink, and finish deep purple, so one shrub carries three colours at once. It settles at about 1.8m tall and 1.5m wide, small enough for a courtyard bed or a large pot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThree flower colours on one plant.\u003c\/strong\u003e Blooms open white and age through pink to purple, so the shrub shifts colour instead of doing one flush of one shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe right size for a small garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e Roughly 1.8m by 1.5m, so it works as a feature where larger tibouchinas need constant cutting back.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat and humidity are no trouble.\u003c\/strong\u003e It holds up through a subtropical summer when many flowering exotics sulk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContainer friendly.\u003c\/strong\u003e Its size suits a large pot on a patio or balcony, and pot growing lets you shift it out of cold air in winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e Give it a spot you see from a window or a seating area, because the colour change is worth watching up close. One plant in a bed of green foliage does more than a row.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a pot at least 500mm wide with free draining mix. Container growing usually holds it nearer 1.2m to 1.5m and keeps the plant portable in cooler districts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e Its modest width lets it sit within a metre of a path, and it takes an annual prune back to shape without complaint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Chameleon' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun for the heaviest flowering, with afternoon shelter welcome in inland heat. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. Being frost tender, cool temperate, tableland and frosty inland gardens need it potted and moved under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining and slightly acidic, enriched with compost. Tibouchinas dislike lime and waterlogging, so avoid limestone soils and raise the bed on heavy clay. Mulch 75mm deep, pulled back from the stem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer and keep it evenly moist while flowering, because dry spells cut the display short. Feed a fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring and again after the main flush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune straight after the main flowering, taking up to a third off to keep it compact and set up next season's flowering wood. Left unpruned it goes leggy and flowers thin out on bare lower stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is grown in a single size, tube stock, currently listed on backorder so it ships with the next crop. Each plant arrives as a young rooted cutting around 15 to 25cm tall, lightly branched and not in flower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePot it on for a season, or plant it out and tip prune once to force branching. Expect modest flowering in its second year and a full display from the third. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003egrowing tibouchina in Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare it with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tibouchina-illusion-tibouchina-illusion\"\u003eTibouchina 'Illusion'\u003c\/a\u003e, a slightly smaller purple flowered form.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse the wider range of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eflowering plants and shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSee other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants suited to pots and containers\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are there white, pink and purple flowers at once?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat is the point of this variety. Each bloom opens white and darkens through pink to purple as it ages, and because flowers open in succession you see all three stages together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it in a pot?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, and it is a good choice for one. Use a pot 500mm or wider with free draining acidic mix, water more often than in the ground, and expect a slightly smaller plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is frost tender. Light frost damages soft growth and a hard frost can kill a young plant, so cool temperate and frosty inland gardens should keep it potted and under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647881904447,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":16.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":55100499132735,"sku":null,"price":261.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":55100499165503,"sku":null,"price":235.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Chameleon-Tibouchina-Chameleon.png?v=1766224207"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-illusion-tibouchina-illusion","title":"Tibouchina ‘Illusion’ - Tibouchina ‘Illusion’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Illusion' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Illusion') is a compact purple flowered tibouchina for gardens with no room for the standard forms. It sits at roughly 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, dense enough for a low informal hedge, and carries deep violet purple flowers against dark velvety foliage. It is the classic tibouchina display at a size you can reach the top of.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFull sized flowers on a small shrub.\u003c\/strong\u003e Rich purple blooms, the same drama as the big tibouchinas, on a plant that stays around 1.5m rather than climbing to 5m.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDense enough to hedge.\u003c\/strong\u003e Its bushy habit means a row reads as a flowering hedge rather than a line of gappy shrubs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHumidity is not a problem.\u003c\/strong\u003e It holds its foliage and keeps flowering through a muggy subtropical summer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSized for pots and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 500mm pot is enough for a mature plant, which suits balconies and paved entries.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformal hedging.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 1m apart. The shrubs touch by the second season and you get a soft flowering boundary about 1.5m high, which suits a front garden line better than a clipped hedge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting in a small garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant against a light coloured wall shows the purple off properly. Allow 1.2m of width.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a pot at least 500mm wide with free draining acidic mix. Potted plants settle a little smaller and can be moved out of cold air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Illusion' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the densest habit, with light afternoon shade acceptable in inland heat. It is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. Being frost tender, cool temperate and frosty inland districts need it potted and shifted under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining and on the acidic side, improved with compost before planting. Tibouchinas do not like lime or waterlogged ground, so raise the bed on heavy clay.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer, then keep the soil evenly moist while it is in flower, since drying out shortens the display. Feed a fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring and after the main flush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune immediately after the main flowering, taking up to a third off all round. For a hedge, trim lightly twice a year and accept fewer flowers for a tighter face. It reshoots readily, so a leggy plant can be brought back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is grown in a single size, tube stock. Each plant arrives as a rooted cutting roughly 15 to 25cm tall, lightly branched and not in flower. That is the honest picture: a young plant at a low price, not an instant hedge, though tube stock establishes fast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTip prune once soon after planting to force branching low down, which matters for a hedge. Expect light flowering in the second year and a proper display by the third. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare it with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tibouchina-chameleon-tibouchina-chameleon\"\u003eTibouchina 'Chameleon'\u003c\/a\u003e, whose flowers shift from white to pink to purple.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/screening-plants-1m-to-2m\"\u003escreening plants that reach 1m to 2m\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSee what else thrives in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/subtropical-plants-for-warm-climates\"\u003esubtropical and warm climate gardens\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/alternative-hedging-plants\"\u003echoosing alternative hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a hedge?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne metre apart for an informal flowering hedge. Each shrub fills about 1.2m of width, so that spacing closes the line without the plants competing hard enough to thin the lower growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, well short of the older tibouchina varieties. If you have seen a 4m tibouchina in a neighbouring garden, this is not that plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy has my plant stopped flowering well?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsually no pruning and not enough sun. Tibouchinas flower on newer wood, so an annual cut back restores the display, and a plant in shade will always flower sparsely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647882625343,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":16.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":55100501164351,"sku":null,"price":246.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":55100501131583,"sku":null,"price":235.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Illusion-Tibouchina-Illusion.png?v=1766224212"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-jules-tibouchina-jules","title":"Tibouchina ‘Jules’ - Tibouchina ‘Jules’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Jules' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Jules') gives you the deep purple autumn flowers of the big tibouchinas on a plant that stops at about 80cm tall and 80cm wide. That is the whole point of it: the tree forms need real space, this one fits a pot, a balcony or the front of a border. Velvety dark green leaves hold the shape year round, and the display arrives when most gardens have gone quiet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDwarf, not just compact.\u003c\/strong\u003e At roughly 80cm each way it stays where you put it, unlike the tree tibouchinas it is bred from.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour when you need it.\u003c\/strong\u003e The purple flush comes in autumn, filling the gap between the summer flowers and winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt for warm, humid summers.\u003c\/strong\u003e It handles heat and humidity together, so it performs through a tropical or subtropical wet season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow maintenance.\u003c\/strong\u003e One trim after flowering is the entire annual job.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 300mm to 400mm pot holds it comfortably for years. Its size and its habit of flowering at eye level make it one of the better small shrubs for a sunny balcony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders, mass planting and small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 60cm apart for a massed autumn display, where the plants merge into a continuous purple band rather than reading as separate dots. Three or five along a path give the colour of a full sized tibouchina without the pruning bill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Jules' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it takes afternoon shade in hot inland gardens. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones. It is frost tender, so in cooler southern and tableland gardens grow it in a pot you can move under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic and free draining suits it best. Work compost through the bed, and on clay plant on a raised mound. It dislikes lime, so keep it away from fresh concrete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer, then deep soak whenever the topsoil dries. It is not drought tolerant. Feed with a controlled release fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring and after flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Trim lightly as soon as the autumn flowers finish. This keeps the plant dense and sets up the next display, because the buds form on growth made during the warm months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree sizes are grown: a single tube, 140mm in a pack of 10 and 200mm in a pack of 6. Tubes are young plants and the value option if you are patient, taking a full season to bulk up. The 140mm and 200mm packs suit a border or massed bed, since the plants are matched and already branching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTubes are at their most economical planted in numbers, so most customers order a run or combine sizes rather than a single plant. Plants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather, and a reliable flowering by the second autumn. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eGrowing tibouchinas in Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eMore shrubs sized for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003ePlants that hold up in containers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bee-and-butterfly-plants\"\u003eBee and butterfly friendly planting\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 80cm tall and 80cm wide at maturity. That is a genuine dwarf, well short of the tree tibouchinas, so it will not need the hard annual pruning those varieties demand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is frost tender. Light frost damages the soft growth and a hard frost can kill a young plant outright. In cold gardens grow it in a pot and shift it to shelter through winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen does it flower, and can I get more flowers?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAutumn is the main display. The surest way to increase it is a light trim straight after flowering plus feeding in early spring, because the buds form on growth made over the warm months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647882953023,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":13.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":54140082684223,"sku":null,"price":221.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":54140082716991,"sku":null,"price":217.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Jules-Tibouchina-Jules.png?v=1766224216"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-kathleen-tibouchina-kathleen","title":"Tibouchina ‘Kathleen’ - Tibouchina ‘Kathleen’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Kathleen' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Kathleen') is the soft pink lasiandra, a compact shrub to about 2m tall and 1.5m wide that flowers as the season turns. Where most tibouchinas are deep purple, this one opens pale pink, which sits more easily against brick and rendered walls. It suits a courtyard bed or a large pot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoft pink instead of purple.\u003c\/strong\u003e The pale flowers give you the lasiandra shape and season without the strong purple that not every garden wants.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact at 2m by 1.5m.\u003c\/strong\u003e It stays a shrub, so it fits in front of a fence or beside a path without a hard cutback every year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComfortable in humidity and coastal air.\u003c\/strong\u003e Humidity tolerant and salt tolerant, so it holds up in coastal and northern gardens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGood for bees and butterflies.\u003c\/strong\u003e The open flowers arrive when other forage is thinning.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow maintenance.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune once after flowering, feed in spring, and it looks after itself.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot 400mm or wider is enough, and container growing holds it nearer 1.5m. Site it out of strong wind, which tears the petals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting in a small garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant beside a seat or an entry does the job, and it will not shade out its neighbours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLow flowering hedge.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 1m apart in a single row for an informal hedge of about 1.5m to 2m. It gives colour and a soft divide rather than a solid privacy screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Kathleen' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun for the best flowering, with afternoon shade welcome in hot inland gardens. This is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate plant. It is frost tender, so the tablelands, cold inland districts and frosty southern gardens should pot it and shift it under cover for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic, free draining and improved with compost. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound: cold wet soil in winter kills a tibouchina more often than the cold itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep water twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in hot weather, and never let a potted plant dry out in bud. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser in early spring and after flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune straight after the flowers finish, taking off up to a third and shortening long whippy growth. Wind protection matters as much as pruning here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is grown in tube stock only. A tube is a young plant, usually a single stem under 30cm, which means two things: it is cheap enough to plant a group or a short hedge, and it needs a season in the ground before it looks like much. Expect strong growth through the first warm season and flowers in its second year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTube stock travels well because the root ball is compact and the top growth is light. Pot it into a 200mm container first if you would rather not plant something this small straight into a bed. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eguide to growing tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e covers pruning timing and a heavier display.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor deep purple at the same size, see \u003ca href=\"\/products\/jazzie-tibouchina-tibouchina-jazzie\"\u003eJazzie Tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse the wider \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eflowering plants range\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFind companions in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eplants for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 2m tall and 1.5m wide in the ground, closer to 1.5m in a pot. It holds that size without hard annual pruning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOnly tube stock is listed. Is that a problem?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, but set your expectations. A tube needs a growing season to look established, so it suits patient planting, or potting up first, rather than instant effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are the flowers browning and dropping early?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWind is the usual cause, followed by dryness at the roots. Give it a sheltered position and keep the water steady while it is in flower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647883280703,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":13.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100L (Backorder)","offer_id":55100502212927,"sku":null,"price":412.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200L","offer_id":55100502245695,"sku":null,"price":825.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Kathleen-Tibouchina-Kathleen.jpg?v=1766224218"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-little-beauty-tibouchina-little-beauty","title":"Tibouchina ‘Little Beauty’ - Tibouchina ‘Little Beauty’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Little Beauty' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Little Beauty') is the dwarf purple glory bush, holding at about 1.2m tall and 1m wide. That size is the whole point: the same saturated purple display on a shrub that fits a courtyard, a balcony pot or the front row of a border. It flowers heaviest through autumn, when most warm climate gardens have run out of colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePurple you can see from the street.\u003c\/strong\u003e The flowers open in a dense flush over dark green foliage, and the colour is deep rather than washed out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt stays small without pruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 1.2m by 1m it needs shaping, not restraining, which is the difference between this and a full sized tibouchina.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMade for pots.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 400mm to 500mm pot suits it, so balconies and courtyards get the display without a garden bed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat and humidity are no problem.\u003c\/strong\u003e It handles both, so it performs in tropical and subtropical gardens where many flowering shrubs sulk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGood for bees and butterflies.\u003c\/strong\u003e The open flowers are easy for pollinators to work.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall gardens and borders.\u003c\/strong\u003e With a 1m spread, plants set about 800mm apart merge into a continuous low band of colour along a path or fence line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e The compact habit makes it one of the better flowering shrubs for containers. Use quality potting mix and a pot at least 400mm across.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e Group three beside an entry so the autumn flush reads as one block of purple rather than scattered spots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing tibouchina in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it accepts a few hours of afternoon shade in hot inland gardens. This is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate plant and it is frost tender, so cold winter districts want a sheltered north facing wall or a pot that can be moved under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining and slightly acidic. Tibouchinas dislike lime and heavy wet clay, so dig compost through the bed or plant on a low mound. Mulch 50mm deep and keep it clear of the stem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer and keep it evenly moist while flower buds are forming. Feed with a controlled release fertiliser suited to acid loving plants in early spring, then again in midsummer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune once, straight after the flowers finish. Take up to a third off to keep it tight and encourage the new wood that carries the next display. Pruning late in the year removes the coming flush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is grown as tube stock, so plants arrive young and around 15cm to 25cm tall, usually single stemmed with a few side shoots. Tubes travel well and establish fast. Pinch the growing tips twice in the first season to build a bushy plant rather than a leggy one, and expect a modest first year with a proper display in the second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are packed upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eGrowing tibouchina: soil, feeding and pruning for heavy flowering\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eMore flowering shrubs sized for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003ePlants that perform in pots and on balconies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1.2m tall and 1m wide in the ground, and often a touch smaller in a pot. It is a genuine dwarf selection, so it will not turn into the 4m shrub people know from older gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, it is frost tender. In cold winter districts grow it in a pot you can shift under eaves, or plant it against a warm north facing wall and accept some leaf damage in a hard winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen and how hard should I prune it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImmediately after flowering finishes, taking up to a third of the growth. That timing gives the plant a full season to build the new wood the next flush comes from.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube (Backorder)","offer_id":51647883510079,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":16.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10) (Backorder)","offer_id":55100503228735,"sku":null,"price":203.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Little-Beauty-Tibouchina-Little-Beauty.png?v=1766224222"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-melodie-tibouchina-melodie","title":"Tibouchina ‘Melodie’ - Tibouchina ‘Melodie’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Melodie' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e '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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePurple you can see from the street.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep violet flowers held across the whole plant, not only at the tips.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmall enough for a small garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e At roughly 1.5m by 1.2m it suits a courtyard or a narrow bed where a full sized tibouchina needs constant cutting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenuinely good in a pot.\u003c\/strong\u003e Compact habit and modest roots mean a 400mm container holds it for years on a balcony.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies work the flowers.\u003c\/strong\u003e Each flush brings pollinators in, which counts if the rest of the bed is foliage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComfortable in humidity.\u003c\/strong\u003e Warm wet summers do not bother it, so it holds up where other flowering shrubs struggle.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant carries the autumn display. Give it 1.5m of clear space so the flowering wood is not shaded by neighbours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a container at least 400mm wide with real drainage, and expect to water through summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformal hedge.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Melodie' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTubes 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 every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eHow to grow tibouchina in Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare the smaller cultivars, including \u003ca href=\"\/products\/tibouchina-little-beauty-tibouchina-little-beauty\"\u003eTibouchina Little Beauty\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse more \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eflowering plants for warm gardens\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFind a container in our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants for pots range\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big will it actually get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I get more flowers?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFull sun, steady water and pruning immediately after the autumn flush. Late summer pruning removes the buds and costs you the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647883968831,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":22.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":55100505129279,"sku":null,"price":268.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":55100505162047,"sku":null,"price":213.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Melodie-Tibouchina-Melodie.png?v=1766224225"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-noelene-tibouchina-noelene","title":"Tibouchina ‘Noelene’ - Tibouchina ‘Noelene’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Noelene' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Noelene') is the bicolour glory bush, opening white and ageing to deep pink so a mature shrub carries both colours at once. It settles at about 3m tall and 2m wide, small enough for a courtyard bed, tall enough to soften a fence. The main flush runs from late summer into autumn, when most gardens have gone quiet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo colours at once.\u003c\/strong\u003e Buds open white and deepen to pink with age, so the canopy reads as shaded rather than flat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIt flowers late.\u003c\/strong\u003e The display lands between the summer perennials and the winter camellias, filling a real gap in the year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast to fill its space.\u003c\/strong\u003e A tube planted in spring is a useful shrub inside two seasons.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt for heat and humidity.\u003c\/strong\u003e Muggy coastal summers do not bother it, which rules out many other flowering shrubs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies work it.\u003c\/strong\u003e The flowers are open and shallow, so insects reach the pollen easily.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant carries a small garden through autumn. Give it a position you see from inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformal screening.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 1.5m apart for a loose screen. It is not a clipped hedge plant, since hard shearing removes the wood that carries next season's flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e A container 400mm or wider suits it, and pot growing naturally holds it nearer 2m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Noelene' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun for the heaviest flowering. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so cold tableland, inland and southern gardens need a sheltered warm wall, a pot that can move under cover, or a hardier shrub.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic and free draining. Work compost through the bed, avoid lime, and keep 75mm of mulch clear of the stem. Wet feet in heavy clay is the fastest way to lose one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then water in dry spells and while buds form. Feed a fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring and again after flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune straight after the flowers drop, taking up to a third off. It flowers on new wood, so an early trim builds the next display. Late pruning costs you flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is grown as tube stock: young single stemmed plants, usually below knee height, with roots still filling the tube. That is the trade off, a season of patience in exchange for a plant that establishes quickly at a fraction of the cost of advanced stock. Plant out in spring or early autumn and pinch the tip once to encourage low branching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet fortnight, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather, and a first real flowering in the second autumn. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eHow to grow and prune tibouchinas\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eBrowse the full flowering plant range\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eShrubs sized for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/tubestock\"\u003eShop tubestock for larger plantings\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a screen?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet plants 1.5m apart. The canopies meet without crowding, and each shrub keeps the open habit that makes the flowering worth having.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly light, occasional frost once established, and young plants will be damaged. In tableland, inland and cold southern gardens, grow it in a pot you can move under eaves for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen should I prune it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImmediately after flowering finishes, taking up to a third off. Pruning in late winter or spring removes the wood that would have carried the next flush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647884198207,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Noelene-Tibouchina-Noelene.png?v=1766224227"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-purple-star-tibouchina-purple-star","title":"Tibouchina ‘Purple Star’ - Tibouchina ‘Purple Star’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Purple Star' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Purple Star') gives you the deep purple autumn display of the big tibouchinas on a shrub that stops at about 2m tall and 1.5m wide. That size is the point of it. The tree forms need a large garden and an annual reduction, while this one holds its own at the back of a border, in a courtyard or in a large pot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour when the garden goes quiet.\u003c\/strong\u003e The purple flush arrives from late summer into autumn, filling the stretch between summer flowering and winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA garden sized tibouchina.\u003c\/strong\u003e At roughly 2m by 1.5m it fits a suburban block without the yearly hard prune the tree forms demand.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast to establish.\u003c\/strong\u003e Growth is quick in warm weather, so a young plant reads as a real shrub by its second season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt for heat and humidity.\u003c\/strong\u003e It performs through a tropical or subtropical wet season when other flowering shrubs sulk, and bees work the open flowers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant against a green background or a pale wall is enough, since the colour is strong and a single specimen does more than a scattered group.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmall gardens and borders.\u003c\/strong\u003e At the back of a border it gives height without bulk. For a run along a fence, plant 1.2m apart so the canopies touch and the colour reads as a band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 400mm or larger pot holds it for years. Potted plants settle at around 1.2m to 1.5m rather than the full 2m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Purple Star' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, with a little afternoon shade helping in hot inland gardens. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones. It is frost tender, so in cool southern and tableland gardens grow it in a pot you can move under cover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic and free draining. Work compost through the bed and, on clay, plant high on a mound. Keep 75mm of mulch over the roots and clear of the stem. It dislikes lime, so avoid planting hard against fresh concrete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water twice a week through the first summer, then deep soak whenever the top of the soil dries. It is not drought tolerant and drops buds if it dries out in autumn. Feed a controlled release fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Trim lightly as soon as the autumn flowers finish. Buds form on growth made during the warm months, so an early trim sets up the next display. Avoid cutting deep into bare old wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety is supplied as tube stock: a young single plant, usually ankle height with a few branches. It catches up quickly, reaching around 1m by the end of the second growing season, with a first reliable flowering in the second autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTubes are economical in numbers, so most customers order several and plant a group or a short run for a stronger display. Stock is packed upright and delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Expect a quiet few weeks after planting, then new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather, and our 30 day healthy plant guarantee covers you throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eGrowing tibouchinas in Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eMore shrubs sized for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eBrowse the flowering plant range\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/alstonville-tibouchina-tibouchina-lepidota-alstonville\"\u003eAlstonville Tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e if you have room for the tree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it get, and will it need cutting back every year?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 2m tall and 1.5m wide. A light trim after flowering keeps it dense, but it does not need the hard annual reduction a 4m tree tibouchina demands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is frost tender. Light frost burns the soft growth and a hard frost can kill a young plant. In cold gardens keep it potted and shift it to a sheltered spot for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen does it flower?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom late summer into autumn, which is exactly when most gardens have run out of colour. Feeding in early spring and trimming after flowering both improve the show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647885377855,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":20.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":55100505424191,"sku":null,"price":217.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":55100505391423,"sku":null,"price":261.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Purple-Star-Tibouchina-Purple-Star.png?v=1766224229"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-skylab-tibouchina-skylab","title":"Tibouchina ‘Skylab’ - Tibouchina ‘Skylab’","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Skylab' (\u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Skylab') is the compact way to get that deep purple autumn display into a small garden. It holds at about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, roughly a third the size of an Alstonville, so it fits a courtyard bed or a large pot with no pruning battle. The velvety evergreen leaves look good year round, then vanish under flower as the season turns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe colour arrives when the garden needs it.\u003c\/strong\u003e Most shrubs finish by summer's end. This one saves its display for autumn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmall enough for a courtyard.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 1.5m by 1.2m it fits a narrow bed or a balcony pot.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVelvet foliage all year.\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen, with soft ribbed leaves that catch the light even out of flower.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies find it fast.\u003c\/strong\u003e The open flowers are easy landing pads late in the season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow maintenance by nature.\u003c\/strong\u003e One tidy up after flowering is the whole pruning job.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting in a small garden.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant does the work of a whole bed once it flowers, so give it a spot you see from inside, ideally against a pale wall that makes the purple read stronger. In a row along a fence, space plants 1.2m apart so each keeps its rounded shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots, balconies and courtyards.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot 400mm or wider suits it and keeps it at the smaller end of its size range. Potted plants dry out fast in summer, so be honest about whether you will water it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina 'Skylab' in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it takes afternoon shade in hot inland gardens. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones. It is frost tender, so cooler districts need a warm sheltered wall or a pot that moves under cover for winter. Drying wind shreds the soft leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free draining and on the acidic side. Work compost through the bed before planting and use a mix for acid loving plants in pots. Waterlogged clay is the fastest way to lose one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep soakings twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. Feed with a fertiliser for acid loving plants in early spring and again after flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut back by about a third once the last flowers finish, which keeps it dense and sets up the next display. Avoid pruning in late winter, because the buds form on the growth that follows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety is grown as tube stock, so what arrives is a young single stemmed plant of around 15cm to 25cm. It is not an instant feature. Tube stock establishes quickly because the roots are undisturbed, and a warm first season should give you a shapely 60cm to 80cm plant by year's end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Plant yours out within a few days, keep the water up for the first month, and hold off heavy feeding until you see new growth. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eHow to grow and care for tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-subtropical-climates\"\u003eBrowse plants for subtropical climates\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eShop plants suited to pots and balconies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003eCompare shrubs for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow is it different from Alstonville tibouchina?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize, mostly. Alstonville grows into a small tree of 4m or more, while 'Skylab' settles at about 1.5m by 1.2m. The purple is similar, so choose this one when you want the display without the height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is frost tender, and a hard frost burns the soft new growth. In frosty gardens grow it in a pot you can shift under eaves for winter, or plant it against a north facing wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are the leaves going yellow?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsually alkaline soil locking up iron, which shows as yellowing between green veins. Feed with a fertiliser for acid loving plants and mulch with composted pine bark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":51647885836607,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/Tibouchina-Skylab-Tibouchina-Skylab.png?v=1766224230"},{"product_id":"tibouchina-lilac-time-tibouchina-lilac-time","title":"Tibouchina Lilac Time - Tibouchina 'Lilac Time'","description":"\u003cp\u003eTibouchina 'Lilac Time' brings the tibouchina flower down to a size that fits a courtyard. It settles at about 2m tall and 1.5m wide, and covers itself in soft lilac purple flowers from late summer into autumn, when most of the garden has finished. Between flushes the velvety deep green leaves keep it looking deliberate rather than spent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour at the end of the season.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eTibouchina\u003c\/em\u003e 'Lilac Time' flowers when summer is winding down, filling the gap before the winter flowering shrubs start.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBig flower, small plant.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 2m by 1.5m it delivers a tibouchina display on a footprint that suits a courtyard, a border or a large pot.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFast to look established.\u003c\/strong\u003e It puts on size quickly, so a young plant reads as a real shrub by its second season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBees and butterflies work it.\u003c\/strong\u003e The open flowers are easy for insects to reach, and the plant hums while it is in bloom.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature planting.\u003c\/strong\u003e One plant against a light rendered wall or a dark green hedge is enough, because the flower colour does the work without help.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and containers.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot 400mm or wider suits it, and container growing is the practical answer for gardeners south of the subtropics who need to shelter it in winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBorders and small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e Planted 1.2m apart it forms a soft informal run along a fence line without the bulk of a full sized tibouchina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Tibouchina Lilac Time in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun for the heaviest flowering, with part shade acceptable in hot inland gardens. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate districts. It is frost tender, so in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and the tablelands grow it in a pot that can move under cover before the first cold nights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Slightly acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. Dig compost through the bed before planting and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stem. Alkaline soils yellow the leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep the soil evenly moist, especially while buds are forming, as a dry spell at that point drops the flower buds. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser in early spring and again straight after flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Prune immediately after the flowers finish, taking about a third off to keep it compact. It flowers on new growth, so pruning late in winter or in spring removes the coming display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is grown in three sizes. Tubes are young single stemmed plants and the value choice for a border run or a mass planting. The 140mm pack of ten and 200mm pack of six are larger and better branched, and they give a bed real presence in its first season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a settling month after planting, then strong growth through the warm season and flowering from late summer once the plant has some size. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/the-secrets-to-growing-australia-s-purple-gem-alstonville-tibouchina\"\u003eGrowing and pruning tibouchina\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/flowering-plants\"\u003eBrowse flowering shrubs and plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003ePlants suited to small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/subtropical-plants-for-warm-climates\"\u003eSubtropical plants for warm gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen does it flower?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom late summer into autumn, with the heaviest display on plants growing in full sun. Younger plants flower lightly in their first season and build from there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive frost?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. It is frost tender and cold nights burn the soft growth. In cool districts keep it in a pot and move it to a sheltered spot or under cover for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy did mine not flower this year?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost often the timing of pruning. Because it flowers on new wood, a winter or spring cut removes the wood that would have carried the display, so prune straight after flowering instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it in a pot long term?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, in a container 400mm or wider with a quality acidic potting mix. Water more often than a garden plant and repot every two or three years to keep it flowering well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube (Backorder)","offer_id":54742720774463,"sku":"QLD-tube","price":13.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":54742720807231,"sku":null,"price":217.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":54742720839999,"sku":null,"price":239.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/tibouchina-lilac-time-tibouchina-lilac-time-13a4c4.jpg?v=1785941274"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/collections\/tibouchina-collection.jpg?v=1790856462","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/collections\/tibouchina.oembed","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}