Elsa Tibouchina

Elsa Tibouchina (Tibouchina alba 'Elsa') is a white flowered tibouchina with velvety, silver green leaves, grown as a flowering hedge or feature shrub. It reaches up to 2.5m high and wide, establishes quickly and flowers in spring and autumn. It is for frost free gardens only.

Why you'll love it

• Crisp white flowers. Clean white blooms with purple anthers appear in spring and autumn, a lighter alternative to the usual purple tibouchina.
• Silver green foliage. The leaves are velvety and silvery sage, and new growth is edged in pink, so the shrub looks good between flushes of flower.
• Quick to establish. A medium growing shrub that gets going fast, it suits anyone wanting a garden in a hurry.
• A useful size. At up to 2.5m high and wide it is tall enough to screen a fence line and compact enough for most suburban blocks.

Where it works best

Flowering hedge. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row, and the shrubs knit into a flowering hedge. Prune after each flowering to keep the line neat.

Feature shrub. Give a single plant 2.5m of room in front of dark foliage or a dark fence, where the white flowers and silver leaves stand out.

Warm, frost free gardens. Tibouchinas like warm, humid conditions, so it suits the tropics, subtropics and mild coastal gardens. The open white flowers also draw bees.

Growing Elsa Tibouchina in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the best flowering, though a sunny to partly shaded position suits it. Elsa is for frost free gardens only, so protect it from frost and choose a sheltered spot. It suits tropical, subtropical and the mildest warm temperate gardens, and in cooler districts it is safer in a pot under cover.

Soil. Free draining soil. Dig in compost on heavy clay, and avoid positions where water pools.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly during the first 12 weeks, or until the plant is established, and give extra water during dry periods. Feed once a year with a controlled release fertiliser.

Pruning. Prune after flowering for a neat growth habit.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Elsa Tibouchina as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives small, so plant it into prepared, free draining soil in a sunny, frost free spot and keep it moist until it is growing strongly.

Tube stock comes from our grower, who does not always have it. When there is none, the tube shows as sold out on this page, and the notify button emails you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the tibouchina range
• Hedging and screening plants
• Plants for subtropical climates
• Growing Alstonville tibouchina

Common questions

When does Elsa Tibouchina flower?

In spring and autumn, with crisp white flowers carrying purple anthers.

Can I grow it in a frosty garden?

No. It is for frost free gardens only, and young plants in particular need protection from frost.

How should I prune it?

Prune after flowering for a neat growth habit. A yearly feed of controlled release fertiliser and extra water in dry spells keep it in good flower.