{"product_id":"purple-plumed-featherflower-verticordia-plumosa-purple","title":"Purple Plumed Featherflower - Verticordia plumosa 'Purple'","description":"\u003cp\u003ePurple Plumed Featherflower (\u003cem\u003eVerticordia plumosa\u003c\/em\u003e 'Purple') is a compact Western Australian native shrub that covers itself in fluffy purple flowers through spring and summer. It grows 50cm to 1m tall and wide, with feathery foliage that makes a soft backdrop for the blooms. It is a plant for sunny, free-draining sites and dry summers, and its flowers last well when cut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFluffy purple flowers.\u003c\/strong\u003e Masses of small plume-like blooms cover the shrub through spring and summer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeathery foliage.\u003c\/strong\u003e The species name plumosa means feathery, and the fine leaves give the plant a soft texture all year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact size.\u003c\/strong\u003e At 50cm to 1m high and wide it fits even the smallest of gardens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrought resistant.\u003c\/strong\u003e Once established it copes with dry spells, and it tolerates light frost.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGood for wildlife and vases.\u003c\/strong\u003e It attracts wildlife to the garden, and the flowers are long lasting when cut.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeature shrub.\u003c\/strong\u003e Give it an open, sunny spot where air can move around it and it is not crowded by other plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLow informal hedge.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 60cm apart for a soft, flowering hedge about a metre high, trimmed lightly after flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNative mixed plantings and small gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e It sits well among other native shrubs and grevilleas, adding purple to plantings that are mostly red, yellow and pink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSandy sites.\u003c\/strong\u003e It loves sandy, well-drained soil and full sun, so it suits sandy gardens and borders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Purple Plumed Featherflower in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun gives the best flowering, but it tolerates a partly shaded spot. It prefers low humidity, dry summers and wet winters, which means Mediterranean and drier warm temperate gardens, and it tolerates light frost. In humid eastern gardens it is harder to keep, so give it a raised bed or pot with sharp drainage and plenty of airflow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Free-draining sandy soil. Avoid heavy clay and richly fed beds, which suit it poorly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mulch the bed but keep the mulch clear of the stem, and water directly onto the soil for around 12 weeks while the plant establishes. A yearly feed of slow release native fertiliser is enough.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut it back lightly after flowering, and tip prune a little and often through the year to build dense growth and plenty of flowers next season. Avoid cutting back into bare old wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell Purple Plumed Featherflower as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives as a small, fine-leaved shrub and fills out over its first season or two. Plants travel upright, so unpack them promptly, water them in and plant them into well-drained soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out on the page, and the notify button emails you the day it is back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are 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=\"\/collections\/australian-native-shrubs\"\u003eAustralian native shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/drought-tolerant-plants\"\u003eDrought tolerant plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-small-gardens\"\u003ePlants for small gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/designing-a-native-australian-garden-to-attract-wildlife\"\u003eDesigning a native garden to attract wildlife\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it in a humid climate?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is harder there, because it prefers low humidity, dry summers and wet winters. Use a raised bed or a pot of sandy mix, full sun and open airflow, and water into the soil rather than over the foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen and how should I prune it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCut it lightly after flowering, and keep tip pruning a little and often so it stays dense and flowers well next season. Never cut hard into leafless old stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I pick the flowers?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. The fluffy purple flowers are long lasting when cut, and picking them with a short stem also acts as a light prune.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube (Backorder)","offer_id":67790892007743,"sku":"VER-PLU-PURPLE-tube","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/purple-plumed-featherflower-verticordia-plumosa-purple.jpg?v=1792211479","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/products\/purple-plumed-featherflower-verticordia-plumosa-purple","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}