Tibouchina Lilac Time

Tibouchina '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.

Why you'll love it

• Colour at the end of the season. Tibouchina 'Lilac Time' flowers when summer is winding down, filling the gap before the winter flowering shrubs start.
• Big flower, small plant. At 2m by 1.5m it delivers a tibouchina display on a footprint that suits a courtyard, a border or a large pot.
• Fast to look established. It puts on size quickly, so a young plant reads as a real shrub by its second season.
• Bees and butterflies work it. The open flowers are easy for insects to reach, and the plant hums while it is in bloom.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant against a light rendered wall or a dark green hedge is enough, because the flower colour does the work without help.

Pots and containers. 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.

Borders and small gardens. Planted 1.2m apart it forms a soft informal run along a fence line without the bulk of a full sized tibouchina.

Growing Tibouchina Lilac Time in Australia

Position and climate. 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.

Soil. 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.

Water and feed. 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.

Pruning. 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.

What to expect when it arrives

It 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.

Plants 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.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Growing and pruning tibouchina
• Browse flowering shrubs and plants
• Plants suited to small gardens
• Subtropical plants for warm gardens

Common questions

When does it flower?

From 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.

Will it survive frost?

No. 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.

Why did mine not flower this year?

Most 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.

Can I grow it in a pot long term?

Yes, 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.