Japanese name: ツルウリクサ（蔓瓜草） Scientific name:Torenia concolor
[Overview]
A perennial found in places such as damp spots at woodland edges.
The stem has 4 ridges, branches freely, creeps along the ground, and produces roots from the nodes.
The leaves are simple and opposite, triangular-ovate to ovate, 1–4 cm long and 1–2.5 cm wide, with sparse hairs on both sides.
The leaf margin is toothed.
The leaf stalk is 0.5–1 cm long.
The flowers are solitary in the upper leaf axils, and the flower stalk is 1–5 cm long.
The flowers are deep bluish purple and tubular, 3–4 cm long, lip-shaped at the tip, with a rounded upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip.
The calyx is tubular and 5-lobed, with 5 longitudinal ridges bearing narrow wings.
The fruit is a capsule enclosed in the enlarged calyx.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by stem cuttings.
The seeds are extremely fine.
When sowing, do not cover the seeds with soil, and water from below.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated, fertile site.
It can overwinter outdoors in regions without frost.
Bring potted plants into a warm place indoors in winter.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, water if sunny weather continues and the soil becomes dry.
During the growing season, apply slow-release fertilizer placed on the soil.
Remove spent flowers promptly.
Pests and diseases include gray mold and aphids.
