Japanese name: ブータンルリマツリ Scientific name:Ceratostigma griffithii
[Overview]
An evergreen shrub 40–130 cm tall.
It branches well, and the branch tips droop slightly.
Young branches are densely hairy and tinged with brown.
The leaves are simple and alternate, elliptic, about 2–5 cm long and 1–2.2 cm wide, and turn red in autumn.
The flowers are borne densely at the branch tips; they are lapis-blue, and the corolla is 5-lobed.
The fruit is a capsule.
[History]
It was introduced to Japan at the end of the Meiji era.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or stem cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil.
It tolerates partial shade and dryness, and if the conditions suit it, it grows well even when left alone.
Take care not to overwater; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
For plants in the ground, no fertilizer is particularly needed if basal fertilizer is applied; for potted plants, place slow-release fertilizer on the soil once from spring to autumn.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
