Japanese name: ブルーキャッツアイ Scientific name:Otacanthus caeruleus
[Overview]
An evergreen shrub growing 0.7–1.2 m tall.
The stem branches in the upper part, and the base becomes woody.
Leaves are simple and opposite, elliptic to lanceolate, with conspicuous pinnate veins.
The leaf margins have fine teeth.
Flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils at the top of the stem and are blue to bluish purple.
The corolla has a slender tube about 2.5 cm long, and the tip is two-lipped, with the base of the lower lip white.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It is safest to keep it at 5°C or above in winter, but in areas without frost it can overwinter outdoors, and as long as it does not freeze completely, it will sprout in spring even if the aboveground part dies back.
It prefers sun to partial shade and soil that is well drained and retains moisture.
Take care not to overwater; water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Apply liquid fertilizer from spring to autumn.
Pests include aphids and spider mites.
