Linaria purpurea (purple toadflax)

Japanese name: リナリア プルプレア
Scientific name: Linaria purpurea

[Overview]
A perennial 45–90 cm tall.
The whole plant is hairless and tinged bluish green.
The leaves are simple, whorled on the lower part of the stem and alternate on the upper part.
The leaves are linear-lanceolate, 2–5 cm long, with entire margins.
There are no petioles.
A long raceme arises at the stem tip, and the flowers open in order from the bottom of the inflorescence.
The flowers are bluish purple; the corolla is two-lipped, with the upper lip upright and 2-lobed, and the lower lip large and 3-lobed with a raised base.
On the back of the flower there is a spur that extends downward and curves forward.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It also multiplies well by self-sown seed, and if the environment suits it, it grows well even when left alone.
It prefers sunny, airy, well-drained sandy soil.
It dislikes acidic soil and excess moisture.
For potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil has dried; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply basal fertilizer, and in spring also apply slow-release fertilizer placed on the soil.
Too much nitrogen makes it leggy and prone to falling over, so use little fertilizer or one low in nitrogen.
Cutting back the flower stalks after flowering produces side shoots and allows a second flowering.
There are no particular pests or diseases, but root rot may occur in damp soil.

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