Subscribe to our Growing Gardeners YouTube Channel

Sunday 16 March 2008

Indigenous Beauties : Ruttyruspolia 'Phyllis Van Heerden'


Ruttyruspolia 'Phyllis Van Heerden'

I feel a little apologetic for this perennially beautiful plant - that no-one has taken the care to give it a common name. Its Latin name is a bit of a mouthful, and usually mispronounced or misspelled.

It is a shrub that reaches 1-2m in height, and stays quite compact. If planted in the shade of taller plants - it will go scrambling for light.
It bears clusters of star-shaped warm pink flowers for most of summer. It should be pruned back well after it has finished flowering. It loves a sunny spot, with well draining soil.

It doesn't enjoy frosty conditions. Interestingly enough, it is a hybrid of 2 different genera (Ruttya and Ruspolia).

Any ideas for a common name?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love it. I call mine ruttya.

Home Made Pest Control Solution(s)

I'm really not a big fan of pesticides or chemicals. Actually, that's putting it mildly...I hate pesticides. They are almost always ...