"Blue Potato Bush"
(The Proper Latin Name Is Lycianthes rantonnetii)
Native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, the blue potato bush is cultivated all over the world for its beautiful deep purple-blue flowers. If you’ve ever seen it bloom, you won’t forget it. The Royal Horticultural Society gave Lycianthes rantonnetii their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 2012.
The blue potato bush is a fast growing evergreen that will grow to as much as ten feet in height and width. Typically they are pruned back to a much smaller size. They can be pruned to almost any shape and are often trimmed to a round shape with the lower foliage clipped, thus resembling a small tree.
Several cultivars have been produced with different colored foliage and blossoms. The cultivar Lycianthes rantonnetii 'White' has beautiful snow white flowers,
Lycianthes rantonnetii 'White'
while Lycianthes rantonnetii ‘Variegata’ has cream and grey-green leaves with blue flowers.
Lycianthes rantonnetii ‘Variegata’
All varieties are sweetly scented and attract butterflies. If not pruned, this species will also produce berries which will attract a variety of birds.
Native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, the blue potato bush is cultivated all over the world for its beautiful deep purple-blue flowers. If you’ve ever seen it bloom, you won’t forget it. The Royal Horticultural Society gave Lycianthes rantonnetii their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 2012.
The blue potato bush is a fast growing evergreen that will grow to as much as ten feet in height and width. Typically they are pruned back to a much smaller size. They can be pruned to almost any shape and are often trimmed to a round shape with the lower foliage clipped, thus resembling a small tree.
Several cultivars have been produced with different colored foliage and blossoms. The cultivar Lycianthes rantonnetii 'White' has beautiful snow white flowers,
Lycianthes rantonnetii 'White'
while Lycianthes rantonnetii ‘Variegata’ has cream and grey-green leaves with blue flowers.
Lycianthes rantonnetii ‘Variegata’
All varieties are sweetly scented and attract butterflies. If not pruned, this species will also produce berries which will attract a variety of birds.
Fav. comment Award !! I like the variegated one in the last Pic.