How to Grow and Care for Princess Flower

The leaves of moderate-growing princess flowers are two- to six-inches long and one and 1/2-inches wide.

Its flowers are three- to five-inches wide and a deep, vibrant purple.

Its fruit is a small brown capsule, less than 1/2-inch long.

Be sure to protect this plant from frost and strong winds.

Princess flower has a natural round or vase-shaped growth habit, and it is quite tall when mature.

Many gardeners prefer to prune it to control its size and shape it into a more compact form.

In USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10 it’s a good idea to provide some shade.

Soil

Your princess flower will appreciate moist, rich soil.

Princess flower is somewhat tolerant of drought but does best when regularly watered.

Be careful to avoid overwatering, as very wet soil can injure the plant.

Princess flower is a tropical plant and cannot tolerate frost.

It’s best to fertilize your princess flower each spring, summer, and fall.

A layer of organicmulchwill retain soil moisture.

Pruning for shape and to control its size is best performed immediately after the shrub finishes flowering.

Pinching off new growth will encourage branch formation and create a fuller shrub.

you’re able to propagate princess flower by rooting softwood cuttings.

Princess flower is easy to grow from seed.

Create a potting mix with peat-based soil and perlite, sand, orvermiculite, and wet it well.

Be very gentle when handling the roots.

After the last frost date has passed, move the plant outdoors.

Mushroom root-rot can occur if a princess plant is grown in soggy soil.

To avoid this problem, water no more than once a week.

To encourage it to bloom more,deadheadits spent flowers.

This flowering shrub enjoys full sun throughout the day.

However, full sun conditions produce larger leaves and more blooms.

Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds enjoy the princess flower blooms.

Tropical plants look stunning with princess flower.

Pair it up withbird of paradise,jasmine, variegated ginger, and others.