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Pseuderanthemum spp.
false eranthemums
Pantropical (Americas, Africa, Asia, Pacific)
Overview
Pseuderanthemum is a genus of roughly 60 to 120 species of evergreen shrubs and subshrubs in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae, spread through the tropics of the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Most form rounded plants 1 to 5 feet (0.3 to 1.5 m) tall with paired, glossy leaves that in several cultivated forms are flushed purple, bronze, or marked with cream and pink. The tubular, five-lobed flowers are carried in slender spikes and are usually white, pink, mauve, or purple, often with a contrasting spotted throat. P. atropurpureum, the purple false eranthemum, is grown mainly for its dark, metallic foliage, while other species are grown for their flowers. Plants flower over a long warm season and grow quickly in heat and humidity. They are frost tender and are grown outdoors only in the wet tropics and subtropics, or as foliage houseplants and summer bedding in cooler climates. Most need warmth, shelter, and steady moisture and will not tolerate cold or dry air. The genus is used as foliage and flowering plants for shaded tropical gardens, hedging, and containers, though plants become leggy with age and need regular renewal.
Native Range
The genus is widespread in the tropics, with species in tropical America, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands, and northern Australia. P. atropurpureum is thought to come from Polynesia. The genus is not native to North America, where its foliage forms are grown as ornamentals.Suggested Uses
Pseuderanthemums are grown as foliage and flowering plants in shaded tropical borders, low hedges, and containers, and as houseplants where winters are cold. The purple-leaved forms contrast with green and variegated plantings. The flowering species draw butterflies and other insects in their native range.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 5'
Width/Spread1' - 4'
Bloom Information
In warm climates plants flower over a long season, mainly from spring through autumn and sometimes year-round near the equator. The slender spikes open a few flowers at a time over many weeks. Flowering is reduced or stops in cool weather and where light is low.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
White, pink, mauve, or purple with spotted throatFoliage Description
Green to purple or bronze, sometimes marked cream and pinkGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 3-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Most species grow in part shade to filtered sun in moist, fertile, free-draining soil with shelter from strong wind and midday sun. They need warmth and even moisture and are frost tender, growing outdoors only in roughly USDA zones 10 and 11. In cooler regions they are kept as houseplants or summer container plants in bright, humid conditions. A soil pH from about 5.5 to 7.0 suits them. Foliage colour and flowering are stronger with regular feeding through the warm months. Pinching and occasional hard pruning keep plants compact, as they tend to grow open and leggy with age.Pruning
Pinching the shoot tips of young plants encourages branching and denser growth. Plants are cut back by up to a third in spring to control size and renew foliage. Spent flower spikes are trimmed off to keep plants tidy.Container Growing
Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons