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Acanthaceae
Philippine Violet
Barleria cristata
Tropical grace and quiet resilience.
- Family
- Acanthaceae
- Genus
- Barleria
- Native to
- India, Southeast Asia, Philippines
- Bloom season
- Fall, Winter
- Type
- evergreen shrub
- Height
- 60–120 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- well-drained, loamy
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 9–11
- Lifespan
- perennial shrub
Did you know
- Despite the common name, Barleria cristata is native to India and Myanmar, not the Philippines.
- Its spiny bracts earned it the nickname 'crested Philippine violet' from the Latin 'cristata' meaning crested.
- The plant produces explosive seed capsules that audibly pop open, flinging seeds several feet.
- In Ayurvedic medicine, the leaves have been used for centuries to treat skin infections.
- It blooms prolifically through the short days of autumn when most tropical shrubs have finished.
Color meanings
Violet
devotion and loyalty
White
purity and calm