All flowers
Princess Flower Wikimedia Commons
Melastomataceae

Princess Flower

Tibouchina urvilleana

Royalty and admiration.

Family
Melastomataceae
Genus
Tibouchina
Native to
Brazil
Bloom season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Type
shrub
Height
6-15 ft
Sunlight
full sun to partial shade
Soil
acidic, well-drained, rich
Water
moderate
Hardiness
9-11
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Its velvety five-petaled flowers can reach up to 3 inches across, among the largest in its family.
  • The leaves have distinctive raised veins and are covered in soft hairs that feel like velvet.
  • Princess flower blooms almost continuously in frost-free climates, producing flowers year-round in Hawaii.
  • It is considered invasive in Hawaii, where it spreads rapidly in wet forests above 1,000 feet elevation.
  • The genus Tibouchina contains over 350 species, nearly all native to the tropical Americas.

Color meanings

0

admiration

1

nobility

2

enchantment

Uses

  • ornamental shrub
  • container plant
  • tropical landscape accent