Marianne's Response

What kind of plant is this?

what kind of plant is this

I bought 5 of these beautiful plants at a yard sale, but I don’t know what they are. I can’t even tell if they are a bush or a tree. The limbs are thick like branches, and the leaves are very soft and fuzzy, and some of them have turned orange. Someone suggested to me that they may be fruit bearing, but I have no clue. I want to plant them, but I need to know what they are first, so I will know where, when and how to plant them. I live in the San Diego (10a-10b) area. Can you tell me what they are?

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Posted by Lisa Filadelfia on May 31, 2022

Marianne's Response

Those distinctive soft and furry leaves look like they belong to the Tibouchina plant also called Princess Flower as it blooms with a brilliant royal purple flower.  It is considered an evergreen shrub and likes sun to partial shade but in a hot climate prefers shade from afternoon sun. Prune lightly after it blooms and this plant will flower from spring into winter.  Enjoy, Marianne Binetti

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