I just acquired a Tibouchina and was needing help with the care of it. I plan on leaving it outside until it cools down and then bringing it in the house for the winter. Can anyone help me with how much sun it can now take. I put it out in the sun and the leaves are curling up; should I assume it doesn't like sun?
I have mine in full sun all the time. Just notice it takes quite a bit of water, as it tends to droop during the hottest days. If anyone knows the trick to getting these to flower heavily, I'd love to know. Quite a few buds on one plant, not so much on the other. Is it one of those southern hemisphere deals that likes cooler weather before it really gets flowering...I was hoping for all summer long colour and haven't got it...still hoping as fall can be long and gradual. I won't put mine inside till it gets quite cold, as it will be a fight with spider mites and keeping it from getting leggy in the house...I've heard of some folks in the Seattle area succeeding in overwintering them outdoors so they can take a bit of cool weather at least...
Ya ... these don't really send out the regular blooms until late Summer and Autumn. So soon these should be a riot of blooms. If you have a cool unheated garage or stoage shed (attached to the house), this makes a good place to overwinter your Tibouchina. My neighbor has had his out in past years, in light frosts, tucked up against the house under the overhang of the eave. Any colder than that it gets moved to the storage area. Cheers, LPN.
August 2006 At Gilmore and Trinity, Burnaby My Tibouchina Urvilleana was potted up facing south in a well protected garden. Initially it flowered lightly, and then had floppy leaves until watered. As the temperatures lowered her blooms became more prolific. I was looking for a word to describe ones response. They give joy...... I finally wrapped the pot with an insulated blanket and moved her into the covered atrium, open on one side. It is possible that she was caught, before moving, by one unexpected cold snap. February 25, 2007 I have waited to see if she survived. Alas, I think that the cold snap turned her into 'a sleeping Norwegian Blue Parrot.' I conclude that they like sunshine, and are invigorated by 'fresh air.' At least in this location they need to be taken inside well before any risk of 'a cold snap.'
One interesting thing about this tree's flowers is that although most people (including myself) experience few blooms until cool weather begins, I have seen them in full flower in the summer in Stanley Park near what I think is/was called The Fish House. I saw these many years ago and marvelled that they were planted in the ground and obviously quite old. So I wonder why the rest of us have problems. Could it be they are happier in the ground than in a pot (as mine is and it would seem everyone on this post has them in a pot also)?