Tibouchina Fantasy Flower $20

Tibouchina grows well in full sun, but glory bush and princess flower appreciate partial afternoon shade if they grow in an area with hot summers. Purple glory tree needs five hours or more of direct sun daily. Tribouchina will die back at the first frost outside its USDA zones, but you can grow it in a container outdoors and bring the plant inside for the summer. Indoors, place the plant where it will get bright light.

If your glory bush or princess flower is too large to bring indoors, cut the plant back to 8 inches and place it in a basement or garage where the temperature is cool but not freezing. Cut back a purple glory tree only to the central trunk to maintain its tree shape before placing it in a cool spot. Water the plant just enough to keep it from drying out completely.T

Feeding

Tribouchina thrives in rich, fertile soil. If your soil meets that requirement, a yearly layer of organic compost will help the soil remain fertile. If the soil is poor, feed the plant with an all-purpose garden fertilizer once a month during the growing season, as you would most other plants in your yard.

Pests and Disease

Insects and plant diseases pose no significant problems for any of the tribouchina varieties. Wash off small round insects called scales and apply neem oil or insecticidal soap if you see white, cotton-like mealybugs or small, dark spider mites. Purple glory tree can sometimes be stunted by nematodes in the soil or mushroom root rot if the soil is too wet.