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Eranthemum pulchellum, the blue eranthemum or blue sage, is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family Acanthaceae, native to the Himalayas, western China, India and Nepal.[1] A strongly branched evergreen shrub, it is popular with gardeners because of the spikes of flowers that are bright gentian blue – an unusual color in the tropics.[2] The flowers appear from green-and-white veined bracts that remain after the blooms fall, forming a column several centimetres long. The hairy leaves are large and dark green. A sprawling shrub which may reach a metre or more in height, E. pulchellum is usually kept lower and bushier through pruning. Light shade is preferred in a garden; in a greenhouse it needs warm conditions. It is easily propagated from cuttings.
| Eranthemum pulchellum | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Acanthaceae |
| Genus: | Eranthemum |
| Species: | E. pulchellum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Eranthemum pulchellum | |
| Synonyms | |
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Eranthemum nervosum (Vahl) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult. | |
The Latin specific epithet pulchellum means "beautiful".[3]
In the UK this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Acanthaceae". www.floraofnepal.org. floraofnepal.org. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ "Eranthemum pulchellum Andrews". Kew Science, Plants of the World Online. 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
- ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 978-1845337315.
- ^ "Eranthum pulchellum". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 7 June 2020.