Summer colour downunder: Mussaenda philippica

Oh wow its lovely...

Agree with Clarice...

It is so unusual and pretty!

Beautiful !

What a stunner!! This is gorgeous Bernieh, love those creamy white bracts....

Yes ... thanks everyone ... this is definitely one of my favourite shrubs! It's now around 3 metres tall and can be seen at the back of the screening bed in the courtyard - it's now tall enough that I can see it from the courtyard at last.

Wow amazing shrub Bernieh, haven't seen this before :-))))

Thanks Simbad - this one's definitely a tropical shrub ... the white one is not as common as the salmon pink though.

No good here then :- (((((((, I bet your 3 metre high shrub looks amazing covered in these white bracts :-)

It does look lovely Simbad - I posted a photo of part of it about a month ago ... but it's got even more blooms on it now.

Going to look for your picture now.

Totally agree Marguerite - perhaps because the pink is so common and you see it everywhere!

Bernieh:

I'm so envious! : > ) Love it!

I'm going to try one next year...
I hope my horrible water doesn't kill
it again.

I'll keep everything crossed for you! They are a great looking plant. Just drove by a mass planting of these on a traffic island yesterday ... all in bloom and looking wonderful.

Bernieh:

Thanks! I'll need everything crossed. lol!

You mentioned that these plants are
drought tolerant...I've never thought of them
as drought tolerant. Do you mean when they
are well-established?

Yes ... when they're fairly well established they survive the droughts here very, very well. As I mentioned above, they're used by our town council for street plantings ... that's a sure indication just how drought hardy they are.

Bernieh:

That's good information. I know some plants here when they're well established tolerate drought and look better than if they receive too much of our horrible water.

This plant would definitely be one of those Andy.

Bernieh:

I'll defintely try some this coming spring. : > )