This had been on my bucket list ever since seeing the huge clump at UC Berkeley,in bloom yet, many years ago. It took a few years later to finally get one...from the BBG of course. They don't seem to do well in pots..I got it into the ground as fast I could seeing it just become stressed in a pot. After a 4 more years,it bloomed on a small tree with some leaves being over 2',although most are about half that as the summer goes on. Later about that.
Wigandia urens is related to the Campanula's..has beautiful blue flowers like the temperate little perennial. It also has been called something like Malo Madre- lol- in South America because some clones,strains, have a wickedly powerful sting. The leaves are covered in hairs. I understand that most of Florida gardens have the stinging Wigandia. Now,somehow for whatever reason,the BBC clone has no sting. So,its safe and no more prickly then a Zucchini leaf. EXCEPT,I learned when you prune and leave cuttings to dry. Come back a few days later and grab with bare hands? WOW..then its like hypodermic needles. I didn't get any rash though,something that the South American and Florida clones also can deliver. You couldn't lift up a Wigandia dried stem bare handed. Impossible.
Another positive aspect- back to those- is that it looks water needy and yet needs very little. Its even had the good taste to naturalize in the Santa Monica Mountains in soucal. I water it when I remember. It does send out runners..but that's one or two at a time. I'm sure you can give those away very easily
The plant sort of has a large leafed Ficus that has purple Jacaranda like flowers vibe to it. It does need a freeze free winter to bloom. My best years were when we never went below 35f. My worst was this year. Only a single bloom because of a bad week in December.
So ,what more can you ask? Big leaves- silver on the undersides I should note,cool tolerant, colorful flowers,and doesnt ask for much in water. I like it.
Wigandia urens is related to the Campanula's..has beautiful blue flowers like the temperate little perennial. It also has been called something like Malo Madre- lol- in South America because some clones,strains, have a wickedly powerful sting. The leaves are covered in hairs. I understand that most of Florida gardens have the stinging Wigandia. Now,somehow for whatever reason,the BBC clone has no sting. So,its safe and no more prickly then a Zucchini leaf. EXCEPT,I learned when you prune and leave cuttings to dry. Come back a few days later and grab with bare hands? WOW..then its like hypodermic needles. I didn't get any rash though,something that the South American and Florida clones also can deliver. You couldn't lift up a Wigandia dried stem bare handed. Impossible.
Another positive aspect- back to those- is that it looks water needy and yet needs very little. Its even had the good taste to naturalize in the Santa Monica Mountains in soucal. I water it when I remember. It does send out runners..but that's one or two at a time. I'm sure you can give those away very easily
The plant sort of has a large leafed Ficus that has purple Jacaranda like flowers vibe to it. It does need a freeze free winter to bloom. My best years were when we never went below 35f. My worst was this year. Only a single bloom because of a bad week in December.
So ,what more can you ask? Big leaves- silver on the undersides I should note,cool tolerant, colorful flowers,and doesnt ask for much in water. I like it.
