Postage : Seeds only $4 / Plants $20
From the Peruvian Andes comes this surprising plant, both in hardiness and flower. The arching stems are covered in a fine white suede as is the underside of the leathery, broadly lance shaped mid green leaves that are well spaced along them and which smell remarkably like blackcurrants when brushed. Sinuous, slender stems, sticky to the touch, carry tiered, pendant clusters of silvery bracts from which emerge black (technically very, very dark purple), two lipped, tubular flowers pretty much year round.
Its clean lines and graceful habit sits well, at least to my eye, with minimalist architecture and pottery to which its flexibility, tolerance of wind, shade and confined root space makes it even more suited. Otherwise it would look great on your cliff, mountainside, retaining wall or in a large hanging basket.
While it does appreciate regular water it's not about to keel over at the first sign of dryness and proves difficult to kill. Remarkably long lived so long as drainage is excellent.
Thin the oldest stems to allow more space for vigorous new basal shoots when they are seen.