About

Alyogyne huegelii 'Santa Cruz' is a vigorous evergreen shrub that begins with an upright form and gradually becomes more spreading as it matures. Its leaves are covered in fine hairs, featuring five lobes and measuring approximately 5 cm in length. From late spring through autumn, this plant produces solitary, funnel-shaped flowers that are mauve-purple and reach up to 10 cm in diameter, emerging from the leaf axils of young growth.

About the genus

Alyogyne consists of evergreen shrubs characterized by simple or palmately lobed foliage and solitary flowers resembling those of hibiscus, which emerge in the leaf axils.

Growing conditions

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

West-facing, East-facing, South-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H2

Plant details

Plant type

Shrubs, Conservatory Greenhouse

Habit

Bushy

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Time to full height

2-5 years

Suggested uses

City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants

Care notes

Cultivation

Under glass grow in free-draining compost in full light; plants can stand out in the summer. Outdoors grow in any well-drained soil in full sun, provided temperatures do not fall below freezing

Pruning

Pruning group 9

Propagation

Root semi-ripe cuttings in late summer

Pest resistance

May be susceptible to aphids, glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free