About
Cautleya spicata 'Robusta' is a rhizomatous perennial that reaches up to 90 cm in height. It features broad, lance-shaped leaves that have a slightly glossy finish. In late summer, it produces robust flower heads made up of overlapping dark red bracts, from which emerge two-lipped yellow flowers.
About the genus
Cautleya consists of rhizomatous perennials characterized by upright stems that support lanceolate or oblong leaves arranged in two rows. The plants produce funnel-shaped yellow blooms, which feature prominent bracts, organized in slender racemes.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H3
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Sub-tropical
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Plant rhizomes 15cm deep in spring in moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade. Water freely in dry spells, and mulch well in winter
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in warmth in early spring, or by division in late spring just after growth begins
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to slugs and snails
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free