Melastoma Affine
Blue Tongue
Melastoma Affine is a fast-growing, evergreen shrub with leathery dark green leaves and red stems. It bears large showy, 5- petalled mauve to purple flowers that last only a few days but are borne over many months - in some areas all through the year. The flowers are followed by blue-black fruit with sweet, edible flesh that stains the mouth. This hardy evergreen prefers part shade, and will need protection from hot winds and hot afternoon sun in the Summer. Ensure a rich, moist soil that drains freely.Regular pruning from an early age is shape hardy to a wide range of soils and situations, but sensitive to dry conditions and frost. An attractive hardy shrub suitable for tropical to warm temperate regions.
Contributed by @grrr
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Partial shade
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Occasional watering
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Not Frost hardy
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Rich and free draining
Common name
Blue Tongue
Latin name
Melastoma Affine
type
Evergreen Shrub
family
Melastomataceae
ph
5.5 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Partial shade
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Frost
Not Frost hardy
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Soil
Rich and free draining
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Water
Occasional watering
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
full grown dimensions
2.00 M
3.00 M
Melastoma Affine
Melastoma Affine is a fast-growing, evergreen shrub with leathery dark green leaves and red stems. It bears large showy, 5- petalled mauve to purple flowers that last only a few days but are borne over many months - in some areas all through the year. The flowers are followed by blue-black fruit with sweet, edible flesh that stains the mouth. This hardy evergreen prefers part shade, and will need protection from hot winds and hot afternoon sun in the Summer. Ensure a rich, moist soil that drains freely.Regular pruning from an early age is shape hardy to a wide range of soils and situations, but sensitive to dry conditions and frost. An attractive hardy shrub suitable for tropical to warm temperate regions.
Flowering
From Mid Spring TO Early Autumn
5-petalled flowers appear from Spring to early Autumn - longer in the right conditions, even all year round.
Planting
From Early Spring TO Late Spring
Plant in rich, moist free-draining soil in partial shade, and where it is protected from both hot winds and hot afternoon sun.This is a tropical or sub-tropical plant
Propagating by cuttings
From Late Summer TO Early Autumn
Take semi- ripe cuttings from this season's growth in Autumn. Cut neatly, just below a leaf node, a 5" approx. piece of a healthy shoot that has soft growth at the tip. pinch out the growing tip, and cut off the bottom leaves. Dip the bottom of the cutting in hormone rooting powder, and carefully place in a pot of cutting compost with the leaves just above the level of the compost. Water, label, cover with a polythene bag, and place in a warm, bright place, out of direct sunlight. Take the polythene bag off periodically for a while for ventilation (at least twice a week)
rosegardengirl
jimbobjim