ALYOGYNE huegelii

Generous and rustic evergreen shrub with a rather disordered and sparse habit if allowed to grow freely, fast-growing and native to south-western Australia. Branched and lignified from the base, it produces thin stems with various trends with which it can grow 2.50 meters tall and large. Leaves, palmate and hairy, are bright green and alternate. From spring and until late summer the apexes of the branches are covered with single buds which, when opening, show large cupped flowers of a delicate lilac color that resemble hibiscus flowers in appearance, so much so that this has earned them the common name of 'Australian Hibiscus'. The flowers are followed by spherical tufts rich in seeds.

It prefers sunny or only partially shaded positions and, although it adapts to any type of soil, it prefers sandy, loose and above all well drained ones as it does not tolerate stagnation of water. It tolerates a few degrees below zero as long as this happens occasionally. It can overcome even long periods of drought and also reacts well to exposure to brackish winds. After flowering, in autumn, it is necessary to prune drastically, this will improve both shape and density of the plant and the abundance of flowering in the following spring. It can be grown in pots and containers on balconies and terraces as long as they are large: in the garden, however, it manages to express its beauty to the maximum both as a single specimen and in sequence, forming truly fascinating hedges.