Pseuderanthemum alatum (Chocolate Plant)

Life: Perennial Size: 10" tall, 18" flower stems Light: Partial to Full Shade Water: Moist, Well Drained Soil: Mildly Acidic to Neutral Loam

Grown for its most unusual foliage, which is a dark coppery brown with splashes of silver, 6" long and 4½" wide. The plants themselves have a rather compact growth habit, forming easily-divided clumps, but will send up long, wiry stems with showy sprays of light purple flowers from early summer until late fall. The more sun they receive, the darker the leaves will be and the more water will be required to keep them happy and looking their best. Though grown as an annual in colder regions, they are truely perennial in Houston, though they go dormant in the winter. In addition, they will set large amounts of seeds that are easy to germinate; you will likely have many volunteer plants.