Persian Shield 6" sq

It is easy to see how Strobilanthes was dubbed "Persian shield." The leaves have the appearance of little pointed armor shields ready for battle, with a flashy, purplish iridescence and a silvery metallic sheen. Although this plant's name is "Persian," it is actually native to Myanmar (formerly Burma), not Persia. In hot climates, it is an evergreen subshrub. In cooler climates, it is grown as an annual plant or herbaceous perennial, and is also popular as a houseplant because it tends to bloom during winter. However, the vibrant purple color often fades with age, and both outdoor perennials and indoor potted plants are often discarded after a few years. As an annual, Persian shield is usually planted from potted nursery starts in spring after the soil has fully warmed. It grows relatively fast in warm, humid conditions; a small potted nursery plant will become a bushy 2-foot plant within a few weeks. This plant can serve as an evergreen subshrub in regions without winter frost, where