Chirita (Gesneriaceae) HWJ1056

speciosa 'Crûg Cornetto'

A spectacular species as the name implies, which I collected (while Dan and Sue cleaned seed) for the second time, from the base of a high waterfall in the lofty mountains surrounding Sapa a small town in North Vietnam, at 1900m in 2003. Where it formed a wide carpet of large rounded overlapping dark green softly hairy leaves which are a bright purple below on this selection. Bearing large foxglove-like blue flowers from June to September. Easily grown in a warm shaded situation with adequate moisture. Untried for hardiness.