Plant Encyclopedia

Description:

This variety produces stunning hot pink and white flower spikes in early summer above rich green foliage; blooms one year after planting and is slow to reach maturity; impressive when massed in the garden and worth the wait

Ornamental Features

Rubra Gas Plant has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented shell pink flowers with white overtones and hot pink veins rising above the foliage in early summer, which emerge from distinctive hot pink flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its compound leaves remain forest green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Rubra Gas Plant is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Rubra Gas Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Rubra Gas Plant will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.