ID if you can please.

Hi everyone. Just wondering if anyone can ID this shrub for me please? Colleen

Another close up. Colleen

Megaskepasma erythrochlamys

Thanks Alistair. I have to get my tongue around the name now. Colleen

LOl.. Its a good one :)

Hi Colleen, what a fab looking plant! Thanks for bringing it to our attention. You might have already had a look at the following.

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1929597.htm

It is interesting to see you growing Megaskepasma erythrochlamys at Barmera. Looks like it is against a sunny brick wall. Does it have any special requirements? Your plant looks very healthy and happy where it is.

Hi Wayne. sorry to lead you to think that the plant was mine. It is growing on my niece's NE wall in Chambers Flat in Queensland and they couldn't find a name for it. I knew that someone on here would know so my B-in-L downloaded it onto my computer and I put it up for them. It is a beautiful plant. It wasn't in flower when I was up there in January but I saw the plant with it's hugh leaves. I thought that it looked like a Jacobinia but much bigger leaves then when I saw a pic of the flowers I thought that it had to be related somehow. My sister is going to send some cuttings back for me after it stops flowering so I'll give it a go and see if I can strike it. Will let you know how I go. Colleen

LOL. You had me scratching my head there Colleen! :)

Good luck with the cuttings. I certainly would be giving it a go if I lived a little more coastal and further north.

Megaskepasma is AKA the Brazilian Cloak and it is native to that region of South America. It's hardy down into zone 9 but it will usually drop leaves and go deciduous if the temp falls below 40-45 degrees (that's yankee F) and its growth will be very retarded. It is a fall and winter bloomer in its indigenous habitat and prefers bright shade or limited direct afternoon sun which will burn it in more arid climes. Like most large leaved Acanths, you should be able to root cuttings easily by taking the growing stems that have not yet flowered 2-3 nodes down, stripping the lower leaves and cutting the remaining leaves to reduce their size enough to prevent stressing the cutting. They seem to produce new roots best by placing them in a glass of water moreso than putting them in perlite or another rooting soil. The plant pictured is clearly quite happy and they do tend to have a yellower leaf than other sub-tropical Acanths. I wish I lived in a zone high enough to develop a plant like that. Good Luck!

Thanks w-i-s for all the information about this beautiful plant. I hope that I can get it to grow here. Colleen

Megaskepasma erythrochlamys, Brazilian Red Cloak loves water but needs to be well drained.

If your area gets dry and hot, it needs some shade. It is not salt tolerant.

Thanks for that info Metrosideros. I haven't got the cuttings yet but will have a go with them in well drained potting medium. Will let you all know how things go. Colleen