We have long adored plants in the Melastomataceae, which are primarily represented in commercial horticulture by the genus, Tibouchina, and our native Rhexia. We have long searched our other members of the family that might have good winter hardiness, but with a less aggressive running habit than our native rhexias. In 2020, we obtained seed of a high elevation (8,100′) collection of Osbeckia stellata var. crinita, from the Cangshan Mountains of China, and after five years, it is still thriving in our garden. Propagation is underway, and we expect to be able to share these in the 2026 Plant Delights catalog in January. Our plants of Osbeckia ‘Cangshan’ have formed a 3′ tall x 3′ wide, deciduous shrub, that’s topped from September through frost with the vivid rosy purple flowers you see below. This species has a huge range from the tropics to alpine regions, so genetic provenance matters.
It’s So Beautiful!