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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Pittosporaceae (Pittosporums) |
| Origin: Australia (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Blue |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Synonyms: [Sollya fusiformis, Billardiera heterophylla] |
| Height: 3-5 feet |
| Width: 3-5 feet |
| Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Sollya heterophylla (Australian Bluebell Creeper) - A climbing, evergreen shrub that will grow 3 feet as a shrub, but with support it will reach 6 feet tall or higher. The nodding bright blue bell-shaped flowers bloom in the summer. Plant in sun (along coast) or part shade and water occasionally - it is drought tolerant once established but looks best with regular irrigation. Older plants hardy below 25° F but young plants are more frost tender. Shows promise in first exposure beach plantings and grows well under Eucalyptus trees but is intolerant of overly wet slow draining soils and can reseed in the garden. This species is native to the southwestern corner of Western Australia where it grows in open forests and woodlands. The name Sollya honors Richard Solly a 18-19th century British botanist and the specific epithet is from the latin word 'hetero' meaning "other" or "different" and 'phylla' meanin "leaf" in reference to the plant having differently shaped leaves. Recent treatment has now placed it in the genus Billardiera, named for the French botanist Jacques-Julien Houton de Labillardière but we continue to list it as Sollya until such time as this name gets wider general acceptance. This species received the coveted Royal Horticultural Societies Award of Garden Merit in 1993 and we have been growing this great landscape plant since 1981.
The information on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources as well as from observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery's garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We have also incorporated comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information, particularly if this information is contrary to what we have written or includes additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Sollya heterophylla.
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