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Products > Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata'   Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' - Variegated Mint Bush     [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Shrub Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) (Mints) Origin: Australia (Australasia) Evergreen: Yes Variegated Foliage: Yes Flower Color: Purple Bloomtime: Spring Height: 4-6 feet Width: 3-5 feet Exposure: Sun or Shade Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata' (Variegated Mint Bush) - An erect evergreen shrub with a soft-texture that grows 4 to 6 feet tall by 3 to 5 feet wide. The oval leaves with a nice cream variegation around the margins are pleasantly aromatic and an abundance of small tubular purple flowers bloom at the branch tips on a branched inflorescence in the spring. Plant in sun or part shade with regular watering to occasional irrigation - tolerates being allowed to wilt and responds rapidly to added water for useful as an indicator plant for when the garden is dry. An attractive and fairly fast growing plant that is great for "lightening up" a dark area in the garden. It is dense and can be used as a low screening plant - annual tip pruning will keep plant tighter. We initially described it with the dimensions of the species, which we use to also grow, but this variegated cultivar has proven to remain considerably smaller, about half the size of the species. The species comes from inland areas of New South Wales and southern Queensland. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'prostheke' meaning "an appendix" and 'anthera' meaning an "anther" in reference to the an appendage on the stamens. The specific epithet refers to the rounded oval leaves. We first put this plant into production in 2000 from plants purchased from Suncrest Nursery but the plant made its way into cultivation in the US from a plant brought back from Australia in 1992 by bay area Australian plant specialist Kathy Echols.  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  Prostanthera ovalifolia 'Variegata'.