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Products > Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star'   Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star' - Solanum-like Thomasia     [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Shrub Family: Malvaceae (w/Bombacaceae & Sterculeacea) Origin: Australia (Australasia) Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: White Bloomtime: Spring Synonyms: [Lasiopetalum solanaceum] Height: 4-6 feet Width: 3-5 feet Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star' - (Solanum Leafed Thomasia) - This plant from Western Australia is an upright shrub to 6 feet tall by 4 feet wide with attractive lime green felt-like oakleaf shaped leaves. Sporadically throughout the year and in profusion in mid spring appear the small papery white flowers with dark reddish veins and centers, emerging from ribbed buds that look like a miniature Renaissance Era cathedral dome. It is a great plant for a dry partially shady location, though it can be grown in full sun near the coast with little to no irrigation required once established. Cold hardiness has not been established but this plant tolerated 26 °F under shade at our nursery during the January 2007 freeze. It is listed as tolerating coastal conditions and some alkalinity (unusual for a Western Australian plant) and responds well to shearing and pruning so it can be kept smaller than listed above. This plant was introduced in fall 2007 through the UCSC Koala Blooms Australian Plant Introduction Program originally as Thomasia sp. aff. solanacea (UCSC 94.552) but was later determined to be this species. Thomasia is a genus endemic to Western Australia with twenty-five species that nearly all have attractive foliage and flowers that are showy because of 5 lobed showy sepals, while the actual petals are minute or absent. The genus name honors botanical collectors Peter and Abraham Thomas.  This information is based on research conducted about this plant in our nursery library and from reliable online sources. We also take into consideration observations of it in our nursery of crops, as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens we have visited. We will incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if it includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Thomasia solanacea 'Velvet Star'.     [MORE INFO]