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| Cat whiskers. (Photo by Allen Owings) |
Most folks do not know about cat whiskers (Orthosiphon stamineus).
This is a great tropical plant that is very well adapted to the southeastern United States. It is sold at many retail garden centers in Louisiana but is somewhat underused. It is a great plant to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Plants prefer full sun, but some light afternoon shade is also OK. Flowers are long spikes resembling cat whiskers. They appear in late spring and will last until a killing frost. Flower colors are white and lavender.
Plants added to the landscape in spring will easily be 2 to 3 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide by fall. Midspring is a great time to plant.
Allen Owings
Rick Bogren