Polygala
Polygalaceae
Polygala
Evergreen flowering shrubs, small trees, annuals and perennials; colourful pea-like flowers borne in terminal racemes.
Uses
Alpine garden, rockery plant, greenhouse plant, floral display, shrubbery.
Culture
Well drained soil, not chalk soils for trees and shrubs, sunny or lightly shaded position. Water moderately when putting on growth, apply mulch in drier climates. Prune to shape or remove untidy growths.
Propagation
Semi-hardwood or softwood cuttings may be taken in summer and kept in a cold frame; occasionally suckers, some alpine species may be divided in spring.
Cultivars
A particularly popular species in the garden is P. myrtifolia: A tender evergreen shrub with pale green obovate leaves and pink-purple summer flowers; a greenhouse plant in cool temperate regions.
Plant Health
Hardy to frost-tender species; red spider mite and whitefly may be problematic in greenhouse plants, but few notable diseases.
More info
Widely distributed; around 500 species.
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