Common Name: schavleria
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Acanthaceae
Native Range: Brazil
Zone: 10 to 12
Height: 2.00 to 4.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 4.00 feet
Bloom Time: Flowers freely
Bloom Description: Yellow flowers
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Attracts: Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Other: Winter Interest
Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-12 where it is best grown in somewhat coarse, peaty, fertile, consistently moist but well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun in the tropics, but part shade elsewhere. Best performance occurs in humid climates where temperatures rise to 75-80°F. during the day but drop to a minimum of 60°F. at night. Totally intolerant of frost. Propagate by cuttings and seed. Prune to shape at the conclusion of the flowering season.
May be grown as an indoor houseplant in warm, humid areas in bright part shade. Plants may be taken outdoors to sheltered locations in summer.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Schaueria flavicoma, commonly known as golden plume, is a shrubby flowering perennial of the Acanthus family that typically grows on branched stems to 2-4’ tall. It is native to tropical areas of Brazil. Glossy, shiny, narrow, undivided, toothless, undulate, minutely hairy, opposite green leaves grow to 6” long. Tubular, pale yellow flowers (each to 1 1/2” long) are borne in erect, feathery, shaggy, terminal panicles. Flowers have whitish-glandular-hairy calyxes and hairless corollas with a notched upper lip and three-lobed lower lip. Flowers bloom spring to fall, but may bloom year round in some tropical areas.
Justicia flavicoma is a former name for this plant and is considered by many to be a synonym. However, the name Schaueria flavicoma is considered by a number of botanical authorities at this point to be an unresolved name.
Genus name honors Johann Conrad Schauer (1813-1848), professor at Greifswald, Germany, who specialized in the study of Myrtaceae and Verbenaceae.
Specific epithet comes from the Latin flavicomus meaning yellow-haired in reference to the tufted flower clusters.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Where winter hardy, golden plume is an attractive ornamentals for border fronts, flower beds and other sun to part shade landscape locations. My be grown in containers.