African Bush Violet- Barleria obtusa

You may have noticed a shrubby bush covered in dainty purple flowers in gardens or alongside roads. This is the African Bush Violet (Barleria obtusa), an indigenous evergreen shrub which flowers profusely in autumn.

The multi-stemmed round bush has leaves which are covered in fine, silky hairs giving it a velvety appearance and grows to a height of around one metre tall.
Purple, tubular flowers which actually have violet- coloured pollen, appear from March to April. There are also pink and white flowering varieties available. The plant is fast growing with a scrambling habit.

Care
African Bush Violets need full sun but can also tolerate semi-shade. They need to be watered well in summer but do become reasonably water-wise and low maintenance once established. They need a well-drained soil with lots of compost mixed in and also grow well in coastal gardens. When growing them, pinch out the young shoots to encourage bushiness. After they have flowered, prune them back hard to keep the plants neat.

Uses
African Bush Violets can be used informally in beds mixed with other shrubs. They can be used to line a pathway or even used as an accent flowering plant in a container. They also work well used as a groundcover planted in groups in very light shade under trees.

The African Bush Violet produces nectar so is an excellent butterfly garden plant. The plant is actually a host plant to the Yellow Pansy butterfly which is becoming more common in the Western Cape of South Africa because gardeners are planting more bush violets. The plant also does an excellent job attracting other insects like bees too. Considering the variety of insects the plant draws, the African Bush Violet is a wonderful choice for a bird garden because the abundance of insects will attract birds.

Do keep an eye out for these indigenous bushes in flower at the moment. Their compact size make them ideal shrubs for small gardens. Also, the fact that they are autumn flowering means that there’ll be a burst of colour in the garden after all the spring and summer flowers have faded.