Bertolonia : an evergreen plant
Bertolonia is a beautiful evergreen plant. It thrives in flowerbeds and on windowsills. With proper care, it also makes a great balcony decoration.
This plant grows as a shrub or herb. It's a perennial, meaning it can decorate a flowerbed for many years. It naturally grows in tropical areas.
Bertolonia originated in Brazil, specifically the northeast. It flourishes in the jungle there. It was introduced to Europe around 1850.
Bertolonia is a delicate plant, with some types that creep along the ground. It is mainly grown for its attractive leaves.
The flowers are small, reaching about 70-80 mm in height. Stems can be round or square-shaped. Young stems have tiny hairs about 0.1 mm long. These hairs also cover the plant's flower clusters and leaves.
Bertolonia stems grow straight and have many leaves. The leaves grow on hairy stalks. The leaf surfaces also have hairs.
Leaves can be flat or curved, and oval, elliptical, or heart-shaped. They have small teeth along the edges. Leaves usually grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem, but sometimes alternate.
Bertolonia leaves display many colors, from white to purple. They can also be pink, bronze-green, or carmine.
The flowers have five parts and grow in clusters. They are always above the leaves and can be:
purple with pink
white
reddish
Bertolonia flowers are small and bell-shaped.
