Mackaya bella – Asyatais bella – Forest Bell Bush – Asystasia –

Description

Mackaya – Asystasia – There is a sole species of a evergreen shrub in this genus. It occurs in dry, open, mixed forest in South Africa. M. bella is grown for its opposite, slender-pointed, elliptic leaves and its arching, terminal racemes of trumpet shaped, flowers, each with 5 large, flared lobes, with deep purple veining, usually borne from spring to autumn. Grow in a shrub border or as a specimen plant. Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained, neutral to slightly acidic or alkaline soil in full sun or light, dappled shade. M. bella – Asyatais bella – Forest Bell Bush – This erect then spreading shrub from South Africa grows 3-8′ feet tall and 3-5′ feet wide. It produces oval, slender pointed, wavy edged, lustrous, deep green leaves, 3-5″ long, with prominent veins. From spring to autumn it bears terminal racemes of narrowly funnel shaped flowers, to 2″ across with large, pink petal lobes finely veined dark purple. Zones 9-11