Rubescens originally came into Australia as an unnamed plant from Venezuela so I called it Venezuelan beauty.  Then the correct name caught up with it.

 I got the seed from Betsy Clebsch and thought its flowers would be  similar  to gesneriiflora although smaller.  The latter is a tough long flowering plant. Rubescens’ flowers have the black calyx and red tube but it is not so  tough and can die unexpectedly.   Other than that it is a good plant with grey leaves that remind me of coleus in texture.   It will grow about 1m high x 50cm wide or maybe much better in your garden if it is warmer!

Price:  $7