Eranthemum pulchellum aka Blue Sage

Eranthemum pulchellum, also known as the blue eranthemum or blue sage, is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family Acanthaceae. It is native to the Himalayas, western China, India, and Nepal. This evergreen shrub is highly favored by gardeners due to its striking spikes of bright gentian blue flowers, a rare color in tropical regions. The flowers emerge from green-and-white veined bracts, which persist even after the blooms have dropped, forming a column of several centimeters in length. The leaves of this shrub are large, dark green, and covered in fine hairs. While it can grow up to a meter in height, E. pulchellum is often pruned to maintain a lower and bushier form. It thrives in light shade in gardens, while warm conditions are necessary for its growth in greenhouses. This plant is easily propagated from cuttings. The specific epithet "pulchellum" translates to "beautiful" in Latin. Notably, it has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in the United Kingdom. A lax evergreen shrub with glossy, lance-shaped leaves, Eranthemum pulchellum produces clusters of deep blue flowers on terminal spikes during winter. As a houseplant, the blue eranthemum is rare but not difficult to cultivate, requiring regular watering to thrive. It flourishes when placed in direct, long-lasting light, preferably within one foot of a window. Belonging to the Eranthemum genus, this species is indigenous to India, the Himalayas, and Western China.