Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus)
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is home to many animals, and we also cultivate plants from those animals’ habitats. You may see some of these plants in the animals” habitats or you can see them in our Victorian Greenhouse. Many of the plants are endangered, just like the animals.
DESCRIPTION: It is a soft-stemmed, tropical, evergreen shrub or subshrub that is grown primarily for its attractive iridescent purple foliage. It grows 3-4’ tall in frost-free climates. Persian Shield plants feature ovate-lanceolate dark green leaves that are flushed with silvery-purple iridescence above and dark purple beneath. RANGE: Native to Myanmar, India, and China. |