Leeaceae - Botanical Family

A very attractive shrub with decorative foliage and large groups of colorful flowers with petals which are bright red outside and yellowish inside, followed by black fruit.

Leea guineensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to tropical Africa. Leea's are vigorous growers and need quite a lot of space.The light green new growth is quite a contrast to the dark green foliage.

In the greenhouse Leea's will bloom all year long. Flowers are in much-branched cymes and are up to 8 inches across.

Leea guineensis need partial shade with intermediate to warm temperatures. The plant cannot withstand much drought and should be kept moist at all times.

Leea guineensis is propagated by stem cutting or by seed.

The small greenish-white to cream flowers are borne in cymes to about 20 cm across, these are followed by a black ovoid berry with 4-5 seeds.

Large-leaved Leea is a very rare plant. It is native to India and cultivated in E. Asia - southwest China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam. This plant has impressive large tropical leaves. Hathikana, literally meaning having elephant ears. The plant has switchy branches and perennial tuberous roots. Leaves are ovate-cordate, conspicuously large - lower leaves up to 25" in diameter. The large leaves lend it many of its common names. Tiny greenish white flowers in corymbose cymes. Berries are depressed-globose, black. Flowering: July-September.

The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine, and dye. It is planted in Sri Lanka for its medicinal use. Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Grow in filtered light.