Some pots on the patio, a few near the front door and some under cover on the balcony add colour and cheer all summer long. In this series I will present a few that have done well here this year.
Lycianthes rantonnetii (Solanum rantonnetii)
(Blue Potato Bush)
This bush produces masses of deep blue flowers with a golden “eye”. It resembles the potato or aubergine, also in the Solanaceae family. It loves the sun, but is a thirsty plant, cultivated for summer containers – the larger the container the better! (Sadly it is not hardy).
In the German language it is often called an “Enzianstrauch”, Gentian Bush, due to its gentian blue flowers.
It flowers and continues to grow all through the summer, but apparently if overwintered it takes a while to get going in spring. This is the first time I have grown it, and I am not sure I have space to bring it in for winter. However, the cost of a small plant – which grows quickly – is definitely worth it for the display of colour!
😀
Tomorrow, the Abutilon…
Words and Herbs 
That is certainly a pretty plant. I had not heard of it before.
It is sold here only in early summer for patio pots, and is a real star!
A lovely bush with its gentian blue flowers – very decorative in this beautiful pot!
Thank you Elisabeth!
The groundhog came and ate a great deal of the leaves off my potato plants…. I was hoping to have flowers from them, but at this point, I’ll be glad if I have potatoes…. I never grew a blue potato before…. This is so lovely, I may just try it next year. Will you be harvesting potatoes from it this year?
This is only decorative and does not produce potatoes! (Now that would be a real bonus!) 😉
What a nice color. Seems like a winner (and I love your big blue pot).
Thanks – the flower matches the pot well! 😀
I planted blue potatoes this year that had a very similar flower and lots of delicious blue potatoes…
Sadly this one doesn’t produce potatoes,only beautiful flowers. (Which is fine by me!) 😀
Blue flowers are always special and attractive.
Yes, especially later in the year when there seems to be less blue around. 😀
I found two new blue plants here in Romania :).
Hope to see them soon! 😀
It’s a fabulous blue, isn’t it? When I was living in Queensland looking after my mother we came across a pretty pot of this bush and conceived a plan to grow it as a standard it in her garden. Low and behold, within 18 months it was twice as tall as I, and its’ ‘umbrella’ almost as wide. Really, the most glorious thing.
How wonderful! If I lived in a warmer climate I would have them in the garden too. I’ve seen standard ones on sale and they look very effective. Thanks for stopping by!
My pleasure – it was very rewarding, especially learning about the Incredible Edible movement 🙂
Hi Cathy: How absolutely lovely. The color combination is amazing. 🙂
Hi there. The more I look at it, the more I like it! 😀
Beautiful pictures! The flowers also remind me of a hibiscus.
The vine looks like my eggplant, you are right. It is very pretty, and a plant I will write down. I am looking for more things to put in pots. I doubt that I will have a garden in the ground in my next place to live.
This one really is a must. Are you planning to move, or just thinking long-term? I find pots so much easier to water than flowerbeds. (My actual garden has to rely on getting rained on!)
Yes, David is retiring soon, We are headed to the southwest.