Tweedia

Tweedia Blue Star – Seedling

• Accepted Botanical Name: Oxypetalum coeruleum
• Common Synonym: Tweedia caerulea
• Common Names: Tweedia, Blue Star, Southern Star
• Plant Family: Apocynaceae
• Plant Type: Tender evergreen perennial or twining subshrub
• Flower Color: Sky blue, gradually ageing to lavender
• Growth Habit: Upright, scrambling or lightly twining
• Mature Height: Approximately 60–90 cm
• Recommended Spacing: 30–45 cm
• Recommended Container: At least 15–20 liters
• Light Requirement: Morning sun with afternoon protection in Kuwait
• Support: A small stake or trellis is recommended
• Tweedia is an unusual ornamental plant admired for its delicate, five-petalled, star-shaped flowers in a rare shade of clear sky blue. The flowers appear in small clusters above softly textured, grey-green, heart-shaped foliage and gradually develop lavender tones as they mature.
• Its delicate coloring makes Tweedia an excellent addition to cottage gardens, flower borders, containers and cutting gardens. The long-lasting flowers also work beautifully in soft-colored floral arrangements.

Growing Tweedia in Kuwait

• For Kuwait’s growing conditions, transplant Tweedia from October through February. Autumn planting allows the plant to establish during the mild season and provides the best opportunity for prolonged flowering.
  Choose a location with:
• – Morning sun or approximately six hours of gentle sunlight
• – Afternoon shade, particularly from spring onward
• – Light, fertile and well-draining soil
• – Protection from strong wind
• – Consistent moisture without waterlogging
• – A small support for its scrambling stems
• In climates with hot summers, afternoon shade is recommended. Wind and intense rain can also damage the plant’s delicate stems and flowers.
• Avoid placing Tweedia against a heat-reflecting wall or in an exposed rooftop location receiving intense afternoon sun.
  Watering and Feeding
• Water when the upper 2–3 cm of growing medium begins to dry. Do not allow a newly transplanted seedling to dry completely, but avoid keeping the roots constantly wet.
• Feed lightly during active growth and flowering. Excessive nitrogen can produce soft, elongated foliage at the expense of flowers.
• Pinching and Support
• Pinch the active growing tip while the plant is young to encourage branching and create a fuller plant. Provide a small stake, ring support or narrow trellis as the stems lengthen.
• Tweedia is better described as a scrambling or lightly twining plant, not as a vigorous climbing vine. It requires only modest support and should not be marketed as a plant capable of covering a large pergola.
  Flowering and Cutting
• Tweedia can be grown as a decorative garden plant or cut flower. When harvesting:
• – Cut stems early in the morning.
• – Wear gloves because the stems release milky latex sap.
• – Avoid contact between the sap and the skin or eyes.
• – Keep cut flowers away from young children and pets.
• Remove developing seed pods if continuous flowering is preferred. Leaving some pods allows the plant to produce silky, wind-dispersed seeds.