Torenia asiatica L.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘It is not by any means easy for a painter to do justice to the rich purple-blue tinge of this plant, which, with the size of the blossoms, the three dark purple blotches on the pale ground, together with the delicate yellow-green of the foliage, renders this one of the most lovely plants.’  [BM t.4249/1846].  ‘Forms a good plant for bedding out in warm situations in the flower-garden, where it flowers with great freedom, and spreads over the surface of the ground.’  [MB p.197/1848].  ‘The characteristics which distinguish this fine plant are abundance of flowers at nearly all seasons, elegant growth and easy cultivation.’  [Gard. Chron. 1852].  FC p.145/1846.  Torenia asiatica var. pulcherrima, raised by the English nursery Henderson’s, was figured in the Belgian publications Illustration Horticole [IH p.199 vol.6/1859] and Flore des Serres [FS f.1342/1858]. 

According to Don introduced to Britain in 1823, although Curtis’s Botanical Magazine gives a much later date, attributing its introduction to W. Strachan, the first flowering in 1846.  ‘This species varies in hairiness, form of leaves and size of corollas, as it now stands; but there are probably several species confused under the name.’  [Don].  

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [H.225/1850].  Obtained from the London Horticultural Society and Kew Gardens.  Included among desiderata in a letter to John Lindley dated 15th February 1848 [MP A2933-1, p.157] and to Kew at about the same time [MP A2933-1, p.165] and marked ‘arrived’ on Macarthur’s copies.

Notes

Torenia asiatica Benth. = Torenia cordifolia Roxb.