Barleria cristata (Philippine Violet)
Native to tropical and subtropical Asia, this evergreen perennial shrub reaches about 6 feet tall and is grown for hedges and borders. Funnel-shaped flowers occur in purple, lavender, or white forms, with spiny-edged green structures surrounding their bases. In Florida, flowers appear on new growth in late summer and early fall. Ripe capsules split open to scatter their seeds, and branches can root where they touch the ground. It is naturalized in Florida and Hawaii, United States, and Queensland, Australia, where it is considered a potential environmental weed. Photographed in MedellĂn, Colombia.
