Princess Flower (Glory bush) care

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Full sun, ideally 6+ hours of direct light, drives the heaviest flowering. In hot-summer regions give afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch. Indoors, place at the brightest south- or west-facing window; insufficient light causes leggy growth and few blooms. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for princess flower — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering princess flower: roughly weekly; keep the soil evenly moist. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Water deeply about once a week through the growing season, more often in heat, keeping soil moist but never waterlogged. It tolerates short dry spells once established but blooms best with steady moisture. Soggy soil invites root rot, so always let excess drain freely.

Soil and pot

Princess Flower grows best in rich, acidic, well-draining potting mix. Prefers high-organic, well-drained soil on the acidic side (pH below 6.0). A peat- or coir-based mix amended with perlite and composted bark works well. Alkaline soils can trigger chlorosis (yellowing leaves with green veins). A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Princess Flower sits happiest at around Moderate to high (50%+) humidity and 15-29 C (60-85 F). As a subtropical native it favours moderate to high humidity. In dry indoor air, leaf edges may brown; group with other plants or use a pebble tray. Good airflow still matters to deter mealybugs and fungal issues. If you keep the room above 15 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed princess flower sparingly. Feed every 2-4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced or slightly acidic liquid fertiliser formulated for acid-loving plants; this supports its long bloom season. Reduce or stop feeding in autumn and winter when growth slows. Avoid over-fertilising, which pushes soft foliage at the expense of flowers. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on princess flower in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Frost and cold damage — Frost-tender: leaves shrivel and blacken below about 40 F (4 C) and stems freeze back below ~27 F (-3 C). Protect from frost or overwinter indoors in a bright, cool room.
• Leggy growth, few flowers — Too little light produces sparse, stretched stems. Move to full sun and pinch the growing tips after flowering to encourage branching and more blooms.
• Root rot — Mushroom root rot develops in soil kept too wet. Use a free-draining mix, empty saucers, and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings.
• Yellowing leaves (chlorosis) — Green-veined yellow leaves signal iron chlorosis from alkaline soil or water. Maintain acidic soil and feed with an acid-loving plant fertiliser.
• Sap-sucking pests — Scale, mealybugs, and nematodes are the main pests. Inspect leaf undersides and stems; treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and improve airflow.

Propagation

Propagate from softwood or semi-ripe stem cuttings taken in spring or summer. Take 4-6 in (10-15 cm) tip cuttings, remove lower leaves, dip in rooting hormone, and root in a warm, humid, well-draining medium; they root readily in a few weeks. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Princess Flower is mildly toxic to pets. The ASPCA does not individually list Tibouchina urvilleana (or its synonyms Pleroma, princess flower, glory bush, lasiandra) on its toxic or non-toxic plant lists, so an authoritative pet-specific safety rating is unavailable. The California Poison Control System classifies Tibouchina as non-toxic to humans, dogs, and cats, but as a precaution treat it as a possible mild gastrointestinal irritant and contact your vet if a pet ingests a notable amount. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Princess Flower deep-dive guides

Every aspect of princess flower care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Princess Flower watering schedule
• Princess Flower light requirements
• Best soil mix for princess flower
• Princess Flower fertilizing guide
• When to repot princess flower
• How to propagate princess flower
• Princess Flower growth rate & size
• Princess Flower cold hardiness
• Princess Flower temperature & humidity
• Is princess flower toxic to cats & dogs?
• Getting princess flower to bloom

Related guides

Princess Flower is also known as Princess flower, Glory bush, Purple glory tree, Lasiandra, and Pleroma urvilleanum.

• Peace lily care — light, water and common problems
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• All 609 plant care guides in the Growli library