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A rush of red
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Small spreading branches and arching stems make the Fountain plant look like a spray of water
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RUSSELIA JUNCEA, commonly known as the Coral plant on account of its coral-red flowers is useful for growing on sloping banks, water cascades and in hanging pots. It can also be employed as a potted plant and is good for borders in dry, tropical gardens.
The plant comes from tropical America and belongs to the family, Scrophulariaceae. It has 75-100 cms-long, ribbed, multi -branched, green stems. The small branches are thin, and on them numerous flowers are produced.
Leaves are lance-shaped and dentate on the edges. They become smaller towards the tipof the stems and are reduced to small scales.
Flower are about 3-cms long, tubular with five-petals and are double-lipped. The plant flowers continuously for long period in summer. When potting the plant high, large pots should be used on account of the drooping nature of the stems.
The numerous small spreading branches and the arching stems make the plant look like a spray of water, and hence Russelia juncea is sometimes called the Fountain Plant.
Well-manured loamy soil is good for the plant. Being a xerophyte, the plant should be given very little water especially in the non-flowering season. Keep the plant in a warm and sunny situation.
The genus Russelia is named after Dr Alexander Russell, a British physician and traveller.
The specific name juncea is because of the stems looking like those of `juncus' or rush.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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