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Purple Velvet Plant, Velvet Plant, Royal Velvet Plant Gynura aurantiaca
Right after this plant finished blooming, it made seeds. They were in a small tuft of flossy hairs with seeds on them, looking a LOT like dandelion seed head, but not completely round like a dandelion. I haven't sown them yet to see if they'll germinate.
A friend of mine who's had them forever said the same thing. I don't know what happened to make it bloom. It was outside enjoying the cool fall temps, then I put it in the greenhouse when frost threatened and *Boom!* blooms within a couple weeks!
I have grown this plant in pots in sun and shade, indoors and out, in zone 9A. It roots easily from cuttings. All plants bloomed this fall. The blooms look like little marigold buds and also made seeds quickly. The orange color of the blooms surprised me. I had assumed they would be purple like the leaves and stems, I guess. The blooms are not as pretty as the foliage. THe buds are more attractive than the open flowers in my opinion.
My friend had gave me this unique plant and in the middle of May I moved it outside and it is now late June and I have numerous blooms. She at first thought I was crazy she did not know that it would bloom.
For years, and from many people, I've always been told to pinch the buds off of this plant when they appear. I've been told that the flowers sap the strength from the plant. I've always pinched mine and the plant does appear to do better without them. Besides, I find the flowers rather ugly for a beauty of a plant. Happy planting!
