Native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay, the blue potato bush is cultivated all over the world for its beautiful deep purple-blue flowers. If you’ve ever seen it bloom, you won’t forget it.
The Royal Horticultural Society gave Lycianthes rantonnetii their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 2012.
Several cultivars have been produced with different colored foliage and blossoms. The cultivar Lycianthes rantonnetii 'White' has beautiful snow white flowers, while Lycianthes rantonnetii ‘Variegata’ has cream and grey-green leaves with blue flowers.
All varieties are sweetly scented and attract butterflies. If not pruned, this species will also produce berries which will attract a variety of birds.
Important note: All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested, including the seeds and berries. Pet owners should monitor their dogs, in particular, to ensure they do not eat the berries or other parts of this shrub.