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Creeping Foxglove
Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha
SA tree number
English: Creeping Foxglove, Wild Foxglove, Asystasia, Small-flowered Asystasia
Afrikaans: Kleinblom-Asystasia, Rankasistasia
Xhosa: (No widely recorded common name)
Zulu: Ukuphuphuma, isiHobo
Historical scientific names: Asystasia coromandeliana, Asystasia coromandeliana var. micrantha, Asystasia micrantha, Justicia gangetica, Asystasia intrusa
Subspecies: Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha
Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha, commonly known as Creeping Foxglove or Small-flowered Asystasia, is a lovely indigenous perennial groundcover or scrambler. It's known for its soft, green leaves and its cheerful, small, white to pale purple flowers with a distinctive dark-veined throat, often blooming profusely. While it's a popular ornamental and native in South Africa, some forms or subspecies can be considered invasive in other parts of the world.
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Distinguishing features:
Fast-growing, sprawling, or creeping habit, forming a dense groundcover.
Soft, oval to heart-shaped, bright green leaves.
Small, trumpet-shaped flowers, typically white with purple veins on the lower lip, or pale purple.
Flowers often appear in one-sided spikes.
Very adaptable and easy to grow.
Overall appearance:
The Creeping Foxglove (Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha) forms a lush, dense carpet of soft green leaves, often sprawling widely. It is regularly adorned with numerous small, charming, trumpet-shaped flowers, typically white or pale purple with delicate darker veins, which give it a delicate yet vibrant appeal.
Height:
Typically grows 10-30 cm high, but can spread to cover a greater height if scrambling up support.
Width:
Can spread extensively, often forming mats 1 to 2 metres or more in width.
Leaves:
The leaves are opposite, simple, oval to broadly ovate or heart-shaped, with a pointed tip and sometimes slightly wavy margins. They are soft to the touch and bright green to dark green, typically 2-8 cm long and 1.5-5 cm wide.
Flowers:
The flowers are small (about 1.5-2.5 cm long), trumpet-shaped (tubular with five spreading lobes). They are typically white or creamy-white, often with prominent purple or dark pink veins on the lower lip, or sometimes entirely pale purple. The flowers are borne in one-sided spikes (racemes) at the ends of branches or in leaf axils. Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha flowers are hermaphroditic, containing both male and female reproductive parts.
Flowering season:
It has a very long flowering season, often blooming almost year-round in warm, moist conditions, with peak flowering in spring and summer (around September to April).
Fruits:
The fruit is a small, club-shaped or pear-shaped capsule, about 1-2 cm long, which splits open explosively when mature to release the seeds.
Seeds:
Each capsule contains 2-4 flattened, roundish seeds, typically black or dark brown, which are forcibly ejected when the fruit dries and splits open.
Stems:
The stems are green and soft when young, becoming slightly woody at the base with age.
Thorns:
None.
Roots:
It has a shallow, fibrous root system, with adventitious roots developing along its creeping stems, which helps it to anchor and spread effectively.
Soil type:
Prefers fertile, well-drained soils, but is quite adaptable to various soil types, including sandy, loamy, and even some clay soils. It thrives in moist conditions.
Aspect:
Prefers partial shade to full sun. It grows well in areas with good moisture and humidity. While it can tolerate some drought once established, it looks best with regular watering. It is sensitive to frost and will be damaged by cold temperatures, but often recovers from the roots in warmer areas.
Ediblity:
The leaves of Asystasia gangetica (including some subspecies) are reportedly eaten as a leafy vegetable in some parts of Africa and Asia. They are sometimes used in traditional medicine for various ailments. However, it's essential to confirm the safety of specific subspecies and preparation methods, and generally, for ornamental plants, consumption is not advised without expert guidance.
Toxicity:
Generally considered non-toxic to mildly toxic. While leaves are consumed in some cultures, ingesting large quantities might cause mild gastrointestinal upset in sensitive individuals.
Uses:
Highly popular as an ornamental groundcover, especially for shaded or semi-shaded areas in gardens. It is excellent for suppressing weeds, stabilising banks, and as a filler plant. Its attractive flowers and lush foliage make it a good choice for container planting or hanging baskets. It attracts butterflies and other pollinators.
Ecology:
The flowers are a significant source of nectar for various insects, especially butterflies, which are strongly attracted to its blooms. It also serves as a larval food plant for several butterfly species, including the Natal Acraea and the African Leopard. Its dense growth provides ground cover and shelter for small invertebrates.
Distribution and habitat:
Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha is indigenous to the eastern and northern parts of South Africa, including the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and North West provinces. It extends into other tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia. It naturally occurs in moist, shaded areas, forest margins, riverbanks, and disturbed sites.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Asystasia comes from the Greek "a-" (not) and "systasia" (standing together), referring to the stamens which are not fused together, a distinguishing feature.
The species name gangetica refers to the Ganges River in India, where the species was first described, despite its African origin.
The subspecies name micrantha is from Greek "mikros" (small) and "anthos" (flower), referring to its small flowers compared to other varieties.
Common names like "Creeping Foxglove" describe its growth habit and flower shape.
Historical aspects:
Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha has been used as a traditional leafy vegetable in parts of Africa and Asia for centuries, indicating its long-standing cultural and nutritional significance in some regions. Its attractive appearance led to its widespread cultivation as an ornamental, particularly in tropical and subtropical gardens globally. However, this has also led to it becoming an invasive species in some parts of the world outside its native range due to its rapid growth and ability to outcompete local flora. Within South Africa, it is a valuable indigenous plant for biodiversity and landscaping.
Interesting facts:
This plant has a clever way of spreading its seeds – its fruit pods explosively split open when dry, flinging the seeds several metres away like tiny catapults!
Despite its small flowers, it's a favourite "petrol station" for butterflies, drawing them in with its nectar. It's also a nursery for their caterpillars!
In some parts of the world, its leaves are actually eaten as a leafy green vegetable, like spinach – pretty cool for a garden plant!
It's super quick at covering ground, making it a natural living carpet that helps to keep weeds at bay.
Growing tips:
Propagation: Very easy to propagate from stem cuttings, which root readily. Can also be grown from seed.
Planting: Prefers partial shade but can tolerate full sun in moist conditions. Plant in well-drained, fertile soil.
Watering: Water regularly, especially during dry periods, to keep the soil consistently moist.
Frost Protection: Sensitive to frost. In colder areas, plant in a sheltered spot or grow in containers that can be moved indoors. It often resprouts from its roots if damaged by light frost.
Maintenance: Can be pruned to control its spread or to encourage denser growth. It can become a vigorous spreader, so manage its growth in smaller gardens.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
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