Glory bush, also known as large-leaf princess flower (Tibouchina grandifolia) produces terminal clusters of exquisite royal-purple blooms from fall throughout most of the winter in conservatories. It requires full sun and moderate soil fertility—use acid fertilizers, similar to what is used for rhododendrons—and needs to be kept moist. The very large, silvery, felted leaves on a rounded shrub up to 7 feet make this an ornamental with all-year interest. In colder areas it can be grown in a container, but must be brought indoors before a heavy frost.

A native to Brazil, glory bush is one of the plants recommended by famed twentieth-century landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx—also a native of Brazil. Burle Marx transformed mid-century landscape architecture concepts with his dramatic, broad sweeps of tropical plants with colorful foliage and flowers, and his free-form water features.