Black Purple
Colors
WhiteOrangePurpleGoldenRed
Description
A highly distinctive, slow-growing plumeria with complex coloration and nomenclature. Features plum-colored, medium 2.5-3 inch flowers with slightly overlapping oval petals showing dark purple with golden-orange toward center, transitioning to bluish purple with age. Color intensity increases dramatically with temperature, developing black-purple edges in peak heat and humidity. The unique coloration makes it highly sought after, though it is an extremely challenging plant. Foliage includes medium green elliptical leaves with lighter veining and pointed tips; some forms have dark purplish leaves. Petioles are covered with white hairs. Renowned for reliability issues: extremely difficult to root, poor and inconsistent bloomer, sometimes with three-year gaps between flowerings. Some cuttings may root quickly while others remain dormant for months despite appearing healthy. Growth habit is compact to broad and upright. Nice symmetrical branching with each bloom. Creates a pretty, sturdy, upright small tree. Sets seed readily. Named for its dark purple color developing in heat; Thai nomenclature confusion exists regarding Anchan versus Black Purple (some Thai vendors consider them identical, others distinct). Anchan is actually the butterfly pea flower used to color food and is slightly more blue-purplish than Black Purple.
Appearance
Plum-colored, 2.5-3 inch blooms. Slightly overlapping, oval petals, dark purple with golden-orange toward center, turning bluish purple with age. Thick texture. Color intensity increases with temperature, developing black-purple edges in heat.
Bloom
Medium 2.5-3 inch flowers. Slow, reluctant bloomer with sometimes 3-year gaps between flowerings. Sets seed.
Fragrance
Mild to mildly sweet scent. Smells like red-hot cinnamon candies.
Growth & Foliage
Very slow grower. Compact to broad upright growth habit. Medium growth. Nice symmetrical branching with each bloom. Creates a sturdy, upright small tree. Some forms have dark purplish leaves. Petioles covered with white hairs.
Cultivation Tips
Extremely difficult to root reliably—most cuttings remain dormant for months. GREAT candidate for grafting. Not cold tolerant. Needs hot afternoon sun to develop full black-purple color; partial shade results in lighter red tones.
Provenance
Thai origin with nomenclature variations. Some Thai vendors distinguish between Anchan (butterfly pea flower, more blue-purple) and Black Purple (more pink-purple). Named for distinctive dark purple coloration developing in heat and humidity.
Also Known As
Muang AnchanakaViolet anchun. 'Black Purple' has been called 'Anchan Purple'aka
Details
Fragrance Strength
mild sweet, sweet
Anecdotal Notes
Diana
They are different. Anchan suppose to be darker blueviolet than the Black Purple which is more to Pinkish. Muang Anchan/Black Purple, muang is purple but anchan is actually a little blue/purplish flower (butterfly pea flower) used to colour food, Black Purple in thai would be Muang Dam as dam(se dam) is black but again the name has been changed around. There are a few ways to spell names depending on Thai regions but a lot of name changes are made by western countries to suit them. Plumcolored medium flowers. Slightly overlapping oval petals, dark purple and golden-orange towards center. Turning to bluish purple with age. Very unique variety with rare coloration. 2.5" to 3" orange-red or golden-orange eye. Petioles covered with white hairs. Fragrance: sweet, medium intensity. Leaves: medium green with lighter veining, elliptical with pointed tip. Slow grower. Color increasing in intensity with temperature to reach black-purple. With intensity of the heat and humidity during the summer, the edges turn black. Fades to a blue/purple. Thick texture and a mild sweet scent. Slow grower. Smells like red-hot cinnamon candies. Extremely difficult to root reliably. A cutting here and there might root quickly, but the majority sit-- sometimes for several months before doing anything. I have one cutting that was potted in late March--still no roots, yet, it still looks healthy and firm. This is a GREAT candidate for grafting. Growth habit is compact. Broad upright with medium growth. Nice symmetrical branching with each bloom. Pretty, sturdy, upright little tree. Slow grower. Mildly sweet scent. The color is amazing. Good brancher. Should be grafted. One has normal green and one has dark purplish leaves. Some Thai vendors say that Anchan and Black Purple are different varieties; some say they are the same. Very slow grower, difficult, poor bloomer. Black Purple is rounder petal. Poor blooming, sometimes 3 years apart. Sets seed.
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