A vigorous plant with handsome, wavy-toothed leaves and attractive pale blue, bell-shaped flowers followed by ornamental papery Chinese lanterns. Branches of these can be dried and used for winter decoration indoors. It owes its common name to the fact that some gardeners believe it to be a deterrent to white-fly. 1.2 metres.
Sow indoors. Sow 1mm deep into moist well-drained seed compost. Ideal temp. 22°C. Germination takes 15-20 days. Once seedlings are large enough to handle transplant to 8cm pots and grow on. Acclimatise and plant out after danger of frost has passed with 40cm spacing. Self-seeds freely!