Naming Identity
Sunset bells are scientifically named in Latin as Chrysothemis pulchella. This plant is also known internationally in English as black flamingo, copper leaf, or chrysothemis.
Chrysothemis itself is a genus consisting of 6 plant species. Her name is taken from Greek mythology, Chrysothemis who was the daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon. Meanwhile, pulchella is taken from Latin which means beautiful.
Taxonomy
Kingdom | Plantae |
Phylum | Tracheophyta |
Class | Magnoliopsida |
Order | Lamiales |
Family | Gesneriaceae |
Genus | Chrysothemis |
Species | Chrysothemis pulchella |
Origin
Sunset bells are plants originating from Central and South America which include North Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Southeast Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago and Venezuela (Chrysothemis Pulchella (Donn Ex Sims) Decne. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science, 2019). This plant more precisely comes from Amazônia, Amapá, RondôNia, Roraima, Pará, and Neotropics (Squarestem - Encyclopedia of Life, 2024).
Shape Description and Growth
Sunset bells have large leaves with a rough surface. The shape resembles an egg with serrated leaf edges. The upper surface of the leaves is dark green with a copper tinge while the underside is purple.
Its beautiful, showy flowers are bright yellow with red stripes. The flowers are surrounded by bright orange-red bracts with a shape that resembles a bell.
Sunset bell can grow to a height of up to 45 cm with a width spread of up to 30 cm. To grow well, this plant needs good drainage.