The species Exacum a/fine was only introduced to Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was found growing on the island of Socotra, which is situated at the entrance of the Gulf of Aden. The cultivar Exacum offline 'Midget' is the variety usually offered for sale by seedsmen, and it is a more compact plant than the species, growing to about 9 in (23 cm) in height. The plants are naturally bushy, and when in flower are covered all over with small fragrant mauve or lavender-blue flowers, with a cluster of golden anthers in the centre. The flowers are saucershaped and usually 6 - 1 3 mm across. Plants are freely available and should be bought when the first flowers are beginning to open; they should then give a continuity of bloom for two or three months. However, exacums are very easy to grow from seed and if you require several plants it is more economical to grow your own.
