The illustrated growing guide
Persian Shield
Strobilanthes dyerianus
Family Acanthaceae
Est. zones 9-11
Iridescent purple-silver leaves that look airbrushed with metallic paint — the most jaw-dropping foliage plant most people have never grown. Pinch it bushy, pair it with chartreuse, and root cuttings to carry it through winter.
Part Shade / bright indirect — color richest out of harsh sun
Moderate water
Fast growthI
Overview
Will persian shield suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what persian shield actually needs.
Life cyclePerennial zones 9–11, annual elsewherePersian Shield at a glance
Common persian shield problems
- Spider Mites (indoors)
- Whitefly
- Root Rot
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow persian shield: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate persian shield
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The year
What persian shield asks for, month by month.
The persian shield year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for persian shield — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Persian Shield in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
What persian shield is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesNo ASPCA listing found; keep pets from chewing until verified
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of persian shield, ruled as a catalogue.
Best persian shield varieties & cultivars
Species (no real cultivars — it's already spectacular)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to persian shieldyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Persian Shield questions, answered straight.
Is persian shield safe for kids and pets?
With care. No ASPCA listing found; keep pets from chewing until verified Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate persian shield?
Division or seed.
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Elsewhere
Where persian shield sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily