Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana 12cm / 1L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

Persian Shield

Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana

Name: Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana
Brand: GROW TROPICALS
SKU: STROAURIVARDYER12
Price: 18.99 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

£18.99 £29.99 SAVE 36%

Overwinter under coverShade-tolerant

Pot size

12cm / 1L £18.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

The Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana, better known as the Persian shield, is one of the most dazzling foliage exotics you can grow. Its large, lance-shaped leaves shimmer with an iridescent purple-and-silver sheen, veined and edged in green, and the colour seems to shift with every change of light. Grown purely for those spectacular leaves, it brings a jolt of the jungle to a summer patio, a container display or a sheltered exotic border.

This is a tender plant, rated around RHS H2, so in Britain it is best treated as a summer foliage exotic rather than a permanent garden resident. Stand it outdoors once the nights are reliably above about 10C, enjoy it right through the warmer months, then bring it back under cover before the first frosts. Kept frost-free over winter, or grown on as a houseplant, it stays richly coloured all year.

Keep it evenly moist through spring and summer, mist in dry heat and feed monthly to hold the leaf colour. Pinch out the growing tips for a fuller, bushier plant and remove any flower spikes so its energy goes into the foliage. It is a natural partner for ferns and other plants for shade, layering beautifully into a lush planting scheme.

For an even hardier sibling with the same shimmering look, see Strobilanthes 'Brunetthy', and browse the full range of hardy exotics to build your own jungle. Every plant is nursery grown and selected for strong, well-coloured foliage.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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7 day live arrival guarantee

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How to care for Persian Shield

Give me sun with a little shade and bring me under cover before the frosts.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.

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About Persian Shield

Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana needs partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is frost tender and must come under cover for winter.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H2 · Tender · down to around 1°C

tender, around RHS H2; protect from frost and overwinter at a minimum of around 10C.

Position

Partial shadeEast-facingWest-facingSouth-facingSheltered

bright light or dappled part shade, warm and sheltered from cold winds.

Soil

LoamMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

fertile, moist but well-drained soil, or a good peat-free compost in pots and containers.

Watering

Keep evenly moist through spring and summer and mist in dry heat to hold the leaf colour. Feed monthly while in active growth. Ease off watering over winter when kept frost-free indoors. Read moreShow less

Keep evenly moist through spring and summer and mist in dry heat to hold the leaf colour. Feed monthly while in active growth. Ease off watering over winter when kept frost-free indoors.

Mature size

Height0.6-0.9 m

Spread0.6 m

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

JFMAMJJASOND

Autumn

Seasonal colour

SpringSummerAutumnWinterFlowerFoliageBerriesStem

Foliage

Evergreen (stays evergreen only when kept frost-free over winter)

Pruning

Pinch out the growing tips through summer for bushy foliage and remove any flower spikes; cut back and bring under cover before the first frosts.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets.

Native range

Myanmar

Family

Acanthaceae

Also known as

Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana

Genus

Strobilanthes

More on caring for houseplants What does bright indirect light mean? Should I mist my houseplants?

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Strobilanthes dyeriana (Persian shield) hardy in the UK?

No. Persian shield is a tender exotic, rated around RHS H2, so it will not survive frost outdoors. Treat it as a summer foliage plant and give it frost-free shelter over winter, or grow it on as a houseplant.

Can I grow Persian shield outdoors?

Yes, through the warmer months. Stand it outside once nights stay reliably above about 10C, where it shines in pots and containers and exotic borders. Bring it back under cover before the first frosts.

Why is my Persian shield losing its purple colour?

It is almost always down to light. The iridescent purple and silver is strongest in bright light or dappled part shade. In deep shade the colour dulls, while harsh midday sun can scorch the leaves, so aim for a bright but sheltered spot.

How do I overwinter Strobilanthes dyeriana?

Bring it indoors before the first frosts and keep it frost-free at a minimum of around 10C, on a bright windowsill or in a heated greenhouse. Reduce watering over winter. It is also easy to take cuttings in late summer as insurance. See our guide on what to expect from tender exotics.

How do I keep Persian shield bushy?

Pinch out the growing tips regularly through spring and summer to encourage dense, well-branched foliage, and remove any flower spikes so the plant channels its energy into those spectacular leaves.

Where should I plant Persian shield?

Choose a warm, sheltered position in bright light or part shade. It is superb in shady planting schemes and container displays, and pairs beautifully with other hardy exotics for a jungle feel.

Does my plant come with a pot?

Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.

How big will my plant be when it arrives?

Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.

What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?

There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.

What should I do when my plant arrives?

First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.

Will my plant survive being shipped?

Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.

Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

Customers praised this exotic plant as "beautiful" with "amazing colors." Shoppers appreciated the excellent packaging and cold-weather protection during shipping. The plant arrives healthy with damp soil and new growth. Reviewers noted it's "unusual" and great value for the price. One customer said it "doesn't feel real" due to its stunning appearance.

The colours are amazing!
This plant is so beautiful, it doesn't feel real
She arrived beautifully protected, dirt was still damp and she's now living with new shoots.

5 stars: 7 (100%)
4 stars: 0 (0%)
3 stars: 0 (0%)
2 stars: 0 (0%)
1 star: 0 (0%)

Hi, This is a lovely

Hi, This is a lovely plant, really pleased with it. and a great price for such an unusual plant
Arrived with another plant on the same order,safe and cosy in their cold weather packing.

Gorgeous

She arrived beautifully protected, dirt was still damp and unspilt, and she’s now living in my bathroom window with new shoots.

Strobilanthes

I first saw this plant at the botanical gardens in Dundee and have been on the look out for one since, I was super excited to find it on your site. The colours are amazing!
It was delivered in good condition and packaged well I’ll definitely be buy from you again.

This plant is so beautiful,

This plant is so beautiful, it doesn’t feel real

Beautiful plant

Even more beautiful in real life.

So beautiful,healthy plant. Really pleased

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Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana

£18.99 ~~£29.99~~