Persian shield isn't Persian. It's from Myanmar (Burma). It is not found in the wild in
North America. The genus Strobilanthes means "cone flower," because the flowerheads
are conical.
Identification: Persian shield is an evergreen, or more
accurately, an "everpurple," given that its leaves are a stunningly beautiful shade of purple,
variously described as iridescent or metallic.
It is a tropical shrub 3-4′ (91-121 cm) tall and 2-3′ (60-91 cm) around. Leaves are opposite, a combination of purple and
green, and 4-7″ (10-17 cm) long. Flowers are inconspicuous, pale violet, on short cone-shaped
spikes.
