Propagation
Surface sow fresh seed during spring and prick out when large enough to handle. Seedlings commonly are not true to type.
Division of established clumps or divide rhizomes with one or more rosette of leaves during autumn or after flowering. Place cuttings in a sand and peat mixture and keep moist, not wet.
Botanic information
Leaf: The leathery textured leaves are obovate to narrow elliptical up to 90 mm (3½ in)wide. They have an obtuse apex and a cuneate base with a petiole up to 70 mm (2? in) long that is sheathed at the base.
The margin is entire to sinuate-dentate and both surfaces glabrous. The leaf colour is dark green and may be suffused with purple along the margins and during winter the leaf turns deep purple. There are 10 or more leaves arranged in a basal rosette.
Flower: The small purple flower is composed of 5-green leathery ovate sepals and 5-expending broad-ovate petals with an obtuse apex. They have a red pubescent pedicle and are arranged in an upright panicle-like branched cyme that is up to 230 mm (9 in) long. It is held above the foliage on a thick reddish scape up to 400mm (16in) tall and appear from mid to late spring.
Fruit: The small capsule is 2- parted and contains numerous seeds that are viable but the plant is commonly reproduced vegetatively to maintain true to type.