Erect habit, narrower than high, 1.2-2m tall. Leaves triangular, densely overlapping, 2-3mm long. Flowers white to mauve-blue, 1.5-2cm long, terminating the many shoot tips to create plume-like racemes, summer. Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, on open hillsides, in scrub and light woodland in the drier areas. Too large and tender for the rock garden, but FA. 'Prostrata' forms low, often irregular mounds to 30cm or more tall by 1m or more across and is hardier, surviving all but severe winters.
