The flowers of this large easy to grow shrub are striking. They are almost exotic looking with their shape and great violet color. It would be great as a hedge or screen  or include it in a perennial border with Ceanothus and arctostaphylos. This is a fast grower  but you will need to protect young plants from rabbits who find it more enticing than almost any other plant.Hybrid  random; origin = seedling (1983) L. venetus x. L. assurgentiflora (hort. M. Benedict); intro Tree of Life Nursery 1985.