Aptenia cordifolia

This plant grows best in full sun and tolerates poor soils, heavy or well-drained. Flowering is in summer and autumn. Easily propagated by cuttings or seed. The very similar A. lancifolia, sometimes refered to in the trade as A. cordifolia 'Fuchsia', is almost identical (the leaves are less cordate) except in being less vigorous, and with distinct magenta or fuchsia colored flowers.

They grow well on retaining walls and hanging baskets.

Aquilegia sp.

Aralia elata

In Japan, the shoots (taranome) are eaten in the spring.

Arbutus sp.

This group consists of beautiful, evergreen trees or shrubs. They grow wild in North, South and Central America, Mexico, Asia Minor, southern Europe and the Canary Islands. They only grow from 10 to 20 feet high. A. andrachnoides is a hybrid small tree with attractive cinnamon-red branches that are covered with green leaves slightly edged with red.

Varieties: Arbutus andrachnoides;

Arbutus menziesii;

Arbutus unedo;

Arbutus canariensis;

Arbutus andrachne;

Arbutus glandulosa.

Archidendron grandiflorum, Pithecellobium grandiflorum