Also known as A. x hybridum Fireball, and Abutilon Biltmore Ballgown, this is one of the many lovely hybrids between A. darwinii and A. striatum, with maple-like leaves and bell-flowers whose petals are recurved, turning in slightly at the bottom. Flowers are fiery red, as one would imagine, with prominent red veins accenting the surface. Happy plants can reach 8-10 ft tall, though pruning easily adjusts the size. Best with plentiful summer water and fertilizer. Less hardy than many, preferring temperatures that only occasionally drop into the 20s F, USDA zone 9. Placement out of wind with overhead protection and plentiful mulch help in less than balmy climates.

Brazilian Bell-flower is a fun and easy-to-grow hummingbird magnet for the perennial border. In the garden or in a hanging container, it spreads to several feet wide in a single season. In the wild, Abutilon megapotamicum reaches 8' tall, but in cultivation arely exceeds 5' tall, and less when grown as a potted plant. During warm months, the plants are laden with cool 2" hanging lantern-like flowers composed of red calyces above the yellow petals, ending with its bright red privates dangling beneath... all carefully arranged between the thumb-sized green leaves.

Sweet Mimosa. One of the most useful tropical plants that is very cold tolerant, blooms all winter through spring with honey-fragrant flowers - canary yellow powder puffs, attracting bees and butterflies. This is a large size, multi-stem thorny shrub 15x15 ft that requires some space. It is very fast growing, can be used as a good screen plant. It will bring you joy with pretty flowers and sweet fragrance even during freeze snaps when other trees lose leaves and suffer. This one will continue blooming and stays evergreen - a real survivor! Tolerates poor soils and drought too. Provide regular water to establish quicker.

Cat tail, Chenille plant - very popular everbloomer with long red cat tails - pendulous flowers. Large, fast growing full shrub.

Acanthus montanus, also known as African mountain acanthus, False Thistle, Bear's breech, Mountain Thistle, and Alligator Plant, is a thinly branched unusual perennial with interesting foliage, basal clusters of oblong to lance-shaped glossy, dark green leaves reaching up to 12 inches long. The leaves have silver marks and wavy margins. It produces showy pink flowers in the summer to fall. It is said it is cold hardy to zone 9. The plant looks better in filtered light.
See picture of alligator skin.

Chinese Perfume Plant, Chinese Rice Flower, Mock Lemon - the fragrance is outstanding! The plant is slow growing, big size of the plant is hard to find.

Chinese Perfume Plant, Chinese Rice Flower, Mock Lemon - the fragrance is outstanding! The plant is slow growing, big size of the plant is hard to find.
See Article about this plant.

Very attractive ever-blooming shrub with bright yellow trumpet-like flowers. Nice blooming hedge plant. Relatively hardy and easy to grow.