Cast Iron Plant

Aspidistra elatior

The Cast Iron Plant, also called the Barroom Plant, does well in low-light and can withstand neglect. It does well in containers.

• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennnial
• Water Needs: Medium
• Mature Height: 2' to 3'
• Mature Width: 1' to 2'
• Sun Needed: Partial Shade
• USDA Zones: 7a to 11b
• Colors: Green, Purple, Red-burgandy, Varigated, White leaves
• Bloom Color: Tan, brown-copper, purple
• Bloom Season: Summer
• Native To: China, Japan

Hong Kong Orchid Tree

Bauhinia x blakeana

Bauhinia x blakeana is a small tree with a light gray smooth bark and large, thick gray-green double lobed leaves that grow to give the canopy an umbrella shape. It has large flowers, but is sterile, so it does not seed. Bauhinia x blakeana comes from China; it was named after Sir Henry Blake, who was the Governor of Hong Kong from 1898 to 1903. Its flower is now the official floral emblem of Hong Kong.

• Plant Type: Semi-deciduous tree
• Water Needs: Medium
• Mature Height: 12' - 20'
• Mature Width: 15' - 20'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 9 to 11
• Colors: Green, Brown
• Bloom Color: Magenta
• Bloom Season: Fall, Spring
• Native To: China

Blonde Ambition Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'

Blonde Ambition Blue Grama is a clump-forming ornamental grass with unique flower spikes that attach to stems at a 90 degree angle. The seed heads emerge chartreuse and mature to blonde. Foliage is blue-green and finely textured. Very heat and drought tolerant.

• Plant Type: Ornamental grass
• Water Needs: Low
• Mature Height: 0.75' - 2.5'
• Mature Width: 0.75' - 1.5'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 3 to 10
• Colors: Blue-green
• Bloom Color: Chartreuse
• Bloom Season: June-August
• Native To: Missouri, United States

Giant Chalk Dudleya

Dudleya brittonii

Giant Chalk Dudleya forms lotus-like rosettes of fleshy leaves which are coated in a fine chalky white powder. Stalks of yellow flowers appear in spring and summer, attracting hummingbirds. Avoid overhead watering.

• Plant Type: Succulent
• Water Needs: Low
• Mature Height: 1' - 2'
• Mature Width: 1' - 2'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• USDA Zones: 9 to 11
• Colors: Chalky White
• Bloom Color: Yellow
• Bloom Season: Spring, Summer
• Native To: Baja California

Seaside Daisy

Erigeron glaucus

Often used as a houseplant in warm climates, the Seaside Daisy can be grown in rock gardens and crevice gardens. Aster-like flowers bloom from spring to summer with yellow button-centers that attract all sorts of pollinators.

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Water Needs: Low
• Mature Height: 6" - 12"
• Mature Width: 3' - 5'
• Sun Needed: Partial Shade
• USDA Zones: 8 to 10
• Colors: Blue-green leaves
• Bloom Color: Lavender-pink and Blue
• Bloom Season: Spring-fall
• Native To: Coastal California and Oregon

Santa Barbara Daisy

Erigeron karvinskianus

Santa Barbara Daisy is a trailing groundcover that is beautiful cascading over walls or pots. The small white daisies with a touch of pink bloom almost year-round. Flowers are a great treat for bees and tiny beneficial flies and wasps. The heat of summer does make it shut down, but as soon as the weather is a cool again, it perks right up and blooms again.

• Plant Type: Evergreen shrub
• Water Needs: Low
• Mature Height: 1' - 2'
• Mature Width: 4' - 6'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• USDA Zones: 8 to 10
• Colors: Yellow-chartreuse
• Bloom Color: Blue
• Bloom Season: Spring
• Native To: California

Whirling Butterflies Gaura

Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'

Whirling Butterflies Gaura features arching red stems, pink flower buds, and four-petaled snow white flowers which appear in long wand-like panicles above the foliage over a very long late spring to autumn bloom period. Flowers open only a few at a time, and dance in the wind like butterflies, hence the cultivar name.

• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Mature Height: 2' - 3'
• Mature Width: 2' - 3'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 5a to 9b
• Colors: Green, Red-burgandy
• Bloom Color: White
• Bloom Season: Summer
• Native To: Louisiana and Texas

Australian Tea Tree

Leptospermum laevigatum

Native to Western Australia, the Tea Tree is salt resistant and often planted in coastal climates to stabilize sand. Its seeds are dispersed by wind and water. It is used in the production of essential oils due to its antimicrobial properties.

• Plant Type: Shrub
• Water Needs: Low
• Mature Height: 15'
• Mature Width: 10' - 30'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 9 to 11
• Colors: Green, Cream
• Bloom Color: White
• Bloom Season: Spring
• Native To: Eastern Australia

Chinese Fan Palm

Livistonia Chinensis

Livistonia Chinensis is often used as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks because of its fan-shaped leaves and its ability to grow well in many conditions. It can grow in a range of soils types including clay, loam, sand, acidic, and alkaline, and it can grow in both full sun and full shade.

• Plant Type: Tree
• Water Needs: Medium
• Mature Height: 20' - 50'
• Mature Width: 11' - 15'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 9 to 11
• Colors: Green, Brown, Black
• Bloom Color: White
• Bloom Season: Spring
• Native To: Japan, Taiwan, China, Ryukyu Islands, and Hainan

Tall Verbena

Verbena bonariensis

Verbena bonariensis grows rapidly and often forms clumps of dark green, serrated leaves that are about 1 foot tall. Tiny flowers grow from slender stems that rise out of the mounded leaves. These flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators.

• Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Water Needs: Medium
• Mature Height: 2' - 4'
• Mature Width: 1.5' - 3'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 9a-11a
• Colors: Dark Green
• Bloom Color: Pink, Purple
• Bloom Season: Summer, Fall
• Native To: South America

Blue Gem Coast Rosemary

Westringia fruticosa 'Blue Gem'

Westringia fructicosa 'Blue Gem' is an evergreen shrub that often forms mounds. It has silver-green leaves and small purple flowers that bloom year round.

• Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
• Mature Height: 6' - 8'
• Mature Width: 5' - 6'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• USDA Zones: 7 to 11
• Colors: Silver-green
• Bloom Color: Purple, Blue
• Bloom Season: Year-round
• Native To: Australia

Coastal Rosemary

Westringia fruticosa 'Mundi'

Westringia fruticosa 'Mundi" is native to Australia, specifically the coast of New South Wales where it grows along the cliffs and near the sand on the beach. It is drought tolerant but keeps better color and grows more densely if watered occasionally in the spring and summer.

• Plant Type: Evergreen Shrub
• Water Needs: Low
• Mature Height: 1' - 2'
• Mature Width: 4' - 6'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun
• USDA Zones: 9 to 10
• Colors: Green
• Bloom Color: White
• Bloom Season: Year-round
• Native To: Australia

Princess flower

Tibouchina urvilleana

Tibouchina urvilleana is an evergreen shrub. It's flowers are round and a shade of deep purple that bloom from summer through fall. Its leaves are green with brown velvety hairs.

• Water Needs: Medium
• Mature Height: 5' - 18'
• Mature Width: 3' - 10'
• Sun Needed: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• USDA Zones: 9 to 11
• Colors: Green, Brown
• Bloom Color: Purple
• Bloom Season: Summer, Fall
• Native To: Brazil