A perennial that’s certainly not rare, and one I wouldn’t garden without, is the amazing South American (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay) native, bicolor purple shamrock. Perennial for us, here in Zone 7b/8a, Oxalis triangularis ‘Atropurpurea’ looks great in spring, goes on vacation during the heat of summer, then returns in fall with another glorious display. For
One of our favorite vines is unquestionably the South American, Brazilian firecracker vine, Manettia cordifolia. This amazing, well-behaved plant doesn’t emerge for us until mid-to-late June, but once the temperatures rise, it explodes into a hummingbirds dream. The peak flowering season for us, is September and October, when it puts on a show like little
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Flowering for the last several week is the South American (Argentina, Uruguay) iris family member, Cypella (Phallocallis) herbertii. The narrow foliage is almost invisible, so this gem can be tucked into any sunny spot for a splash of summer color. We have grown this for over three decades, and it never fails to perform. Hardiness
We’ve grown Pink Mist calla lily for decades, and have rarely seen a flower, so a couple of years ago, we transplanted one to a much more moist site, where the species, Zantedeschia aethiopica grows in the wilds of South Africa. While it persisted for years in our garden, in average moisture garden soil, it’s
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Early last year, we noticed a new seedling, growing in our crevice seep. We realized it was nothing we had planted, and concluded that it belonged to the genus of pocketbook flowers, Calceolaria. We had actually tried three of the mostly South American native calceolaria species years earlier, but the genus is known for its
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