Tag Archives: Autumn

Blood Flower – Aclepias curassavica

Blood flowers (Aclepias curassavica) are red-orange with yellow hoods. Flowering continues throughout the summer to early autumn. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees are attracted to the flowers. Monarch butterflies lay eggs on this plant and the resulting larvae (caterpillars) use the plant leaves as a food source. Flowers are followed by long, narrow seed pods (3-4” long) which split open when …

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Canna Lily

The canna lily plant is a rhizomatous perennial with tropical-like foliage and large flowers that resemble that of iris. Canna lilies are low maintenance and easy to grow, and both their flowers and foliage offer long-lasting color in the garden. Flower color may be red, orange or yellow. Depending on the variety, foliage color varies from green to maroon, bronze, …

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Agastache ‘Black Adder’

Okay. I bought this plant because of its name. There were no photos of the flowers; the plant was not yet in bloom. I just loved the 1980s BBC four-year series starring Rowan Atkinson (as Edmund Blackadder) and Tony Robinson (as Baldrick). When the plant finally bloomed last week, I was pleasantly surprised by its purple flower stalk. But, as …

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Fuchsia – Emu Bush

Emu Bush is a great addition to a drought-tolerant garden in Sunnyvale. Emu Bush Fuchsias (genus Eremophila) are Australian shrubby native plants and there are over two hundred varieties known. The name Eremophila means ‘desert lover’ and derives from the Greek eremos (desert) and phileo (to love). The fruits are eaten by emus, which disperse the seeds in their droppings. …

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Asclepias – Silky Mix

One of over two hundred varieties of Asclepias, ‘Silky Mix’ stands out for its beautiful alternating deep red and gold colored blooms. Blooming mid Summer through early Fall, ‘Silky’, like most Asclepias prefers sunny, dry locations and does well in substandard soil. A tender perennial in some zones and annual in others, ‘Silky Mix’ is a beautiful addition to any …

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Tradescantia x andersoniana ‘Sweet Kate’

‘Sweet Kate’ is a compact, clump-forming, hybrid spiderwort that is noted for its unique yellow foliage. It typically grows to 12” tall. Three-petaled, purplish-blue flowers (to 1.5” diameter) accented by contrasting yellow stamens are borne in terminal clusters (umbels) atop stiff stems. Numerous flower buds form in each cluster, but individual flowers open up only a few at a time, …

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Begonia boliviens s. ‘Santa Cruz Sunset’

The Santa Cruz Sunset begonia has dramatic angled petals. These plants fall into the tropical and subtropical category of perennials, growing well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 11. Many varieties with ornamental leaves and blossoms grow well outside in USDA zones 10 and 11, while hardy begonias survive winters in USDA zones 6 through 9 …

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Viola “Whopping Purple Whiskers”

Viola “Whopping Purple Whiskers”Huge, 2.5″ across, intensely whiskered blooms of velvety purple and white! Free flowering over a long period of time (deadheading extends it even more) on a compact form, 9″ tall and 10″ across. Wonderful in pots. Rich soil for amazing show! Edible!

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Gelasine coeruleax

A rare member of the Iris family with such unusual colored flowers – sky-blue-flushed light lavender. The anthers are bright purple against a soft white throat. To 2” across, the Iris like flowers face outwards atop upright 12-20” stems and they just keep coming May till September – at least. Slender Iris-like foliage is evergreen for us here in USDA …

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Convolvulus sabatius

This pretty and tough evergreen groundcover is one of the most versatile, hard-working plants going! Lovely bluish-purple, open-faced, funnel-shaped 1-2” flowers appear in late Spring and continuing nonstop well into the Fall. Not invasive like some annual “Morning Glories”, this Mediterranean sun-lover needs little water once established. Forms a low, dense, vining mat of foliage 3’ across that helps with …

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