Talinum Paniculatum 'Jewels Of Opar'

Knowing that a plant has a common name synonymous with a mythical ancient city full of riches should give you a clue that someone thought very highly of the plant. Jewels-of-Opar has attractive, succulent-looking foliage and is quick to send up arching panicles adorned with light to hot pink star-shaped flowers. Amazingly, these flowers appear repeatedly over a long period of time. You might think you've heard of Jewels-of-Opar before, and you may be right. Your grandma may have grown the regular green version and called it Jewels-of-Opar. On the other hand, if you are a fan of Tarzan, then there is a distinct possibility that this is where you heard the name. Edgar Rice Burroughs mentioned Opar in 1913 in his second Tarzan book, The Return of Tarzan, and then in 1916, he wrote Tarzan and the Jewels-of-Opar. Leaves are edible and have medicinal properties