From a low dome of tiny, silky, silvery blue-green "lupin" leaves, arise short, stumpy spikes of gorgeous blue and white flowers. This little gem looks exotic and tender, but is completely frost-hardy, and if pot grown, and starved, can win many a prize! In the USA its habitats include coastal sage scrub, chaparral, northern coastal scrub, dry foothill woodland, and yellow pine forest. One of the only plants that absolutely thrives on drought! Very few viable seeds have been collected ... Learn More

Lycianthes lycoidea, commonly known as the potato bush or Christmas berry, is a shrub that belongs to the Solanaceae family. One of the notable features of Lycianthes lycoidea is its small, star-shaped flowers. These flowers are usually white or pale lavender and are produced in clusters. The blooming period can vary, but it often occurs during the summer and fall seasons. The potato bush is a medium to large shrub with a dense and rounded growth habit. It typically reaches heights of 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 meters) and has a similar spread. The plant is evergreen, and its dense foliage consist ... Learn More

This spreading, deciduous shrub blooms from late spring to late summer, with superb, white fragrant blossoms. It is best grown where the nodding flowers which have rich rose-red stamens can be admired from below. Very few fertile seeeds collected. ... Learn More

Unlike the common garden stocks, the white form of the fragrant tree stock is rarely encountered. Slowly, with age, it develops a trunk supporting several radiating rosettes of grey lanceolate leaves, each rosette producing spikes of sweetly perfumed white flowers. It is hardy and long lived in a sheltered well-drained spot. ... Learn More

Native to Australia and South East Asia, this attractive tree opens its clusters of purple and white flowers in early summer before forming the inedible, fleshy yellow fruits in autumn. Birds though can eat them and spread the seeds around in their droppings. It prefers open sun and can do well in partial shade too. It is hardy to most frosts and can withstand extended dry periods and can also adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. ... Learn More

Curious maroon-brown flowers, with chocolate bracts and green stamens, produce unusual inflated fruits above attractive, musky-perfumed deeply-fingered foliage on this very rare plant. In addition, this South African native provides many odd details in its life cycle. Compared with the more well known and widely available Melianthus major, this seldom-seen beauty is more reasonably sized for the smaller garden, and has lovely fuzzy apple green leaves as opposed to the glaucous grey-green of the major. The nectar-filled flowers are intricately veined bizarre beauties of green, brown, and de ... Learn More

"New Zealand Shrubby Violet". Yes, a member of the violet family! A dwarf evergreen shrub, with small oval leaves, resembling a box bush. Tiny clusters of perfumed yellow-green flowers slowly turn to white and purple berries. A slow growing treasure. ... Learn More

Metrosideros laurifolia, commonly known as Laurel Ohia, is an evergreen shrub or tree native to New Caledonia. It features large, thick, leathery leaves up to 17 cm (6.7 inches) long, often with pinkish-red stalks. The young foliage emerges with an intense coppery-red hue, adding vibrant color to the landscape. During its blooming period from spring to early summer, the tree is adorned with masses of yellow flowers with long stamens, creating a striking visual display. Thriving in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soils, Metrosideros laurifolia is adaptable to various soil types, i ... Learn More

From March to July the night air is filled with the delicious heady aroma of its sprays of star-shaped, yellowish white flowers. People collect them as they retain their perfume for many days after they fall and they are offered in temples and shrines. The fruits are eaten fresh and are softly hairy becoming smooth, ovoid, and bright red-orange when ripe. With its small shiny, thick, narrow, pointed leaves, straight trunk and spreading branches, it is a prized ornamental specimen as it provides a dense shade. It is found in tropical forests in South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia ... Learn More

Mutisia oligodon is a charming evergreen subshrub native to the temperate regions of Chile and Argentina. This low-growing plant exhibits a semi-prostrate to ascending habit, often forming dense mats that sprawl gracefully over rocky terrains. Its slender stems are adorned with leathery, oblong leaves, each terminating in a delicate tendril that aids in climbing or anchoring to nearby structures. The foliage presents a vibrant green hue on the upper surface, while the underside is cloaked in a soft, pale wool, adding to its tactile appeal. During the blooming season, Mutisia oligodon produc ... Learn More

This upright, evergreen, bushy shrub bears profuse fragrant white flowers followed by purple-black berries and is perfect for growing in a shaded warm area. The excellent, dense, evergreen foliage consists of small lanceolate leaves which are strongly scented when crushed. ... Learn More

Also known as the Chilean Guava, the fruits of Myrtus ugni have a uniquely delicious taste that is beyond compare, rather like a combination of strawberry, pineapple and apple. As a rule, the berries are the main reason for growing this plant, indeed, in Chile they are made into pies and jellies, whilst in the UK, it was apparently Queen Victoria’s favourite fruit, and growers in Cornwall attempted to grow them commercially, using her love of them as one of their selling points. In New Zealand it is being sold as the ‘NZ Cranberry’. It can grow up to 2 metres tall and the small shiny leave ... Learn More

Neolamarckia cadamba, commonly known as Kadamba or Burflower-Tree, is a fast-growing, evergreen tree native to South and Southeast Asia. Known for its straight trunk and broad, umbrella-shaped crown, this impressive species can grow up to 45 meters tall. Its leaves are large, glossy, and ovate, contributing to its lush appearance. During the rainy season, the tree produces fragrant, spherical orange-yellow flowers, which are highly attractive to pollinators like bees. The flowers are followed by small, fleshy, orange-yellow fruits, which are reportedly edible. This adaptable species thrives ... Learn More

The Parijat, often known as the Night-Flowering Jasmine, is a tree shrouded in elegance and mystery, its name translating to "sorrow of the night" in reference to its ephemeral blooms. This enchanting tree is celebrated for its fragrant, star-shaped flowers with vibrant orange centers that bloom at dusk, filling the air with an intoxicating, sweet aroma. By morning, the delicate blossoms fall gently to the ground, carpeting the earth with a soft, fragrant blanket of white and orange, offering a poetic beauty unmatched by other plants. Its slender, gnarled branches and rough-textured leaves ... Learn More

This very long-lived plant makes hundreds of single, bowl-shaped, yellow-eyed flowers from red to deepest burgundy. In time this herbaceous shrub makes an imposing, many branched, deciduous tree, which is well worth waiting for. ... Learn More