(Ruby Grass, Zizka)

Savannah ruby grass is loved for the mauve-pink seed heads that weep above the thin, curling, pale blue-green leaves. It is a tufted, cold-tender perennial grass native to Madagascar and the grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. In summer it produces shiny, wine-colored inflorescences (clusters of flowers along the stem tip) that fade slowly to pink and then finally to ivory as they mature. The leaves are blade-like, bluish gray-green, and gracefully curled. Small birds will eat the seeds.

'Savannah'...

(Lemonbalm)

The lemony leaves of lemonbalm are fragrant and wonderful. It is grown exclusively as an herb and its pungent green leaves are used for tea and potpourri.

Lemonbalm is a hardy perennial herb in the mint family. The plants are clump-forming and offer inconspicuous white or pale pink flowers in late spring to summer. The flowers are pollinated by bees and set lots of seed. This herb heartily self-sows, so watch out. It can quickly become unwelcome if you don't cut the seedheads off.

Adaptable...

(Gold Leaf Lemonbalm, Lemonbalm)

The lemony leaves of lemonbalm are fragrant and wonderful, and the pretty gold 'Gold Leaf' offers an added punch of color. The leaves of this pretty herb can also be used for tea and potpourri.

Lemonbalm is a hardy perennial herb in the mint family. The clump-forming 'Gold Leaf' offers golden foliage early in the season that mellows to bright chartreuse green by summer. Inconspicuous white or pale pink flowers appear in late spring to summer. The flowers are pollinated by bees and set lots of...

(Creeping Cucumber, Drooping Melonette)

A fast-growing vine with small, ivy-like leaves and curly tendrils, the creeping cucumber or drooping melonette produces very small fruits that look like jelly bean-size watermelons. This perennial deciduous vine (although evergreen where frost never occurs) is native from the southern half of the United States to northern Argentina. The weedy vines will ramble across the soil like a groundcover, or quickly climb upward on a trellis, fence, shrub or tree.

The plants are frost-tender and need...

(Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumber, Mouse Melon)

Widely grown and eaten across Central America before the arrive of Christopher Columbus, mouse melons are an intriguing New World "cucumber" with miniature, tasty and ornamental fruits. They are small, 1-inch (2.5 cm) ovals: about the size of pigeon eggs, cherry tomatoes or American quarter coins. The fruit skin is deep green and silvery-green mottled, resembling Liliputian-size watermelons. Perfect for fresh snacking, adding to salads or pickling, mouse melons have a sweet cucumber-like taste that...

(Pennyroyal)

This aromatic member of the mint family has long been known as fleabane because the its oils repel these age-old pests. It is a species native to the Old World from Europe to Iran where it grows in a wide range of conditions. It is a low-growing, spreading perennial with soft light-green leaves that are slightly hairy and serrated. When crushed they emit a peppermint-like fragrance. The plant is vigorous and once established may naturalize where conditions are right.

Pennyroyal blooms in summer...

(Meryta)

A lush, broadleaf evergreen small tree from subtropical New Caledonia, east of Australia, Denham's meryta has large, coarse glossy foliage of a dark green. While an upright single-stemmed plant when young, it eventually branches to create an irregular but rounded canopy that casts dense shade.

The very long tongue-like leathery leaves get larger with longer daylength and with ample water. Wavy-edged and dark green, they have crinkled texture and prominent yellowed veins. At a quick glance, the...

('Ohi'a Lehua, Ohi'a, Vunga)

Behold one of the Hawaiian Islands' most magnificent native plants! Ohi'a is a highly variable broadleaf evergreen. Its habit varies depending on the environment; in arid mountainous habitats it grows as a low, prostrate shrub but in lush volcanic tropical rainforests is becomes a large, upright, rounded tree. The valuable wood of ohi'a was traditionally held sacred by the Hawaiian people and used to carve images of war gods and temple icons. Today, its bright red flowers are made into leis. Ohi'a...

('Ohi'a Lehua, Springfire Ohi'a, Vunga)

A shrubby ohi'a, 'Springfire' bears spectacular clusters of fiery red pompon-like flowers atop attractive, rounded plants. Though considered compact relative to standard ohi'a, it still becomes a sizable, upright shrub when mature.

Behold one of the Hawaiian Islands' most magnificent native plants! Ohi'a is a highly variable broadleaf evergreen. Its habit varies depending on the environment; in arid mountainous habitats it grows as a low, prostrate shrub but in lush volcanic tropical rainforests...

(New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa)

With brilliant crimson blossoms in late spring and early summer, the pohutukawa, or New Zealand Christmas tree, is among the world's most beautiful flowering trees. Native to New Zealand, it blooms there in December, which is summertime in the southern hemisphere. This broadleaf evergreen tree develops an upright, rounded canopy. Its root system is extensive and problematic because the surface roots crack and lift sidewalks and patios if growing space is limited.

Young plants resemble shrubs...