(Fragrant Daphne, White Fragrant Daphne)

Winter daphne is an intensely perfumed plant that comes from China and Japan. Blooming in the winter with clusters of deep rose-pink flowers makes this plant a prize for the warm temperate garden. Flowers are followed by pretty red fruits that contrast against the glossed leathery dark green leaves.

Unfortunately, this shrub is short-lived and demanding in its culture. Winter daphne requires extremely well-drained but moist neutral soils, so careful watering and mulching is important. It also...

(Fragrant Daphne, Variegated Winter Daphne, Winter Daphne)

Variegated winter daphne is an intensely perfumed plant that comes from China and Japan. 'Aureomarginata' ('Marginata') displays attractive glossy, leathery leaves with a variable-width edge of yellow. Blooming in the winter with clusters of red-purple flowers, they are followed by pretty red fruits.

Unfortunately, this shrub is short-lived and demanding in its culture. Winter daphne requires extremely well-drained but moist neutral soils, so careful watering and mulching is important. 'Aureomarginata'...

(Fragrant Daphne, Rebecca Daphne)

Winter daphne is an intensely perfumed plant that comes from China and Japan. Blooming in the winter with clusters of deep rose-pink flowers makes this plant a prize for the warm temperate garden. Flowers are followed by pretty red fruits that contrast against the glossed leathery dark green leaves.

Unfortunately, this shrub is short-lived and demanding in its culture. Winter daphne requires extremely well-drained but moist neutral soils, so careful watering and mulching is important. It also...

(Fragrant Daphne, Winter Daphne)

'Leucanthe' is a pleasant selection of winter daphne is an intensely perfumed shrub that comes from China and Japan. Blooming in the winter with clusters of creamy white flowers makes this plant a prize for the warm temperate garden. Flowers are followed by pretty red fruits that contrast against the glossed leathery dark green leaves.

Unfortunately, this shrub is short-lived and demanding in its culture. Winter daphne requires extremely well-drained but moist neutral soils, so careful watering...

(Burkwood Daphne)

Arising from a cross of Daphne caucasia and D. odora, the burkwood daphne is a small semi-evergreen shrub. Planted for its fragrant blooms in late spring, it features tight clusters of white flowers flushed with light pink. Burkwood daphne may also lightly rebloom late in the growing season, especially after a hot summer. Its lance-shaped leaves have a bluish tinge and are attractively arranged in whorls.

Humusy, mildly acidic and well-drained soils are important to this plant,...

(Burkwood Daphne, Carol Mackie Burkwood Daphne)

This attractive selection of burkwood daphne is a small semi-evergreen shrub, but may drop its leaves in colder areas. 'Carol Mackie' is treasured for its fragrant blooms and beautiful variegated foliage. It bears the name of its original owner, Carol Mackie, of Far Hills, New Jersey. This cultivar was then introduced into the trade by the Arnold Arboretum in 1969. It demonstrates exceptional winter cold hardiness.

In late spring, pink flowers that fade to white appear in tight clusters and may...

(Burkwood Daphne)

Although a bit finicky in its growing requirements, the fragrance of the pink flowers makes the Somerset burkwood daphne worthy of a try. This attractive selection is a small semi-evergreen shrub, but may drop its leaves in colder areas. 'Somerset' is treasured for its medium pink flower buds that open to paler pink blossoms in late spring. It may lightly rebloom late in the summer when temperatures cool off. This burkwood daphne selection has dark green lance-shaped leaves attractively arranged...

(California Pitcher Plant, Cobra Lily)

The cobra lily is one of the most intriguing carnivorous plants. Its insect-digesting, colorful, tubular leaves and pendulous burgundy flowers make it a beautiful plant kingdom oddity. Native to the infertile boglands of The Pacific Northwest, from British Columbia, Canada to northern California, this pitcher plant traps insects to digest them for trace nutrients. Often the cobra lily is found growing in areas where heavy metals exist in the soil. In much of its natural habitat it is listed as threatened.

The...

(Desert Spoon)

This genus of 18 semi-succulent species is little known outside the desert Southwest. These truly striking plants are native to the southern United States and Mexico, closely resembling both yuccas and agaves. They are found in very arid lands, along dry washes and on rocky hillsides where soils are porous and extremely well drained. In their region of origin no rain may fall for ten months or more, and these plants have adapted to surviving such extended drought.

The plants of Dasylirion...

(Green Desert Spoon, Green Sotol)

This bold finely textured yucca-like plant is ideal for large, open gardens where it can achieve its full magnificent stature. Green sotal is native to arid central Mexico. It forms a large, rounded, dense rosette of pointy, narrow pale yellow-green leaves edged with small curved teeth. They are painful to the touch and effectively deter browsing wildlife. As it matures, the rosette develops a dense trunk-like base.

This is an annual bloomer that sends up a very tall spike of flowers from its...