(Sweet Acacia, Texas Huisache)

The soft airy look of this small acacia leaves little clue to its adaptation to North America’s hottest desert climates. Its natural range extends from the American southwest into Mexico, then it has adjunct populations far south in Chile. It is one of the desert acacias that bear sharp thorns to protect themselves from browsing wildlife. The leaves are medium green, very small and fern like.

This tree blooms in early to mid spring with large pompon-like bright yellow flowers that are markedly...

(Myall Acacia, Weeping Acacia)

Weeping acacia is a medium-sized evergreen tree with airy, pendulous branches. It originates from Australia and has attractive gray-blue, linear phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks) and deeply fissured orange-red and gray bark. In winter it produces small, round, pale-yellow flowers, which are followed by flatted green pods that age to brown.

Weeping acacia is highly drought tolerant and requires full sun and moderately fertile, acidic to neutral soil that is perfectly drained. It makes a fine specimen...

(Dalby Myall, Shoestring Acacia)

Shoestring acacia has proven its amenability to the harsh low desert where it grows as a graceful, wispy accent or shade tree. It is native across most of Australia, which explains its adaptability to a wide range of soil types and harsh climates.

Its very narrow, waxy green leaves are long and dangle, giving this tough, drought-tolerant tree an unusually delicate and graceful appearance. Its spring blooms are small, pea-sized and shaped, cream-colored and borne in drooping clusters. These are...

(Caterpillar Plant, Chenille Plant, Red-hot Cat's Tail)

Dramatically filled with long, drooping catkins of velvety red flowers during the warm months, chenille plant is one of the tropical world's prettiest plants. It is a heat-loving broadleaf evergreen shrub native to Malaysia and New Guinea. It is grown for its pendulous fluffy red flowers that look much like fuzzy caterpillars. Interestingly, the French word for caterpillar is "chenille", the reason for its common name. Plants are dioecious - either male or female in gender, and only the showier-blooming...

(Copperleaf, Copperplant, Wilkes' Acalypha)

An evergreen shrub native to the Pacific islands, copperleaf bears brightly colored foliage in shades or red, purple, bronze and green. It is a popular landscape plant in subtropical and tropical zones and planted as a houseplant or annual in cooler zones. The name, Acalypha wilkesiana, honors Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, an American Naval Officer who explored the South Pacific during the mid-1800s.

Beautiful, mottled leaves are the reason copperleaf is so popular in the garden. They...

(Beyond Paradise Acalypha, Copperleaf, Wilkes' Acalypha)

Spectacular bold foliage makes ‘Beyond Paradise’ a must-have for the tropical garden. This Proven Winners'selection sports large leaves mottled with rich copper, olive, rose and dark green.

An evergreen shrub native to the Pacific islands, copperleaf bears bright foliage in many mixed colors. It is a popular landscape plant in subtropical and tropical zones and planted as a houseplant or annual in cooler zones. The name, Acalypha wilkesiana, honors Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, an American...

(Blaze Copperleaf, Copperplant, Wilkes' Acalypha)

Setting the landscape a-fire in color, copperleaf ‘Blaze’ is a dwarf selection with stunning foliage. The pretty leaves are lance shaped, burgundy over green and the variegated fuchsia margin is toothed. Copperleaf is an evergreen shrub native to the islands of the Pacific. It is a popular landscape plant in warmer climates and used as a houseplant or annual in cooler zones.

Beautiful leaves are the reason copperleaf is so popular. They are usually large, oval to elliptically shaped and alternate...

(Copperplant, Dwarf Copperplant, Wilkes' Acalypha)

The compact copperplant, 'Cypress Elf', has delightful narrow, pendulous leaves that are reddish bronze to green with pink or magenta margins. Unlike other copperleafs, this super bushy selection has subdued colors amenable to many landscape planting schemes. It even looks great in containers. This cultivar may also be sold under the name,'Mardi Gras.'

An evergreen shrub native to the Pacific islands, copperleaf bears brightly colored foliage in shades or red, purple, bronze and green. It...

(Copperleaf, Copperplant, Wilkes' Acalypha)

An evergreen shrub native to the Pacific islands, copperleaf bears brightly colored foliage in shades or red, purple, bronze and green. It is a popular landscape plant in subtropical and tropical zones and planted as a houseplant or annual in cooler zones. The name, Acalypha wilkesiana, honors Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, an American Naval Officer who explored the South Pacific during the mid-1800s.

Beautiful, mottled leaves are the reason copperleaf is so popular in the garden. They...

(Copperleaf, Copperplant, Java White Copperleaf, Wilkes' Acalypha)

The festive copperleaf, 'Java White', has greenish yellow to ivory green leaves mottled with irregular splotches of green. An evergreen shrub native to the Pacific islands, copperleaf bears bright foliage in many mixed colors. It is a popular landscape plant in subtropical and tropical zones and planted as a houseplant or annual in cooler zones. The name, Acalypha wilkesiana, honors Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, an American Naval Officer who explored the South Pacific during the mid-1800s.

Beautiful,...