(Alternanthera)

Bright color and good heat tolerance is an irresistible combination, and 'Raspberry Rum' delivers both. This garden hybrid is an evergreen tender perennial and boasts showy purplish burgundy leaves with splashes of fuchsia-red. Each elliptical leaf is different. Throughout the year, the spreading, bushy plant produces clover-like clusters of small, white flowers, but these are insignificant and offer little interest when compared to the spectacular color of the leaves.

For best foliar color,...

(Alternanthera, Brazilian Joyweed)

Brazilian joyweed is a tender perennial from Mexico, the West Indies, Central America and Brazil. It is grown for its richly colored foliage, dense habit and exceptional heat tolerance. This shrubby species grows taller than most. Its leaves are narrowly oval and deep reddish purple or purplish green. Throughout the year, it produces clover-like clusters of small, white flowers. These are airy and pretty but still play second fiddle to the attractive foliage.

For best foliar color, plant Brazilian...

(Blue Hibiscus)

Blue hibiscus is an evergreen shrub native to Australia. Leaves are bright green, rough textured and irregularly lobed. The hibiscus-like flowers are glossy, mauve, lavender or blue, borne in the leaf axils at the tips of the branches throughout the year in warm climates.

Blue hibiscus grows quickly, thriving in well drained soils and full sun. If plants are well mulched, little supplemental water is required. Prune by heading back to produce a compact plant. In mild climates use as a border specimen...

(Blue Hibiscus, Purple Delight™ Blue Hibiscus)

Purple Delight Blue Hibiscus is an evergreen shrub native to Australia. The Purple Delight cultivar flowers freely throughout the growing season with single, funnel-form, royal purple flowers borne in the leaf axils at the tips of the branches throughout the year in warm climates. Leaves are bright green, rough textured and irregularly lobed.

Purple delight blue hibiscus grows quickly, thriving in well drained soils and full sun. If plants are well mulched, little supplemental water is required....

(Blue Hibiscus, Santa Cruz Blue Hibiscus)

Santa Cruz blue hibiscus is an evergreen shrub native to Australia. Cultivar ‘Santa Cruz’ flowers freely throughout the growing season with single, funnel-form, mauve to pale purple flowers borne in the leaf axils at the tips of the branches throughout the year in warm climates. Leaves are bright green, rough textured and irregularly lobed.

Santa Cruz blue hibiscus grows quickly, thriving in well drained soils and full sun. If plants are well mulched, little supplemental water is required. Prune...

(Love-Lies-Bleeding)

Though grown in American gardens primarily for its curious tail-like clusters of colorful flowers, this large annual has long been a staple grain in the northern Andes, where it originated. Once more popular than corn, amaranth grain and greens fed the Incas for thousands of years, and are still a vital crop for peoples of the Andes. Two other species of amaranth are important grain (and ornamental) plants: Amaranthus cruentus and Amaranthus hypochondriacus.

This fast-growing,...

(Mexican Grain Amaranthus, Prince's Feather, Purple Amaranthus)

Nothing beats this tough, heat-loving annual for big, bold summer bedding displays. This Central American native has been grown since ancient times for its grain and greens, as have two other amaranths: Amaranthus hypochondriacus and A. caudatus. Purple amaranth was central to the Aztec culture, playing an important role in many of its religious rituals. Most contemporary gardeners cultivate it purely for its showy flower spikes, though it is increasingly grown...

(Prince's Feather, Prince-of-Wales-Feather)

This large, colorful annual is probably a naturally occurring hybrid originating in Central Amercica. It has been grown since ancient times for its grain and greens, as have two other amaranths: Amaranthus cruentus and A. caudatus. This amaranth was widely cultivated and revered by the Aztecs, playing a central role in their diet and in many of their religious rituals. Most contemporary gardeners cultivate it purely for its showy flower spikes, although it is increasingly...

(Joseph's Coat)

Grown in flower gardens for its dazzling plumage, this large annual is an important leaf vegetable in tropical Asia, where it is native.

This fast-growing, heat-loving plant bears large, elliptic or oval leaves that are often brilliantly hued when young, forming colorful ruffs atop tall, erect stems. The new leaves may be yellow, red, purple, bronze, ivory, or combinations thereof. The leaves gradually age to medium or dark green. In tropical Asia, where this plant is grown for the flavor rather...

Creamy yellow new leaves form showy ruffs atop the relatively compact stems of this cultivar of Joseph's coat. A large annual grown in flower gardens for its brilliant plumage, Joseph's coat originated in tropical Asia, where it is widely cultivated as a leaf vegetable.

This fast-growing, heat-loving plant bears large, elliptic or oval leaves on erect stems. The leaves are creamy yellow when young, aging to mint green. Insignificant clusters of green or reddish flowers appear at the stem tips...