(Hinckley's Golden Columbine)

The hinckleyana variety of golden columbine is indigenous to the Big Bend area of Texas. In the spring, fragrant and showy cup-like lemon yellow flowers with long, curving spurs are produced in mass. If deadheaded, it will rebloom throughout the summer. Its ferny bluish-green mound of foliage will stay attractve all season if kept evenly moist in well-drained soils and shaded from the hot sun. Golden columbine reseeds freely and will cross-pollinate with other columbines, so variations in flowers...

(Hinckley's Golden Columbine, Texas Gold Columbine)

The hinckleyana variety of golden columbine is indigenous to the Big Bend area of Texas. In the spring, 'Texas Gold' comes alive with fragrant and showy cup-like golden yellow flowers with long, curving spurs. If deadheaded, it will rebloom throughout the summer. Its ferny bright green mound of foliage will stay attractive all season if kept evenly moist in well-drained soils and shaded from the hot sun. Golden columbine reseeds freely and will cross-pollinate with other columbines, so variations...

(Western Columbine)

A larger look-alike of Canadian columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), the easy to grow western columbine is an airy, herbaceous perennial native to the western United States, Canada, and Mexico. In its native habitat it's found in rich moist forests, so it's quite shade tolerant and ideal for naturalistic woodland gardens. It has an open habit and elegant blooms.

Ferny clumps of lacy, three-parted leaves appear in spring, dying back to a few wisps in summer. In late spring to early summer,...

(Columbine, Longspur Columbine)

Named and renowned for its exceptionally long-spurred yellow flowers, this elegant, hardy perennial comes from moist canyons and ravines in uplands of Texas, Arizona, and northern Mexico.

Ferny clumps of lacy, three-parted leaves appear in spring, dying back to a few wisps in summer. In early to midsummer, tall branched stems bear dainty, erect to horizontal flowers with five propeller-shaped petals, a starry collar of five pointed sepals, and five whiskery, spreading, 3- to 7-inch (7- to...

(Aristate Hollyfern)

The East Indian holly fern has magnificent fronds of green arising from a furry brown creeping rhizome. This evergreen fern is usually found in dry woodlands among rocks near the coast from India, southeastern Asia into Polynesia and New Zealand. The leaves are long, quite stiff and seem made from plastic.

Grow this fern in a shady spot in a moist but well drained soil. Cold winters may find the plant deciduous and returning its fronds in spring. Once established, this fern can handle periods...

(Aristate Hollyfern, East Indian Hollyfern, Variegated East Indian Hollyfern)

The variegated East Indian holly fern has magnificent tapering green fronds with prominent midribs glowing in a pale yellow. This evergreen fern is usually found in dry woodlands among rocks near the coast from India, southeastern Asia into Polynesia and New Zealand. The leaves are long, quite stiff as if made from plastic and arise from a creeping rhizome.

Grow this fern in a shady spot in a moist but well-drained soil. Cold winters may render the plant deciduous, with new fronds arising in...

(East Indian Holly Fern, Indian Holly Fern , Simplicior Holly Fern)

This attractive, fern produces broad triangular fronds directly from scaly creeping rhizomes (lateral stems). Indian holly fern is native to China and Japan and is found in a wide variety or habitats from dry uplands to moist stream banks.

Indian holly is clumping to spreading. The rhizomes scales are brown to tan and the leaf stalks green. The large triangular shiny leaves are evergreen in mild climates and deciduous in colder zones. They are two to three times divided with each pinna (the...

(East Indian Holly Fern, Indian Holly Fern, Simplicior Holly Fern)

This attractive evergreen fern with broad triangular fronds that are deeply divided is useful for flower arrangements. 'Variegata' has deep green leaves with yellow along the midribs and burgundy tinges during the cool season. Native to China and Japan, it is well-suited to the woodland border or shaded rockery.

Plant the variegated simpler hollyfern in rich, moist soil for a nice ground cover or mix with other shade-loving plants. This perennial fern may die to ground in cold winters and resprout...

(American Spikenard)

American spikenard is a deciduous perennial with green compound leaves with delicate heart-shpaed leaflets. Ball clusters of white to greenish-white flowers on a tall spike in spring or summer. Tiny berries are formed and are dark purple or black. It spreads slowly by aromatic underground roots to create a colony.

Plant in moist, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. American spikenard makes a great addition to woodland gardens or naturalized areas with its bold presence.

(Arizona Madrone)

A picturesque tree, the Arizona madrone develops a rounded crown of leathery foliage atop a twisting frame of branches. Clusters of tiny white flowers are followed by edible reddish fruits. This evergreen is native to the forested foothills and lower mountains of southern Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico.

The satiny oval leaves are long, narrow and persist on the tree for about one year before being shed. Each leaf is medium to deep green with a paler green underside. Leaf edges may...