(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.

(Bunya Bunya Pine)

With shiny, prickly foliage concentrated in tufts at the ends of branches, bunya-bunya pine is known for its spiny, heavy cones that drop like bombs to the ground below. Only found naturally in the coastal and inland rainforests of Queensland, Australia, it is a tall evergreen tree that attains a triangular dome canopy at maturity. When youthful, the tree has a pyramid-like habit with a tall central leading tip. The leaves are dark green, brighter when new, and waxy, stiff and notably sharp at their...

(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...

(Strawberry Tree)

The elegant strawberry tree is best distinguished by its highly ornamental fruits that turn from gold to red. It is a broad, upright large shrub or small tree native to southern European and the eastern Mediterranean with an adjunct population in Ireland. Like many members of the heath family (Ericaceae), it favors moist, rich, slightly acid soil but will also tolerate summer drought. Mature specimens adopt an appealing vase-shaped habit and gnarled branches.

Fully evergreen, ovate leaves of...

(Compact Strawberry Tree, Strawberry Tree)

The Compacta strawberry tree is a large shrub or small tree with white flowers that lead to ornamental red fruits. It is identical to the species except it will only reach one-half the mature size. The bark is gray and peeling, revealing a nice cinnamon brown layer on this southern European and eastern Mediterranean native plant. Often blooming in autumn, the urn-shaped flowers give rise to the gold and then red "strawberry" fruits the following autumn. Over time the trunk becomes gnarled and more...