(Georgiaplume, Southern Plume)

Even though the Georgiaplume has smooth gray to lustrous brown bark, this deciduous shrub remains rather mundane until it bears upright white flower spikes in summer. Native to isolated pockets in the coastal plain of southeastern Georgia in the American Southeast, this shrub is endangered. Healthy plants are upright and bushy, suckering from roots to form small colonies. Seed is rarely produced. It was first cultivated in early American gardens around 1813. Scientists believe that fire helps seeds...

(Brittlebush)

The sunny daisy-flowers of brittlebush are a familiar sight in the deserts of the Southwest United States and northern Mexico. The rounded, aromatic plants bear long-stemmed clusters of bright yellow blooms in spring, and sometimes again in fall or winter. The fuzzy, silver-gray, oval to lance-shaped leaves occur mostly toward the tips of the branches. Plants drop their leaves during severe drought, refoliating when rain returns.

This plant thrives in sun and well drained soils, and is remarkably...

(Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad)

Impressively elegant in stature, the numerous frond-like leaves of Encephalartos altensteinii are stiff and held outright, with dark glossy green leaflets held at an upright angle. Native to rocky hillsides in extreme southeastern South Africa, this slow growing cycad often suckers at its base, producing a clump with great age.

The trunk-like stem of the bread tree is a combination of dark brown, tan and black. It is rich in starch, and was traditionally used by natives. At the stem's...

(Karoo Cycad)

Architecturally handsome, the numerous sharp blue-green leaves of the Karoo cycad are stiff and held in an upright but slightly arching cluster atop a plump stem. Native to the hot, arid interior of the Eastern Cape of South Africa, this slow growing cycad is the cold hardiest and most drought tolerant of the African cycads.

Karoo cycad slowly forms a plump, upright, trunk-like stem that is beige. From the stem top is a circular rosette of upright blue-green leaves. Each stiff but curving leaf...

(Redvein Enkianthus)

A tree-like deciduous shrub from Japan, redvein enkianthus is extremely slow-growing but develops a picturesque habit with age. Its leaves are simple and elliptical in shape with bristles on the edges and red leaf stems. The bluish green foliage contrasts beautifully with the reddish twigs they grow from. In late spring to early summer, small, pendent, bell-shaped blossoms dangle from the branch ends. These oddly fragrant blooms are creamy white or pale yellow and marked with pink or fuchsia veins....

(Hollandia Enkianthus, Redvein Enkianthus)

The slow-growing, smaller-size cultivar 'Hollandia' displays bright green foliage on red stems and offers bell-shaped, drooping coral-red and ivory-tan blossoms in very early summer. In fall this redvein enkianthus' leaves turn orange before dropping away. The shrub's habit is upright and spreading, and may have somewhat leggy-looking branches.

A tree-like deciduous shrub from Japan, redvein enkianthus has simple and elliptical leaves with bristles on the edges and red leaf stems. In late spring...

(Jan Iseli Pink Enkianthus, Redvein Enkianthus)

The slow-growing and small-maturing cultivar 'Jan Iseli Pink' displays bright green foliage on red stems and offers a profusion of bell-shaped, drooping pink and ivory-tan blossoms in very early summer. In fall this redvein enkianthus' leaves turn show-shopping orange before dropping away. The shrub's habit is upright and spreading. This cultivar was released in 1990, the result of breeding efforts by the Iseli Nursery in Oregon. Jan Iseli is the nursery founder's wife.

A tree-like deciduous...

(Jan Iseli Red Enkianthus, Redvein Enkianthus)

The slow-growing and colorful flowering cultivar 'Jan Iseli Red' displays bright green foliage on red stems and offers a profusion of bell-shaped, drooping deep coral-red blossoms in very early summer. In fall this redvein enkianthus' leaves turn vivid shades of orange and red before dropping away. The shrub's habit is upright but spreading. This cultivar was released in 1990, the result of breeding efforts by the Iseli Nursery in Oregon. Jan Iseli is the nursery founder's wife.

A tree-like deciduous...

(Red Bells Enkianthus, Redvein Enkianthus)

The slow-growing and picturesque Red Bells enkianthus displays bright green foliage on red stems and offers bell-shaped, drooping red and pink blossoms in early summer. In fall its leaves turn warm orange-red.

A tree-like deciduous shrub from Japan, redvein enkianthus has simple and elliptical leaves with bristles on the edges and red leaf stems. In late spring to early summer, small, pendent, bell-shaped blossoms dangle from the branch ends. These oddly fragrant blooms are reddish pink with...

(Red Velvet Enkianthus, Redvein Enkianthus)

Architecturally picturesque and colorful in two seasons, cultivar 'Red Velvet' displays bright green foliage on red stems and bell-shaped, drooping, fuchsia-red blossoms in very early summer. In fall this redvein enkianthus' leaves turn vivid shades of red before dropping away. The shrub's habit is upright but spreading.

A tree-like deciduous shrub from Japan, redvein enkianthus has simple and elliptical leaves with bristles on the edges and red leaf stems. In late spring to early summer, small,...