(Brazilian Peppertree)

Though Brazilian peppertree has many ornamental qualities, including the scented, red berries that grace its branches, it has two major drawbacks: it is terribly invasive and it causes allergic reactions. An evergreen large shrub or small tree that forms a mass of branches and grows in thickets, it is native to Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.

The compound leaves are an attractive, medium to dark green. Each of the approximately seven leaflets is the width of a finger with a winged midrib. On the...

(Claw Cactus, False Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, Yoke Cactus, Zygo Cactus)

The brilliant flowers of this fall or early winter-flowering cactus will brighten any home.

Native to Brazil, the false Christmas cactus is a tree-dwelling (epiphytic), spineless cactus with flattened, segmented, succulent stems. Each segment has four to eight shallow teeth. The showy tubular flowers have long, magenta petals that curve, or reflex, backward, and a showy sheaf of long pale stamens. Flowers appear from late fall into winter, and white, pink, purple or orange-flowered varieties are...

(Cereal Rye)

Often called "poor man's wheat", the annual grass grain rye is more tolerant of nutrient poor soils and cool summer temperatures, making it a vital foodsource for people in areas of the world where wheat is difficult or impossible to raise to harvest. A tall annual grass native to extreme western and southwestern Asia, it was regarded as a domesticated grain by about 1800 B.C. in the Balkan region. Ironically, rye came into man's favor only after being discovered as a weed growing alongside wheat...

(Chaco, Chayote, Vegetable Pear)

The fruit of this tropical perennial vine in the same family as cucumbers and squash are variously known as chayote, vegetable pear and mirliton. It is native to Central America, a popular vegetable in tropical and subtropical locations and has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times. All parts of the chayote are edible including the leaves, shoots, roots and fruit, although it is the fruit which is most often consumed.

Large plants which climb by tendrils produce big lobed rounded cucumber-like...

(Autumn Fire Sedum, Hybrid Showy Stonecrop)

This popular garden perennial is beautiful and virtually indestructible if given the right growing conditions. 'Autumn Fire' is valued for its late season of bloom and waxy, succulent green leaves. In late summer to fall, strong, upright stems support broad, rounded clusters of flowers. These are small, numerous, star-shaped and light pink in bud opening to russet rose. Stonecrop are herbaceous, so their foliage dies back in winter, but their dried, brown, upright flower heads may be left to provide...

(Autumn Joy Stonecrop, Hybrid Showy Stonecrop)

Autumn Joy stonecrop is a popular garden perennial because it is beautiful and virtually indestructible, if given the right growing conditions. It is valued for its late season of bloom and waxy, succulent green leaves. In late summer to fall, strong, upright stems support broad, rounded clusters of flowers. These are small, numerous, star-shaped and light pink in bud opening to pale pink to rose. Stonecrop is herbaceous, so its foliage dies back in winter, but the dried, brown, upright flower heads...

(Cloud Walker Showy Stonecrop, Hybrid Showy Stonecrop)

Lush, large leaved, and spectacular in bloom, this clumping sedum holds its upright vase shape better than most. Bred by Terra Nova Nurseries in Oregon, ‘Thunder Cloud’s heritage is murky due to the long history of cross breeding hardy sedums. The plants develop mounds of upright stems bearing thick leathery leaves in deep green edged with red highlights. Foliage takes on more vivid hues in the fall. With gentle shaping they plants remain tidy, but if allowed to sprawl they may root where stems...

(Elsie's Gold Showy Stonecrop, Hybrid Showy Stonecrop)

Truly spectacular in every way, ‘Elsie’s Gold’ offers a near perfect perennial. Its form, texture and color rescues the late summer garden from doldrums. It was first discovered in New Zealand as a sport of popular Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and therefore asks for similar conditions in the garden. This beauty bears deeply serrated foliage in cool silvery green with outstanding golden leaf margins that fade to cream by summer’s end. Mounds of upright stems are tidy and less prone to flop, offering...

(Hybrid Showy Stonecrop)

Spectacular in bloom, this clumping sedum becomes a mass of color to brighten the midsummer border. Bred by Terra Nova Nurseries in Oregon, ‘Mr. Goodbud’s heritage is unclear due to the long history of cross breeding hardy sedums. The plants develop mounds of upright stems bearing thick leathery leaves in deep green edged with red highlights. With gentle shaping plants remain tidy, but if allowed to sprawl they may root where stems contact the ground.

The buds of ‘Mr. Goodbud’ form in very...

(Hybrid Showy Stonecrop, Matrona Stonecrop)

Matrona stonecrop is a compact garden perennial that is beautiful and virtually indestructible, if given the right growing conditions. It is valued for its late season of bloom and succulent red-green leaves with a gray waxy bloom. In late summer to fall, strong, upright burgundy-red stems support broad, rounded clusters of flowers. These are small, numerous, star-shaped and rose-pink. Stonecrop are herbaceous, so their foliage dies back in winter, but their dried, brown, upright flower heads may...