'Gold Strike' Lily of the Nile

Agapanthus praecox 'Gold Strike' PP#20,650

Introduced by PlantHaven Inc.
Selected by Ian Gear of Heritage Horticulture, Hamilton, New Zealand

Zones 7-10
Available as splits and finished and #1 containers from Ball Horticultural Co. and Pacific Plug and Liner

Lily of the Nile gets a new, multi-season look with stable wide gold and green variegated foliage, topped with picotee blue and white blooms on 24-inch stems. Clumps are 16 inches tall and wide. Uses include containers, mass planting and mid-border. An easy-care plant that is drought tolerant once established. Grows in full to part sun in fertile soil.

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Whetman Pinks® Early Bird™ Radiance Dianthus

Dianthus hybridus 'WPO8 MAR 05' PPAF, COPF Open

Introduced by PlantHaven Inc.
Hybridized by Whetman Pinks Ltd., Devon, England

Zone 5
Available as 128-cell liners and quarts from Skagit Gardens Inc.

Added cold hardiness and an early season of bloom distinguish Early Bird™ Radiance pinks from other cultivars. Fragrant double blooms of crimson red are carried on sturdy stems. Compact mounds (6 inches tall by 4 inches wide) of glaucous foliage will repeat bloom. Use in containers, borders and mass landscape planting. Grows in full sun, in well-drained soil. Requires no vernalization.

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Echinacea 'Hot Summer' PPAF

Introduced by Blooming Nursery Inc.
Hybridized by Marco Van Noort, The Netherlands

Zone 4
Available in #1 containers

Blooms open yellow and turn scarlet as they mature, giving a show of fiery flowers from July through September. Perennial grows 30-36 inches tall by 18-24 inches wide. Prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

 

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'Fragrant Star' Wallflower

Erysimum hybrida 'Walfrastar' PP#13,432

Introduced by PlantHaven Inc.
Hybridized by David Tristram, Walberton Nursery, West Sussex, England

Zone 7
Available from Pacific Plug and Liner in 162, 128, and 72-cell trays and from Skagit Gardens Inc. in 128-cell liners, 3 1/2-inch and #1 containers.

Cream and green variegated foliage add interest to this cheery long-blooming yellow wallflower. Sweet fragrance wafts from the nonseeding (sterile) blooms. Compact mounding habit at 18 inches tall by 24 inches wide lends itself to containers, beds, and borders. Grows best in full to part sun in enriched, well-drained soil.

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New Umbrella™ Clumping Bamboo

Fargesia murieliae 'Oprins Selection'

Introduced by Pioneer Plants LLC
Seedling selected at Oprins Plant NV, Belgium

Zones 4-8
Available as 50-count Elleplugs from tissue culture from North American Plants LLC and #2 containers from Bamboo Garden, Blue Heron Farm and Van Essen Nursery Co.

With a lovely habit and great vigor, this very cold-hardy non-invasive clumping bamboo clone was selected from field-tested seedlings in Belgium. It has an upright to weeping habit and size of 10-12 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide. Use it for evergreen specimens, hedges and screens. Grow in part sun to full shade, as an understory plant, in enriched, welldrained soil. Deer resistant.

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'Moxie' Blanket Flower

Gaillardia Commotion® 'Moxie' USPPP

Introduced and offered by Skagit Gardens Inc.
Hybridized by John Dixon, Pandemonium Plants™

Zone 5
Available in #1 containers

Vibrant yellow tubular flowers with red-orange centers are striking and new in the Gaillardia family. Add a long bloom period and low maintenance, and this perennial becomes a go-to plant for summer-into-fall color. A sturdy plant, mature size is 18-24 inches tall and 24 inches wide. Plant it in full sun in well-drained soil in beds, borders and containers. Expect drought tolerance once it's established.

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FUBUKI™ Japanese Forest Grass

Hakonechloa macra 'Briform' PPAF

Introduced by Briggs Plant Propagators LLC
Discovered as sport of H. macra 'Aureola' at Briggs Plant Propagators, Elma, Wash.

Zone 5
Available as L2 (2-1/4 inch pot, 50 per flat) and #1 containers from Briggs and as #1 containers from Van Essen Nursery Co.

A low-growing forest grass with prominent white and green striped blades. Cooler fall weather turns the white stripes to bright pink. Excellent as a specimen or in groups of three to five plants in beds and borders. Grows to 14 inches tall by 18 inches wide in part shade. Prefers neutral to slightly acid, moist, well-draining soil.

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Heuchera 'Electric Lime' PPAF, PVR

Introduced and hybridized by Terra Nova Nurseries

Zones 4-9
Available as 72-cell liners

Big lime leaves on a big Heuchera: 16 inches tall by 28 inches wide growing in a tight mound. In cold weather, expect to see red veining on leaves. Use as an accent, in containers, massed in shade, in mixed beds and for winter color. Grows in part sun to shade. Dormancy is not required for growth; vernalization of 12 weeks is required for best flowering (white).

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Heuchera 'Midas Touch' PPAF, PVR

Introduced and hybridized by Terra Nova Nurseries Inc.

Zones 4-9
Available as 72-cell liners

Ruffled peach and gold foliage with overlay distinguishes this perennial from other Heucheras. A robust grower, its mature size is 14 inches tall by 14 inches wide. Use in containers, beds and borders. Grows in part sun to shade. Water when soil is moderately dry in the greenhouse; in the garden, average water once established (better too dry than too wet).

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Heuchera 'Midnight Bayou' PPAF, PVR

Introduced and hybridized by Terra Nova Nurseries Inc.

Zones 4-9
Available as 72-cell liners

A large-leaf purple Heuchera that develops a summer silvery overlay. It bears pink flowers on stems up to 28 inches tall; plant size is 21 inches tall by 11 inches wide. Use in masses, mixed borders and in mixed containers. Grows in part sun to shade. No dormancy is required for growth; vernalization of 12 weeks is required for best flowering (pink).

 

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'Golden Candy' Candytuft

Iberis 'Golden Candy'

Offered exclusively by Ball Horticultural Co.
Discovered in Europe and introduced by Darwin Perennials, Ill.

Zones 4 to 9
Available as cuttings from Darwin Perennials and in 102-cell liners from Pacific Plug and Liner

Golden foliage offers an additional season of interest for this candytuft. Maintain the looks of the plant by removing spent flowers. Good for front of the border. Mounding foliage grows to 12-16 inches tall, with the white flowers adding 6-10 inches. Grow in full sun.

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'Pink Double Dandy' Itoh Peony

Paeonia x 'Pink Double Dandy'

Introduced and exclusively offered by Monrovia Nursery Co.
A hybrid between herbaceous and tree peonies by Don Smith, Boston, Mass.

Zones 4-8
Available in #5 containers

Large, clear pink, semi-double to double flowers that hold their color as they age and strong stems make this Itoh peony a good performer in the perennial or mixed border. Good for cut flowers as well. Mounding, dark green foliage grows 24-30 inches tall and wide; doesn't require staking. Grows in full sun with regular watering.

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'Yankee Doodle Dandy' Itoh Peony

Paeonia x 'Yellow Doodle Dandy'

Introduced and offered exclusively by Monrovia Nursery Co.
A hybrid between herbaceous and tree peonies by Don Smith, Boston, Mass.

Zones 4-8
Available as #5 containers

Clear, yellow, double flowers up to 7-8 inches wide with a light, pleasing fragrance are a hallmark of this Itoh peony. Its strong stems don't require staking and are good for cutting. Mounding foliage is 24-30 inches tall and wide; the perennial or mixed border is one of many landscape uses for this plant. Grows in full sun with regular watering. Resistant to peony blight.

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'Burgundy Bunny' Dwarf Fountain Grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Burgundy Bunny' PPAF

Introduced by Walla Walla Nursery Co.
Discovered by Lorne Blackman, Walla Walla Nursery Co., Walla Walla, Wash.

Zone 6
Available as 50-cell liners from Walla Walla Nursery and as #1 containers from Van Essen Nursery Co.

This sport of 'Little Bunny' boasts red summer highlights and blazing fall color. Use it in containers, borders and courtyards where a long season of interest is vital. The grass has a tight clumping habit and size of 18 inches tall and wide. Grows in full to part sun in enriched, well-drained soil; drought tolerant when established.

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Verbascum 'Eleanor's Blush'

Introduced by Blooming Nursery Inc.
Bred by Bob Catchpole, Colchester, England

Zone 5
Available as #1 containers

Spires of peachy-pink flowers contrast with large gray-green leaves on this fast-growing perennial. Deadhead for rebloom. Grows 3-5 feet tall and 18-24 inches wide. Use as an accent plant or at the back of a border. Prefers full sun and requires well-drained soil, especially in winter.

 

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'Sunshine Daydream' Abelia

Abelia x grandiflora 'Abelops' PPAF

Introduced and offered by Ball Ornamentals
Bred by Ron van Opstal of Ijsselstein, The Netherlands

Zones 6-9
Available as 32-cell liners from Van Belle Nursery Inc. and Ball Tagawa Growers, and as finished plants (#2 or larger) from Van Belle, Fisher Farms LLC, Hines Nurseries LLC, Kraemer's Nursery Inc. and Van Essen Nursery Co.

Fuller growth habit and yellow, red and green tri-colored foliage distinguish this abelia. Blush-pink flowers attract butterflies. Grows to 18-24 inches tall and 24-30 inches wide. Use in containers and foundation plantings. Needs full sun.

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'Orange Rocket' Barberry

Berberis thunbergii 'Orange Rocket' PP#18,411

Introduced by PlantHaven Inc.
Selected by plantsman Michael Andrusiv of Litomysi, Czech Republic

Zone 5
Available in #2 and larger containers from Bailey Nurseries Inc., Blue Heron Farm, Fisher Farms LLC, Kraemer's Nursery Inc., and Van Essen Nursery Co.

Coral foliage and tight columnar habit make this berberis a standout in containers, as a specimen and in landscape plantings. A vigorous grower, it will top out at a little more than 4 feet tall by 16 inches wide. Trim back hard when young to encourage basal branching. Grows in full to part sun in well-drained soil. [Note: Plants have passed the USDA Cereal Rust Disease Trials in Minnesota and are on the Federal Register as an approved cultivar.]

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'Centennial' California Lilac

Ceanothus foliosus x griseus 'Centennial'

Introduced by Blooming Nursery Inc.
Hybridized by Roger Raiche at Horseshoe Cove, Sonoma County, Calif.

Zone 7
Available in #1 containers

A low-growing evergreen groundcover that provides cobalt-blue flowers in spring. Will grow in full to part sun in a variety of soils as long as drainage is good. Tolerant of summer heat and drought. Excellent for cascading over rock walls or down slopes. Creeping stems are 8-12 inches tall and spread to 6 feet wide.

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'Rebecca' Daphne

Daphne odora 'HEWREB' PP#18,368

Introduced and offered by Skagit Gardens Inc.
Discovered by Hewton Nursery, Devon, England

Zone 7
Available in #1 containers

Stable foliage variegation and a strong growth habit characterize this fragrant evergreen shrub. Rebecca's leaves are edged in yellow and resist sun scorch. Scented pale purple flowers bloom in January-March. Habit is mounding and spreading, from 36-48 inches tall by 48 inches wide. A year-round performer in borders or large containers. Give it full to part sun and well-drained soil; no major pest problems seen.

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Summer Snow™ Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides 'Summer Snow'

Introduced by Briggs Plant Propagators LLC
Developed after 10 years of work by Doug Torn, Buds & Blooms Nursery, N.C.

Zone 6
Available as L2 (2-1/4 inch pots, 50 per flat)

A gardenia hardy to 0 degrees, with large white, double flowers beginning in late spring through mid-summer. Fragrant and a good cut flower for the home. Use in beds and borders as a specimen or in groups of three to five. Also suitable for container growing. Mature size is 4-5 feet tall and wide. Grow in full to part sun; keep soil moist until the plant is well established. Fertilize after blooming with a food for acid-loving plants.

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Hebe 'Inverey'

Introduced by Blooming Nursery Inc.
Developed by Inverey Nursery, Dunedin, New Zealand

Zone 7
Available in #1 containers

Purple accents the new leaves, stems and leaf bases of this evergreen subshrub. One of the hardier hebes, its lavender-purple flowers bloom in late spring and occasionally again in fall. Size is a diminutive 6-8 inches tall by 18-24 inches wide. Makes a good rock garden or edge of the border plant. Grows in full to part sun in well-drained soil.

 

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Abracadabra™ Star Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Horabstra' PPAF

Introduced by Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Developed by Katrin Meinl, Dresden, Germany

Zones 5-9
Available in # 2 containers in Spring 2011 from Walla Walla Nursery

Satiny black stems hold large lacecap flowers of vibrant pink above the foliage. The fastgrowing plant reaches 3-4 feet tall and wide. Use as a specimen or in a mixed border. Also works well in containers in milder climates. Grows in moist, well-drained soil in full to part sun. May require winter protection in colder climates. Soil pH and availability of aluminum will affect flower color; can be pushed to blue.

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'Bombshell' Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata 'Bombshell' PPAF

Introduced by Ball Ornamentals
Bred by Alex Schoemaker, Boskoop, The Netherlands

Zones 3-8
Available as 32-cell liners from Van Belle Nursery Inc. and Ball Tagawa Growers, and as finished plants (#2 or larger) from Fisher Farms LLC, Hines Nurseries LLC, Kraemer's Nursery Inc., Van Belle Nursery Inc., and Van Essen Nursery Co.

This dwarf hydrangea grows only 24-36 inches tall and wide. It produces abundant creamy-white flowers with a long bloom time. Its best landscape uses include borders, as an accent and as a specimen plant. Takes full sun.

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Wisley 2008 Rose

Rosa 'Ausbreeze' PPAF

Introduced by David Austin Roses Ltd.
Bred by David Austin, Albrighton, England

Zones 5-9
Available from Alpha Nursery Inc. (by pre order) spring 2011 in #1 grade, 3-gallon square pots

Soft pink, very full, rosette-shaped 3-inch blooms appear abundantly on this shrub rose. Its fragrance is reminiscent of raspberry and tea. Plant shows good disease resistance. Use in an informal rose border or in a mixed border. Size is 5 feet tall by 3 1/2 feet wide. Will flower in part as well as full sun. Needs enriched soil and regular water in first growing season. Grafted to 'Dr. Huey' rootstock.

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Bloomerang® Purple Lilac

Syringa x 'Penda' PP#20,575, CBRAF

Introduced by Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Hybridized by Tim Wood of Spring Meadow Nursery Inc., Grand Haven, Mich.

Zones 3-7
Available in #1 and #2 containers from Van Essen Nursery Co., and finished #3 containers from Fisher Farms LLC

Midsummer rebloom contributes to a profuse and showy flower display late in the season that continues until frost. A compact growth habit and small leaves add to this lilac's appeal for a residential landscape. Grows to 4-5 feet tall and wide. Takes full sun and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Excellent resistance to root rot; resists powdery mildew.

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Coloropsis™ Jive Tickseed

Coreopsis 'Jive' USPPP

Introduced and offered by Skagit Gardens Inc.
Hybridized by Darrell Probst of Garden Vision, Hubbardston, Mass.

Zone: 9
Available in 72-cell liners and #1 containers

A compact and heavier blooming Coreopsis, 'Jive' bears showy single white flowers with burgundy eyes from early summer through fall. A low-maintenance, easy-to-grow annual for beds and borders, excellent for drifts and groupings. Size is 12-18 inches tall by 24 inches wide. Grows in full sun in well-drained soil and is drought-tolerant.

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'Purple Haze' Honey Bush

Melianthus major 'Purple Haze'

Offered by Monrovia Nursery Co.
A seedling selection by Roger Raiche, Calif.

Zones 8-10
Available as true 1-gallon containers and #2 containers

Look for a purple flush on the silvery-blue new foliage of this honey bush. Spreading herbaceous shrub grows to 6 feet tall and wide; offers an arresting contrast with plants of deep red or green foliage in the perennial or shrub border. Grows in full to part sun and prefers enriched, well-draining soil.

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Petunia x 'Black Velvet'

Introduced and offered exclusively by Ball Horticultural Co.
Bred by Jianping Ren, Elborn, Ill.

Zone: Annual
Available as unrooted cuttings from Ball FloraPlant and rooted cuttings in 102-cell and 209-cell liners from Ball FloraPlant Rooting Stations

Velvety black flowers offer a new color in petunias. Plants are upright and mounding and excellent for contrast in baskets and mixed containers. Grows 8-10 inches tall and 12-14 inches wide. Can be grown in cold finishing programs with no growth regulators. Requires full sun for best plant development.

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Northern Glow™ Maple

Acer pseudosieboldianum x palmatum 'Hasselkus'

Introduced and offered by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.
Selected by Dr. Ed Hasselkus, professor emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Zone 4
Available as bare root liners at 3, 4, and 5 ft.

A small, ornamental tree that combines the grace of a Japanese maple with the cold hardiness of a Korean maple. A choice tree for courtyards and small gardens in northern climates where Japanese maples have failed to thrive. Refined, deeply cut green leaves clothe an upright and spreading tree that will eventually grow to 20 feet tall by 24 feet wide. Foliage turns bright orange-red to deep red in autumn. Grow in full sun to part sun in slightly acid, well-drained soil with average moisture.

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Emerald Avenue™ Hornbeam

Carpinus betulus 'JFS-KW1CB' PAF

Introduced and offered by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.
Discovered as a nursery seedling by Keith Warren, J. Frank Schmidt & Son, Boring, Ore.

Zone 5
Available as bare root 5- and 6-foot whips, branched 5- and 6-foot, and 1-inch caliper

Strong structure and heat tolerance are improvements over other cultivars and seedlings of the species. The vigorous and fast-growing tree features upright pyramidal growth and maintains its deep green leaf color through summer. Uses include street tree planting as well as residential and public landscapes. A broadly pyramidal to oval-shaped tree, its mature size is 40 feet tall by 28 feet wide. Takes minimal pruning to develop a finished tree.

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'Summer Gold' Chinese Dogwood

Cornus kousa 'Summer Gold' PPAF

Introduced by Heritage Seedlings Inc.
Discovered by Crispin Silva at his nursery, Crispin's Creations Nursery, Molalla, Ore.

Zones 4-9
Available bare root from 2-3 feet to 4-5 feet, and in #2 containers from Heritage Seedlings Inc. and Crispin's Creations Nursery

Yellow variegated leaves that are resistant to sunburn, and strong upright growth mark this selection of Chinese dogwood. Mid-spring white flowers and fall colors of red, pink and yellow make this a four-season specimen tree. Its compact size, 12 feet tall by 10 feet wide, and good form make it useful for small gardens and commercial landscapes. Grow in full to part sun in moist, well-draining soil.

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Chilean Winter's Bark

Drimys winteri var. chilensis

Introduced and offered by Monrovia Nursery Co.
Grown from seed collected by Dan Hinkley in Chile

Zones 7-9
Available in #5 containers

This evergreen tree was selected by Dan Hinkley for its tight, columnar growth habit and leaf undersurface of silvery white. Seed was collected from its coldest range in Chile for increased cold hardiness. Bold, glossy green leaves are clad to upright stems rising to 20 feet. Clusters of white, fragrant flowers are presented at the end of each branch in late winter. A good candidate for unclipped hedging, for full sun or very light shade in any draining soils.

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Emerald Pointe™ Hardy Rubber Tree

Eucommia ulmoides 'Empozam'

Introduced by LCN Selections of Lake County Nursery
Discovered as a chance seedling by Jim Zampini of Lake County New Plants LLC in Perry, Ohio

Zone 5
Available as 2-year-old bare root liners from Carlton Plants LLC, Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery Inc., J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., Kuenzi Turf & Nursery, Monrovia Nursery Co., and Speer & Sons Nursery

A columnar rubber tree that offers a distinctive look for tight spaces. Foliage is half the size of the species and very serrated and wavy. Offers low maintenance and adaptability to soil types, pH and moisture levels. Grows to 40 feet tall and only 5 feet wide. Prefers full sun.

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'Gold Beacon' Sweetgum

Liquidambar styraciflua 'Gold Beacon' PPAF

Introduced by Green Biz Nursery & Landscaping Inc.
Discovered as a seedling by Charles A. Allen III at Green Biz Nursery, Fayetteville, N.C.

Zones 5-9
Available in #1 to #5 containers from Heritage Seedlings Inc.

The first golden-leaved sweetgum bears foliage that emerges light green and becomes more golden into summer. In fall, it blazes red, burgundy, orange and yellow. Size is 35-40 feet tall by 25 feet wide at maturity. Use as an accent tree; it produces few seedpods so is suitable as a lawn tree. Grow in full sun for best foliage color, in neutral to slightly acid soil.

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Green Whisper™ Bald Cypress

Taxodium distichum 'JFS-SGPN'

Introduced and offered by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.
Discovered as a chance seedling by Shady Grove Plantation Nursery, S.C.

Zone 5
Available as bare root branched 4-, 5-, and 6-foot

Unusually soft textured, bright green foliage graces a symmetrically branching, upright tree. Use this easy-care deciduous evergreen in varied landscape conditions-dry or wet soils, range of pH and climates. Gets fall color of rusty orange before shedding needles. Grows vigorously to 55 feet tall and 30 feet wide at maturity. Besides being adaptable to heat and drought, it is low maintenance.