A strange little gesneriad with boxwood-like dark green leaves topped by tubular brilliant orange-red flowers. Like all gesneriads, it roots very easily and can be grown as a container plant or gambled with in the ground. This Steve Hootman collection from northern Vietnam has survived 15°F on the west coast and 18°F here in Raleigh.

• dwarf shrub to 24"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 8b
• orange/red flowers in summer to fall

The late, great Don Jacobs of Eco Gardens in GA introduced numerous plants to cultivation. This ginger from his garden has been a top performer and has been named 'Green Waves'. The foliage is deep green with a rippled edge.

• herbaceous perennial to 18"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 7 hardy
• red flowers
• deer resistant

A small-statured A. konjac with a pinkish stem (petiole) th is covered in small black spots. Same stinky, phallic flower in spring as other A. konjac.

• herbaceous perennial to 21"
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 6b
• maroon flowers in spring

An A. konjac with a btan stem (petiole) covered in small black spots. Same stinky, phallic flower in spring as other A. konjac. Offsets stay tightly clumped near the parent plant.

• herbaceous perennial to 36"
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 6b
• maroon flowers in spring

A 28" tall relatively unknown Aspidistra species with wide green leaves and pale yellow spots.

• evergreen perennial to 28"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 7b

Short wide leaves with many small pale yellow spots. This selection is almost hardy for us in Raleigh and will likely die to the ground in winter. This eastern Chinese species is relatively rare in gardens.

• evergreen perennial to 18"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 8a

'Rawhide' cast iron plant has heavily spotted leaves with unusual rounded tips. Leaves have a very thick texture and are 4" wide. Aspidistra sichuanensis flowers are particularly attractive, but you have to look beneath the foliage at ground level to see them. Cast iron plants are tough-as-nails and great low maintenance plants for a shady location. This selection will need some winter protection in Raleigh gardens but will make an excellent houseplant.

• evergreen perennial to 28"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 8b
• burgundy flowers in late spring

Narrower leaves and a more relaxed growth habit than other Aspidistra you might be familiar with. Dark green with small creamy-white spots. Cultivar 'Ginga' has been sold under many species names in the trade including A. lurida and A. sichuanensis. Makes a great houseplant too.

• evergreen perennial to 18"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 7b

A. zongbayi is has short, wide leaves (just 10" tall) that have a slightly undulating leaf edge. Cultivar 'Old Glory' features spots and stripes on its pale green leaves.

• evergreen perennial to 10"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 7b

From the slopes of China's famous Mt. Emei comes this cold hardy Begonia with heart-shaped leaves and late season pink flowers. Best grown in moist, humus-rich soil that does not dry out. Prefers high humidity and indirect sunlight. Mulch heavily in the fall as the rhizome is a shallow grower. Evergreen into the upper 20s which makes it almost as cold hardy as the champion cold hardy Begonia grandis. Produces a pseudobulb on the petiole and once frost comes and the leaf falls and rots, the pseudobulb roots and grows into a new plant. Despite its hardiness, it may be prudent to keep on a windowsill this first winter and plant in the spring or divide your plant and keep a piece indoors.

• herbaceous perennial to 24"
• plant in part sun
• hardy
• pink flowers in fall

Begonia henryi could be considered a smaller, more polite relative of B. grandis with leaves nicely patterned with silver or purple. It will slowly form a nice clump but unlike most hardy begonias, it prefers a more open, bright spot. Soft pink flowers are held above the foliage in fall before the plant goes dormant for the season. After it dies back, mulch it well and mark the spot because it usually will not re-emerge before June. This plant is from the late plantsman Alan Galloway's garden where it has grown for many years.

• herbaceous perennial to 10"
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 7b

Simply one of the most amazing trees and one JCRA director Mark says he has coveted for many years. It has the refined, elegant look that most hornbeams share but then is separated from the rest of the genus by the long, showy racemes of green, turning to brown flowers and then dry fruits which range from about 14" to 24" in length. This plant is descended from the 1986 Shanghai Botanic Garden collection (SBG270) in northwestern Hubei at 1100'.

• medium deciduous tree to 35' (60' ultimately)
• plant in sun to part shade
• z6
• long, showy fruit in fall

A diminutive vine native to Asia (northern China, Mongolia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan) that is very rare in western gardens. Covered in small 1" yellow flowers in summer that give way to the typical fuzzy clematis seed heads by late summer. Given its native range we can say that it is probably quite cold hardy but we are not quite sure of its hardiness range yet.

• deciduous vine to 8'
• plant in sun
• hardy
• yellow flowers in summer

An evergreen dogwood from famed Japanese nurseryman Akira Shibamichi with white flowers in early summer. This form was selected for its upright habit and large flowers with overlapping petals. Leaves emerge light green before darkening in summer. Winter foliage is burgundy. It is extremely floriferous even when young and forms 1” bright red fruits like a kousa dogwood. It is much hardier than many other evergreen dogwood species. The common name 'moonshine evergreen dogwood' refers to the English translation of the Japanese word 'Gekkou' which means roughly 'moonlight'.

• evergreen tree to 8' to 20' or more
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 6
• white flowers in early summer
• red fruit in fall and winter

The JCRA purchased this plant from a tissue culture lab in China to add to our Koten Engei collection. Fragrant white flowers in late winter. In the wild this is a cloud forest epiphyte or lithophyte. We are not sure of its hardiness. And we are not taking any chances on this beauty and are growing it as a potted plant.

• herbaceous perennial to 9"
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 9
• ivory flowers in Feb.-Mar.
• fragrant flowers

No garden is complete without winter daphne. A bright gold edge surrounds each evergreen leaf of this selection. In mid-winter, pink buds open to white flowers whose lemon scent will fill an entire garden. Plant in a very well-drained spot to ensure a long life. Maejima is the name of a small island / national park in Japan, also the name of the founder of the Japanese postal system as well as the name of a famous Japanese landscape painter in the 1400s. Not sure which of these which this plant is named after but I would bet on the last.

• evergreen shrub to 3'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 7
• white flowers in winter

A heavily variegated winter Daphne whose leaves have a green center section outlined with yellow to creamy-white, depending on stage of growth, and a green edge. Pink buds open up to very fragrant pinkish-white flowers in winter. Grow in sun to light shade in well-drained soil. 'Nakafu' is Japanaese for 'middle spot'

• evergreen shrub to 3'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 7
• white flowers in winter

Native to sandy soils in Europe and Asia Comes this cold and heat tolerant Ephedra. Well-drained soils are a must. This plant does not have leaves...the needle-like stems do all the photostynthesizing. Plants are dioecious (male or female) and female plants will produce attractive and edible red fruit if pollinated by a male. These plants were grown from seed shared with us by a Latvian botanic garden. This species does contain some of the same dangerous compounds as the diet-pill Ephedras...so be careful.

• evergreen perennial to 11"
• plant in sun
• hardy to zone 7
• red fruit in summer

The loquat is a small evergreen tree that we love to grow for its tropical look. It flowers in fall and fruits in early spring, so do not expect fruit in Raleigh unless we have an abnormally mild winter. Foliage can be cut and brought inside for winter decorations and the flowers are white and fragrant. Select a somewhat protected location in your garden, since plants are sensitive to severe cold. This selection has leaves splashed with white variegation.

• evergreen tree to 10'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 7
• small white flowers in fall
• large orange fruit in spring
• fragrant flowers

A South American plant native to seasonally dry biomes. Like other Eryngium, this species produces blue-green strap-like leaves edged with teeth and topped with tall flower scapes displaying silver-white clusters of small flowers. Attracts a wide variety of pollinators.

• herbaceous perennial to 3'+
• plant in sun
• hardy to zone 8 at least
• white flowers in summer
• butterfly/pollinator friendly and deer resistant

A lovely blue flowered gentian from high elevations in western Asia. It will likely not love high humidity so plant where there is good air circulation in a well-drained spot like a crevice garden.

• herbaceous perennial to 10"
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 4 hardy
• blue (occasionally yellow) flowers in spring

Collected in the sub tropical Arunachal Pradesh region of northeast India by famed plant explorer Dan Hinkley. Hedychium gardnerianum is a dieback perennial in the Raleigh area that forms a colony of 6' plus stems in a single growing season that are topped in late summer by a large cluster of fragrant yellow to orange flowers.

• herbaceous perennial to 8'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 8 at least
• yellow flowers in late summer
• butterfly/pollinator friendly, attracts birds, deer resistant

We have gone gaga for gesneriads and the Hemiboea are among the best for us. Most seem to prefer some shade and average to damp soils. We haven't had much experience with this one from Atlanta Botanic Garden but assume it will be as great as the rest of them. Expect large white tubular flowers in late summer with purple spotting in the throat.

• herbaceous perennial to 24"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 7b at least hardy
• white with purple spotting flowers in late summer

(aka Schefflera delavayi) Seedings raised from a fruiting plant in the SCC Arboretum (thus fairly hardy). Parent plant originally obtained from Scott McMahan. Collected in Sichuan with Ozzie Johnson and Dan Hinkley.

• evergreen shrub to 15'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy
• yellow flowers in early summer

A big Bolivian bulb (say that ten times fast) that produces an amaryllis-like flower that is bright red with a green-yellow throat. It is native to warm moist forests, so part sun and a humid location in the garden is probably best.

• herbaceous perennial to 15"
• plant in part sun
• likely hardy
• red flowers

A 2021 Plant Delights Nursery introduction yellow leaves. Part sun and protection from deer is recommended. Easy to grow.

• herbaceous perennial to 10"
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 3
• lavender flowers in summer

A highly branched perennial with a dense shrubby habit and blue flowers for a long period in summer. The curious-looking flowers dangle down from the leaf nodes and from a certain angle look like a blue parrot. Cute!

• herbaceous perennial to 2'
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 7
• pale blue flowers in summer up to frost

This naturally occurring hybrid was found by our colleague at the Shanghai Botanic Garden and introduced to culture with Proven Winners with our assistance. The plant grows like a roof iris in steroids making a huge mass of strappy foliage and dozens of blue flowers on stems to 4' or more tall. Amazing.

• herbaceous perennial to 3'
• plant in sun to part shade
• hardy to zone 7 at least hardy
• blue flowers in spring

Hardier and more tolerant of summer-moisture than most Auzzie plants. Great cut flower.

• evergreen shrub to 12'
• plant in sun
• hardy to zone 7
• fragrant white flowers in spring

This broadly upright cherrylaurel follows its spikes of white flowers with showy red fruits - definitely different than any other cherrylaurel we've seen and a plant in full fruit is quite a sight. Best in full sun, where it will grow vigorously into a large shrub, but it will tolerate a fair amount of shade.

• evergreen shrub to 10'
• plant in sun to light shade
• hardy to zone 6
• white flowers in summer

A tongue fern with leathery leaves that are flushed gold when grown in a location that receives morning sunlight. Slowly creeps around on rhizomes into a 2' patch.

• evergreen fern to 10"
• plant in shade
• hardy to zone 7b

A very low growing, very late flowering azalea suitable for a container or rock garden. In summer it produces flowers that are an orangey-coral below and a spotted pinkish coral above. The leaves are very hairy, handsomely so.

• woody shrub to 6'
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 8 at least
• brick red-orange flowers
• very hairy leaves. rubropilosum means red hair

Beautiful, bright pink, early spring flowers make this plant a show-stopper. This plant forms a narrow, upright shrub with 3" wide dangling, bell-shaped, flowers. Related to witch hazel although you'd never know it at first glance. Good drainage and protection from afternoon sun is helpful.

• evergreen shrub to 15'
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 7
• bright pink flowers in Mar.-Apr.

Dark lavender purple flowers over a long period in summer on this greggii-type hybrid sage. Drought tolerant. Tony Avent calls this the best purple salvia there is.

• herbaceous perennial to 24"
• plant in sun
• hardy to zone 6b
• purple flowers in summer
• deer resistant
• attracts hummingbirds

Although technically an evergreen shrub, this will act like a dieback perennial here in Raleigh. Rich soils and part-sun are preferred. Also makes a good houseplant.

• herbaceous perennial to 24"
• plant in part sun
• hardy to zone 8
• scarlet flowers in fall

A cycad we received as seed from the Montgomery Botanical Center in Florida. Native to the Bahamas and Cuba, this species is under threat in the wild from rapidly decreasing habitat. This species is not hardy in Raleigh, but is an excellent choice for the cycad collector as a sunroom houseplant. This dioecious species was raised from seed so we do not know if you'll be getting a male or female plant.

• evergreen perennial to 3'
• plant in part sun
• tender
• survived the dinosaurs

An endangered cycad found on Bahama's Long Island. Probably not very hardy but it should make a great potted plant for a well-drained container in a sunny spot.

• cycad to 24"
• plant in sun, well-drained
• hardy to zone 9? tender
• deer resistant