Herbaceous Plant ID
Copper Plant
Acalypha wilkesiana Annual Foliage is copper, red, and green Planted for its foliage, not the flowers Leaves have best color in full sun High heat tolerance
Amaryllis
Amaryllis hybrida Pink lily-like or trumpet-shaped flowers Other flower colors can be pink, white, salmon, apricot, rose Flowers can be produced in the middle of winter Native to South Africa
Variegated Dew Plant
Aptenia cordifolia Annual Succulent foliage Evergreen High heat tolerance Low water requirement Xerophyte
Artemisia
Artemisia stelleriana 'Silver Brocade' Used as a ground cover Silver-grey foliage: Covered in trichomes! Planted for its foliage, not the flowers Requires low amounts of water
Wax Begonia
Begonia semperflorens-cultorum Annual Glossy green or bronze leaves Used in hanging baskets Mesophyte
Festuca
Festuca glauca 'Elijah's Blue' Blue-green grass, thin leaves Grows in a clump Used as an ornamental grass Drought tolerant Used to accent other drought tolerant plants in landscape Young leaves can be harvested for culinary use
Gaura
Gaura lindheimeri 4-petaled flowers grow above foliage Flowers said to resemble swirling butterflies Perennial Pink and white flowers Native to Texas
Gazania
Gazania rigens Annual Leaves in a basal rosette White trichomes on leaf underside Daisy-like flowers Orange/yellow/mahogany colored flower Mesophyte Can tolerate some heat
English Ivy
Hedera helix Evergreen (leaves remain green and on plant all through seasons) Perennial Tolerates shade
Coral Bells
Heuchera sanguinea Perennial Plant has a round shape Bell-shaped flowers which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies Drought tolerant after establishment
Hydrangea
Hydrangea sp. Large flower clusters Large, dark green leaves Requires some shade (cannot grow in full shade) Other flower colors include pink, white, lavender
Ornamental Sweet Potato
Ipomea batatas Annual Aggressive vine Planted for foliage colors Mesophyte Heat tolerant Used as a ground cover; sprawling growth form Tubers underneath are edible but not palatable
Lantana
Lantana sp. Flowers are in clusters Annual Flower colors can be red, yellow, pink, orange, white Xerophyte; very drought and heat tolerant Poisonous Attracts butterflies
Variegated Lily Grass
Liriope muscari Mesophyte Grown for foliage Drought tolerant; good for xeriscaping
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. Drummondi The trichromes make the leaves rough to the touch Perennial Drought/heat tolerant Name comes from its resemblance to a Turkish fez Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds Fruit is edible raw/cooked. Native to Texas
Geranium
Pelargonium x hortorum Annual Opposite leaves, round Leaves scented Flowers in umbels Not heat tolerant; needs shade hortorum comes from the Latin word meaning "garden"
Jerusalem Sage
Phlomis fruiticosa Trichomes on leaves Silver-grey foliage; Evergreen Needs full sun, does not grow in shade Drought tolerant
Creeping Rosemary
Rosemarinus officinnalis procumbens Narrow, dark green leaves/ short internodes Evergreen (leaves remain green on plant through all seasons) Perennial High heat tolerance Xerophyte Edible
Purple Heart Vine
Setcreasea purpurea Perennial Dark purple colored leaves Flowers are purple High heat tolerance Mesophyte but drought tolerant once established Can be grown indoors, hanging basket, ground cover
Coleus
Solenostemon scutellarioides Annual Variegated leaves Square stems Mesophyte Leaf colors more pronounced in shade Can easily be propagated by tip cuttings