Postage : Seeds only $4 / Plants $20
One of the few cultivars derived from Central American species that performs well in our warm mediterranean climate, capable of coming through a summer unscathed even without irrigation as well as handling our wet winters in any reasonably well drained soil. Numerous 1cm bright cerise-red flowers from dark calyxes are carried on short stems above a low mounding shrub well clothed in small, soft, rounded, fresh green leaves.
Its form, foliage and complimentary colour lend it to the footing of bare stemmed roses or filling between bolder foliaged plants like Euphorbia and Echium.
A few drinks over summer and an occasional light trim will keep it looking fresh for years. Flowers predominantly in the warmer months but there are still enough flowers during winter for the birds to fight over.
A S. microphylla selection or possible hybrid.
The hair-like stems of this tuberous, Chilean climber, clamber their way through and over shrubs or other surrounding vegetation. Clasping it's prehensile leaves delicately around twigs and branches it scales to a high and sunny vantage and there displays it's small but abundant tricolour blooms, each yellow flower peeping out from the green ruff of it's long spurred red hat.
A winter grower it retreats to the cool sanctuary of it's underground tuber once temperatures climb much above 30℃, usually in late spring or early summer, and there comfortably waits out heat and drought until coolness and moisture entice it forth once more the following year.
Demanding only of excellent drainage and summer dryness, any loose soil, sand or gravel will do but not clay, preferably under a deciduous shrub. Otherwise a pot of well drained potting mix kept barely moist and out of the sun over summer will be quite to it's liking.