Butterfly Clerodendrum – new Latin name is Rotheca myricoides ‘Ugandense’- previously- Clerodendrum ugandense, is a unique member of the mint family with blue and white flowers that resemble butterflies.
I have always considered it a tropical plant and have never had one survive outdoors. Recently I was at a friend’s house, and she had several that had overwintered in the ground. They were growing quite tall, but there were no blooms yet. If it survives the winter, it will die back to the ground to resprout the following year. Full sun will give it the best blooms. I grow it in a large container and the plant is easily 4-5 feet tall and has not stopped blooming since I purchased it in late spring.
Bronze fennel - Foeniculum vulgare,
is a host plant for the swallowtail butterfly and an attractive perennial herb. The foliage is bronze color, and unlike its green counterpart, it does not form a large edible bulb. Instead, the flowers and leaves can be used in cooking for that fennel or anise flavor. The soft, ferny dark foliage of bronze fennel is very attractive in the garden,
and the added umbels of yellow flowers are a bonus. Full sun and well drained soils are best.
Erythrina – coral bean – Erythrina crista-galli
is the species of erythrina that I grow in my garden. The erythrina family is large with over 100 species, most of which have beautiful red or coral shaded flowers. I have seen them in Europe,
Costa Rica, New Zealand and of course the US. Some are tropical and some are hardy. I have had my erythrina for over 15 years. It dies back to the ground each winter and comes back in late spring. It produces large clusters of bean-like flowers.
It also has some wicked thorns of spines on the woody stalks, so beware when clearing them out in the spring. It has a tenacious tap root so plant it where you want it to grow. It prefers full sun, and it can grow 15 feet tall and wide.