Dicliptera squarrosa - Tree Fern

Dicliptera suberecta (synonym Dicliptera squarrosa), also known as Justicia or Jacobinia suberecta, is an excellent perennial for sunny and dry areas, and is particularly floriferous. From summer to frost when summer blooms fade, it is adorned with numerous tubular flowers of a bright orange-red colour. Its small lanceolate, matte leaves, which are silver-green, with a soft and velvety texture, are hardy to -4°C (24.8°F) to -5°C (23°F). The stump, on the other hand, can withstand temperatures of about -10°C (14°F). The plant spreads slowly through its suckering stump, forming a dense groundcover. Ideal for rock gardens, in mixed borders, in pots, it is one of the best perennials for dry gardens, in not too cold climates. Its flamboyant flowering illuminates the garden, in contrast with the pale foliage.

Dicliptera suberecta belongs to the Acanthaceae family and is native to Uruguay. This shrubby perennial forms a rounded and spreading clump, 50 cm (20in) in diameter and 45 cm (18in) tall when in flower. The foliage consists of small lanceolate, opposite, velvety leaves, silver-green in colour, measuring 4 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) in length. The remarkably long flowering period lasts from June to October. The bright orange-red flowers form slender tubes, 3 to 6 cm (1 to 2in) long, with long stamens emerging from them. They are grouped in small clusters called corymbs. These flowers are carried by a long swollen pedicel that will transform into a pod filled with numerous very fine seeds. The plant completely disappears in winter in our climates, but is semi-evergreen in milder climates.

With its spectacular summer flowering, Dicliptera suberecta is essential in dry gardens. Perfect by the sea, it withstands sea spray and wind. A little further inland, in a rock garden or a heat-soaked bed, it manages to bloom during the difficult months. This perennial can be planted in beds with limestone loving garden plants: tall Sedums, Cistus,  Lavenders, Helichrysum italicum for example, or form a remarkably contrasting combination with the blue of Ceratostigma plumbaginoides.