Mexico

A collection of this striking Baja endemic mint relative by FRBC board member Cody Hinchliff. A tower of felty, silver-green, arrowhead shaped leaves erupts into a spire of hot pink tubular flowers in autumn provided great late-season pollinator food. Foliage stays evergreen in very mild climates but for us dies back, leaving its well root hardy nether regions to rest until spring.  Both leaves and flowers smell of a fruity cleanser, with the flowers being thankfully heavier on the former, darn I was hoping for a whiff of Baja Blast. Extremely drought tolerant and happy in a sunny well-drained spot.

A collection from the Northernmost part of the range (Arizona) for this Salvia which reaches all the way down to Central America or just into Northern Mexico depending on where you draw taxonomic lines. An evergreen species, though best cut back in our climates, with hot pink flowers that are gently fuzzy on the upper lip like a pubescent teen, only attractive and charming rather than disconcerting and in need of guidance. Perennial in at least Zone 8 if not slightly lower and can be used as an annual in colder climates.

Wild collected tree dahlias via Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy board director Cody Hinchliff. Taken from cliffs alongside waterfalls in Oaxaca Cody's description of the progenitor group included the phrases "typical" and "nothing particularly unique", if this is the regular same-ol-same-ol for him then I need to reevaluate some things. For us not cavorting in the primeval lands South of the equator 10 foot Dahlias are pretty extraordinary. Pink flowers (small for their stalks but still quite nice) in the wild but these are seedlings so who knows maybe you'll get that special one that makes you a million dollars and leaves Kelly cursing that we should never have sold them.