Desfontainia fulgens (syn. D. spinosa) 2001/5014

This is a rarely grown evergreen shrub with sharply toothed leaves that look exactly like those of your basic English Holly. Out of flower it is easily told from a holly by the opposite branching pattern. The amazing flowers appear in late summer and are reminiscent of the orange and yellow bicolored flowers of R. cinnabarinum (Blandfordiiflorum Group). The long glossy blossoms are pendulous from the ends of the branches and quite long-lasting. A native of Chile and quite adaptable in our climate. Best in sun and a real knockout in flower. This clone, grown from seed collected wild by Dan Hinkley in Chile has flowers that are longer, narrower and an almost solid red compared to the typical form seen in gardens.