Other Names:  Variegated Fameflower

Description:

Small pinkish-red flowers on wiry stems followed by berries provide dazzling color over ivory-margined fleshy leaves; often treated as an annual as this plant originates in the Carribean

Ornamental Features

Jewel Of Opar's attractive succulent oval leaves remain grayish green in colour with distinctive white edges throughout the season on a plant with a low base above which the flowers rise. It features delicate racemes of pink flowers rising above the foliage in mid summer, which emerge from distinctive hot pink flower buds. The brick red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Jewel Of Opar is an herbaceous annual with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Jewel Of Opar is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Jewel Of Opar will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 18 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 15 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this slow-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Jewel Of Opar is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.