Diascia for Early Spring Color

Diascia—backward facing spurs are full of nectar

You might find that diascia seems familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. This new selection for early spring is a South African native that’s related to the snapdragon—if you look closely you’ll notice the family resemblance. It’s a little off the beaten path so we use this variety to add a unique element to mixed combinations.

Flowers are small here but there are lots of them. Now zoom in on one and you can see the snapdragon connection: a tubular bloom with one long top petal and two side petals that have backward pointing horns, or spurs. These spurs are actually nectaries—full of the sweet stuff that keeps visiting bees buzzing.

‘Red Threads’ provides a long window of color

There’s a case to be made for using more colorful foliage plants in the landscape. Foliage selections are easy to grow and often last right up until the first frost or longer. Many attractive varieties are showy without relying on a rainbow of blooms, and often provide a longer window of color than flowering selections with limited bloom times.

For adding a finely textured carpet to a design we recommend the narrow cherry red foliage of ‘Red Threads’ alternanthera. Slender leaves begin to show their color in late spring but their vivid red intensifies as the temperatures rise. We value any plant that survives our hot Cincinnati summers, and we especially like the tropical feel we get from this unique, almost grass-like variety.

Dramatic filler between taller plants

We like to plant ‘Red Threads’ at the base of taller plants, especially for contrast with silvery leaves or to complement pink flowers. It’s striking when used as a groundcover or planted en masse. For dramatic combinations we use this deep burgundy foliage as an unexpected filler component.

‘Red Threads’ is available in the 4.5-inch pot.

Sorbet™ XP Blueberry Frost Mix

We have an elegant Sorbet™ viola mix for early spring—Blueberry Frost. Dainty white flowers are mixed with various shades of blue, ranging from deep and dark to cool and light, for a sophisticated, balanced display of color in beds and containers. 

Sorbets™ have more blooms per plant so they provide dense coverage where it’s needed. They’re also known for their uniformity—an asset where designing is concerned. You can count on Sorbet™ violas to stay in line when creating patterns of color in the landscape—they remain compact in both the heat and the cold.

Plants in this series stand up to early spring rains and frost, perking up borders and combination planters after the long winter’s nap. They fit into a range of design situations, from sun to partial shade. We like to use Blueberry Frost for a bit of contrast against brighter spring flowers.

This selection is available in the 1801 landscape tray and the 6-inch pot.