This is one part in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Community Favorites, 75 can't-fail, easy-care plants well-adapted to our region and recommended by local gardeners.
Narrow-bell correa
Correa schlechtendalii
Size: Under 6 feet tall
Bloom season: Late fall, winter
Exposure: Sun to partial shade
Pruning needs: Little or none; prune to shape after flowering.
Water needs: Once established, water deeply once a week.
Snapshot: This interesting winter-blooming shrub produces its own Christmas ornaments. An Australian fuchsia, this correa pumps out loads of eye-popping green and red flowers that almost glow in light shade. Hummingbirds can't resist these trumpets. This drought-tolerant evergreen shrub – which can reach 6 feet wide as well as tall – is often used as a screen or hedge in Australia. You can see specimens in the arboretum's Australian collection on the UC Davis campus.
Why it's a Favorite: "One of my favorite Australian fuchsias, with hanging, two-tone flowers in day-glo green and red all winter," said Ryan Deering, the arboretum's GATEways horticulturist. "Great upright growth to 6 feet and best in light shade."
• Read more about the Arboretum's 75th anniversary at http://arboretum75th.ucdavis.edu. For more on the Community Favorites and Arboretum All-Stars, click on http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
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