Arboretum Spotlight: Aussie shrub a hit in winter

This is one part in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Arboretum’s “40 Plants You (Probably) Have Never Heard of – But Will Love,” 40 can’t-fail, easy-care, low-water plants well adapted to our region but hard to find.

Orange Flame correa

Correa pulchella “Orange Flame”

Size: 2 feet tall by 4 feet wide

Bloom season: Orange flowers December to February

Exposure: Full sun or partial shade

Pruning needs: None except to shape as desired

Water needs: Low water; once established, irrigate deeply twice a month

Snapshot: Here’s an Aussie transplant that feels right at home in Sacramento. A compact mounding variety of Australian fuchsia, Orange Flame correa features small, evergreen leaves. But it’s the tubular, rusty-orange flowers that make this small shrub so interesting. Correa blooms from December to February, providing a welcome source of color in winter gardens and a source of nectar for resident hummingbirds. Correa grows well on slopes and prefers well-drained soil.

For more on “40 Plants,” click on arboretum.ucdavis.edu.

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Arboretum Spotlight: Aussie shrub a hit in winter."