This attractive perennial is producing a show of colour in the Glasshouse Bays.
A member of the Acanthaceae (bear’s breeches family) Dicliptera squarrosa is one of over 200 species from tropical and warm climates in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia. Members of the genus can be annuals, perennials, climbers or sub-shrubs and have simple, opposite leaves and clusters of axillary or terminal tubular, two-lipped flowers. D. squarrosa is a South American sub-shrub from dry tropical zones, which has a scrambling habit. The ovate foliage is covered in downy, grey hairs. This is a valuable plant for providing brilliant colour in late summer and autumn, though it requires a hot, sunny and warm position in the garden. It is tolerant of dry conditions, and in well-drained sites in mild areas it may overwinter. In its native range the flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds, earning it the common name hummingbird plant.