Mary, upper hardiness designations typically don't have too much bearing on how well a temperate plant will perform in a higher zone area unless it is a high enough zone to eliminate any necessary dormancy period. Most horticulturists will overlook any upper limit - these are designations for cold hardiness, so the lower number is the significant one. There are exceptions, of course, but in general if the zone is not entirely frost free, the plant will grow. A better indicator of appropriateness in warmer zones is the USDA heat zone map, but that is not widely used. Aurinia grows profusely throughout PNW zone 8 and even in the most mild shoreline areas that are borderline zone 9. It is an extremely common rockery plant and you can see plantings of it everwhere in spring, as that bright yellow flower is hard to ignore! The Sunset Western Garden book lists it appropriate to ALL the Sunset zones, so that includes even the frost-free areas of coastal Southern California. That yours did not last long is more likely to be associated with a less than ideal planting situation than with a zone 8 climate. Our long damp winters and sometimes heavy soils can contribute to its lack of success, not our heat (we don't have any to speak of). This is a plant that is native to dry, rocky conditions and requires very good drainage. The same conditions that Lithodora and Aubretia prefer will be those preferred by Aurinia as well.

Rather than the tomato hornworm sphinx, I'm going with one of the clear-wing sphinx moths, often known as Hummingbird Moths. There are three or four that are very commonly mistaken for hummers. They are quite small and pretty darned amazing. The tomato hornworm sphinx, though interesting and beautiful aren't usually mistaken for a hummingbird. Here is a link that might be useful: Check these little guys out!

Aha, Wisconsintom - you called my bluff. You're right. But then with the Cassia you have the leaves to go by. I just do these things by instinct, not having any botanical training whatsoever. I just get a feeling based on a lot of time staring at plants and this time it was for Scrophulariaceae.

Oh, that explains it! I was searching in the wrong genus! Thanks for your help!