I'm looking for rooted suckers, rooted cuttings, or otherwise well-rooted yellow/orange winterberry holly, Ilex verticillata 'Winter Gold'. Ditto for vernal witch hazel, Hamamelis vernalis. (Please be sure which type you're sending. Last year I got supposed vernalis in a swap (not GW), turned out to be H. virginia. They look very similar!) Ditto for Himalayan sweetbox, Sarcocca hookeriana var. humilis, also called Sarcocca humilis. Ditto for Lagerstromia indica 'White Chocolate' crapemyrtle. Would also like winter aconite, Eranthus hyemalis. I have these available now for trade: Rooted Clethra Â16 candles Rooted Itea ÂLittle Henry Myosotis  forget-me-nots Tricyrtis ÂSinonome  toad lily Tradescantia Âconcord grape  spiderwort Agastache Âhoney bee blue Rudbeckia Âprairie sun  hardy to zone 6 Anemone canadensis  Canada anemone  native groundcover for dry shade Miscanthus zebrinus  zebra grass Nepeta mussini  catmint  classic groundcover under roses Thymus citiodorus  lemon thyme  cold hardy Caryopteris  blue mist, bluebeard Ipomoea Âsweet caroline  bronze sweet potato vine  tender perennial for warm-winter climate or to overwinter indoors Torenia (bi-color magenta/white) wishbone flower  tender perennial for warm-winter climate or to overwinter indoors Iris Âcopper lustre  heirloom tall bearded iris Origanum vulgare 'aureum crispum'  gold-tipped marjoram  cold hardy Hemerocallis Âhappy returns  reblooming daylily

I've seen a very nice one at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. I don't know about it thriving well under the hot conditions you describe, though. Google "Arnold's Promise" and see if it would work. Under the circumstances you describe, though, I'd go with an Acoma Crape Myrtle--has a wide branching habit and is shortish, at least it was in my old yard.

I just bought one yesterday from Christianson's Nursery in Skagit County. The label states it grows to 12 feet tall though. Mine is a Hamamelis vernalis and the tag doesn't specify if it's a Sandra or anything else. I believe these are fairly slow growing. The aforementioned Greer Gardens states that hamamelis vernalis "can" reach heights of 6-10Â. I would assume this would be under ideal conditions, so too shady, too wet, too dry, etc. will probably affect the growth rate and there's always pruning! I can't wait to plant mine-need to make a raised bed to keep it out of the really wet winter ground. Found it was hard to find much info about it, but have gleaned that they are the hardiest and are more fragrant than others. Can't wait to have natural hummingbird food too for our winter residents since it blooms in the winter. Hummingbirds are the sole reason I decided on the witch hazel, but the shape, fall color, part shade tolerant and fragrance are all bonuses! Christianson's Nursery said that typically they get in more witch hazels in August. They go quickly in the winter I'm told from different nurseries, so if you've still had no luck in getting the right one for you, maybe someone will have it in a few months. Mine has no purple, but also has no new growth. Just a nice green leafed shrub about 2 1/2' tall. Was $30. Summerson's Nursery (Skagit County) has Arnold's Promise and other varieties for $50, though they're larger. I can't remember what the tag said, but claimed it got way too tall for what I want. I asked about it and they said they've never seen witch hazels that tall. They were very surprised it was labeled so tall. I don't know, maybe the tags put the highest possible height they could achieve? Good luck and hope I've been helpful.

'Jelena' blooms a coppery orange; 'Diane' is a much redder flower. Other than that, they are similar in size, habit and bloom time and share similar cold hardiness. In my area, these are typically in bloom in February or early March. They do not have a long a bloom period and produce coarsely textured foliage so their value as a front yard 'specimen' is a matter of personal choice. I prefer to see them in more of an open woodland setting or a partially shaded shrub border.