Bihai, I don't know what it is, but I have been racking my brains. It reminds me of a medinilla, but could not find a photo quite like that. I know it isn't magnifica or myriantha, but maybe there is a less-known cultivar? Why don't you send the pictures to Selby and Fairchild horticulturists? Also, Eric at Leu Gardens sometimes will post here and always has the answers. I would send the pic to him too. I'm sure they would all be happy to help you. Good luck. Anna

Foster's holly is hybrid between Ilex cassine and Ilex opaca, two native hollies. Two other well known cultivars with the same parents are 'Savannah' and 'East Palatka' (the second one forever burned into my brain thanks to that show on HGTV which was based in Florida). 'Savannah' is a beautiful holly and I would expect Foster's holly would be similarly so. Not being very familiar with Foster's holly, I had not heard that it doesn't need a male. In looking around, www.mobot.org, does confirm what you say, but other websites still say that it needs a male. This is a good description of how the plant came to be (and to be called #2) from www.mobot.org: Foster holly is the common name attached to five different interspecific hybrids (Ilex cassine x Ilex opaca) introduced into cultivation in the 1950s by E. E. Foster of Foster Nursery in Bessemer, Alabama. Of the five original clones, #1 and #5 are no longer available in commerce, #4 is a male which is uncommonly available (female Foster hollies do not require a male pollinator for fruit development) and #2 and #3 are female plants which are commonly available but are so similar in appearance as to be virtually indistinguishable. Although #2 is by far the most common female clone, nurseries sometimes sell the clones today as male or female Foster hollies without reference to clonal numbers. Foster #2 is a small to medium-sized, broadleaf evergreen tree with a dense, upright, pyramidal habit. It typically grows to a mature height of 20-30' tall with a spread of 10-15' unless pruned otherwise. Features glossy, dark olive green, elliptic to obovate, evergreen leaves (2-3" long). Each leaf has 1-5 well-spaced, tiny, spiny, marginal teeth per side. Small white flowers bloom in late spring. Flowers are followed in fall by an abundant and showy crop of bright red berry-like drupes which persist throughout the winter. Sounds like a winner. Here is a link that might be useful: www.mobot.org

It is the native passion flower vine, Passiflora incarnata. Quite exotic looking, isn't it? Here is a link that might be useful: Passiflora incarnata

Thanks so much guys. Apparently it's definitely a sheenas gold Duranta and I must have been to about 20 shops to find a large one (above 1 metre to fill the gap in the hedge) :(. Have tried binning a markets nurseries...even posted an ad on gumtree but no luck whatsoever. One nursery offered to ring around but gave up. I live on a busy road and is such a shame to have a gap right in the middle.....grrr. Thank you all for responding....just wish I could find one now...... :)