Featured Plant

San Francisco Botanical Garden is a year-round pollinator's paradise. Our relatively mild coastal climate encourages the activity of nectar-seeking birds and bees throughout our winter months, and we have their food supply in hearty quantities. With our diverse collection of plant species from around the globe, there's always something in bloom. This season, the Garden's Iochroma species strut their stuff, adding communicative pops of color to our slowly-fading, green backdrop indicating an energy-rich meal for our small, winged residents.

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The genus Iochroma consists of 19 accepted species, with assessment focusing on at least as many additional species names to confirm their status as unique, additional species or as synonyms. Iochroma is in the Solanaceae family, and thus a relative of the nightshade and potato, among other familiar relatives. As with other members of this family, plant parts can be toxic. Flower color on our Garden specimens ranges from white to red-orange to varying shades of purple. Iochroma tend to grow as multiple-trunked, clump-forming shrubs to small trees. They can be sensitive to cold temperatures, but selections /hybrids are available that are rated as hardy to 5 to 10 F.