Pronounciation: Di-clip-TEAR-a sub-e-REC-ta

Hardiness zones
Sunset 10-24
USDA 7 - 11

Landscape Use: Landscape borders as a flowering accent shrub in oasis (mixed or transition) water use design motifs, hanging baskets, hummingbirds.

Form & Character: Open (unless well irrigated), spreading and informal.

Growth Habit: Evergreen, mostly herbaceous, broadleaf perennial, moderately sprawling to 3 feet in height with a greater spread.

Foliage/Texture: Leaves are ovate to 2.5-inches long (mostly smaller), grayish green, velvety tomentose on arching tomentose grayish green stems, very short petioles; medium texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Brick red to orange flowers many on a terminal cymes subtended by 2 to 4 conspicuous but not showy bracts, corolla tubular, brick red to 1.75-inches long, fruit an ovoid to sub-orbicular cap.

Seasonal Color: Spring and fall flowers.

Temperature: Hardy

Light: Full sun, avoid reflected light, partial western shade best.

Soil: Tolerant as long as soils are well drained.

Watering: Regular water in summer, otherwise none needed during cooler times of the year.

Pruning: Head back in late winter to encourage robust re-growth during spring.

Propagation: Softwood cuttings during late spring.

Disease and Pests: Root rot in poorly drained soils especially if the plants are over irrigated.

Additional comments: King's crown is little used in the Phoenix area, but probably should be. It's an excellent flowering accent shrub and its tubular flowers attract hummingbirds.

Minor taxonomic factoid: The genus Dicliptera consists of over 150 species from tropical and temperate regions worldwide.