Dyschoriste oblongifolia looks great in Florida despite cold winter and no rain

The Florida garden shrunk considerably over the winter. Neighbors who spent the winter said it was the coldest they could remember....of course, like myself, they're old. Still it was a cold and a dry winter. A few plants died outright; many more died back to their roots. The problem with root-hardy shrubs in Central Florida is that the rains don't come until June so a lot of regrowth doesn't happen in spring. Sure there were small tufts of foliage where the Firebush had been, and the Duranta, and the Lantanas, and the Strelitzias, but most of the regrowth wont happen for another few months.

Some things made it through unscathed; the Simpson's Stopper is an incredible plant, Psychotria nervosa is budded and beautiful, Salvia greggii cultivars were cheerfully attracting butterflies as were the Southern Butterfly Weeds. But Agaves burned by 20-odd degree cold!!??!! They'll be back.