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Gynura bicolor

 
Gynura bicolor
Early July
Okinawan spinach
A little bigger by early October
Gynura bicolor

Common name Okinawan spinach
Family asteraceae
Life cycle perennial (Z8-10)
Flowers yellow-orange (early fall)
Size 40"
Light sun-part shade

Perennial from the Himalayas, whose main attraction is its clump of chocolaty-purple leaves steaked with green, with a tropicalesque, fleshy appearance. I wouldn't have guessed it was a composite, but sure enough, the flowers that appear above the foliage in fall are like a cross between groundsel and a dandelion. Our specimen has managed to survive the two strongest freezes Texas has thrown at us, including the megafreeze of 2021. After each, it returned tentatively later in spring, but eventually regained its vigor and stature.

Okinawan spinach
Flower buds early November
Gynura bicolor
Buds ready to burst
Okinawan spinach
In full flower late November
Gynura bicolor
After getting hit with a few mild freezes in December
Okinawan spinach
New growth in mid-March after 2018 freeze

In our garden, this plant grows in the following areas: back fence border, foundation border

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