A native of Mexico and parts of Central America, false heather is a small unassuming plant that makes a great addition to beds and borders. It has attractive evergreen foliage and when in bloom has lavender, white, or purple flowers. In the state of Hawaii, this naturalized plant is regarded as a weed.

Despite its attractive purple flowers, colombian waxweed (Cuphea carthagenensis) is a fast-spreading invasive plant species that out-competes native species in some locations like Australia. The plant has also been considered a potential oil-bearing seed crop.

Cuphea ignea, the cigar plant, cigar flower, firecracker plant, or Mexican cigar, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Cuphea of the family Lythraceae. It is a tropical, densely branched evergreen subshrub. This species, native to Mexico and the West Indies, produces small, tubular, bright red to orange flowers. Each flower is tipped with a thin, white rim and two small purple-black petals. The flower is said to resemble a lit cigar plant, hence the name ignea, which comes from the Latin for "fire". The leaves are small, elliptical and of a bright green color. It grows to about 61 cm. In temperate regions Cuphea ignea requires a warm, sheltered spot, as it does not tolerate frost. Alternatively, it may be grown under glass or indoors as a houseplant. In the UK, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017).

The mass of bright red or orange tubular flowers of the cigar plant (Cuphea hookeriana) make it a popular ornamental plant, suitable for the garden or as a container plant. It is neat, fast-growing, and easy to care for, but it is tender to frost. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

Blue waxweed is an herbaceous annual with tiny reddish-purple blooms that are extremely attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. The stems have a gummy texture, giving it both one of its alternative names, tarweed, and the second part of its Latin name, Cuphea viscosissima, from the Latin *viscidus* (which roughly translates to "sticky").

Bat-faced cuphea 'Torpedo' is a cultivated plant from the loosestrife family. It is bred to produce larger flowers than other plants in the genus. The red tube-shaped blooms measure over 2.5 cm in diameter. The larger-sized blooms are also what make it a popular choice in perennial gardens.

The fatty acids produced by Cuphea platycentra show similarities to that of palm oil, potentially giving rise to an alternative source for use in the soapmaking industry. The red, tubular flowers with an ashy appearing tip give this plant its commonly referenced name of "cigar flower."

Bat-faced cuphea is a fast-growing Mexican native, full of red flowers that resemble bat faces (hence its name). This sub-shrub features tender broadleaves, prefers cooler climates, and is a regular fixture in many Mexican homes, where it grows to 76 cm tall.

Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.

Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.

Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.

The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.

Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.

Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.

Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.

Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.