Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyeranus) 

Exotic any way you look at them, leaves of this soft-stemmed shrub are a gorgeous blend of purple and silver with sea green ribs; their undersides are bright purple.

We grow Persian shield as a strapping accent in a large (18-inch) pot, along with Medusa ferns, fragrant, white-flowered bouvardia, and lamium. It grows 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

Zones 23, 24; H1, H2; with protection in 16, 17, 19–22.

More: Paradise in a pot