Medium-sized, frost tender (min. +10 °C), semi-evergreen shrub or climber (H 2-3 m, W 2-3 m). Leaves eliptic to egg-shaped, leathery, smooth, glossy, green. Flowers large, funnel-shaped (6-9 cm), bright red, pink or white (depands on variety). Grown as a container-plant. Grows well in humus-rich, light, always moderately moist, well-drained soils.
These plants grow well in sun or in partial shade. Usually they tolerate more sun and heat if given enough moisture; in partial or light shade they need less moisture.
Decidious have woody stems (i. e. tree trunk and branches) and are also called woody plants or trees. Leaves are normally broad, soft and thin.
Leaves or needles remain on the plant throughout the winter and fall down in spring when new ones emerge. Part of leaves or needles may fall already in autumn or winter. The falling off depends on winter temperature, so some plants are evergreen in mild winter, yet decidous in cold winter
Plant is cold/frost sensitive, mainly cannot survive temperature below freezing point (0 °C) or requires significantly higher temperature to live (e. g. some tropical plants). Required minimal temperatures for certain plants are given in detailed descriptions.
Moist soil usually contain morefine clay parts and less sand, more humus and organic materials, they are somewhat heavier, but not hard; water does not run away quickly but stays among soil particles and is long available to plants. There is no stagnant water, soil is airy enough. Drought occurs rarely on such positions. Plants are given more or less permanent, moderate moisture.
Woody plant, normally branched at the ground level into several side stems, usually lacks of a dominant stem. Tree top can be of different shapes, dense or thin, symetric or uneven. Most shrubs reach a height of 1 to 2 metres, but some can grow much higher (up to 8 m); some can grow into very low or carpet-like forms.
