Today's Favorite Plant - Drimys lanceolata

I almost thought today's favorite plant, a Tasmanian beauty named Drimys lanceolata (Mountain Pepper), was going to be a gonner after the last cold snap, where our temps dipped to 10 degrees for several days in a row.

This plant is rated as not so hardy in the Pacific Northwest ~ Zone 8 (15 to 20 degrees). My plant is growing in a protected site near the back corner of the veggie garden, by the shed/fence.

It grows in full to part sun, handles summer heat well and grows 10-12 feet tall by 8 feet wide.

Drimys is an evergreen shrub, that is striking for its red stems and leaf petioles and glossy/leathery green leaves. It is slow growing, but also low maintenance and pest free.

The plant has clusters of little insignificant fragrant white/yellow flowers in late spring. Although, you have to have a male and female plant to get the black pepper like fruits.

Pretty red stems!

There is one little dead stem, but probably not from the weather.