2 of the best container plants

The test of a great container plant is not at the beginning of the season, when the tiny transplants are just getting established in their small homes.  The test is not in July, when they are blooming their hearts out and actively growing.  The test is in September, when many of the flowers have faded and dry sticks replace green healthy twigs after months of punishing conditions.

The petunias have faded to dried buds and seed pods with a few scraggy flowers.  Some geraniums are still going strong, but others have disappeared.  The sweet potato vine and the canna lilies are fairly healthy, but not spectacular.

Two container plants stand out as being by far the most hardy, leafy, and healthy.  They have withstood neglect, lack of watering, wind, and blistering sun in a small container.

The leafy Livingstone Daisy on the left is a healthy beauty,
while the other type on the right is languishing on a thin brown thread of a stem.

Livingstone Daisy (Ice Plant Mezoo) (Dorotheanthus bellidifomris) has creamy white and green leaves that are shiny and show no sign of fading or drying up.  It has tiny bright magenta flowers that add a lot of punch.  I bought this plant last year, and because it still looked great in October, crammed 4 plants into one pot and kept it inside all winter.  In spring, I separated it again and it looked great all season.

bright fuchia flowers 

Strangely enough, I have another plant, also called Livingstone Daisy, that looks nothing like the first one. The two plants even have the same botanical name. It has big daisy-like flowers in neon colours, but dries out, needs constant deadheading, and is tricky to start from seed.

The other Livingstone Daisy in better days a month ago

Little Ruby is still going strong in mid-September paired with a few geraniums.  
This is just one plant that had just one application of time-release fertilizer when transplanted.

The other plant is 'Little Ruby' Alternanthera dentata.  Beautiful thick purple leaves, low growth habit, branches that billow out and cover a huge area.  It is another annual that is heat and drought tolerant, and stands up to everything nature throws at it, except for frost.  I plan to take this guy in for the winter as well.  I will keep both in a sunny window and hope for the best.

the leaves of 'Little Ruby' are thick and healthy