Nicotiana 'Tinkerbell'

A probable hybrid between N. alata and N. langsdorffii, 'Tinkerbell' combines the tubular, star-shaped flower form of the former with the unusual two-tone coloring of the latter — striking apple-green blooms flushed with deep oxblood-red, held on tall, sticky stems from midsummer until frost. It's a conversation-starter in a border that would otherwise skew toward more familiar pastels.

Grown as a tender annual everywhere outside the tropics, it's started indoors well ahead of the last frost since seed needs light to germinate and shouldn't be covered. At 4–5 ft it can benefit from staking or the shelter of sturdier neighbors in windy sites.