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A. Star or confederate jasmine (Trachchelospermum
jasminoides) is a glossy, deep green evergreen with white fragrant
flowers in spring.
 Consider
crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), another evergreen, which
features yellow and red tubular flowers in spring and sometimes
in fall.
The variety "Tangerine Beauty" has deep coral blooms.
Hummingbirds love them!
Potato vine (Solanum jasminoides) is an evergreen that
accepts shade to sun. Its white flowers appear throughout the year.
Another good one—also great as a groundcover for erosion
control—is Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).
It grows faster with some sun, but the producer has had great luck
in part shade, using it to cover an old clothesline pole. Very sculptural!
Nice fall color.
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 Mexican
(or Tropical) Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
This is a wonderful annual (sometimes perennial) for our hot weather
gardens. Its tall upright form (3’ x 2’) fits in almost
anywhere, and the brilliant blossoms are a welcome sight on a summer
afternoon. The Monarch butterfly also likes to see them in the garden;
this is the Monarch’s primary larval food. On their migration
through Texas, they’ll stop by to lay a few eggs.
It also attracts yellow aphids. But, believe me, this time the
aphids are a GOOD thing. They won’t harm the plant, and they
won’t go to other plants. What they will do is attract beneficial
insects, like lacewings, syrphid flies, lady beetles, and parasitizing
wphps. The aphids will keep these good guys fed, so that when other
insect problems break out, they are already installed in your garden.
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