More RU Gifts

Every time I was snapping pictures of the flowers, the wind started to blow. Grrr. Does anyone know what either of these plants might be? The one that's flowering is getting huge. If you know what it is, then do you know if it's ok to cut it back?

The picture with just leaves might be Flame Acanthus. I know I received several and it seemed like they were among the first of the perennials to get any leaves. Teeny tiny leaves at first. Then we got rain. And more rain. So now the labels are faded and the plants look different. Maybe tomorrow I can take another picture or 2 if the wind isn't blowing.

Any help will be appreciated.

The first is American Germander, and you can cut it back after it blooms.
The second is too blurry to tell for sure but it could be Flame acanthus, maybe you can get another picture.

Thanks, Josephine. I will take more pictures when there's nary a breeze.

As for the American Germander, do I cut each individual bloom or wait until they all go kaput? It's definitely moving in on my Augusta Duelberg.

I've got to dig a new bed! I started to dig one after the Fall RU but not in time to dig enough to beat the November snow. At least I did get some of the plants in my existing bed. For me, that's a good thing.

You can cut the germander back after blooming one at a time if you like or all together, it is very resilient.

Thanks, Josephine. I'm guessing it will re-bloom if I cut it back? Or will it just back the plant bigger?

Don't know about anyone else, but I got a sudden, unexpected gully washer of a rainstorm this afternoon. So no new, improved version of the 2nd picture I posted.

It only blooms once a year.

It turns out that I found a label for the other plant that was poorly pictured. It is indeed Flame Acanthus, At least that's how it was labeled when I got it. If it ever stops raining (who would think I;d say something like that), I will try for a better picture.

It rained pretty much all day today. It would stop and within 10 minutes there would be another downpour. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. I'm really getting sick of it even tho I'll miss it when it's gone.

I have had to water the last 2 days, almost lost some plants that were getting dry. hoping for some rain today. Got a strawberry geranium at RU and it was nearly dead from dry, didn't realize it was a super shady type plant, have moved it and not sure it is going to live.