Acalypha reptans 'Summer Love'

Acalypha reptans var. pygmaea 'Summer Love'

Someone phoned me recently and asked if I grew a plant called 'Summer Love' and as usual when I hear a common name, I have to pull some image from the back of my brain and try and fit it to a botanical name. 'Summer Love' is also the name for a fairly inane pop song which I started humming as soon as I put the phone down. In other parts of the world this plant goes by the name of Trailing Chenille plant, or Strawberry Fire-Tails and in Latin America as Cola de Gatito  or Kitten Tail.  Mainly it is grown as a dense weed smothering ground cover or hanging basket specimen. If kept in a basket in a cold climate it could be brought indoors over winter. It really is at home in a warm humid climate so does best in late summer especially after rain. During dry spells it becomes semi dormant but is difficult to kill through neglect. A friend found me some in his garden to use for propagation material. He had tipped it out of hanging basket and it was surviving smothered by weeds but none the worse for wear.
2017 update: I currently don't have any stock available.