For namesake.

Some plants can have absolutely no connection with their name whatsoever or at the very most a tenuous link. Is there something unknown to us, how have they inherited their name?

Christmas cacti (Schlumbergera truncata) flowers over the winter period but not at Christmas. It is usually November to early spring. The plant can be used outdoors but is usually an house plant; its not hardy to extreme conditions. it is not a cacti but a succulent really and has fat leaves where it keeps its reserve. It's not drought tolerant either as cacti can be.

Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica) a large shrub/small tree. Can be used a specimen shrub and left to flower/bear berries. It can be used as a hedge but obviously as you reshape you take all the flowers and berries rather like hawthorn which blooms sweetly scented flowers but often not appreciated.

Cheese plant (monstera deliciosa) it seems to many an unassuming house plant that vaguely looks like Emmentaal. But in its native environment it is particularly invasive; toxic if eaten and a skin irritant. It bears fruit too in a rainforest which is edible - how fascinating is that.

Lavendula stoechas (French Lavender) The shrub has a "rabbit ear" quality it can't seem to shake off. This shrub is not tolerant of heavy soil. It needs to be light, free draining. Lavenders don't require any nutrients per se, its more the soil need to be sandy. They can't stand in water either. Full sun is a must or at least partial exposure. Lightly re shape in spring. Take off spent growth and round off.

Lavendula augustifolia (English Lavender) No ears to speak of but a highly scented shrub similar growth habit to its cousin. The differentiation of the two is hardiness. English Lavender is tougher to adverse conditions as French is not and more frost tender. The growth habit is the same. It needs full sun, light, dry soil. An important factor is not to overwater. Even a little shade is OK, but Lavenders don't like humidity.

Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) It's not sage (salvia), edible or Russian. It is highly toxic. This shrub likes full sun in a well drained environment. It does not tolerate a soggy site or being overwatered so the soil needs to be on the sandy side. A plus point is that it is very hardy. So as it can withstand extreme heat, it can tolerate very cold conditions. A relatively easy shrub to keep. Shave off spent growth in spring and reshape.