Tropaeolum polyphyllum

Endemic to the central Andes of Chile and Argentina, growing up to 3000 m, Tropaeolum polyphyllum, known locally as "soldadito grande de la cordillera," is a tuberous perennial of the Tropaeolaceae. From its deeply buried tuber, long trailing rhizomes send up ground-hugging stems densely clothed in silvery-grey, deeply lobed leaves. Large golden-yellow flowers appear on long stalks in mid-summer, after which the foliage dies back and the plant rests until the following year. Frost-tender, it is best grown in a pot in free-draining soil with moderate watering, in a temperate to cool climate.