Aloysia virgata (Sweet Almond Verbena)

Native from Peru to Brazil and northern Argentina, this fast-growing shrub or small tree usually reaches 6 to 12 feet tall in cultivation. Its small white flowers have a strong sweet-almond fragrance and grow in long, slender clusters. In Florida, flowering extends from spring through fall. It remains evergreen in areas without hard freezes, but becomes deciduous in cooler conditions. In northern Florida, frost can kill the stems back, with new growth returning from the base. It is drought-tolerant once established. Photographed in Florida.