Species name lupulina means "resemble hops," referring to the flower heads. From a terminal spike of purple tipped overlapping bracts, appearing in summer, are buttery yellow flowers with long stamens. This is a thorny upright shrub to 4 feet in height with dark reddish brown stems and dark green leaves, that have a prominent red vein running down the center. It's commonly sheared and used as an attractive barrier hedge in the tropics. In Asia, it is sometimes used medicinally as an anti-inflammatory poultice for insect and snake bites. Give it full sun to partial shade and fertile, moist, well-drained (sandy or gritty) soil. It is somewhat drought tolerant. Native to Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, but naturalized throughout the tropics. Cannot take any frost. USDA zones 10b - 11.