Modern research has reclassified Galphimia

Retailers are slow to change or adopt a name even though modern science has examined plants and accurately grouped them into the correct genera with other closely related species. An attractive small shrub known as Shower-of-Gold or Rain-of-Gold (Galphimia glauca) originated from tropical East Mexico to Guatemala. This exotic, non-native plant is a popular perennial shrub throughout the Southeastern Coastal Plain and has shown no signs of being invasive. It has a climbing or scandent habit in the tropics.

Galphimia grows in warmer South Florida (cold zones 10-11) as an evergreen bush with flowers year round. In Central Florida (cold zones 8B and 9A) cooler fall weather causes Galphimia to be deciduous — it can flower from late spring through to the first frost. Further north, top growth will be killed to the ground below 25 degress. Frozen plants can be pruned to ground level and the roots covered with a protective blanket of mulch. Unfrozen roots grow new shoots when the weather warms in spring. Way up in the snowy north, Galphimia is sold as an annual to be planted in spring after all danger of frost has passed.