You may already know Persian Shield. It’s been available for many years both as a houseplant and, in our Northern climate, a bedding annual. While it can be grown in the sun, the foliage develops its best color in part to full shade. There, the puckered leaves shimmer in iridescent shades of purple, magenta, and silver, dramatically outlined by deep green veins. Persian Shield is a soft-stemmed shrub that reaches 3 feet or more in its native tropics. Though it may not have time to reach that size when used as an annual, this heat-loving, drought tolerant, relatively pest-free plant is easy to grow with moderate watering. And it’s a great foil for other shade lovers, from ferns and hostas to the brightest impatiens.