Cottage Gardens

Download our mail order form here.

Container sizes: qt = quart 2-qt = 2 quart GL = gallon Click on for pictures of plants

ABELMOSCHUS manihot (Sunset Hibiscus) $4.95 4-inch pot Malvaceae Full sun
I spied this at the J C Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh NC on a plant expedition a few years ago. I was quite taken with it. Actually, I did take it….at least a few seeds that innocently fell into my hand. (My apologies to the staff there—it’s their own fault for having so many gorgeous plants wonderfully displayed!) Needless to say, this mallow is quite fetching, with creamy, moonlight-yellow blossoms five inches across in stunning contrast to the deep purple throat. New blossoms spring open every morning from midsummer into autumn. This soft, luminous color, nearly chartreuse, is just too hard to resist. A wonderful background for any planting, reaching a height of 5 to 7 feet. Collect seed in autumn—like I did—and you’ll have a friend forever.

ABUTILON (Flowering Maple) $5.49 4 inch pot Malvaceae Hummingbird Attractor! Full sun in cool summer climates; bright shade to part sun in hot summer climates
Flowering maples are lovely container subjects grown as specimens or in mixed containers. I believe they bloom best when the roots are pot bound, so don’t be tempted to over pot. Hummingbirds absolutely worship them. In fact, this genus of mallows evolved specifically for pollination by hummingbirds! As houseplants, they will bloom all year. Height 2 to 3 feet, although they can be kept more compact with pruning, which should be done in late winter.
Abutilon 'Bernard Schwartz'
A charming megopotamicum hybrid that succeeds in hot summer climates, featuring deep orange, pendulous bells with flared corollas. An abundant bloomer throughout the year. Our new favorite.
Abutilon 'Clementine'
With its large crimson bells in eternal bloom, 'Clementine' is easily one of the most heat tolerant abutilons we have grown. A lovely container subject indoors during the winter holidays, too. This one also makes a wonderful topiary standard.
Abutilon megapotamicum Variegatum
Tiny green leaves, speckled and polka-dotted in yellow, provide amazing contrast to the red and yellow bell flowers . This heat tolerant megapotamicum hybrid is perfect for hanging baskets, and prefers more shade due to its lively variegation.
Abutilon ‘Mini Orange’
Soft orange small bell-shaped blooms on compact plants. Love that color!
Abutilon 'Sunset'
We brought this little gem back from our Seattle plant-hunting expedition in 1999. Discovered in a tiny, crowded greenhouse at Jungle Fever Nursery in Tacoma, the eye-catching red and yellow bells beckoned from above. I was instantly seduced by its charm, and it now resides in our growing collection of tropicals.
Abutilon 'Voodoo'
Large bell-shaped blooms of deepest red. We were impressed with ‘Voodoo’s’ performance during our very hot, late summer weather several years ago.

AEONIUM (see Succulents)

ACALYPHA    (Chenille Plant / Copper Leaf)    Euphorbiaceae   Full sun to half-day sun  Attracts Butterflies!
If you’re a veteran tropiholic--or a novice--you are now required (by me) to adopt these lush plants characterized by colorful foliage and feathery, tassel-like flowers. Truly, no tropical garden is complete without them. Chenille plants are perfect in containers or beds given well drained soil that is not soggy-wet. Hot sun and high humidity suit them fine, although they adapt quite well to half-day sun and somewhat cooler temperatures.
Acalypha hispida (Red Hot Cat Tail)    $5.49 – 4 inch pot Fuzzy tassels of rosy red, a nectar fantasy for butterflies. The blooms resemble exotic, drooping caterpillars and appear all summer on a vigorous, shrubby plant with broadly oval green leaves. One of the most outstanding container centerpieces I have ever grown. As Kramer would say ‘Hoochie Mama!’ This is one spectacular tropical!
Acalypha wilkesiana 'Cypress Elf'   $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Tiny and lacy, finely cut leaves highly variegated in cream, coral and green. A dense, compact mound with an irresistible feathery texture. Height 24 inches.
Acalypha wilkesiana ‘Inferno’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Bronze-pink leaves….the leaf tips ignite in glowing yellow in hot sun. This new cultivar is definitely different, forming a dense shrub that grows---in my garden--- 24 to 30 inches in height and spread. The leaves are smaller and more narrow than
Acalypha wilkesiana 'Kona Coast'   $4.95 – 4 inch pot     When you visit Cottage Garden take home a little piece of the Big Island with this outrageously hued chenille plant, our special offering for devotees of highly variegated plants. With colorful large leaves splashed in yellow, ivory, and lime green, it makes an arresting sight in mixed containers or beds, its woody stems often reaching 3 feet in one season. Like all chenilles, 'Kona Coast' comes alive in heat and humidity, drawing garden visitors like moths to a flame. We received this striking and rare acalypha from friend and plantswoman June Hutson at Missouri Botanical Garden. Stunning!   Height 3 feet.
NEW!   Acalypha wilkesiana ‘Sizzle Scissors’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   his irresistable new chenille plant has it all, lacy texture, color and snazzy variegated leaves in hues of pink, coral, green and cream that are truly eye catching. This exciting new introduction from Proven Selections is ideal for steamy summer climates, with more finely cut leaves than our previous favorite,‘Cypress Elf’. Height 22 inches.

AGAPANTHUS 'Elaine' $18.95 Gallon (Lily of the Nile) Agapanthaceae Full sun to half-day sun Butterfly Attractor! You've been begging us for a vigorous, long blooming, Lily of the Nile, so here it is. Jason Delaney, the renowned superhero Bulb Boy of the Missouri Botanical Garden, told me about this exceptional cultivar with deep blue flowers, carelessly blooming throughout the summer months in the Heckmann Bulb Garden. I saw it and was equally impressed, and a better, more classy, container plant I cannot think of. Blooms mature to 8 inches across! Height 3 - 5 feet.

AGASTACHE   (Hummingbird Mint)     Lamiaceae     Full sun to half-day sun   USDA Zones 6 - 9   Hummingbird / Butterfly Attractor!    Rabbit & Deer resistant! (Say Ah-gass-ta-kee)  The following selections of agastache are xeric southwestern U.S. and northern Mexican natives and hybrids with colorful blooms, scented foliage, and abundant nectar for enticing hummingbirds. They are excellent annuals for containers where they are not winter hardy. We recommend a fast draining soil-less mix such as Fafard #52, composed of 65% composted pine bark, a coarse mix. Plant the crown high in the mix, then mulch with a two inch layer of fine gravel or Turface (available at garden supply stores). Let the mix dry out well between waterings and use a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote incorporated into the mix. In the garden grow them in well drained, porous soils in raised beds. Excellent drainage will provide for long lived, happily flowering plants. Stay away from pine bark or compost mulch, substituting instead a two inch layer of fine gravel. Water infrequently, but deeply. See our Sun Perennials page for additional varieties!
Agastache aurantiaca ‘Apricot Sprite’   $8.95   2-qt
Gorgeous, compact clumps of silvery fine-textured foliage are capped with endless spikes of peachy-orange blossoms mid to late summer. Height 18 inches.   This cultivar performed beautifully throughout the wet, cooler temperatures of last summer. Simply beautiful!
NEW!   Agastache ‘Cotton Candy’   $8.95 2-qt    Dense flower clusters add up to more vivid color…..nothing wimpy about this new Terra Nova introduction!. Flower petals are light pink and emerge from dark pink calyces. Height 24 inches.
NEW!   Agastache ‘Summer Fiesta’ $8.95 2-qt Dense, spicy red-orange tubular flowers.
NEW!   Agastache ‘Summer Glow’   $8.95 2-qt   This may be our favorite among the new hummingbird mints from Terra Nova. The soft yellow flowers are contrasted with deep raspberry pink calyces, truly lovely. Height 24 inches.
Agastache ‘Tutti Frutti’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   This is perhaps the longest blooming hummingbird mint we offer, flaunting lavender pink flowers from early summer into autumn. Butterflies and hummingbirds adore it. Height 4 to 6 feet.

AGERATUM houstonianum ‘High Tide Blue’ $4.25 – 4 inch pot Asteraceae Full sun to half-day sun Butterfly Attractor! ’High Tide Blue’ exhibits improved heat and humidity tolerance in this genus, a tall and vigorous F1 hybrid, ideal for bedding and cut flower use. The dense, shrub like plants are covered in powder-puff blooms of light violet blue all season. We were very pleased with its performance last summer in our tropical beds. Height 24 inches.

ALLAMANDA    Apocynaceae   Full sun to half-day sun
Butterfly Attractor! / Deer resistant
Allamandas are tropical classics thriving in heat and high humidity. Train the vining forms on a wire obelisk or trellis stuck in a container, or in rich garden soil. Pruning can be done in spring to maintain shape and encourage flowering.
NEW!   Allamanda ‘Dwarf Jenny’ (Golden Trumpet)   $5.95 qt   ‘Dwarf Jenny’ does not vine as vigorously as A. cathartica, but bears the same fragrant superior ‘filler’ for containers!
Allamanda violacea 'Cherries Jubilee'   $7.95 qt   Zones 9b - 11 Huge, flaring, deep- throated trumpets of rosy red and creamy ivory….screamers! This is one of the most rewarding tropicals we have ever grown, peerless in containers when given a support to wind around and blooming its ever- lovin’ head off from mid-July well into September. Grow it in a container, under planted with Coleus ‘Gold Brocade’ , Lantana ‘Athens Rose’, and throw in a maidenhair vine (Muhlenbergia axillaris) and basket grass (Oplismenus hirtellus) for frilly, cascading texture. Voila!

ALOCASIA (Elephant Ear)     Araceae   Deer resistant    Consistent warmth is required, and in cool summer climates this can be accomplished in full sun. In hot summer climates filtered sunlight, or morning sun only. ‘Portora’ and A. plumbea ‘Nigra’ can be grown in full sun. These are some of the finest and most garden worthy selections of this large family of aroids. They make outstanding container centerpieces and grow equally well in beds of organically rich, well drained soil. ‘Aurora’, ‘Frydek’, ‘Greenshield’ and ‘White Knight’ make outstanding house plants.
Alocasia 'Aurora' (Pink Stem Elephant Ear)   $9.95 – 4 inch pot   A shimmering, silver-leaved beauty, held aloft on hot-pink stems. Smashing! Perfect for full shade containers and beds, or houseplant culture. Height 30 inches
Alocasia gagaena ‘California’ $9.95 – 4 inch pot   Large heart-shaped leaves are glossy green and stand stiffly upright on short leaf stems (petioles). I have seen this magnificent ear at the St.Louis Galleria, grown in large containers co-habited with Begonia ‘Dragon Wing Red’ and Tradescantia ‘Purple Plush’, a glorious combination!
Alocasia 'Frydek'   $9.95 – 4 inch pot     Deep velvet green leaves with a startling contrast of silvery white veins. Perfectly stunning, especially under planted in silvery Pilea glauca ‘Aquamarine’ or with the tiny variegated leaves of cream and green of Pilea microphylla variegata carpeted beneath. Unlimited design possibilities for shade gardeners, and a great houseplant, too.
Alocasia ‘Greenshield’ (A. clypeolata)   $9.95 – 4 inch pot   A Philippine species with large, rounded, fleshy lime green leaves and contrasting deep green leaf veins. Totally awesome and perfect for shade to light shade containers. This is a shade lover that appreciates soil on the dry side.
Alocasia macrorrhiza ‘Lutea’ (Glow Worms Elephant Ear) $14.95 2-qt    The towering leaf stems of Alocasia ‘Lutea’, springing upright from the ground, are glowing chartreuse-yellow. They appear to be illuminated by the stage light of the Jungle Gods. These luminescent stems carry stiffly upright, glossy green leaves, themselves electrically veined in yellow. For an awesome contrast, underplant ‘Lutea’ with inky purple Coleus ‘Garnet Robe’, and for a color echo of intense yellow, surround the coleus with Lantana ‘New Gold’. Splendiferous ear for containers, or planted in fertile, well drained soil in half sun to full sun. Height 4 feet. Limited supply this year.
Alocasia plumbea Nigra $9.95 – 4 inch pot One of the showiest ears yet! Jet black, polished stems and glossy green leaves, their tips shooting skyward. A fabulous garden centerpiece surrounded by lantana and coleus. This ear can be grown in full sun. Height 4’.
Alocasia ‘White Knight’   $9.95 – 4 inch pot   This beautiful hybrid of Alocasia amazonica, the African Mask elephant ear, will bring drama to shady containers. The tall, pale green stems, heavily speckled purple, support deep green arrow leaves that are veined in silver, the entire leaf glossed with a reflective, high sheen. Leaf undersides are purple. Truly lovely, and a tall and elegant beauty eventually reaching heights of 3 to 5 feet.

ALOYSIA triphylla (Lemon Verbena) $5.49 – 4 inch pot Verbenaceae USDA Zones 8 - 11 Full sun to half-day sun Intensely scented, more lemony than lemon! The fragrant leaves of this South American tree are reason enough to grow this popular tropical. It makes a super looking topiary 'standard' (trained to a single stem) and the dried leaves are used in potpourri. A have a soft spot in my heart for this plant, having grown it since I began gardening 35 years ago. Equally happy in garden beds or containers and easily overwintered in a frost free area. Height 3 to 6 feet.

ALPINIA zerumbet 'Variegated' (Shell Ginger) $7.95 qt Zingiberaceae USDA Zones 8 – 10 Bright filtered light, or morning sun only
One of our most talked about tropicals, with deep green leaves streaked bright yellow, on reed-like stems forming lush, impressive clumps. Rarely flowers, but who cares when the foliage is so drop dead gorgeous?? This is a popular ginger (non-edible) that is easily grown with a delicious aroma when touched. Over winter in a cool (above 32F degrees) and dry spot (a basement will do), variegated shell ginger grows more impressive every year, making a fabulous conversation piece in containers on the summertime shaded patio. Peerless in mixed containers. Height 3 to 4 feet.

ALTERNANTHERA (Calico Plant)    Amaranthaceae
Full sun to half-day sun      USDA Zones 9 – 11
These are all easily grown, versatile tropicals grown for their extravagant foliage color and textures. They do double duty as groundcovers and edgings in beds, cascading from baskets, or as 'weavers' meandering their way through plantings adding a lush, cottage-y look. Their colorful leaves are the perfect compliment to flowering tropicals, elephant ears, and patterned coleus. Superb ‘spillers’! Quite simply, they are indispensable.
Alternanthera dentata 'Grenadine'   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   This was one of our most popular new tropicals last year. And why not? The deeply colored leaves of pink and purple are saturated with color, playfully wandering about as a low groundcover or 'weaver'. ‘Grenadine’ grows best with afternoon shade in hot summer climates and adapts well to sunless areas that are not deeply shaded. Height 12 inches.
Alternanthera dentata ‘Mai Tai’    $4.95 - 4 inch pot   A parade of color for shade containers and beds. Multi-hued leaves are amazing, striped and splashed in yellow, red, and light green. Best performance is in semi-shaded areas. Height 12 inches. Spread 18 - 24 inches.
Alternanthera dentata 'Party Time'   $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Now here's a new calico plant that would make any garden sing 'party time'. The small leaves are vividly splashed in fuchsia and parrot green, weaving and winding a path in, out, and around, and offering a perfect touch of cottage style to containers and beds. Heat and humidity? Not a problem. ‘Party Time’ grows best with some degree of shade in hot summer climates. Height 16 inches.
Alternanthera ficoidea 'Gold Threads'   $4.95 – 4 inch pot     The grass like tufts of this lovely small plant are a glowing chartreuse to golden yellow. An awesome annual groundcover resembling golden turf. Full sun to half-day sun. Height 6 inches, spreading to 12 inches.
Alternanthera ficoidea 'Red Threads' $4.95 – 4 inch pot     I had a wide grin on my face returning from my plant expedition to North Carolina a few years back. The reason? A hot new plant to share with you. 'Red Threads' has it all, texture (frilly, narrow leaves), color (ruby red), and oh! so easy to grow. I can't think of a better, more heat tolerant edging plant for annual beds, where the ruby leaves will provide a perfect contrast to neon-hued annuals. Or in containers, spilling over the edge and weaving amongst all those wonderful new petunias and cupheas you'll be sure to want this season. Put this one on your list! Thrives in full sun to half-day sun. Height 8 inches, spreading 15 inches.

ANGELONIA augustifolia   (Summer Snapdragon)      Scrophulariaceae   USDA Zones 9 – 10      Butterfly Attractor! Hummingbird Attractor!    Deer Resistant!   Full sun to half-day sun    Angelonia is a great alternative to snapdragons, with built-in heat tolerance for those of us in sultry summer climates. Knee high clumps of fine narrow leaves are crowned with beautifully colored, hooded blossoms, loved by bees and butterflies. They are truly lovely massed in containers or beds, and the blooms are quite fragrant.
NEW!  Angelonia ‘Carita Raspberry’ $3.95 – 4 inch pot A superb selection for hot and humid summer climates, lauded for its long period of bloom and compact habit. Deep raspberry pink flowers are among the most vivid of any angelonia we have grown.
Angelonia ‘Serena’ Series Mixture   $3.95 – 4 inch pot     This seed grown angelonia is the TOPS for long and hot, humid summer climates. They provide a more compact habit than other hybrids and are forever in bloom. I can’t say enough good things about ‘Serena’ after having trialed the complete series last summer. A container planted with a mixture in purple, lavender pink and white is as good as it gets for summer color, and butterflies and hummingbirds love it too! A 2009 Plants of Merit selection from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St.Louis (mobot.org)

ANISACANTHUS (Texas Firecracker/ Hummingbird Bush)   Acanthaceae USDA Zones 7 - 11 Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor! Full sun
Anisacanthus wrightii   $5.95 – 4 inch pot    Grow this heat and sun loving Texas native and make way for a flurry of hummers, adoring fans of the nectar-rich, red 'firecracker' blooms. Easily grown in dry and well drained soils. In the north, use it as a wonderful container plant that can be wintered over in a frost free area and returned outdoors the following spring. More blooms and a bushier form can be maintained by cutting the previous year’s wood back sharply in spring. Butterflies flock to it!   Height 24 inches.
Anisacanthus x 'Pumpkin'   $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Very similar to A. wrightii, with light orange blossoms.

ANTHERICUM liliago Variegated (St. Bernard’s Lily) $7.95 qt Liliaceae USDA Zones 6 (7?) – 9 This is a beautiful variegated form of the species given to us by our good friend Stan Tyson of Rivendell Botanic Garden. The leaves are brightly variegated in creamy white and green and brighten any container or garden planting. Petite and airy white blooms hover over the graceful clumps all summer.

ARGYRANTHEMUM frutescens (Cobbity Daisy) Asteraceae Butterfly Attractor! USDA Zones 7 – 11 Full sun to half-day sun For those insatiable daisy lovers! Cobbity daisies are great in containers and baskets, especially for the cooler seasons of spring and autumn. Those lucky enough to live in cooler summer climates (at or below 75 to 80 degrees F maximum temperatures) can grow these beauties as premier annuals all season long, in full sun. In warmer summer climates afternoon shade is beneficial.
Argyranthemum 'Butterfly' $4.25 – 4 inch pot The most heat tolerant cultivar, with large yellow daisies for months on end.

ARISTOLOCHIA (Dutchman’s Pipe Vine) Aristolochiaceae Full sun to partial sun Deer resistant!
I am particularly fond of the exotic, often outrageous Aristolochia tribe, the noble Dutchman’s Pipe family. Similar to our native vine, A. tomentosa, these tender tropicals offer showier, if not bizarre, blooms that continue their raucous show throughout the hot summer months into early to mid autumn. Grow them in hanging baskets, in a container with an obelisk for support, or in-ground on a trellis or arbor. We may have additional species in June, so give us a call.
Aristolochia ringens (Pelican Vine) $7.95 – 4 inch pot Once filled with pipe vine lust, your taste for the bizarre will lead you to A. ringens, the Pelican Vine. Try to prepare yourself for the mind bending blooms, garishly costumed like the head of an exotic bird---a must for plant nerds smitten with jungle fever! Available in May 2010.

NEW! ASARINA scandens ‘Sky Blue’ (Twining Snapdragon) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Scrophulariaceae Full sun to part sun Hummingbird Attractor! This underused annual vine is easy and lovely and ‘Sky Blue’ is a hard-to-find color in this heirloom genus. Truly blue! Great for baskets or training on a trellis.

ASCLEPIAS curassivca (Mexican Bloodflower/ Butterfly Weed) $4.25 – 4 inch pot Asclepiadaceae USDA Zones 9 – 11 Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to half-day sun
Everyone has room for a few Mexican Bloodflowers, and the monarch butterflies will thank you! These tender beauties bloom continuously throughout summer, prospering in heat and humidity, on narrow stems growing to 3 three tall. Perfect for incorporating into annual or perennial beds, where they delightfully self-sow, and useful cut flowers, too. A Plants of Merit selection from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis (mobot.org)
'Silky Gold' Clusters of yellow nectar-rich flowers.
'Silky Deep Red' Deep red flower clusters.

ASPARAGUS densiflorus ' Myersi' $7.95 qt Liliaceae USDA Zones 9 – 11 Full sun to half-day sun The Foxtail Fern is a sell-out every spring, a beauty with unique soft, needle-thin evergreen foliage clustered on erect, full and arching fronds. Spectacular growing solo in large containers! An easy houseplant increasing in size and beauty every year. Height 18 - 30 inches.

ASPARAGUS species $7.95 qt Liliaceae Full sun to half day sun I brought this lovely South African species back from Berkeley Horticultural Nursery in Berkeley, California on a recent trip. It has a very soft, delicate appearance, more so than any asparagus fern I have ever grown. The dainty plumes emerge upright and become somewhat pendulous, a bright grass green color. Mature clumps are flowing mounds of needle- like foliage.

ASPLENIUM bulbiferum (Mother Spleenwort Fern / Hens and Chicks Fern) $5.95 – 4 inch pot Aspleniaceae USDA Zones 9 – 11 Shade I first saw and admired this lovely tropical fern in the Linnaean House at the Missouri Botanical Garden. It starred as a groundcover planting beneath camellias that were in full bloom in February when I visited. The incredibly lacy fronds are a vivid green on black stems, and at maturity, offer baby plants (bulbils) on frond tips. The bulbils can be removed and planted to increase your supply of this gorgeous fern from New Zealand. Easily grown, preferring shade, and a wonderful container specimen or houseplant. Height 24 to 30 inches.

BASIL x citriodorum ‘Pesto Perpetuo’ $4.25 – 4 inch pot Labiatae Sun A superb ornamental basil, with an intensely fragrant and tasty leaf perfect for seasoning. The tight clumps are packed with lovely variegated cream and green leaves that stay attractive through summer’s worst heat and humidity. My plants rarely flower in summer, instead producing prodigious amounts of leaves that I greedily harvest for my kitchen. A lovely container subject, richly perfumed for aromatherapy too. We also offer the green leaved version, called columnar basil at the same price and many seed grown varieties in spring.

BEGONIA    Begoniaceae
Begonia ‘Baby Wing Pink’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot I have fallen in love with the ‘Baby Wing’ series of begonias . Growing to a handsome clumps to 12 – 15 inches tall, they are generous, season-long bloomers and adapt well as ‘fillers’, bed edging, or in baskets. Heat and humidity tolerance is outstanding. Grow in sun or bright shade, and you’ll love them too!
Begonia ‘Baby Wing White’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   The white counterpart to ‘Baby Wing Pink’ with equal vigor and heat tolerance. Height 12 – 15 inches.
Begonia ‘Benigo’   $5.95 – 4 inch pot     Shade    Pink leaves mature to deep copper, finely spotted in pink. A durable angel-wing type of begonia for muggy summer climates, thriving in shade to semi-shade containers. Pink flowers appear continuously.
NEW!   Begonia ‘Bellfire’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Full sun (in cool summer climates) otherwise part sun A Begonia boliviensis hybrid, identical to ‘Bonfire’, with salmon- pink blooms.
NEW!   Begonia ‘Bonfire’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   We are thrilled with the performance of ‘Bonfire’ in our lower Midwest hot and muggy summer weather. A hybrid of Begonia boliviensis (a native of Peru where it thrives in similar conditions) ‘Bonfire’ boasts plentiful, pendulous scarlet-orange bell-shaped blooms throughout summer. We grow our plants in a porous, bark-based mix (Fafard # 52 Professional Mix) with morning to early afternoon sun only. In cooler summer climates grow ‘Bonfire’ in full sun. Perfect for containers and hanging baskets. Avoid excessively wet soil conditions. Dormant tubers can be stored in winter in a frost free area.
Begonia ‘Doublet Rose’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot     Full sun to half-day sun   The blooms of ‘Doublet Rose’ are reminiscent of ball fringe from a 50’s chenille bedspread! The fully double, can-can blooms of deep pink cover mounds of disease resistant foliage growing to a height of 14 inches. A drought tolerant wax begonia with a different look, ideal for containers or bedding, and quite heat and humidity tolerant.
Begonia 'Dragon Wing Red' $4.95 – 4 inch pot     Full sun to half-day sun   Our most popular container begonia, thriving in hot sun, heat and humidity---where other begonias dare not tread. Similar to 'Dragon Wing Pink', with never-ending bright crimson flowers that show best in full sun. Height 30 - 36 inches. A Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org).
Begonia ‘Maribel Pink’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot     Full sun to half-day sun     A beauty! The bronze tinged foliage is every bit as beautiful as the pink and white blooms that cover the plants in the hottest summer weather. Each leaf is delicately fringed and crimped, on tight, compact mounds that reach 16 inches in height. A superb container begonia!
Begonia ‘Sinbad’   $5.95 – 4 inch pot     Full to partial shade   ‘Sinbad’ is a beautiful angel wing hybrid with heavily spotted, silvery leaves eternally capped with pink flowers. In our hot and humid summer area where many of my begonias end up in the compost pile, I have been amazed at the endurance of ‘Sinbad’. It is truly tough, maintaining its beautiful leaves and flowers in sweltering summer weather. Highly recommended for shade.
Begonia 'My Special Angel' $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Shade   A perfect angel wing begonia for houseplant culture or patio shade containers, with silver-spotted leaves and chains of bright pink flowers. I’ve never seen a smidge of mildew on this beautiful begonia! One of the best.

BREYNIA   (Hawaiian Snow Bush)    Euphorbiaceae     Full sun to half-day sun    Deer resistant!
Breynia disticha nana $4.95 - 4 inch pot    Low growing mounds of soft- textured cream and green variegated leaves, beautiful against the deep amethyst stems. Breynia are ideal container tropicals, adaptable to variable light conditions from full sun to shade (although best foliage color is produced in a sunny exposure.) Height 12 - 15 inches.
Breynia disticha roseo-picta   $5.49 – 4 inch pot    A top ten ‘thriller’ tropical, so very beautiful in pink, cream and green leaves, and perfect in beds of well drained soil or containers. Create a beautiful tropical bouquet in a container with Colocasia ‘Black Magic’, Coleus ‘Royal Glissade’, Breynia disticha roseo-picta, and Petunia ‘Supertunia Vista Fuchsia’. Laughs at heat and humidity! Height 3 to 4 feet.

BRUGMANSIA (Angel’s Trumpet)   $14.95 - 2-qt    Solanaceae USDA Zones 9 - 11   Deer resistant!      Full sun to half day sun; in hot summer climates bright afternoon shade is recommended       Nothing elicits more comment from visitors to our nursery than our collection of Angel's Trumpets. Where else do you get huge, elegant and exotic blooms in shades of the sunset, so fragrant and romantic at night? Brugmansia aphrodisiaca! Check out my personal favorites 'Inca Sun’ and 'Super Nova' in the greenhouse this spring. The pendulous trumpets of these beauties often number 100 at a time on our year old specimen plants, and no better container tropical exists for head turning appeal. Remember, all plant parts are poisonous if ingested. Height 4 to 8 feet.
Brugmansia ‘Dr. D.’    Golden trumpets, a lovely hybrid of ‘Dr. Suess’ and ‘Ecuador Pink’ by Eric Knight. Our friend Stan Tyson shared this with us.
Brugmansia ‘Inca Sun’   This hot new cultivar is creating a riot among tropiholics. Intrigued by its description, we trialed ‘Inca Sun’ last summer at Cottage Garden (Zone 5b), and found ourselves dumbfounded by its everblooming habit. Always in bloom---unlike older cultivars that bloom in monthly flushes---‘Inca Sun’ never rested, continually throwing out lovely yellow-peach trumpets with an intoxicating evening fragrance. Grown from a rooted cutting received in late winter, it morphed into a handsome 5 foot shrub by late summer, the star of our tropical commune. Heavy flowering is dependent on ample fertilization, and we use Osmocote in the soil-less mix, plus a well balanced liquid feed twice a week as a supplement. Destined for the Bruggie Hall of Fame, ‘Inca Sun’ was hybridized by Kyle Courtney of Norwalk , Iowa . A fabulous container specimen---and don’t even THINK of putting it in a pot less than 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. Shame! Our plant prospers in full sun.
NEW!   Brugmansia ‘Miner’s Claim’      This stunning new bruggie boasts beautiful variegated leaves of green and cream, contrasted with pendulous rose pink flowers.
Brugmansia 'Pink Beauty'   Just as the name says. Very long, sensuous trumpets of deep pink. When in bloom, a collective sigh is heard around the world. Height 4 to 6 feet.
Brugmansia 'Super Nova'   Enormous and very long white trumpets, our favorite bruggie. If I were allowed only one tropical in my garden, this would be it. Height 5 to 8 feet.
Brugmansia 'Sunset'    A dependable old favorite of ours, simply loaded with dozens of peach trumpets in every flush of bloom. I have counted over 150 blooms on a two year old plant. Expect compact but vigorous growth, with highly variegated cream and green leaves. Height 4 to 5 feet.

BRUNFELSIA nitida (Cuban Raintree) $7.95 qt Solanaceae
Full sun to part sun
A top ten tropical, this native Cuban is a show-off , dressed in alarmingly beautiful fountains of 5 inch long and narrow creamy white trumpets, just dripping perfume in the evening hours. Those outrageous blossoms appear in generous flushes, perhaps once a month, and commence at an early age. In its South American haunts it is pollinated by moths. Very special. Height 24 to 30 inches in containers.

BULBINE frutescens ‘Hallmark’ $7.95 qt Asphodelaceae USDA Zones 9 – 11 Full sun to half-day sun I had never grown bulbines before I took a chance on ‘Hallmark’, and am I ever glad I did! The succulent green leaves form rosettes to twelve inches high, quickly spreading across to 22 inches. The blooms are born on stalks that rise to 24 inches, a never ending show of Popsicle -orange blooms with frilly yellow centers. My own personal delight is the hovering, tiny pollinators that dance around the beautiful blooms during the daytime hours. A superb container subject for hot, sunny to half-day sun areas and truly lovely in a mixed succulent container (see Succulents on this page).

CALIBRACHOA (see Petunia)

CALADIUM     Araceae    Full sun to shade
Caladium ‘Red Flash’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   You’ll love the stunning leaves of ‘Red Flash’. From the ‘Florida’ series of caladiums bred for thick-substance leaves, ‘Red Flash’ will tolerate a sunny position, offering up large red leaves, eye zoned in dark red leaf veins and randomly splashed in pink polka dots. Caladiums are typically reserved for shady sites, but many will thrive in sunnier areas--- they’re grown commercially in Florida in full sun ! To do so successfully, soil must be light and very well drained. Irrigate regularly, like you would any annual.
NEW!   Caladium ‘Galaxy’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   I couldn’t resist ordering this beautiful caladium for you. With a vigorous habit, the large leaves are deep green, polka-dotted in white, with amazing bold leaf veins in white. A bull’s eye pink dot at the center of each leaf adds a decorative note. Sun resistant.

CALLISIA repens (Itsy Bitsy Inch Plant) $4.25- 4- inch pot Commelinaceae Full sun to full shade A fleshy, prostrate carpet of tiny, waxy lime green leaves meandering here, there and everywhere--- perfect cascading over pot's edge, too. Callisia looks great with dark-hued coleus and is a great ground-hugging, chartreuse-y, succulent carpet spilling beneath taller tropical chums. Height 1 - 2 inches.

CANNA    Cannaceae     Hummingbird Attractor!   Full sun to half-day sun    USDA Zones 7b - 10
Canna ' Australia ' $11.95 Gallon   Cannaphiles know, they've seen it. But those with upturned noses, who would NEVER plant a canna in their tastefully planned beds, are now looking twice. Nearly black leaves are a standout in cannadom, and those cardinal red blooms, oh man! What a ruckus this one causes in containers, too, perfect with coleus, lantana, shrimp plants, the list goes on. Get here early so you canna get one. Height 5 - 6 feet.
NEW!   Canna ‘Beauty Fruity’ $11.95 Gallon Utterly delicious blooms of deep coral-red rise on purple stems rise above emerald green leaves. From the virus free canna breeders at Saad Assaf of Israel. Height 3 to 4 feet.
Canna 'Orange Punch' $11.95 Gallon   Gazing at the remarkable blooms of 'Orange Punch' takes me back to my Orange Crush soda days. Back then that color always held the promise of something delicious to be savored, just as this incredible canna does now. Intense is the word here, for no other similar-hued canna can match the florescence in its color. At six feet in the air, the large- petaled blooms create hummer runways, and when I stand gazing at those screaming blooms against a blue sky, I can taste that Orange Crush soda of yesterday. MMMmmmm, let's drink to this one cannaphiles.
NEW!   Canna ‘Robert Kent’   $11.95 Gallon   This shorter canna is a delight, with spiky coral- red blooms that hummers adore. A must for your hummingbird container with Cuphea ‘David Verity’! Height 3 to 4 feet.
NEW!   Canna ‘Rosita’   $11.95 Gallon   Raspberry-rose flower clusters top clumps of lush green foliage. Each leaf is thinly margined in deep red. Height 3 to 4 feet.
NEW!   Canna ‘Star View’   $11.95 Gallon   This beauty boasts shimmering pale yellow leaves liberally dotted in rose pink. Height 3 to 4 feet. From the virus free canna breeders at Saad Assaf of Israel.
Canna ‘Thai Rainbow’ $18.95 Gallon We grew this delightful new canna last summer and loved it! It is elegant and tall, with fascinating variegated leaves of ivory and green, and a purple flush to new growth. The habit was upright and very sturdy, with beautiful deep coral blooms endlessly. Hummingbirds love this one!
NEW!   Canna ‘Tropical Rose’   $6.95 qt   The Tropical Series of seed- grown canna generally mature to a more dwarf size making them ideal for containers. ‘Tropical Rose’ is everything its name promises, a beautiful shade of rich bright rose over lush green foliage. Height 36 inches.
NEW!   Canna ‘Tropical Salmon’   $6.95 qt   Salmon- pink blooms over lush green leaves. Height 3 feet.
NEW!   Canna ‘Tropical Yellow’ $6.96 qt   A beautiful pure hue of sunny yellow with the same compact habit the ‘Tropical’ series is famous for.

CAPSICUM (see Pepper, Ornamental)

CARYOPTERIS x clandonensis ‘Summer Sorbet’ $7.95 qt Full sun to half-day sun Verbenaceae USDA Zones 6 – 9 Butterfly Attractor!
For those anything-but-green gardeners, smitten with variegated plants, I recommend this lovely perennial that can be grown as an annual in more northern zones. The foliage is flashy, indeed, with bright green leaves boldly edged in yellow. Violet blue flowers appear in whorls up and down the stem in midsummer, attracting butterflies. Height 24 inches.

CARYOPTERIS incana ‘Blue Myth’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot Full sun to half-day sun Verbenaceae USDA Zones 6 – 10 Butterfly Attractor!
If you’re looking for a spectacular show of blue in late summer look no further. C. incana is the more heat tolerant, upright, counterpart to Caryopteris clandonensis, with the same zesty fragrant foliage, hued silvery blue. ‘Blue Myth’ is a seed grown selection that begins its floral extravaganza in August, continuing into September. The deep violet blue, long lasting flower clusters create gossamer clouds and are superb cut material, and butterflies flock to it in the garden. Plant a drift in your perennial bed next to sedum, late blooming daylilies, or asters. Likewise, superb in annual and tropical beds, a real punch of color when you need it most! Self sows. Height 36 inches.

CENTAUREA gymnanthera ‘Colchester White’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Full sun to half-day sun      Asteraceae   USDA Zones 7 – 10
I often describe this as Dusty Miller on steroids. ‘Colchester White’ boasts amazing vigor growing into a 24 inch mound of deeply cut, felted, silver leaves. A real beauty for mixed container art or garden borders in dryish soil. Spidery pink flowers on 30 inches stems are icing on the cake, but seem to appear only during the cooler months of the year. A stunning touch of sparkling silver!

CESTRUM nocturnum (Night Jasmine)   $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Solanaceae   Hummingbird Attractor!   Full sun to half-day sun USDA Zones 9 - 11
This sweetly fragrant cestrum lures in the evening hours, blooming on vigorous new growth all growing season. Place it near a patio and enjoy the aerial combat of hummers and night flying moths as they fight over the nectar rich, chartreuse blooms. This makes a lovely topiary standard. Just remove the lower growing stems to train it as a single-stem tree. Plop it in large pot and go overboard by under-planting with other fragrant plants like heliotrope, sweet alyssum, and deep purple-blue petunias…...a virtual perfume factory in a pot!
CITHAREXALYM spinosum (Fiddlewood)   $7.95 – 4 inch pot   Verbenaceae   USDA Zones 10b - 11 Butterfly Attractor!   This amazing tropical woody plant in the verbena family blooms continuously in summer, bearing tassels of tiny, sweetly fragrant tubular white flowers. The flower clusters are fingered, airy and pendulous. Foliage is a plus, too, with bright orange leaf petioles in contrast. As autumn approaches, the glossy green leaves turn a sensational orange, culminating in a spectacular brilliance seldom seen in tropicals. A great pot plant for sunny patios where the fragrance, most pronounced in the morning and evening hours, can be appreciated. No shipping to western U.S.

CLEOME hassleriana ‘Senorita Rosalita’ (Spider Flower)   $4.49 – 4 inch pot   Capparidaceae   Hummingbird Attractor!   Full sun to half-day sun
Our evaluation of this hot new annual? Simply superb! This heat loving selection from Proven Winners is sterile so it produces flowers non-stop throughout summer, thriving in sun and well drained soil. The blooms are petite, but plentiful, a lovely shade of rosy lavender on thornless stems packed with handsome disease resistant foliage. ‘Senorita’ has fared quite well in trial gardens throughout the Midwest,east and southern U.S.   Height 48 to 60 inches.

CLERODENDRUM  (Glory Bower)      Verbenaceae
Butterfly Attractor!   Hummingbird Attractor!
Clerodendrum bungei (Hawaiian Hydrangea)   $7.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 7 – 11    Full sun to half day sun     I grow this shrubby tropical in a large pot and it always creates quite a stir. Large, fragrant heads of pink flowers--- somewhat like a mophead hydrangea--- are a beacon to butterflies and hummingbirds and release a sweet scent that my friend, Horti, says is the very essence of Hawaii . With every emerging new stem, you get a succession of flowers all season. A great plant, one that is easily over- wintered in a cool area of the basement or garage. Height 3 to 4 feet.
Clerodendrum ugandense 'Blue Wings' (Butterfly Flower)    $5.49 – 4 inch pot     USDA Zones 8 – 11 Full sun to half-day sun   Like exotic blue butterflies, the flowers of this easily grown species enchant. The beautiful royal and sky blue blossoms are 'whiskered' in curly stamens, the ultimate in plant seduction! A charming container plant, especially when trained to a single stem as a standard. Height 3 to 6 feet.

COLEUS (Solenostemon scutellarioides)     $4.39 – 4 inch pot      Lamiaceae    Full sun to part sun   Tender Annuals     No- brainers to grow, kaleidoscopic colors, crazy quilt patterns, versatile, weather-proof, short ones, tall ones, the reasons to grow coleus go on and on. You have no excuse! Just indulge yourself.
'Alabama Sunset'   Like an unforgettable sunset the color of tropical punch, with dreamy lemonade centers. Sun tolerant, forming spectacular, dense mounds 24 – 30 inches tall. One of the best.
‘Big Red Judy’   Big, bold leaves of glowing coppery red tinged gold on vigorous, tall clumps. Best color in full sun. From the University of Florida coleus breeding program, so you know it’s heat and humidity proof!
NEW!   ‘Coco Loco’   Lime green serrated leaves splotched and splashed in near-black and purple. Sun or shade.
‘Dexter’ Scalloped oval leaves in a startling mosaic of yellow green and crimson. An upright grower to 24 inches. Sun tolerant.
'Diablo'   Unusual ruffled and puckered leaves of inky purple edged in rose-pink, on upright stems. Sun tolerant.
'Fishnet Stockings'   Rounded leaves of chartreuse, dramatically penciled in deep purple. Very artsy. Sun tolerant.
NEW!   ‘Glennis’ Large, pebbly-textured leaves with green, rosy red and golden variegation. One of the best! Sun or shade. Height 24 – 30 inches.
'Gold Brocade'   This spectacular coleus was fabulous last summer in a container of Allamanda 'Cherries Jubilee' (see our Home Page image). The splish- splashed rose pink and gold leaf tones perfectly echoed the rosy-red, huge trumpet flowers. A perfect duo, just like Fred and Ginger dancing. Sun tolerant.
NEW!   Coleus ‘Henna’   A glowing mound of awesome color! Picture tight, compact mounds of flouncy, finely cut leaves glowing in chartreuse yellow to parchment gold. Bright pink leaf undersides flaunt a delightful two-tone look. Very heat and sun tolerant! Height 18 – 24 inches.
NEW!   ‘Hot Lava’   A highly sun tolerant, moderate sized mound of glowing hot pink leaves with centers splashed in deep purple. Height 24 inches.
'India Frills'   Scittering, very low trailing mounds of tiny, frilly yellow leaves edged in coral red. An intricate and delicate effect, forming soft cushions perfect for container ‘spillers’ or edging beds Height 6 inches. Sun tolerant.
’Inky Fingers’ Fleshy leaves, ornately scalloped, present a stunning contrast of eggplant purple bordered in spring green. The petite leaves are densely packed on wide spreading carpets of color. Sun tolerant.
’Inky Toes’   A Cottage Garden Introduction!   Small, chubby leaves ---like stubby toes---color drenched in glimmering, ruby red in the ducks foot style. A darling that provokes much comment here at the nursery, where we grow it as a lush groundcover in tropical beds, spilling beneath its tropical companions. The leaves are densely packed on very compact, trailing mounds, with leaf edges tattoed in bright yellow. One of the best dwarf coleus we have grown. Sun tolerant.
'Kaleidoscope'   Rounded lemon yellow leaves, with edges cut into fingery scallops, and crimped. Streaks of dark red and lime green center each leaf. A psychedelic extravaganza. Sun tolerant.
'Kiwi Fern Dark Form'   No other coleus looks like this one. The narrow, frilly-like-lettuce, and lobed leaves are a bright wine red, finely edged in gold. Sun tolerant.
‘Lancelot Velvet Mocha’   ‘Velvet Mocha’ is a doozie, morphing into dense, compact clumps of narrow chocolatey-purple fingered leaves with a serrated edge, a totally different look. From the University of Florida coleus breeding program. Sun tolerant.
‘Limon Blush’   A pastel beauty! Neon green leaves are pooled in pinks and citrus-y yellow on this compact, but vigorous grower. Sun tolerant.
‘Mariposa’   Big and bold, with gigantic leaves of hot pink centered with deep burgundy. This was the most requested coleus in our greenhouse last spring. Sun tolerant.
'Meandering Linda '    When I spotted this at Pam Baggett 's nursery in North Carolina I knew it was destiny. This would be the shining star of my coleus repertoire! This would be the one that would have every wide-eyed coleus geek sucking up to me big time! Small leaves centered in deep purple, irregularly blotched and edged with raspberry, and the crowning touch---each leaf is outlined with a fine line of silver running along its crimped and curled edges. You just gotta have it. Height 15 -22 inches. Part sun.
'Merlin's Magic'   Our most popular selling coleus in 2006.This very compact new coleus is like curly kale, the leaves centered in buttery yellow with a startling contrast of deep purple margins, deeply lobed and flounced. With full sun the petite leaves take on a rose hue. In a world of coleus look-alikes, 'Merlin's Magic' is a distinctive look from Proven Winners.
NEW!   ‘Mr. Wonderful’   Deep fuchsia leaves etched in gold and deep purple. Sun tolerant. Height 24 inches.
'New Hurricane'   A whirling dervish of flouncy, scalloped and wildly patterned red and yellow leaves, all on compact mounds. Sun tolerant.
‘Penney’   A dreamy look in pastel sunset tones of parchment gold, the underside of each leaf toned magenta. Leaf edges are ruffled on this vigorous, dependable grower that greatly enhances the color of any tropical chums lurking nearby. Likes a little shade.
‘Pineapple Splash’   Ultimate contrast for high impact! Glowing lemon yellow leaves with serrated edges with a river of red flowing through each leaf center. Height 2 to 3 feet. Sun tolerant.
‘Red Coat’   A screamer with Christmas red leaves, vibrantly bordered in yellow. Height 24- 30 inches.
‘Red Hot Rio’   This new intro from Proven Selections was a top performer at our nursery in the summer of 2009. Very heat tolerant, the medium- sized leaves are deep cherry -red with random splashes of purple. Each fingered leaf edge sports lime green highlights. This is a coleus that looks great in any color scheme. Compact clumps growing to 12 – 15 inches and sun tolerant.
’Red Ruffles Improved’   From Athens Select comes this more vigorous and deeply colored version of the original ‘Red Ruffles’. Red it is not---the leaf color is a vibrant, deep fuchsia, elaborated veined in deepest green. The overall effect is one of compact, dense clumps of saturated, glowing deep pink color that are very sun tolerant. Height 22 inches. Great for landscaping and bedding.
’Royal Glissade’   A noteworthy 2007 introduction from EuroAmerican. Wide leaves are parchment gold, with delicate flecking and veins of soft, rose pink. The scalloped leaf edges are narrowly rimmed in the same rose pink, with leaf undersides washed in violet pink. A superior performer for us every summer in full sun. Height 24 to 30 inches.
'Rustic Orange Improved’    Maniacal, no-apologies ORANGE! The Orange Crush leaves are finely edged in yellow. Sun tolerant.
'Saturn'   A strange fella with deeply saturated maroon leaves centered in the most vibrant lime green I've ever seen in a coleus. You need this plant. Sun tolerant.‘Sedona’ A moderate sized beauty with astonishing coppery-orange leaves, deeply saturated with color. On our coleus table in spring this is the most eye-catching in our coleus line up. ‘Sedona’ sings with vibrant color!
NEW!   ‘Silk Sunset’    A pastel beauty for part sun to shade, slightly smaller leaves with baby ribbon pink, yellow and pale green variegation.
NEW! ‘Snazzy’   Finely cut, frilly, ribboned leaves in sunny yellow and parrot green, perfect for containers, baskets, or edging beds. A very hot new ‘spiller’ from Proven Winners.
‘Strawberry Drop’   Trailing coleus are super popular now, and ‘Strawberry Drop’ is among the most sun tolerant and colorful. The small, scalloped leaves are packed densely on the ground hugging stems, and patterned with a strawberries- and- cream center, surrounded by a lime and burgundy patchwork pattern. Sun tolerant. Ideal for edging beds in sun or bright shade.
NEW!   ‘Sunglow Pink’    Low mounds of frilly leaves resemble crunchy frisee, perfect for sun to shade. The spring green, fine-cut leaves are centered in bright pink.
NEW!   ‘Sunset Strip’   Compact mounds of citrusy- orange leaves. If you’re looking for an eye-opening orange- leaved coleus, this is one to try!
‘Swallowtail’   Here is an amazing coleus with superb texture and color. The bright yellow leaves are deeply scalloped and ruffled with a dollop of lime green in each leaf center. Random splashes of deep maroon add brilliant contrast. Sun tolerant.
'Tilt a Whirl'   Fun, fun, fun. Glowing coral leaves finely edged in yellow are shaped like half moons, and circle the stems like a foliar tornado. Nothing else looks like it!
'Tiny Toes'   I love tiny- leaved coleus with a passion. More versatile than their taller cousins, these minis grow into low, lacy carpets of colorful groundcover, or daintily cascade from container plantings and baskets. 'Tiny Toes' is adorable, with spoon-shaped, lemon-lime leaves with a dollop of cherry- red in the center. The petite clumps grow to 8 inches tall and spread to 18 inches wide. Sun tolerant.
NEW!   ‘Trailing Burgundy’   Superb with Lantana ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ or ‘New Gold’ for stunning contrast. The deep burgundy leaves are edged in a lacy chartreuse pattern. Sun or shade.
’Trailing Olive’ Unusual and beautiful leaves are chartreuse-olive green with a pink stripe down the center. Very artsy!
'Trailing Salamander'   Like dollops of Jolly Rancher candy, wild lime and concord grape on low, flowing mounds. Eye candy!
’Twist and Twirl’   This one has wow! appeal. The flouncy leaves are very wide and deeply fingered in a random, puzzle-pattern of yellow, red, and lime green that is amazing. The leaves are arranged on the strong, branching stems with a tornadic ‘twist and twirl’ effect. Sun tolerant.
‘Witchdoctor’   The chocolate and lime green leaves are sassy, but it’s the texture that takes center stage. Like a crispy, crunchy frisee, these super frilly leaves look good enough to eat. Sun tolerant.

COLOCASIA (Elephant Ear)   Araceae   Full sun to half-day sun   Deer resistant   These elephant ears offer a foliage extravaganza of awesome leaf tones and variegations, while thriving in steamy, warm summers. Give them moist soil, rich in humus, then stand back and enjoy the raucous summer-long show. Take note tropiholics, these ‘ears’are peerless thrillers for pots or garden beds!
Colocasia affinis 'Jenningsii' (Dwarf Elephant Ear)   $9.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 9 - 11    I succumbed to the beauty of this shimmering little elephant ear the moment I spotted it. Novel in size, a diminutive 12-18 inches in height, the beautiful, small ears are poetry, with velvety charcoal faces, veined in electric green. A mystical, silvery veil covers the leaf center, adding intrigue. A great aquatic, and ideal in containers or the rich, moist soil of garden beds. This one thrives in semi-shade.
Colocasia esculenta variety antiquorum ‘Black Beauty’ $9.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 7 - 10   I have adored Colocasia ‘Illustris’ since my love affair with tropicals began many years ago. Along comes ‘Black Beauty’-- what many tropical aficionados believe to be an improvement--with deeper, super black leaves and electric green leaf veins that make for stunning contrast. Somewhat like a Colocasia ‘Black Magic’ with smaller leaves and better winter hardiness. Can be grown as an aquatic, or in humus-rich soil, and a spectacular container centerpiece! Height 3 to 4 feet.
Colocasia ‘Blue Hawaii ’ $9.95 – 4 inch pot    USDA Zones 7b – 10
‘Blue Hawaii ’ was the star of our tropical container collection last summer. The heart- shaped leaves are a glowing olive green, in high contrast to deep red leaf veins and stems. Each magnificent leaf seems transparent when backlit by the sun, and a more perfect foliage ‘thriller’ I cannot think of. One of the most compact colocasias we have ever grown, reaching 3 feet in height. Many thanks to Dr. Cho for hybridizing this magnificent plant for the Royal Hawaiian series of elephant ears.
Colocasia esculenta ‘Coffee Cups’ (Big Dipper Elephant Ear)   $9.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 8 – 11    This drama queen offers her lovely bronze-green leaves with leaf tips aiming skyward, a unique look in colocasia, with a superb architecture that is eye riveting. As the cupped leaves fill with rainwater, they gently drip and spill outward like soft waterfalls. The deep burgundy stems bring added drama. A perfect container ‘thriller’ under-planted with wild coleus or whatever you dare!
Colocasia esculenta ‘ Diamond Head ’ $9.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 7b – 11   Stunning chocolate-black leaves appear to be made of silk! The foliage offers a glossy sheen leaf surface never before seen in black-leaved colocasia. Bright red leaf stems are another riveting feature on this new Royal Hawaiian series introduction. Inducted into the Classic City awards program at the University of Georgia horticultural trial gardens for its season long splendid performance in 2008. A perfect ‘thriller’ for any color scheme you can dream of! Height 4 to 5 feet.
Colocasia esculenta ‘Elena’ $9.95 - 4” pot   USDA Zones 7b - 10 Creamy white leaf stems morph to purple and support huge, heart-shaped chartreuse leaves that are sun tolerant. We were amazed by ‘Elena’ last summer and consider it one of the best tropical newcomers.
NEW!   Colocasia esculenta ‘Lime Aide’ –4 inch pot   $9.95 – 4 inch pot    What a dazzler ‘Lime Aide’ is! The wild,randomly splashed and splattered leaves scream out for attention in a mélange of chartreuse, yellow and apple green on large, voluptuous leaves. The stems are also eye popping, striped in yellow and white. I think ‘Lime Aide’ benefits from afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Height 4 feet.
NEW!   Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’ $9.95 – 4 inch pot   Move over ‘Black Magic’! I take my dusky- hued elephant ear leaves in variegated tones nowadays, and ‘Mojito’ is a real screamer. Picture large ‘ears’ busily patterned in black, chartreuse and jungle green….so boldly beautiful! An amazing container thriller that performs equally well in moist, fertile soil. Height 4 feet.
Colocasia esculenta ' Nancy 's Revenge' $9.95 – 4 inch pot    This is the ear chosen by the Jungle Gods to incite riots and create mass horticultural hysteria. Unbelievable huge green ears that, in mid to late summer, are widely swathed in buttery yellow centers. There’s no other ear like it. Foliar mayhem, I tell you! Height 5 - 6 feet.
NEW! Colocasia esculenta ‘Rhubarb’ $9.95 – 4 inch pot   Glorious color in elephant ear stems is the new watchword in tropicalismo. Especially when they are bathed in deep red, like ‘Rhubarb’. Those amazing stems glow in the sunshine, offering up scintillating design possibilities and color echoes. Try using fillers like Begonia ‘Baby Wing Pink’, Lantana ‘Bandita Rose’, and Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’, then complete your container masterpiece with suitable spillers Coleus ‘Strawberry Drop’, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls, or Lysimachia nummularia aurea (Creeping Jennie).

CRASSULA   (See Succulents)

CRINUM (Crinum Lily)   Amaryllidaceae
Hummingbird Attractor!    Full sun to part sun
Crinum asiaticum 'Queen Emma' $7.95 qt    USDA Zones 6 - 11   Arching, wide purple leaves are a statuesque centerpiece in containers and a lovely focal point in the garden. Throughout summer elegant and perfumed umbels of pink-white flowers appear on tall bronze stems. Easily overwintered, growing in size and beauty year after year, becoming a treasured friend. Full sun to part shade. Winter hardy to USDA Zone 7. In the north, dig and store bulbs in a frost free area. Outdoor winter hardiness is very dependent on well draining soils.
Crinum 'Stars and Stripes'   $7.95 qt USDA Zones 7 – 11   Consistently labeled as one of the best crinum hybrids, 'Stars and Stripes' becomes a lusty clump of narrow, strap-like green leaves with summertime stalks of white flowers, boldly striped red. In the north, grow in containers that can be brought into frost free areas for the winter months. Outdoor winter hardiness is very dependent on well draining soils.
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis ‘ Orange Marmalade’   $5.49 – 4 inch pot    Acanthaceae    USDA Zones 10 - 11   Butterfly Attractor!    I had the pleasure of trialing this in the summer of 2007 during our super hot and dry August, and I was quite impressed with the performance of ‘Orange Marmalade’. Although it resents crowding in combination containers, its heat and humidity tolerance, and continuing bloom throughout summer and autumn were most impressive. What can I say? Beautiful fan-shaped orange flowers are born generously on compact plants with glossy green leaves. A vast improvement over older, seed-grown cultivars. Super container plant! Height 12 to 15 inches.

CROTON (Codiaeum variegatum pictum) (Euphorbiaceae) Full sun to part sun
Croton 'Pele's Fire' $5.95 – 4 inch pot Ribbon-thin leaves twist and curl upward, bathed in bronze, yellow and red hues. A dwarf and entirely unique croton that once seen, is a must-have plant. Height 18 inches
Croton ‘Spaghetti Confetti’   $7.95 – 4 inch pot      A Cottage Garden Introduction!   It was instant lust when I first laid eyes on this no-name, no-label croton discovered growing in a St. Louis nursery. After having researched it to death, looking for an existing cultivar name, I gave up. ‘Spaghetti Confetti’ was born. It’s a doozie, too. The linguini leaves twist and twirl, in a marbled montage of croton colors, reds, greens, yellows and pink. The fine texture is irresistibly delicate for a croton. Perfectly delightful as a container specimen, or integrated in combo pots.
CUPHEA (Cigar Plant) $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Lyrthraceae      Full sun to half-day sun       Fabulous Hummingbird Attractor!
Cuphea ‘Ballistic’ A blooming machine! Each dusky purple flower is accented with white ‘mouse ear’ markings on the upper petals. The blooms emerge from a hot pink corolla…quite the color festival! Perfect for baskets and containers, or bedding and thrives in heat and humidity. Height 12 – 15 inches.
Cuphea 'David Verity’    USDA Zones 8 - 10 A 'can't do without' bedding tropical covered in red 'cigar' flowers all growing season, drawing hummers from near and far. Essentially a taller and more vigorous form of Cuphea ignea. We have been growing ‘David Verity’ for many years and can’t imagine gardening without it. Height 30 to 36 inches. A Plants of Merit selection
NEW!   Cuphea hyssopifolia ‘Wine Red’ (Mexican False Heather) I usually forego growing this species…the blooms seem to lack great color. ‘Wine Red’ offers the most vibrant shade in this very heat and humidity tolerant group of plants. Height 8 – 10 inches.
NEW!   Cuphea hyssopifolia ‘Itsy Bitsy Lilac’ (Dwarf False Heather) Too cute! This ground -hugging carpet is a delightful new addition for garden troughs and containers. Blooms eternally, just like the species. Slow growing to an eventual height of 6 inches.
Cuphea ignea ‘Matchless’    USDA Zones 10 -12    This little critter is a bloomin’ machine guaranteed to lure hummingbirds. It is also indispensable for edging annual or perennial beds, creating dense, petite mounds of fresh green leaves forever studded with burning- red cigar shaped blooms. Easy and very heat tolerant, and superb in hanging baskets or containers on a sunny patio. Height 12 inches, with a spread of 16 inches.
NEW!   Cuphea nelsonii ‘Wine Red’   I happily discovered this very special species at Annie’s Annuals in Richmond, CA last autumn. It drew me in immediately with its wide, flaring flag-like petals of ruby red like exotic butterfly wings. Hummingbirds will rejoice when you grow this Guatemalan native, rich in nectar. Place this charmer in bright shade or early morning sun in hot summer climates.
NEW!   Cuphea oreophila ‘Orange Flame’   This shrubby Central American species is crowned in spicy orange-red tubular blooms one inch long! We brought this beautiful cuphea back from Annie’s Annuals and have yet to test it in our summer heat and humidity. It may benefit from some afternoon shade. Height 24 inches.
Cuphea schumannii   (Orange Cuphea)    Large and showy orange tubular blooms are decorated with bodacious purple ‘eyelash’ fringe at the tips. The flowers are crowded all along the stems and plants produce most generously when stems are cut back after initial blooms fade. This also makes for a shrubbier plant that is an outstanding ornamental for containers or garden beds, and it also benefits from a haircut after its initial bloom. The hummers were wild about it in our summer 2009 garden beds. Happily accepts afternoon shade in hot summer climates.
Cuphea lanceolata ‘Starbrite’   USDA Zones 8 – 11    On a recent California trip last October I spotted this beauty in the display beds at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery in Berkeley. Shrub-like, growing to three feet, ‘Starbrite’ was covered in dancing tubular blooms in lavender and pink, like adorable bunny faces. Anna’s hummingbirds lurking nearby were equally enchanted, and I can attest to the fact that our Midwestern ruby throated hummers love it too, having now grown it for four years. A great bloomer in summer heat and humidity. I’m so happy to have found it!
Cuphea llavea ‘Tiny Winnie’    Bitsy red cigars capped with purple flower petals, like two ‘ears’, hence the name ‘Batface Cuphea’. Very heat tolerant, forming dense, petite clumps that are well suited to containers and baskets. Throw away that hummingbird feeder, ‘Tiny Winnie’ is all you need. Height 12 inches.

CYPERUS (Umbrella Cyperaceae Full sun to half-day sun
USDA Zones 9 - 11
Cyperus haspan viviparous     $4.95 qt Follow the trend, plant your bird bath with marginal aquatics like this umbrella sedge. A perfect touch of tropicalismo cottage style, this is easily accomplished by planting as you would any container---only this one has no drainage holes! I apply sphagnum peat moss around the plants as a finishing touch to insulate and conserve moisture. Water this object d`art as you would normally fill any bird bath. Cyperus haspan viviparous is a great choice, with a more compact habit for smaller containers. Height 18 - 24 inches.
Cyperus involucratus ‘Baby Tut’   (Dwarf Umbrella Plant)       $7.95 – 4 inch pot   A diminutive version of Umbrella Plant, with the same elegant palm- like leaves. ‘Baby Tut’ is an introduction from Proven Selections, perfect for growing in shallow water (try a bird bath planting), or consistently moist areas of the garden. A super little plant packing a very tropical punch! Height 18 inches.
Cyperus papyrus (Giant Egyptian Papyrus)    $14.95 Gallon    Essential for that tropical aura! The 4 to 6 foot stems are topped with fine, brush- like tassels resembling giant feather dusters, providing an incredible architectural element of fine texture. Use giant papyrus in shallow water plantings, in large containers or consistently moist areas of your garden, where it will provoke a romantic and mysterious element to your tropical paradise.

DAHLIA    Asteraceae    Full sun to half-day sun    Rich, moist soil that is well drained or containers   Butterfly Attractor!
NEW!   Dahlia ‘Eye Candy’    $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Small, dainty blooms of orange with yellow- tipped petals. Very showy! We are trialing ‘Eye Candy’ this summer for heat and humidity tolerance.
NEW!   Dahlia ‘Mystic Desire’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Simply stunning! Lacquered black foliage is contrasted by brilliant coral-orange single blooms. We are trialing ‘Mystic Desire’ this summer for heat and humidity tolerance.
NEW!   Dahlia ‘Mystic Dreamer’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Lacquered black foliage forms mounds 18 – 24 inches tall, crowned in two tone pink blooms. We are trialing ‘Mystic Dreamer’ this summer for heat and humidity tolerance.

DALECHAMPIA discoreifolia (Winged Beauty Vine/ Bowtie Vine) $7.95 – 4 inch pot Euphorbiaceae Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to part sun
The ‘Winged Beauty’ vine boasts opposite, wing-petaled blooms (actually sepals) a hot shade of violet pink. Up to 5 inches across they resemble a two-petaled pointsettia flower. By midsummer, plants become a lush wall of fresh green foliage, latching on to any nearby object. Although never without bloom, my bowtie vine always saves the best for last, a virtual waterfall of colorful bowtie shaped blossoms, fluttering in the autumn breeze. Perfect in a pot trained on a lattice or wire obelisk, or plant it in fertile well drained soil in the garden. Plants have a winter dormancy, so you can dig the crowns in October and winter over on the dry side, in a frost free area. A dependable bloomer ideal for hot and humid summer climates.

DATURA     (Thorn Apple) $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Solanaceae    Full sun
Toxic if eaten    (In containers, use a coarse, well drained soil-less mix, and let it dry out well between waterings)
Datura metel 'Ballerina Purple'   All points bulletin. Be on the lookout for this alluring tropical, last seen at dusk exposing its large, double trumpet blooms of deep purple and white to perfection against boldly beautiful mounds of deep green leaves and eggplant-purple stems. Suspect has been known to lure victims with its wonderful, sweet, nocturnal scent, thereby rendering them powerless to its charms. If apprehended, this brazen beauty can be jailed in containers with others of its kind for a seductive scene that is nearly a crime! Height 2 - 3 feet.
Datura metel 'Ballerina Yellow' Soft yellow double blooms, equally seductive.
NEW!   Datura metel ‘La Fleur Lilac’   This petite shrub is so sensuous! The six inch upward facing blooms are a soft lilac, and emit a sweet fragrance in the evening hours when blooms magically spring open. Perfect for containers! Height 18 inches.

DIANELLA tasmanica 'Variegated' (Flax Lily) $7.95 qt Liliaceae USDA Zones 8 – 11 Full sun to half-day sun A cool accent plant for container gardens, with sword-shaped green leaves boldly striped in yellow. You’ll love the sprays of true- blue flowers (on established plants) in spring and summer that are followed by bright blue berries. A great ‘dot’ plant for tropical and annual beds, too. Fertile, well drained soil. Height 22 inches.

DIANTHERA nodosa ' Brazil ' $4.95 - 4 inch pot Acanthaceae USDA Zones 9b - 11 Full sun to half-day sun Butterfly Attractor! A relative of shrimp plant (Justicia), this tropical woody from eastern Brazil offers clusters of bright pink tubular flowers up and down the entire stem in late summer and fall. A great patio or sunroom plant, and equally cool in mixed containers outdoors in summer. Try training it as a topiary standard, for a burst of bloom in spring, followed by a second flush in August.

DICHONDRA ‘Silver Falls ' (Silver Pony's Foot) $4.95 - 4 inch pot Convolvulaceae USDA Zones 9b - 11 Full sun If I would choose one new plant introduction for its originality, it would be Dichondra ' Silver Falls '. Nothing elicits more comment from visiting gardeners, or creates more demand once seen. Imagine cascading long stems packed with silver and felted tiny leaves. A plant artist's dream, there is no better ‘spiller’ for hanging containers, or for skirting large containers. Superb! A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St.Louis.

DOLICHOS lablab ‘Ruby Moon’ (Hyacinth Bean Vine) $4.95 - 4 inch pot Fabaceae Full sun to half day sun Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor! Nothing beats a lush and jungly hyacinth bean vine, a popular choice for draping arbors and fences----in lickety- split time! Hummers and butterflies are lured to the chain-like clusters of pink flowers in mid to late summer, and you’ll admire the metallic-purple bean pods that follow. The ‘instant gratification’ vine. Height 8 to 12 feet. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St.Louis.

DURANTA (Pigeonberry)      Verbenaceae   Full sun to half-day sun   USDA Zones 10-11       Butterfly Attractor!
Duranta ‘Geisha Girl’   $4.95 - 4 inch pot   Beautiful pendulous chains of variegated blooms in purple and white, ‘Geisha Girl’ makes a superb topiary standard. Also known as ‘Sweet Memories’.
Duranta erecta 'Gold Edge' $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Tall, woody stems packed with brightly variegated yellow and green leaves. Makes a spectacular topiary standard, and a great contrast plant for mixed containers. Height 4 - 5 feet.
Duranta erecta 'Gold Mound' $4.95 - 4 inch pot   Petite low mounds of lemony-gold leaves studded with sky blue flowers in late summer, a perfect accent in containers.

DYSCHORISTE hygrophyllodes (Bridal Flower/ Blue Eyes) $4.95 - 4 inch pot Acanthaceae Full sun to half-day sun Butterfly Attractor! I was enchanted with this new acquisition last summer, grown in a container in hot, full sun. The upright stems, densely clothed in small green leaves, erupted into exquisite two-toned blooms of lavender and purple in September, a wonderful surprise when I least expected it! Try growing this novelty as a topiary standard, trained to a single stem. Brought outdoors in spring, you’ll get a month-long flush of blooms in June on the previous year’s growth, followed by a repeat performance in autumn on new growth. You can also grow bridal flower as a shrubby tropical, left to its own inclinations, in pots or borders. Have fun!

ECHEVERIA (see Succulents)

ENSETE ventricosum 'Maurelii' (Red Abyssinian Banana) $18.95 2-qt Musaceae USDA Zones 9 - 11 Full sun The chosen one for its statuesque beauty and stunning foliage color. The giant leaves are richly colored in red, purple and green held aloft on a massive, deep red trunk. Very fast growing, satisfying that 'instant gratitude-attitude' in every tropiholic. Height 8 - 10 feet.

EPIPHYLLUM 'Anguliger' (Orchid Cactus) $5.95 - 4 inch pot Cactaceae Partial sun Whoa, momma, this 'Ric Rac' orchid cactus will wow you with pristine fragrant white blooms, surrounded by warm orange sepals. The zig-zag, succulent leaf edges are wild, and when in bloom in autumn and winter, will blow your mind! Great for semi-shade in wall baskets or hanging baskets. Irrigate regularly in summer, and keep it on the dry side in a cool area for winter.

EUPHORBIA (Spurge)    Euphorbiaceae
Full sun to half-day sun  Latex sap is an irritant!     Deer resistant!
Euphorbia cotinifolia (Tropical Smoke Tree) $7.95 - 4 inch pot    USDA Zones 9 – 11 The tropical smoke tree is a chosen one, a top ten tropical that I never get tired of using in containers or garden beds. In full sun the intense, smoky, wine-red leaves show to perfection all summer long, and this spectacular foliage plant is incredible as a container centerpiece! Ours shared a pot this past summer with Xanthosoma 'Lime Zinger', Carex 'Toffee Twist', Muhlenbeckia (Wire Vine), and the lime and yellow variegated leaves of Solanum jasminoides 'Variegated'---a smashing portrait in chartreuse and bronze, totally sophisticated! Height 4 - 8 feet.
Euphorbia hybercifolia 'Diamond Frost' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 10 – 11    This is the much talked about recent introduction from Proven Winners, a top performer in summer trial gardens throughout the country. 'Diamond Frost' spurge is a diminutive cushion covered in clouds of tiny white blossoms throughout the heat and humidity of summer, like a miniature, albeit easy to grow, baby’s breath. This indispensable new annual garnered a Classic City award from the University of Georgia plant trials for its season long performance and likewise has been selected as a Plants of Merit inductee (plantsofmerit.org) by the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. Drought tolerant. Height 14 inches.
Euphorbia species 'Flameleaf'   $4.95 -   4 inch pot    A cute, dainty, fine- textured mound of bronze leaves edged in bright green. This little tropical self sows dependably for me in the greenhouse, popping up along paths and under tables. It's also a pleasant surprise to find it magically appearing in nearby container gardens, adding a designer's touch that I always wish I had thought of first! Height 8-12 inches. Full sun or shade.
Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ (Flaming Pencil Cactus)   $5.95 - 4 inch pot   An African euphorbia we dote on as a centerpiece in our succulent containers. No other succulent boasts such color!   With its jointed, fiery orange, finger-like stems growing up and out, flaming pencil cactus is a valuable vertical element, and fascinating architectural plant, for containers. Stunning! In containers surround it with fellow succulents like echeveria, aeonium, and crassula for a scene-stealing show.

ECHEVERIA (See Succulents below)

EVOLVULUS glomeratus 'Blue Daze' (aka ‘Hawaiian Blue Eyes’) $4.95 – 4 inch pot USDA Zones 9b - 11 Convolvulaceae Full sun Perfect, ground hugging carpets of silvery leaves studded with morning glory blue flowers that spring open in the morning and early afternoon hours. A must-have for lovers of blue flowers (who doesn’t?) and perfect for bedding or baskets, thriving in heat and humidity. Height 12 inches with a spread of 24 inches. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis (mobot.org).

FUCHSIA triphylla ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt’ $4.95 - 4 inch pot
USDA Zones 9 – 10 Onagraceae Hummingbird Attractor!
Fuchsia triphylla (the Honeysuckle Fuchsia) hybrids are more tolerant of heat and humidity and ‘Gartenmeister’ is our favorite in this tribe. Flower buds emerge like plump, coral pearls, expanding into long, tubular coral-orange trumpets, with flaring corollas. In hot and humid summer weather, grow ‘Gartenmeister’ in filtered shade. In cool weather, these lovely plants will benefit from a sunnier area. I highly recommend over-wintering your ‘Gartenmeister’ in a cool, frost-free area, the result being a spectacular shrub covered in blooms throughout spring and well into summer the following season, only hesitating when muggy and hot nights commence. In the cooler weather of autumn, blooms will return if plants are pruned back. They are also peerless houseplants grown indoors for winter, best sited in a cool location at a sunny window. Lucky enough to have a sunroom? This is your plant! While F. triphylla hybrids become too large for traditional hanging baskets, they are superb container plants. Of the dozen or so hybrids of F. triphylla around, I still consider good old ‘Gartenmeister’ to be the finest. Deep hued, coppery leaves are in perfect contrast to the slender, coral-orange blossoms dangling in clusters. Height 3 feet.

GALPHIMIA gracilis (Mexican Gold Bush) $7.95 qt USDA Zones 9 – 11 Malpighiaceae Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor! Mexican Gold Bush is one of my favorite tropicals for use as a beautiful container specimen. With a little early summer clipping and shaping, you’ll get mounded, compact plants that mature in midsummer covered in racemes of five-petaled yellow blossoms that contrast with the bright red stems. Bloom is continuous throughout summer. I have grown Mexican gold bush in the ground with much success, provided the soil is fertile and well drained. Water infrequently, but deeply. Height 2 to 3 feet.

GERANIUM (see Pelargonium)

GLOBBA winitii 'Mauve Dancing Ladies' $7.95 qt Zingiberaceae USDA Zones 8 - 11 Bright filtered light or morning sun No ginger has more enchanting flowers than those of 'Mauve Dancing Ladies'. For mid to late summer through autumn bloom it is peerless in shady containers offering curious, pendulous racemes of wiry, tubular violet and yellow flowers. A beautiful and easily grown curiosity that is easily wintered over in its own container in a frost -free area, kept dry. Mature plants are spectacular specimens in their second and third year. Our clients always return to us to rave about this plant. Height 24 inches.

GLOBBA winitii ‘Ruby Queen’ (Dancing Ladies Ginger) $7.95 qt Zingiberaceae USDA Zones 8 - 11 Bright filtered light or morning sun I am continually surprised that these marvelous plants are so seldom seen in greenhouses and in tropical venues. Blooms appear in mid to late summer on with each stem producing a terminal, pendant inflorescence of red bracts with yellow flowers that are very long lasting. ‘Ruby Queen’ is best grown in elevated containers, where the stunning & curious, pendulous blooms can be appreciated. A superb late summer specimen for your container garden! Height 24 inches

NEW! GOMPHRENA species ‘Fireworks’ (Globe Amaranth) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Amaranthaceae Full sun This new annual is quite a hot item this spring. Unlike its shorter cousins, this lusty beauty morphs into a large clump, reaching 3 to 4 feet in height and two feet across, a globe amaranth on steroids! The one inch, hot pink blooms are tipped in yellow—reminiscent of mimosa blossoms-- and born generously on upright, strong branching stems summer and fall, oblivious to heat and humidity. ‘Fireworks’ is a welcome addition to my annual palette, interlaced in my borders as a dramatic architectural feature, equally at home with annuals or perennials.

NEW! HAMELIA cuprea (Bahama Firebush) $7.95 qt Rubiaceae
USDA Zones 9 - 10 Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor! This new species was a welcome addition to my container collection last summer. I adored the bell-shaped orangey-yellow flowers, as did our ruby-throated hummingbirds. A bit slower growing than H. patens, but with more attractive glossy foliage, and a perfect container specimen with a compact habit. The blooms are lovely, with red bee lines tracing the petals. Like H. patens, it thrives in sunny, hot positions. Use it as a ‘thriller’ in that hummingbird pot you’re planning this spring!

HAMELIA patens (Texas/ Mexican Fire Bush) $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Rubiaceae   USDA Zones 9 – 11 Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor!   Tops for durability, summer color and nectar- rich flowers that attract hummingbirds. This rare and seldom seen tropical makes a superb bedding and container plant, oblivious to summer heat and humidity. The brilliant orange blossoms continue through summer’s worst heat, and the purple black berries that mature attract birds. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis (mobot.org) Height 3 to 4 feet.

HEMIGRAPHIS (Waffle Plant) $4.25 – 4 inch pot    Acanthaceae
Full sun to half-day sun    A Plants of Merit selection from the Missouri Botanical Garden (plantsofmerit.org). The 'Purple Waffle' plant is a valuable edging annual, with loads of foliage excitement. The thickly textured, 'crinkled' leaves, are puckered and hued in purple with a silvery overlay, and grow into ground-hugging mounds about 6 inches tall. Perfect for edging those tropical and annual beds you’re planning this spring. Height 4 to 6 inches.

HEDYCHIUM coronarium    (White Butterfly Ginger)   $7.95 qt    Zingiberaceae   USDA Zones 7b - 11    Light shade to part sun      The orchid-like white blossoms of this butterfly ginger resemble huge butterflies, and the fragrance? To die for. This is a reliable blooming ginger for those tropicholics in more northern zones, as H. coronarium offers up its pristine flowers and ethereal honeysuckle fragrance before frost arrives. In my garden, I can expect blooms in late August, through September. Relatively cold hardy too, up to USDA Zone 7. Grow in light shade in evenly moist soil high in organic matter. Great in containers, and the flowers are wonderful for indoor bouquets. Height 5 to 6 feet.

NEW! HEDYCHIUM ‘Kinkaku’ $7.95 qt Zingiberaceae USDA Zones 7 – 10 Light shade to part sun ‘Kinkaku’ is a shorter growing and early blooming ginger, perfect for containers or beds in climates with shorter growing seasons than those in the Southerm U.S. A heady, sweet fragrance oozes from the peach blossoms that are born on 5 foot stems in August and September. A nice substitute for cannas in borders or wherever you need an elegant, upright dot plant.

HELIOTROPE arborescens ‘Blue Wonder’ $4.25 – 4 inch pot Boraginaceae USDA Zones 10a – 11 Full sun to half-day sun
Butterfly Attractor & Hummingbird Attractor!
Grow this annual for its profusion of dark violet blue flower clusters that emit a deliciously sweet vanilla aroma. Great for containers and bedding, but resents crowding in hot and muggy summer climates. I suggest growing it in a pot by itself, as a wonderful specimen. ‘Blue Wonder’ has consistently outperformed any other heliotrope we have grown. Height 12 to 18 inches.

HIBISCUS    Malvaceae    Full sun
Butterfly Attractor!
Hibiscus acetosella ‘Haight Ashbury’ (Retro Mallow)   $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Old-hippie gardeners will wear a smile on their face when they gaze at the psychedelic leaves of ‘Haight Ashbury’. A bold look in a swirling mélange of color, the cream, pink and burgundy splotched leaves, on upright stems to three feet tall, are simply amazing! Use it as a masterful container centerpiece where its jazzy variegation will enliven any design.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Cooperi’ (Chinese Hibiscus)   $5.95 qt    Fantastic foliage of olive green is marbled with red, pink and white, an amazing contrast with the bright red flowers
Hibiscus ‘Seminole Pink’ $5.95 qt   Large flowers of soft pink with a deep- pink eye zone

HIPPEASTRUM ‘Supreme Garden’ $14.95 qt Amaryllidaceae This is a truly beautiful amaryllis with smaller blooms than the giant hybrids. It’s the magnificent deep coral color, with a contrasting white/green eye zone that makes it a standout. A generous bloomer for us in summertime, and my favorite among our collection. Height 15 – 24 inches.

HOMALOCLADIUM platycladum (Ribbon Plant) $5.95 – 4 inch pot Polyganaceae USDA Zones 9b - 11 Full sun to half-day sun Does it have scintillating blooms to entice us? Well, no. But how many tropicals can boast foliage like this? Sinuous flat ribbons of acid green, arching and winding their way upward, looking like a mass of strange green tapeworms. Nonetheless, an artsy plant for container culture that we dote on, providing a spectacular architecture and wowing everyone who sees it. Height 2 to 4 feet

IMPATIENS Balsaminaceae Hummingbird Attractor!
Impatiens auricoma ‘Jungle Gold’ $4.95 - 4 inch pot Mostly shade Golden yellow orchid-like blooms set this apart from run-of-the-mill impatiens. We grew ‘Jungle Gold’ in containers with Alocasia ‘White Knight’, Coleus ‘Pineapple Splash’ and Pilea glauca. A tantalizing new color palette for full shade plantings! While our plants are mostly in bloom during the cooler parts of the growing season (a knockout in September), the foliage itself is quite lovely all summer, with deep green, polished leaves mounding to 18 inches tall. Of the many new Impatiens auricoma and their hybrids now offered, we feel this is the most vigorous and heat tolerant.

Impatiens hybrida Sunpatiens Series $4.95 – 4 inch pot Balsaminaceae Hummingbird Attractor! Shade to partial sun The Sunpatiens are here! This stunning series displayed wonderful sun, heat and humidity tolerance when trialed at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden (mobot.org). Bravo Sunpatiens! We offer Sunpatiens Coral, Sunpatiens Magenta, Sunpatiens Orange, Sunpatiens Red and Sunpatiens Deep Rose Compact. They make great ‘thrillers’ for containers thriving in sun where other impatiens dare not tread!

Impatiens x ‘Magenta Giant’ $5.95 – 4 inch pot    A voluptuous tetraploid that does not produce seed, ‘Magenta Giant’ is an easily grown and welcome variation of common bedding impatiens and a perfect specimen for containers growing to a height of 3 feet (for us). Large hot pink blooms and sturdy stems….an impatiens tree! This is a well known California pass-along plant that has excelled in our lower Midwest summers.

NEW! IOCHROMA cyaneum ‘Royal Purple Queen’    $14.95 2-qt     Solanaceae   Sun to partial sun     Hummingbird Attractor!   I have grown Iochroma before, but never with the results that I experienced last summer with ‘Royal Purple Queen’. The small hanging trumpets of deep purple flowers are born in clusters at stem tips and appear in flushes throughout summer and autumn, exhibiting a much improved heat tolerance. A wonderful container subject! These South American natives are pollinated by hummingbirds.

IPOMOEA (Sweet Potato Vine)        Convolvulaceae    Full sun to half-day sun
Ipomoea batatas 'Sweetheart Light Green' $4.95 - 4 inch pot   The new Sweetheart series of ornamental sweet potato are revolutionary! Without the ever-expanding, take-over-the-garden, habit of previous hybrids, count on petite, heart- shaped leaves and mini clumps of foliage that won't overwhelm neighboring plants. What a super idea! The obvious choice for containers and baskets. Lush carpets of chartreuse color that you can see a gazillion miles away! A flowing, glowing river of chartreuse.
Ipomoea batatas 'Sweetheart Purple' $4.95 - 4 inch pot   Deep purple leaves with the same mini-habit of 'Sweetheart Light Green'.
Ipomoea acuminata (Blue Dawn Vine) $4.95 – 4 inch pot   I get all giddy inside when I gaze at those awesome cobalt bluer-than-blue blossoms springing open on steamy summer mornings….sensory overload! I only recommend this one for basket culture, since Blue Dawn Vine has the ability to cover our entire planet `a la kudzu when planted in the ground. Cutting grown plants.
Ipomoea alba (Moon Vine)   $4.59 - 4 inch pot     This annual is quite necessary for tropiholics gardening in the evening hours, when the fragrant flowers of Moon Vine magically spring open, enticing night flying insects, like hawk moths, and lighting up dusk. Height 8 to 10 feet.
Ipomoea quamoclit (Cypress Vine)   $4.59 – 4 inch pot   Once planted, a returning friend. This generous self-sower is a bellowing siren for hummers, who perform aerial ballets gathering nectar from the oodles of fiery-red, small trumpet-shaped blossoms. Height 8 to 12 feet, or more. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden (mobot.org)
Ipomoea tricolor 'Heavenly Blue'    $4.59 – 4 inch pot     The classic morning glory in dreamy, mystical blue. One summer morning, driving along, my mind preoccupied by petty problems and deeds to do, I was jolted back to reality by an extravagant 'Heavenly Blue', all decked out in its summer glory. Nirvana. I was instantly grounded, removed to a blissful state of mind, and thoughtfully reminded of how nature so simply restores peace in our hearts. Height 6 to 10 feet.

IRESINE    Amaranthaceae    Full sun to half-day sun
Iresine 'Purple Lady' $4.25 – 4 inch pot   A ground hugging mat of mauve-purple, rounded leaves that keep their color intensity through the hottest summer temperatures. Perfect spilling out of baskets and containers, or used as an under planting in annual beds to contrast brightly colored blossoms. Height 3 inches.
Iresine herbstii ‘Blazin Lime’ (Chicken Gizzard Plant)   $4.95 – 4 inch pot Sun to part sun   Here is a wonderful foliage component to gardens and containers---a twist---with different texture than a coleus. The rounded, fleshy chartreuse leaves are brightly variegated with deep green leaf veins. Stems and leaf petioles are hot pink. ‘Blazin Lime’ creates a colorful vertical element wherever you need a fashionable accent. Pinch leaf tips out to encourage bushy plants. Height 36 inches.

ISOLEPIS (Fiber Optic Grass) Cyperaceae   Full sun to part shade
Isolepis cernua $4.95 - 4 inch pot    This moisture loving little grass is all the rage. Gardeners are drawn to it by the sparkling green tufts of thread-like blades, and the curious tiny white flowers resembling a fiber optic. Amazing texture and perfect in birdbath plantings and container gardens. Height 8 inches.
NEW!   Isolepis cernua nana   (Miniature Fiber Optic Grass) $5.95 - 4 inch potImagine that! A miniature form of the ever- popular fiber optic grass, with the same easy to grow habit and charm. The tiny tufts grow to 3 inches tall, spreading slightly slower than the taller species, I. cernua. Too cute in bird bath, aquatic plantings, or between flagstones.

JASMINUM officinalis 'Fiona Sunrise' (Golden Poet’s Jasmine) $7.95 - 4 inch pot Oleaceae USDA Zones 7 - 11 Full sun to part sun I take my plants with golden leaves whenever I can. When 'Fiona Sunrise' came along last year, I was captivated and quickly added it to my collection. I wasn't disappointed. An excellent container plant for a sunny patio, 'Fiona' enchants with lacy golden leaves on woody stems, meandering their way to 10 feet, if allowed. Otherwise, prune to control its height. I was also impressed by 'Fiona's' performance in shady areas, although the perfumed white blossoms that J. officinalis is coveted for in summertime were few. Let 'Fiona' ramble about on a wire obelisk, plopped in the garden or in a pot, and bask in the glow of those illuminating gilded leaves.

JASMINUM sambac (Arabian Jasmine) Oleaceae Zones 9 -11 $7.95 qt Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to half day sun The fragrance of this easily grown tropical is ethereal, most notably in the morning or evening hours. This is a shrubby jasmine that does not vine, so it makes an outstanding container specimen for a sunny patio where the lush scent will be most appreciated. The single white blooms appear continuously in the heat of summer. Height (slow growing) to 3 feet.

JUSTICIA (Shrimp Plant)      Acanthaceae    Hummingbird Attractor!
Full sun to part sun   USDA Zones 8b - 11
Justicia brandegeana 'Variegated' $5.95 qt       White streaked leaves, a vigorous plant and free bloomer with red bracts, from which white tubular flowers emerge all summer and fall. Always in bloom. Height 24 inches.
Justicia brandegeana ‘Yellow Queen’ $5.95 qt   Glowing chartreuse yellow, a cool and refreshing color that glows in mixed container plantings, or solo. My newest and most favorite ‘shrimp’.
Justicia carnea $5.95 qt     Huge pink 'shrimps', appearing in flushes throughout the summer and autumn. Height 24 - 30inches.
Justicia carnea 'Radiant' $7.95 qt   'Radiant' is Justicia carnea on steroids! Huge shrimp blooms, a deep shade of rose pink, make their appearance in flushes throughout summer and fall, arising from bold and beautiful deep green foliage, backed in bronze. Distinctive and desirable, certainly a Top Ten container tropical! Height 3 feet or more.
Justicia spicigera 'Sidicaro' (Mexican Honeysuckle) $7.95 qt   Here's a 'shrimp' of a different color. Enter 'Sidicaro', a wonder in brilliant orange blossoms, luring hummers and container gardeners from near and far. Reaching a height of 30 inches, the flaming blooms appear continuously summer and fall.

KALANCHOE(see Succulents)

LANTANA camara    Verbenaceae    Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor! Deer resistant!    Full sun to half-day sun   USDA Zones 8 -11
NEW! ‘Bandito Compact Rose’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   The most compact lantana covered in bright rose blooms.
NEW! ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ $5.49- qt   This is reputed to be the most winter hardy of lantanas, a chance seedling discovered in the garden of Susie Dirr, (Dr. Michael Dirr’s daughter) in North Carolina. A seedling of ‘Miss Huff’ and ‘New Gold’, it combines the best characteristics of both cultivars, including cold hardiness (to USDA Zone 7) and a vigorous, floriferous habit. The blooms are lemon yellow and hover over deep green, lustrous foliage. A portion of the proceeds of ‘Chapel Hill Yellow’ will be donated to the Sweet Melissa Fund for Lung Transplant Patients and Families at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
‘Citrus Blend’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   For those who like their colors hot, this is the lantana. A blend of red, deep orange and a touch of yellow for brightness, a sizzler!
Lantana ‘Greg Grant’   $4.95 – inch pot    Variegated leaves of creamy yellow and green, with pink and yellow flowers. Grows upright.
NEW!   Lantana ‘Honeylove’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   A pastel beauty boasting pink, butter yellow and ivory blossoms, with a weeping form ideal for containers and baskets. Height 18- 24 inches.
Lantana ‘Luscious Grape’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot    This new Proven Winners hybrid is a very bright shade of lilac, and like all lantana, extremely heat tolerant. Obviously bred from L. montevedensis, ‘Trailing Lavender’, ‘Luscious Grape’ flaunts brighter color and larger blooms. A great performer for us last summer (2008). Height 14 inches. Spread 24 to 36 inches.
Lantana ‘Luscious Lemonade’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot Soft yellow with a deep yellow center on mounding plants growing 14 inches tall and spreading from 24 inches to 36 inches. A great performer for us last summer (2008).
Lantana ‘New Gold’ $4.95- 4” pot   The most floriferous lantana I have ever grown, producing hundreds of glowing golden flowers all summer. ‘New Gold’ seldom sets seed, so it’s off and running in early summer, covered in blooms on low spreading, compact mounds. This is an Athens Select selection, from those persnickety folks who insist on heat and humidity tolerance in their plants and one of the finest cultivars to date.
NEW!   Lantana ‘Patriot Dove Wings’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Beautiful white flowers kissed with pink on compact, spreading mounds growing to 18 inches.
Lantana'Samantha' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Wildly variegated leaves of lemon yellow and acid green, equally matched in brilliance by the sunshine yellow flowers.
Lantana 'Tangerine' $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Sizzlin' orange, more trailing than upright.
Lantana 'Tropical Fruit' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   A hot new number from Proven Winners with variegated leaves and luscious, fruity, bicolor blooms of lemon yellow-- that echo the leaf tones-- and apricot pink. Mounded plants trail to 24 inches wide.

Laurentia axillaris ‘Beth’s Blue’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot Campanulaceae USDA Zones 8 - 9 Full sun Butterfly Attractor! Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit Haul out laurentia for those hot and sunny spots where other blue-flowering annuals will dare not tread. ‘Beth’s Blue’ is a chosen one---selected for Plants of Merit (plantsofmerit.org) status by the Missouri Botanical Garden for its floriferous performance in hot and muggy summer climates. Because laurentia withholds its generous bloom until hot weather sets in, springtime shoppers often pass it by, when it’s disguised as a frilly mat of delicate green leaves. Fear not! By midsummer, the clumps are covered in dainty, five-petaled, powder blue flowers that resemble fluttering butterflies. ‘Beth’s Blue’ is an annual that makes gardeners scratch their head and wonder aloud ‘Where has this plant been all my life?’ Perfect for hanging baskets and containers, although laurentia dislikes crowding by larger plant companions. Use it for a low growing carpet of color in any soil, albeit well drained, and prepare to be enchanted. Height 12 inches.

LAVANDULA (French Lavender) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Lamiaceae Full sun Butterfly Attractor! Leaves and flowers drenched in sweet fragrance are what lavender is all about, and L. dentata offers better heat and humidity tolerance than those so called English lavenders. A perfect pot specimen, placed up close on the patio, where wondering fingers release the blessed, sweet scent. Height 15 to 22 inches.

LEONOTIS Lamiaceae Full Sun Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor!
Leonotis leonurus ‘Savannah Sunset’ (Lion's Ear) $4.95 – 4 inch pot I fell in love with this South African member of the mint family, having seen it in its full majesty one autumn at the J C Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. Walking along their magnificent border of perennials hardy and tender, I became fixated on a staircase of orange flowers up, up up, high in the air, where the exotic blooms were ground zero for nectar-hungry hummers. Having grown it this past summer here in Piasa, I am just as impressed. A smashing background plant, ours summered against the shade hut wall at the entrance garden, a statuesque specimen of handsome green serrated foliage and whorls of bloom, courted by a flurry of hummers. Happy in any well drained soil and an intriguing cut flower. Self sows. Height 5 to 6 feet.
NEW! Leonotis menthifolia (Dwarf Lion’s Ear) $4.95 – 4 inch pot This beautiful species is later blooming and more dwarf than L. leonurus. I was astounded by L. menthifolia last autumn at the prolific show of velvety tangerine blooms erupting in whorls on three foot stems. Dwarf lion’s ear self sows and prefers well drained soil and dryish conditions in average to poor soil. For autumn bouquets, it is hard to beat this species for its cut flower beauty and production! Massed in the border with ornamental grasses and asters, I cannot envision a more beautiful scene in the autumn garden.

LOBELIA erinus 'Laguna Sky Blue' $4.95 – 4 inch pot Hummingbird Attractor! Campanulaceae Partial sun A flurry of sapphire blue flowers crown this compact annual lobelia that is superb for hanging baskets and containers. One of the best for heat and humidity tolerance, and I highly recommend it to the lobelia deprived, unlucky enough to garden in summer hell zones.

MANDEVILLA     Apocynaceae   Full Sun     Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor!
NEW!   Mandevilla ‘Janell’    $7.95 qt Your basic mandevilla vine with very notable, huge deep pink blooms. The perfect thriller for trellised containers!
NEW!   Mandevilla ‘Red Velvet’   $7.95 qt   Vivid red blooms, the most thrilling red in mandevillas! Like ‘Janell’, ‘Red Velvet’ is similar in growth habit and bloom size to its famous cousin ‘Alice du Pont’. Thrives in heat and humiity.
Mandevilla ‘Sun Parasol Crimson’   $7.95 qt   This amazing tropical is a must for tropical container gardens. Handsome, shiny leaves are densely packed and form a lovely backdrop to the amazing red funnel-shaped blooms that spring from pointed buds. Unlike other mandevillas, ‘Sun Parasol Crimson’ offers its generous season-long bloom over dense, compact, non-vining growth….a perfect filler for containers! Easy to grow, and it makes me deliriously happy that I have found it. A top ten tropical!
NEW!   Mandevilla ‘Vogue Ginger’ $7.95 qt   This beautiful, compact tropical is much less vining than other Mandevilla with smaller, but no less beautiful, blooms of rose-pink. ‘Vogue Ginger’ is a premier ‘filler’ for color-charged containers and baskets growing to a height of 24 inches.

MANGAVE (see Succulents)

MANIHOT esculenta (Variegated Tapioca Plant) $9.95 qt Euphorbiaceae
Deer resistant! Full sun
This most unusual plant in the Euphorbia family held a starring role in our gazebo bed last year, its colorful, palmate leaves widely swathed in buttery yellow, and carmine red petioles eliciting schemes of stolen cuttings, a cacophony of gasps, oohhs, and eeegads!, finally ending in 'Where can I get this plant?!' Not to blame them. No other plant screams 'Look at me!' like variegated tapioca, a virtual foliage tour de force growing to shrub-like proportions in one season, and satisfying that most insatiable plant fiend. This is a premier tropical for containers, or any well drained garden site in partial to full sun. Be still my beating heart! Height 3 to 4 feet.

MANIHOT grahamii $7.95 – 4 inch pot Euphorbiaceae Zones 7b-10 Elegance personified and a perfect container ‘thriller’. This graceful, small tropical tree is grown for its stunning palmate foliage. The beautiful leaves are concentrated near the top of the plant, perfect for packing in colorful annuals and tropicals as ‘fillers’ and ‘spillers’. Height 3 – 6 feet.

MELINUS nerviglumis 'Pink Champagne' (Ruby Grass) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Poaceae Full sun to half-day sun It's easy to adore this beautiful, annual savannah grass from Africa. The fine powdery-blue leaf blades--resembling fescue--look dreamy contrasted by the summer and fall appearing deep, pink plumes like 'foxtails'. This little grass is all the rage with garden designers, and lovely in containers, too. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St.Louis. Height 22 inches.

MIRABILIS (Four o'Clocks)   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Nyctaginaceae   Hummingbird Attractor!   Full sun to half-day sun    This 'granny plant' annual is loads of fun, popping open in late afternoon, and offering sweet fragrance and bright colorful flowers to gardeners. Plant four o’clocks in garden beds near a patio and watch whimsical evening pollinators (hummingbirds and moths) flutter about the nectar-rich blooms. Poisonous. Self sowing. Height 24 to 36 inches.
NEW!   Mirablis jalapa ‘Alba’ Sparkling white flowers glow in the evening garden….your gift for night flying pollinators!
Mirabilis jalapa 'Limelight' This old time granny plant has grown into a sophisticated garden diva, in shocking new garb. An antique gem, having recently been resurrected from a forgotten nineteenth century seed catalog, ‘Limelight’ will draw you in with its glowing chartreuse leaves and hot pink flowers that spring open in the afternoon and evening, oozing enticing sweet scent that beckons night flying moths and hummingbirds. Like all four o’clocks, ‘Limelight’ forms a shrubby upright mound of foliage, studded with starry flowers midsummer into autumn. Thriving in average, well drained soil, the tubers can be lifted and stored for winter ---or collect seed at season’s end. A bow to the diva!
NEW!   Mirabilis jalapa ‘Salmon Sunset’   This is an exciting new color in four o’clocks, a delicious, fruity salmon-orange with pink mid-ribs. Simply gorgeous!
NEW! Mirablis viscosa ‘Exotic Dreams’ This elegant heirloom species from Central and South America offers tall sprays of magenta blooms that are one inch across. This may be a species better suited to cool summer climates, but I simply have to try it!

MUEHLENBECKIA axillaris (Wire Vine) $4.95 - 4 inch pot Polygonaceae Full sun or shade Wire vine is proof positive that beautiful foliage, alone, succeeds. Widely used for cute and delicate topiary work, this New Zealand native is also gorgeous cascading out of baskets and pots of mixed plantings, providing filler and irresistible texture for your living bouquets. Height 6 inches Spreads to 24 to 30 inches.

MURRAYA paniculata Dwarf (Miniature Orange Jessamine) $7.95 - 4 inch pot Rutaceae Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to half-day sun Here is a compact selection of orange jessamine that starts blooming at an early age, filling the air with a delightful sweet citrusy perfume. The honey sweetness on a sultry summer day always gives me pause to relax and live only for the minute. The clusters of small white blooms appear on new growth in summer, over low mounds of very fine cut leaves. An ideal pot plant placed on a sunny patio.

MUSELLA lasiocarpa (Chinese Banana) $19.95 Gallon Musaceae Full sun Chip Tynan , of the Missouri Botanical Garden, offered me a division of this beautiful banana and I’m happy to say I have fallen hard for it. The powdery blue leaves are stunning, and displayed in a sky- blue pot, it drew rave reviews from visiting gardeners. This is the sole species in the genus Musella, from Southwestern China, and although it doesn’t produce edible fruit, it wows with an incredible inflorescence right out of Star Wars---bulky, succulent stems crowned with lotus-like yellow flowers that are used as pig food in China. Amazing! This banana is perfect for container culture, a perfect ‘thriller’, and I have great success growing it in a soil-less, bark-based mix like Fafard Professinal Mix (# 52). I have also found it to be quite wind resistant here on the Southwest Illinois prairie, its leaves intact all summer. M. lasiocarpa is also one of the most cold hardy of bananas, reputed to over-winter to USDA Zone 7, provided with a sturdy winter mulch.

MUSA acuminata nana 'High Color Dwarf' $19.95 GL Musaceae Full sun Here it is. A more manageable dwarf banana, ideal for containers or annual beds. Best of all, 'High Color Dwarf' offers up sumptuous leaves boldly patterned in blood red that are totally awesome! Could we ask for a more perfect focal point for our tropical and annual plantings? Height 30 to 36 inches.

MUSA acuminata ‘Siam Ruby’ $12.95 qt Musaceae USDA Zones 9 - 10 Full sun This new banana discovered in Papua, New Guinea is nothing short of amazing. With ruby-red paddle-shaped leaves, splish-splashed in stunning chartreuse, and a statuesque 4 to 8 foot silhouette, this is one sizzling hot introduction that is the talk of the horticultural world. A must-have for large containers, and especially for rich, moist soil in tropical beds and vignettes. Place this beauty in full sun, where the best leaf color will develop. We surrounded our planting of ‘Siam Ruby’ with Salvia ‘Golden Delicious’ last summer, a stunning contrast!

MUSSAENDA erythrophylla (Ashanti Blood/ Summer Poinsettia) $7.95 qt Rubiaceae USDA Zones 9 – 11 Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to half day sun
I have grown Mussaenda before, but never this species. It’s quite difficult to find and we finally have stock to offer. A true tropical, M. erythrophylla thrives in heat and humidity and is an unusual and fascinating container specimen for northern climates. The intense red bracts (sepals) are quite reminiscent of the poinsettia and are born on a handsome shrub of glossy green leaves throughout the summer. A coarse, well drained potting soil (a bark- based mix like Fafard # 52) is ideal. I don’t recommend mixes heavy in peat moss. Bring indoors when night temperatures drop into the 50’s F and winter over in a frost free area. Height in containers 30 to 36 inches feet ( in our lower Midwest climate).

NEPHROLEPIS cordifolia ‘Duffii’ (Lemon Button Fern) $4.95 – inch pot Nephrolepidaceae USDA Zones 9 -11 This is a beautiful small growing fern that is ideal for shady containers in the north. The fronds are quite narrow, with small rounded leaves (pinnae) and reportedly (I have never noticed) have a lemon scent. Easily grown with an eventual height of 8 inches. With time, the clumps will continue to colonize to 2 feet across. Keep soil on the dry side between waterings. A great little fern that is tough as nails.

NEPHROLEPIS exaltata ‘Rita’s Gold’ (Golden Boston Fern) $5.95 4 – inch pot Nephrolepidaceae USDA Zones 9 - 11 Hurray for ‘Rita’s Gold’! What a marvelous twist on the classic Boston fern. The glowing chartreuse fronds hold their color throughout the year, and are stable, meaning that new growth does not revert to green. For shady containers, baskets and mixed containers you just can’t go wrong with this beautiful new fern introduced by the lovely and bubbly Rita Randolph (Randolph’s Greenhouses) in Jackson, Tennessee. Thank you Rita! Following coleus, this was our best selling tropical last year. Height 2 to 3 feet.

NEPHROLEPIS exaltata ‘Tiger Fern’ (Variegated Boston Fern) Nephrolepidaceae Zones 9 – 11 $5.95 – 4 inch pot Unique says it all if you’re describing this fascinating new Boston fern cultivar with pinnae boldly striped yellow and green. ‘Tiger Fern’ is exceptional in hanging baskets or containers in full shade, and equally handsome in mixed containers with impatiens and caladium.

NICOTIANA alata x mutabilis ‘Bella’ (Flowering Tobacco) $4.25 – 4 inch pot Solanaceae Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor! Deer resistant!
Full sun to half-day sun A lovely tall hybrid between Nicotiana alata x Nicotiana mutabilis, with white flowers that blush to pink and mauve as they age, a gossamer cloud of pastel beauty. Truly lovely in our tropical beds last summer and a tremendous and entertaining hummer attractor with a sweet fragrance. Height 3 feet.

NEW! NICOTIANA x sanderae ‘Baby Bella’ (Flowering Tobacco) $4.25 – 4 inch pot Solanaceae Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor! Deer resistant!
Full sun to half-day sun ‘Baby Bella’ boasts super F1 hybrid vigor, with intense bloom production throughout the summer and fall months. The deep red blooms are scrumptious and emit a sweet fragrance in the evening hours. Height 24 inches.

NERIUM oleander ‘Pink Ice’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot Apocynaceae Zones 9 - 11 Deer resistant! Butterfly Attractor! Full sun
This very compact selection of oleander is indestructible. Placed in a container in our ‘hell strip’ where the sun and heat are merciless, ‘Dwarf Salmon’ sailed through summer never out of bloom. The single salmon pink blooms hover over the dwarf plants that become handsome mounds of leathery green leaves to 30 inches tall. This little gem is also forgiving if you forget to water, and seems very resistant to insects and disease. Nerium oleander is highly toxic when ingested!

OPLISMENUS hirtellus (Variegated Basket Grass) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Poaceae Zones 9 - 11 Full sun to shade Frilly cascading stems of small blades, brightly colored in pink, cream and green. Great as a skittering groundcover in annual beds or as a ‘spiller’ in colorful containers. Any light situation will do, from full sun to shade.

ORIGANUM (Dominican Oregano) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Verbenaceae Butterfly Attractor! Full sun Tiny, round green leaves line the slender stems of this shrubby, Caribbean tropical. They are richly scented with oregano, and look superb clipped into topiary shapes in containers or grown in dry, sunny and well drained areas of the garden. Small white blossoms appear throughout the summer that attract butterflies. Wonderful for seasoning too. I originally purchased this plant many years ago from Well Sweep Herbs. Height 24 to 30 inches.

OXALIS   (Shamrock)     Oxiladaceae     Full sun to part shade    All of our Oxalis selections are non-running clump formers (non invasive)
Oxalis deppei ( Iron Cross Shamrock)   $4.95 – 4 inch pot     Zones 7b - 10 Typical shamrock leaves, with a delightful deep purple blotch in the center of each leaf. Pretty rose pink flowers in summer. Height 8 to 12 inches.
Oxalis regnellii ‘Francis’    $5.95 – 4 inch pot      Zones 7 - 9 Oxalis regnellii is a widely grown tropical appreciated for its beautiful deep purple leaves that hold their color through summer heat and humidity. A compact and easily grown plant, perfect for edging beds or containers, with light pink blooms that emerge in summer in perfect contrast to the color saturated leaves. ‘Francis’ is noted for its more intensely purple leaf color, sans the obvious dark blotch centering each leaf in the species. The result? More vivid color! Height 8 to 12 inches.
NEW!   Oxalis spiralis Aurea     $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Zones 8 - 11    What a beauty! Glowing, coppery yellow leaves form soft, low mounds of shamrock leaves on red stems, a color extravaganza! Height 8 inches.
NEW!   Oxalis regnellii ‘Jade’    $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Zones 7 - 9    The foliage of this cool beauty shimmers in silvery-green, producing bouquets of white blooms all summer-long. Height 8 inches.

OXYPETALUM caeruleum ‘Heavenborn’ (aka Tweedia) $4.95 - 4 inch pot     Full sun Asclepiadaceae   USDA Zones 8 - 10 Attracts Butterflies! Deer resistant!
I am so smitten with this blue-flowering beauty, and its membership in the Asclepiad family caught my eye (great caterpillar host plants!) They are a durable lot, and I have great success with them, enjoying the butterflies they attract. ‘Heavenborn’ well describes the amazing color of this seed strain. The star-shaped blooms are light turquoise and are born on scandent stems clad in velvety gray leaves throughout the summer. I have heard this plant described as a climber, but mine grew only to 18 inches by autumn (if grown as an annual). Sun and heat seem to present no problem and well drained soil is essential. I grow mine in containers of soil-less mixes (Fafard #52) with deep blue and purple petunias ---‘Aladdin Nautical Mix’ from Park Seed--- and have great success. Enchanting in hanging baskets! Height 15 inches.

PACHYSTACHYS lutea (Golden Shrimp Plant) $5.49 - 4 inch pot Acanthaceae USDA Zones 9b - 11 Hummingbird Attractor! Full sun to part shade
A super container thriller, filler or bedding plant for sunny to semi-shaded areas. The yellow ‘shrimp’ blooms, with flouncy white flower petals, are a great way to attract hummers. Blooms throughout the growing season---and winter---if brought indoors to a sunny window in autumn. Height 24 inches.

PASSIFLORA       (Passionflower Vine)       Passifloraceae    Butterfly Attractor! Full sun (in cool summer climates) to partial sun
We often grow passionflower vines in baskets as they seem to bloom much earlier in summer, producing less foliage and more flowers (possibly because they are root-bound?) Trim the plant back to the ground in late autumn, dig the crowns, pot them, and store in a frost-free area that is cool, but above freezing. A mature plant, placed back in the garden in spring, is spectacular and earlier blooming than less mature vines. Mine winter over in the baskets we grow them in, kept in my basement. Go easy on fertilizers high in nitrogen, which result in foliar growth at the expense of blooms. A good drying out between waterings will sometimes initiate flushes of bloom.
Passiflora ‘Blue Eyed Susan’ $7.95 qt   Zones 9 - 11   In its first year, grown from a cutting received in winter, ‘Blue Eyed Susan’ romped to 12 feet plus, covering our arbor in the retail area by late summer. From early summer onwards, mornings would find me locked in place at that arbor, oogling the large, deep blue blossoms popping open in the early sunshine. The large and frilly corolla is tipped in white and adds considerably to the eye popping display. A honey sweet perfume oozes from the blooms, predominantly in the morning hours. ‘Blue Eyed Susan’ saves the best for last, culminating in a spectacular show in autumn, when I counted up to 45 blooms open at once on my plant. ONLY 45 flowers on a twelve foot vine you say? Just consider that these dreamy deep blue flowers are five inches across! A hybrid of our U.S. native Passiflora incarnata, ‘Blue Eyed Susan’ sailed through our exceptionally hot and dry August of 2007, and dare I say, is possibly the finest and most vigorous hybrid passionflower for hot and muggy summer climates.
Passiflora ‘Crimson Tears’   $7.95 qt   Zones 9 - 11     What a riot! A real floral floozie is ‘Crimson Tears’! While not truly crimson, the rosy- violet purple petals are stunning, flaunting a long and frilly white corolla. The amazing blooms are like an exotic tropical bird in full display. A great passionflower for baskets, or plopped in containers trailing up a metal tripod or tomato cage.
Passiflora citrina   $7.95 qt   Zones 8b - 11   This is a very free bloomer in our hot and steamy lower Midwest summers. Enchanting during the growing season, the miniature star-shaped yellow blooms spring from trailing stems of batwing shaped leaves. The entire plant has a compact growth habit, perfect for hanging baskets.

PELARGONIUM   (Geranium)       Geraniaceae     Butterfly and Hummingbird Attractor!      Full sun to part sun
Geranium 'Caliente Coral’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Heat tolerance with the look of an ivy geranium! This interspecific hybrid of ivy and zonal geraniums boasts the best in heat tolerance, evidence from its 2007 Classic City Award for season long performance by the University of Georgia horticultural trials, plus kudos from the University of Florida trial gardens. Ivy geranium- like leaves are paired with a mounded growth habit, with endless dark coral blooms. We are very excited to trial this lovely new introduction this summer at Cottage Garden
Geranium ‘Crystal Palace Gem’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot This stunning fancy leaf geranium is a container diva! The rounded leaves are chartreuse, centered in a deeper hue of green. Red blooms bring eye popping contrast. In hot summer climates, provide afternoon shade.
Geranium 'Occold Shield' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Brilliant chartreuse leaves with a central zone of bronze. Double coral-red flowers are an outstanding contrast.
Geranium 'Persian Queen'   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Brilliant chartreuse leaves glow against the bright magenta blooms. A knockout.

PENNISETUM (Fountain Grass)     Poaceae       Full sun to half-day sun
For summertime, knock ‘em dead containers and garden art, these graceful, beautiful grasses are a necessity. They offer easy culture and amazing heat and humidity tolerance, with sensuous texture.
Pennisetum purpureum ‘Prince’ $9.95 Gallon   Just when I think I’ve seen it all, along comes an amazing new group of plants. This time,a truly exotic pair of fabulous tropical grasses. P. purpureum, or elephant grass as it is known in its native Southeast Asian haunts, is being jointly released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and Athens Select. With deep purple blades similar to my beloved purple fountain grass, the difference lies in the length of the leaf blade and width, with ‘Prince’ appearing to be a giant on steroids, with more upright blades and dense growth, achieving a height of 5 to 6 feet. It’s a lush, dramatic look, a perfect marriage of texture, architecture, and color--- perfect for use as a background in garden beds and titillating tropical vignettes. ‘Prince’ and ‘Princess’ are vigorous annuals in northern zones with warm summers, where seed inflorescence will not be produced due to early freezes. For this reason, we cannot ship ‘Prince’ and ‘Princess’ to the warmer areas of USDA Zones 8 to 10 .
Pennisetum purpureum ‘Princess’ $9.95 Gallon   ‘Princess’ is intermediate in size, reaching a height of 2 to 3 feet. She forms an amazing, colorful tuft of wide leaves that bring to mind a deep purple-leaved phormium (New Zealand flax). Destined to become a tropical classic, and a designer’s dream.
Pennisetum setaceum ‘Fireworks’ (Variegated Red Fountain Grass) $7.95 – 4 inch pot    Ignite a container or garden bed with this new and beautiful fountain grass, brazenly striped in purple, green, pink and white. The thirty inch clumps offer lovely texture too, with narrow blades that gracefully arch and rustle in the summer breeze, creating beautiful music. I expect this new intro will become one of the most sought after new tropicals, lauded for its versatility, tolerance to summer weather and season long good looks. Height 24 to 30 inches
Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' (Purple Fountain Grass) $5.49 – 4 inch pot This decorated veteran rates Top Ten Tropical status in my garden. Easily grown, drought tolerant, and superb in containers, purple fountain grass is a graceful waterfall of fine textured, bronze foliage, swaying in the slightest breeze, and bringing a magical, hypnotic movement to the garden. The foxtail like seed heads emerge pink, maturing to beige, and appear all summer and well into autumn. Height 3 to 4 feet.

NEW!   PENTAS lanceolata ‘Athena Neon Magenta’ (Egyptian Star Flower) $4.25 – 4 inch pot      Rubiaceae    Superb Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor!    Full sun   Zones 9 - 11     The Egyptian Star Flower is one of the showiest of annuals, of easy culture in any average well drained soil, and a true butterfly and hummingbird magnet. Deep magenta blooms characterize ‘Athena Neon Magenta’, perhaps the most colorful of the ‘Athena’ line of pentas. This beauty flourishes in sun, heat and humidity and march in non-stop bloom throughout the summer and early autumn months. One of the greatest bedding plant tropicals that I would not be without!

PEPPER, ORNAMENTAL (Capsicum annuum) Solanaceae Full sun What handsome, sturdy little plants ornamental peppers are! They have exploded in popularity, with exciting leaf colors and patterns, and colorful small peppers in summer than glow with color in the fall. Great in containers, or plant in full sun in fertile, well drained soil.
Pepper ‘Medusa’ $4.25 – 4 inch Narrow, twisted cone- shaped fruit of orange-red and yellow over tight, compact mounds. Petite ten inch tall mounds are a riot of color for late summer and autumn containers. Non- pungent fruit.
Pepper ‘Purple Flash’ $4.25 – 4 inch pot I saw this at the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden last summer and vowed to offer it this year. The foliage is truly stunning, with deep olive green leaves sporting flashes of bright purple and lavender. The peppers start out chartreuse and darken to deep purple. Fruit is hot and not recommended for eating. Height 13 inches.
Pepper ‘Sangria’ $4.25 – 4 inch pot Trendy purple and red peppers continuously in summer. Non -pungent. Height 10 inches.

PERISTROPHE hyssopifolia 'Wavy Yellow' $4.95 – 4 inch pot Acanthaceae Full sun to half-day sun This is a low growing, cushion forming tropical perfect for under-planting taller plants, or skirting the edges of containers as a ‘spiller’. The small pointed, fleshy leaves are yellow with a narrow strip of green down the center of each leaf. Highly variegated, but still able to withstand full hot sun. This is one of my favorite foliage tropicals, very versatile and tough as nails. Height 3 inches. Spread 12 inches.

PETUNIA   (SPREADING TYPE) Solanaceae Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to half-day sun
NEW! Petunia ‘Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso’ $4.49 – 4 inch pot   Violet-purple petals playfully outlined with frilly lime green margins….there’s no other petunia like it!   A deep, dusky throat makes the colors pop on this vigorous new introduction from Proven Winners. Height 8 inches.
Petunia 'Supertunia Cotton Candy' $4.49 – 4 inch pot    From Proven Winners, ‘Cotton Candy’ is a vigorous, mounding and spreading hybrid to 24 inches tall and wide. The stunning, baby- ribbon pink blooms sport a tiny green and white eye that sets them off to perfection! Superb in hanging baskets, window boxes and containers.
NEW!   Supertunia ‘Red’ $4.49 – 4 inch pot Large red blooms and vigorous growth in mounds to 6 inches.
Petunia ‘Supertunia Royal Velvet’   $4.49 – 4 inch pot   Sultry deep purple color with a velvety surface makes ‘Royal Velvet’ irresistible. More tolerant of shade than others in the Supertunia series and fragrant too!
Petunia ‘Supertunia Vista Fuchsia’ $4.49 – 4 inch pot   Kudos to the new Supertunia Vista series! They continue to astonish us here at Cottage Garden with their amazing flower performance in our hot and muggy summers, ‘Vista Fuchsia’ maintained a fresh-as-a-daisy look throughout the 2008 season. Our favorite in the series, ‘Vista Fuchsia’ offers blooms drenched in deep color, cerise- fuchsia with dark eyes. Our favorite in the series.
NEW!   Petunia ‘Surfinia Mini Blue Veined’ $4.49 – 4 inch pot   The Surfinia series of petunias have been great performers for us and we especially love ‘Mini Blue Veined’. The white flowers deeply eye-zoned in dark blue, are etched with deep blue veining…a soothing beauty.
NEW! PETUNIA (Calibrachoa) ‘Million Bells Tangerine’ $4.49 – 4 inch pot    Solanaceae Hummingbird attractor!      Full sun to half-day sun
If you are speaking botanically correct, you would not call these petunias. They belong to the genus Calibrachoa, but are so similar we have listed them as the former. Nonetheless, we adore and grow them for their bountiful cascading habit and charming small flowers that are born in profusion all summer long. The ultimate for basket and planters. Best performance of Calibrachoa is accomplished with weekly feeding using an acid- based fertilizer, or an occasional spray of ferrous sulphate (available at garden centers) on the foliage.

PLECTRANTHUS           Lamiaceae       Full sun to half-day sun
Plectranthus amboinicus ‘Green on Green’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 10a - 11   Eye popping variegation! Serrated leaf edges are chartreuse and leaf centers are bright forest green. Like all of our plectranthus offerings, very sun and heat tolerant. These non-invasive tropical mint family members are grown chiefly for their handsome leaves.
Plectranthus argentatus 'Quick Silver' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   USDA Zones 9b – 11 Metallic silver, felted leaves make this a premier accent plant in mixed containers or in annual beds. This plant just sparkles in the hot summer sun. Height 24 inches.
Plectranthus fruticosa 'Purple Martin'    $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Shiny deep green leaves have purple undersides. The entire plant is engulfed in bloom in October with spikes of deep lavender blue flowers for the duration of winter (if brought indoors before frost). The most colorful blooms of any plectranthus!

PLUMBAGO capensis ‘Imperial Blue’ (Cape Leadwort) $5.49 – 4 inch pot Plumbaginaceae USDA Zones 9 - 11 Full sun to half-day sun The talk of our greenhouse every spring, potted in a cobalt blue pot. The flowers are the purest hue of azure blue --perfectly dreamy-- born on small panicles throughout the growing season, and bring a very Southern Cal feeling to the garden or poolside. Treat yourself to this summertime spectacle! Remove faded flowers for continuous bloom. Height 3 to 4 feet.

NEW! PODRANEA ricosoliana (Port St. John’s Creeper) $7.95 qt Bignoniaceae Full sun to light shade USDA Zones 9b - 10 Such extravagant blooms! The huge, flaring trumpets of pink are lightly fragrant too, and are born midsummer into autumn. I grew Port St. John’s Creeper in a large pot of bark-based potting soil, and it took off with Olympian speed. The trailing, thick stems grew to 8 feet and were loaded with flower buds by August. This would be an ideal climber in more northern latitudes, containerized next to an arbor or any tall supporting structure. Very easy and exotic.

POGONATHERUM crinitum Variegated (Bamboo Grass) $4.95 - 4 inch pot Poaceae Full sun to part sun Last summer I found myself standing and admiring this sweet little grass, happy with the knowledge that I would have plenty to offer you this spring. The narrow blades of Bamboo Grass spring from dwarf, clumping (not running) tufts; a miniature bamboo look-alike that shimmers in the morning dew, a magical effect. As an underplanting to bold tropicals like Crinum 'Queen Emma', or colorful companion 'weavers' like alternanthera, it's a more perfect contrast plant than I could have ever imagined. The frilly mantle of arching, delicate green and cream blades say 'touch me', an enchanting scene coveted by any gardener. Give this heat loving Asian native a moist, but well drained soil amended with compost. Great for containers, too! Height 8 inches.

NEW! PORTULACA ‘Pizzazz Salmon Glow’ (Moss Rose) $4.25 – 4 inch pot An unforgettable picture from my childhood was a blistering hot curbside planting of electrically charged, jewel-toned moss rose. Alien to this young girl, whose folks only grew vegetables, I was mesmerized by them and often rode my bicycle past the home of the elderly Italian lady who planted them faithfully each spring. Sometimes I stopped briefly to snatch a bloom for a close look. Fast forward to 2010, where hot- toned annuals and low maintenance top every gardener’s wish list. ‘Pizzazz Salmon Rose’ has arrived, a virtual carpet of coppery- orange blooms that light up the garden like fireworks. Pair it with Angelonia ‘Serena Purple’, for a color-drenched display in your own hot zone.

RUELLIA (Mexican Petunia)   Acanthaceae
Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor!      Full sun to half-day sun
Ruellia brittoniana 'Purple Showers' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   This is a wonderful component to large containers or annual beds, where the tall, leafy stems shoot upward, exposing tiny buds opening to wide, deep purple 'petunia' flowers. Very colorful and thriving in sun, heat and humidity, while providing a great vertical accent with ‘wow’ appeal. A ‘top ten’ flowering tropical, without doubt. Height 3 to 4 feet. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St.Louis.
Ruellia elegans 'Ragin Cagin' $4.95 - 4 inch pot    Lipstick red flowers on thin, wiry scapes, are coveted by hummingbirds. Foliage is a soft cushion of green, growing to a 15 inch height, perfect as a container ‘filler’.

RUSSELIA equisetiformis (Coral Fountain / Firecracker Plant)    Scrophulariaceae   Full sun   Hummingbird Attractor!
Limited number available for May 2010
Russelia ‘Peter’s Comet’   $7.95 qt    A reliable and unusual summer bloomer, russelia offers a distinctive look in tropicals. The weeping, rush-like mass of very fine bright green stems appear to be leafless, and rain clusters of brilliant red tubular flowers that entice hummingbirds all season. This is a fantastic container or hanging basket plant that is tough, durable, and oblivious to heat and humidity. Height 2 to 3 feet.
NEW!   Russelia ‘Salmon Pink’ $7.95 qt    Beautiful salmon-pink blooms.

SALVIA Lamiaceae Full sun to half-day sun Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor! Deer resistant! All selections $5.95 – 4 inch pot
As plant trends come and go one lasting player will always be the salvias. As a novice gardener I began with pineapple sage, Salvia elegans, a tropical species bearing delightful fruity-scented leaves on huge mounds, covered in fall with crimson blooms offering nectar to visiting hummingbirds and butterflies, as all sages do. I had color, architecture and movement; an enlivening sight it was in my tired autumn garden! I predict this will be the saving grace for gardeners weary of chrysanthemums, tripping about the garden centers in September and praying for something new to fall into their calloused, dirt-worn hands. Think about long, velvety-purple spires of Mexican Bush Sage (S. leucantha), unbelievably beautiful and long lasting; the jewel-like crimson blossoms of ‘Faye Chappell’ on mountains of fresh green foliage, or drifts of orange, red and pink Salvia greggii. Add fragrant foliage for aromatherapy and a ballet of pollinators for a fantasy of movement, too. We haven’t forgotten those of you who are audacious enough to demand color all season long. Enter Salvia guaranitica, an everblooming wonder of cobalt blue flowers. Salvia ‘Marischino’ is a compact clump dancing with deep rose- pink tubular flowers throughout summer. Salvia farinacea hybrids, including our new selection ‘Gruppenblau’, offer seductive shades of blue and violet regardless of heat and humidity. Many others in our list are summer-long bloomers, all of them superb nature friendly plants.
Salvias are also adaptable and versatile. Ideal in containers or beds of average, well drained soil, they enliven perennial or tropical beds, bringing an upright vertical element that is graceful and colorful. In containers, plant your salvias in a soil-less mix. We use a composted pine bark-based mix like Fafard #52, or any other coarse, well drained mix. Fall headlong into the salvia spell!

Salvia coccinea ‘Coral Nymph’ (Texas Sage)    This Texas species behaves more like an annual in our lower Midwest climate, but self sows freely, establishing large colonies of plants. It’s a stunning effect! The pink and white blooms of ‘Coral Nymph’ bring a pastel tone to this superbly heat tolerant sage. Height 2 to 3 feet.
Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' (Texas Sage)    This long blooming native annual salvia can easily be considered a perennial, its presence in your garden continues through faithful self sowing every year. Slender stems are loaded with brilliant red flowers all season long, and I know of no better annual for drawing in hummers. ‘Lady in Red’ thrives in hot, sunny sites but will also grow in half-day sun. A fabulous bedding annual! Height 30 inches.
Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' (aka 'Intrinsic Gold')   This Salvia elegans (Pineapply Sage) selection was discovered growing in northern Illinois at Intrinsic Perennial Gardens. A twist on the common theme, 'Golden Delicious' delights with pineapple- scented, chartreuse to golden leaves that provide a dazzling contrast to the late summer tubular red flowers. What a splendid accent the beautiful low mounds of golden leaves provide in pots and beds! Height 24 to 30 inches.
NEW!   Salvia farinacea ‘Gruppenblau’ (Mealycup Sage)   I would be pistol-whipped by salvia aficionados if I didn’t include at least one selection of our glorious native, S. farinacea. This vigorous bloomer is the easiest, most dependable, and colorful of the blue and violet flowering salvias. ‘Gruppenblau’ is tolerant of intense heat and humidity with long, beautiful stems for drying or cutflower material. Adored by hummers. Height 30 inches.
Salvia greggii ‘Rachel’ (Variegated Autumn Sage) Zones 6b - 8   Gold – green variegated leaves are stunning! The 18 – 24 inch tall clumps are topped in late summer and autumn with white flowers, a cool note.
Salvia greggii 'Wild Thing'   Zones 5b – 10    I 'm excited about finding this selection of autumn sage, reputed to be hardy to St. Louis, Missouri just across the Mississippi River from our nursery in Piasa, Illinois. We have it now, so try it out. The blooms are cherry- red, fading to pink tones and appear en masse in June, and after deadheading, a good re-bloom in early autumn. We have found this to be a generous self-seeder, with the progeny similar to our mother plant. As with all salvias, a fabulous butterfly-hummingbird attractor. Well drained soil is critical for winter survival. Do not cut the stems back until spring. Full sun.
Salvia guaranitica 'Blue Enigma'     This is the most winter hardy Salvia guaranitica we offer, to at least USDA Zone 5b, when planted in fertile well drained soil. The blooms are cobalt blue, without the black calyces featured on 'Black and Blue'. We have a devoted following to this plant, as it blooms from July to frost, providing a wonderful source of blue flowers that you'll adore--- along with the hummers! Height 3 to 4 feet.
NEW! Salvia ‘Jean’s Purple Passion’    A great container thriller bearing passionate purple blooms midsummer through autumn. Height 3 to 4 feet. Best flower production occurs in full sun.
Salvia microphylla ‘La Trinidad Pink’   Zones 7 – 10   Large flowers in an bright shade of pink. Best flower production is in spring and fall, and they are produced on vigorous 24 inch tall clumps.
Salvia microphylla ‘Scarlet Spires’   Zones 7 – 10    I simply adore this new salvia introduced by High Country Gardens. The tall, willowy stems are topped with luscious, coral red, tubular flowers non stop all season, a valuable addition to containers gardens or garden borders, bringing an untamed, yet elegant touch. The hummers loved it, and I know you will too! Height 30 – 36 inches.
Salvia leucantha 'All Purple’   Zones 7 – 9   This is the showiest of the autumn blooming salvias. The tall clumps are handsome, a canopy of soft gray-green fuzzy leaves in dense clumps. In September 'All Purple' erupts into bloom, covered in velvety purple blooms that provide an astonishing show. I mean, REALLY astonishing. Visiting gardeners always marvel at this incredible plant, especially when hungry hummers dive in for a drink. Height 3 feet. Full sun.
Salvia leucantha ‘Eder’   (Variegated Mexican Bush Sage) Zones 7 – 9     A delightful variation of the finest fall blooming sage, ‘Eder’ bears striking cream and green variegated leaves. In autumn, velvey purple and white blooms explode at stem tips, beckoning hummingbirds. What a riot for your fall garden!
Salvia x 'Marischino'   Zones 6 – 10    ‘Marischino’ has survived winter here in USDA Zone 5b for a number of years. I would certainly call it hardy to Zone 6, especially if planted in a sheltered area in well drained soil. Remember not to cut these subtropical salvias back in autumn, as winter moisture gets into the stems and damages the crown, in alternate freezing and thawing. Best culture dictates cutting them back in spring. 'Marischino' is an intermediate grower, to about 30 inches high, with deep rose-red blossoms from early summer to frost. We recommend deadheading for continuous bloom. Like all salvias, great in pots.
Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'   Zones 7 – 10   A show stopper! This color-confused sage throws out two-toned white and red blossoms and occasional solid red or white blossoms, like nothing I have ever seen before. What a fun plant! Our most popular salvia, for many years running. Height 24 - 30 inches.
Salvia x 'Mystic Spires Blue'   Zones 7 – 9a     I first heard about 'Mystic Spires' from June Hutson of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Having seen it at the Ball Seed Field Trials near Chicago, she recommended I try it. Considered a dwarf, upright form of S. 'Indigo Spires', it promises to become a staple in our salvia offerings. The blooms are a beautiful, light blue shade of violet and plants are perfect for annual or perennial beds, reaching an eventual height of 30 inches. Astounding in the late summer and autumn garden when butterflies and hummers dive in.
NEW! Salvia ‘Puebla Rose’   This is a beautiful salvia with a compact habit and deep rose-pink flowers from the Painted Dunes Collection by Ecke. Despite our cool, wet summer of 2009 ‘Puebla Rose’ bloomed beautifully although it happily accepts head and humidity. Very nice. Height 24 inches.
NEW!   Salvia ‘Puebla Light Orange’   Mango-orange blossoms bringing to mind a luscious fruit salad….I love this color! Height 24 inches.
Salvia regla ‘Jame’ (Orange Mountain Sage)   Zones 6-7b - 10   Although this is a late blooming (October/ November) salvia here in the lower Midwest, we encourage you to grow this beautiful plant. Our friends in St. Louis, Chip Tynan and Suze Stark, successfully over-wintered this cultivar in their city garden for several years (Zone 6). One autumn their ‘Jame’ attracted a rufous hummingbird (not common in this area). ‘Jame’ is a lush canopy of heart- shaped green leaves that erupts into spikes of scarlet-orange blossoms in October. Truly stunning! Self sows. Height 3 to 4 feet.
Salvia splendens 'Faye Chappell'   Zones 9 - 11   This newcomer caught my eye on the University of Georgia garden trials website. An inquiry to Dr. Allan Armitage brought the good news that Salvia 'Faye Chapel' is a 'keeper', a bloomin' machine---hummer central---covered in bright crimson flowers from June to frost. At three to four feet in height and spread, 'Faye' is serious tropicalismo paired with dusky purple alternanthera, the wildly patterned leaves of coleus, or with shimmering deep, deep purple leaves of Colocasia 'Black Magic'. One of the finest salvias I have ever grown, and I would not be without it. Awarded Plants of Merit status from the Missouri Botanical Garden (mobot.org). Full sun to part sun.
Salvia splendens 'Paul'    For years I have enjoyed the jewel-like burgundy blooms of S. splendens ‘Van Houttei’ in the cool days of autumn. A marvelous plant reaching voluptuous shrub-like proportions, I offer it as my last gift to migrating ruby-throated hummers. So imagine my delight when I came upon a plum-purple form at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum. A sight to behold it was, and I couldn't wait to bring it back to Piasa and propagate it for you. Speaking with salvia guru Richard Dufresne, I learned that this is only one in a series of new color forms of S. splendens being introduced, so look for more color breaks in the near future! We'll have them. Full sun to part sun. Height 3 to 4 feet.
Salvia splendens 'Piasa Pink' A Cottage Garden Introduction!   This is our first introduction, our very own, discovered growing in a gravel path near Salvia 'Paul' beneath our purple gazebo bed. A lovely lavender shade of pink, it has a shimmering pastel tone that I have yet to see in S. splendens hybrids. Height 30 inches. Seems to enjoy a little afternoon shade.
Salvia splendens ‘Whopper Lighthouse’    With a name like ‘Whopper Lighthouse’ you can expect something big. Giant 8 to 10 inch spikes of scarlet flowers popping up over 30 inch tall, dense plants beckon to hummingbirds and provide intense, summer long color for those amazing, tropicalesque garden vignettes you’re planning. Think of ‘Whopper Lighthouse’ as a more compact ‘Faye Chapell’. Try it in containers, too. Who needs a hummingbird feeder, anyway???
NEW! Salvia splendens ‘Van Houttei’    This old favorite is back in our inventory. Having been seduced by many newer hybrids of salvias, I have found my way back to one of the finest fall blooming of the salvias. S. van houttei is a shrub like mound of glossy green foliage that, in September and October, erupts into spikes of jewel-toned burgundy flowers. Hummers love it, of course. This species is shade tolerant. Height 3 feet.
Salvia splendens ‘Dancing Flame’ Variegated-leaf salvias are hard to come by and with a name like ‘Dancing Flame’ what salvia-holic could resist?? Sparkling green leaves are irregularly splashed with yellow, quite beautiful, and illuminating. The crowning touch? Screaming scarlet blossoms that pop up all season long. Height 24 - 30 inches.

NEW!   Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ $8.95 2-qt   Zones 9 - 11   Go ahead, lust for this beautiful salvia like I did when I first laid eyes on it. A summer-long bloomer, the bright fuchsia spikes of bloom are born atop deep maroon stems, very eye catching! Perfect for containers or bedding in full sun to part sun. ‘Wendy’s Wish’ is here to stay, a top ten salvia! Height 30 to 40 inches.

SANCHEZIA speciosa 'Ellen' (Gold Vein Plant) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Acanthaceae Full sun to half day sun For a bold foliage accent in containers and beds, look to Sanchezia ‘Ellen’. The handsome leaves of this heat and humidity loving tropical are primarily the draw, being large, leathery, deep green, and wildly veined and edged in yellow. ‘Ellen’ is a compact, full plant with good vigor.

NEW! SANTOLINA virens ‘Lemon Fizz’ (Golden Lavender Cotton) $5.49 – 4 inch pot Asteraceae Full sun Hubba Hubba! I spied this on our California plant trip last autumn and nearly fell over. Santolina virens is the best of the genus for hot and muggy summer climates, bearing succulent, feathery, emerald green leaves with a zesty fragrance. ‘Lemon Fizz’ offers a twist on this species with bright yellow foliage, a real knockout! Just picture it in a mixed succulent container planting….oooohh! Height 15 inches.

SCAEVOLA aemula ‘Surdiva Blue’ (Fairy Fan Flower) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Goodeniaceae Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to half-day sun Fan flowers are marvelous container annuals for hot and muggy summer climates. Trailing stems of fleshy leaves are crowded with large, fan shaped blooms that make ideal ‘spillers’. I use them liberally in my container gardens and enjoy their season-long bloom that adds a delightful touch of blue, a color I can never get enough of . ‘Surdiva Blue’ boasts a more compact habit than previous cultivars, mounded plants studded with bright blue flowers. Great for baskets! Height 6 to 8 inches.

SEDUM (see Succulents)

SINNINGIA tubiflora (Hardy Gloxinia) $5.95 – 4 inch pot Gesneriaceae
Part sun to shade An elegant and exotic member of the Gesneriad family, and sibling to the popular florists gloxinia. This lovely tuberous species bears amazing 6 inch long, clear white flowers, powerfully fragrant, that dance on two foot stems in spring, often repeating in summer and fall. If for no other reason, grow it for the fragrance alone, which is a deliciously sweet citrus cloud that wafts through the garden in the late afternoon. Winter deciduous. I dig and store the dormant tubers in autumn, just like I do cannas.

SINNINGIA x ‘Tante’ (Hardy Gloxinia) $5.95 - 4 inch pot Gesneriaceae Hummingbird Attractor! Part sun to shade Petite, scalloped leaves in plump mounds are ideal for containers and baskets. This newer hybrid drips salmon orange, tubular flowers held aloft on wiry stems throughout the growing season. Height 18 inches.

SOLANUM jasminoides variegated (Variegated Potato Vine) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Solanaceae Full sun to part sun Usually grown as an annual, the Potato Vine meanders willy-nilly, a dainty framework of winding, delicate spring green and yellow leaves. Clusters of white flowers appear sporadically throughout summer and autumn. A phenomenal ‘thriller’ trained in pots on a wire frame, and equally effective as a ‘spiller’ in large pots.

SOLANUM pyracanthum (Copper Firethorn / Porcupine Tomato) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Solanaceae Full sun This is an amazing dry land species from Africa and Madagascar. The porcupine tomato is 'armed and dangerous'--- in a beautiful way--- with glowing orange thorns that are strategically place on the upper and lower blue-green felted leaves---a device to prevent herbivores from foraging on plants. Perfectly awesome as a container curiosity, and particularly beautiful when backlit by the sun, when the wicked thorns seem to glow like fire! Expect one inch lilac flowers, maturing to yellow fruit, throughout the summer months on a plant that eventually grows from 3 to 5 feet. Mine summered as a container centerpiece, under-planted with a mass of trendy succulents.

SOLEIROLIA soleirolii (Baby’s Tears) $4.95 – 4 inch pot This is one of our most popular tropical plants. Visiting gardeners, upon entering the greenhouse, are drawn immediately to our bird bath planted with marginal aquatics. Baby’s tears forms a thick, creeping mat of tiny, spring green leaves carpeting the entire bath. In our hot summer climate, it has thrived in bright shade along with container companions Cyperus, Acorus, and fiber optic grass (Isolepis).

NEW! SOLEIROLIA soleirolii Aurea (Baby’s Tears—Golden Leaved Form)
$5.49 – 4 inch pot Dazzling tiny golden leaves form elfin clumps. Slower growing than the species, but stunning in its leaf color.

STACHYTARPHETA mutabilis 'Coral' $4.95 – 4 inch pot Verbenaceae Hummingbird Attractor! Full sun Hummingbird heaven right here. The snake-like spiraling inflorescence, with flower petals that teasingly open slowly throughout summer, are an warm coral hue. An interesting 'dot' plant in the tropical bed, and a great conversation piece in pots. Thrives in hot sun.

STIGMAPHYLLON ciliatum (Brazilian Gold Vine) $7.95 – 4 inch pot Malpighiaceae Butterfly Attractor! Full sun to part sun A picture of delicate beauty... butterflies alighting on dainty yellow flowers. Often masquerading under the name Brazilian Gold vine, Orchid vine, or Butterfly vine, this marvel from the family Malpighia was destined for deserving Midwestern gardeners like us, who thirst for new and unusual vines that actually bloom in our sweat house summers. When I first laid eyes on Stigmaphyllon, I was drawn in by the dainty yellow blooms that resemble oncidium orchids. Too good to be true, right? To make a long story short, it worked! Grown in a container up against the west side of our red barn, where the hot afternoon sun blazes, it sailed through summer and into fall always in bloom, meandering its way to eight glorious feet. The bronze tinted foliage is lovely, too. Height 6 to 9 feet.

STROBILANTHES dyerianus (Persian Shield) $4.95 – 4 inch pot Acanthaceae Partial sun to shade Along with the elephant ear tribe, Persian Shield is among the hottest, most desired of tropicals for container ‘thriller’ use. The foliage is a mesmerizing blend of metallic purple, silver and deep green on shrub like growth. Able to grow and enchant in partial shade, there is no better container subject than Persian Shield planted with the large violet blooms of Thunbergia battiscombei (Blue Glory Vine), a favorite combo here at the nursery. Thrives in heat and humidity. Selected for Plants of Merit (plantsofmerit.org) with the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. Height 3 feet.

STROMANTHE sanguinea ‘Tricolor’ (Variegated Prayer Plant) $5.95 qt Marantaceae Zones 8 - 10 Partial sun to shade Here’s a Prayer Plant loaded with foliage fireworks! The leathery, upright leaves are heavily variegated in deep green, cream and pink. Leaf undersides are a brilliant rose pink, and show beautifully. This is a lovely ‘thriller’ for shady containers growing to a height of 2 to 3 feet. Loves high humidity and warmth.

SUCCULENTS We have a splendid collection of tender, colorful succulents in three and four inch pots in spring and summer. Many are not listed on our website, but are available in our greenhouse. Those listed below are wildly popular for container culture, resembling deep sea creatures. Eat your heart out Disney! Pack them into pots or hanging baskets and troughs, and use a fast draining medium, i.e cactus mix, or a mixture of one part good garden soil and one part pea gravel or Turface (calcined clay) available at horticultural supply shops. Sun or half day sun. Our selections follow…….

AEONIUM‘Schwarzkopf’ $5.95 – 4 inch pot Crassulaceae Full sun to half day sun Leathery chocolate purple rosettes right out of science fiction! Rising on thick stems, the rosettes appear to be nearly black and always garner a second look. Ideally suited to containers, aeoniums can be moved to a frost free shelter for the winter months in northern zones. Grow this amazing plant in well drained potting soil such as cactus mix, and let the mix dry out entirely between waterings.

AGAVE attenuatea ‘Raea’s Gold’ (Golden Fox Tail Agave) $14.95 qt AgavaceaeFull sun to part sun I can’t imagine a more eye popping centerpiece to a succulent container than Agave ‘Raea’s Gold’. The thick, succulent and thornless leaves are chartreuse, with a deeper green hue on leaf margins. We grew ‘Raea’s’ in full sun last summer and it drew visiting gardeners in like a magnet, a giant golden starfish! A spectacular specimen for your patio where it will wow gardening friends and neighbors…… Whazzat?
NEW! AGAVE ‘Blue Glow’ $9.95 qt Agavaceae Full sun This smaller agave morphs into a living sculpture! The eighteen inch wide rosette of spineless blue-green leaves are thinly margined in red and yellow. A spectacular specimen for a container north of Zone 7 growing in beauty every year.

ALOE     Asphodelaceae    Hummingbird Attractor!   Full sun or half day sun
These exotic succulents native to Africa, Madagascar and the Arabian peninsula make spectacular specimens for container gardens, and I adore their beautiful leaf shapes and textures, using them liberally in many of my tropical venues. The delightful coral, red and yellow blooms are adored by nectar-hungry hummingbirds. All form evergreen rosettes of fleshy, spiny leaves of glaucous blue, emerald green and many dazzling new hybrids appear in spotted and variegated forms. They are easily over-wintered in a cool, brightly lit, frost free area in cold winter climates, maturing in size and beauty every year. ‘Pups’ on new growth at the crown divide easily on many species. A recommended soil less container mix is Fafard #52, a coarse, bark-based mix that drains quickly. Otherwise, use one part loamy garden soil and one part grit or Turface (calcined clay) available at horticultural supply stores. A patio collection combined with other succulents in containers is positively riveting! Let containers dry out entirely between waterings.
NEW!   Aloe ‘Angel Wings’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   I admit to be stymied by this new aloe. I know nothing about it, except that it grows quickly into clumps that divide easily after one growing season. The strap-like leaves are deep green with a silvery edge and spots, a good ‘thriller’ for succulent containers. Haven’t seen any flowers yet.
Aloe bakeri hybrid   $4.95- 4 inch pot   A beautiful hybrid of Aloe bakeri. The brown-green, undulating leaves are edged in terra cotta pink, and rise from a stemless rosette. A mystical undersea creature is brought to mind….a touchy, feel-y octopus! Stunning in containers alone, or with companion succulents. Orange and yellow blooms appear in the winter months.
Aloe ‘Doran Black’   $7.95 - 4 inch pot   Captivating! Ghostly white spear-shaped leaves emerging from fleshy rosettes are heavily stippled in green and slate gray. Simply beautiful, especially when crowned with winter-time tubular, coral blooms held aloft on bronze-red stems.
Aloe ‘Lizard Lips’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Succulents are irresistable enough with plain old green leaves, but ‘Lizard Lips’ has crossed the line in plants to lust after. Like a fleshy, spotted starfish, the celandon green leaves take on a beige-pink hue in the cooler months of the year. The ‘stars’ are thickly clustered on mature plants, and look lovely when fat spikes of tubular, coral blooms emerge throughout spring, summer autumn AND            winter. Hummers love these nectar-rich flowers. A wonderful, small succulent guaranteed to lure you down the path to aloe addiction!
NEW!   Aloe myriacantha (Grass Aloe)   $4.95 – 4 inch pot This native of Zimbabwe is an upright grower, with fleshy, spined, purple-brown and green leaves that are densely spotted white. It is non-suckering and produces a large specimen that would be a tantalizing thriller
Aloe ‘Winter Sky’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   My love affair with trendy succulent plants continues to grow, and aloes are among my favorite in this tribe. Easily grown, they provide a wonderful texture and architecture with their starry shapes and fleshy leaves. ‘Winter Sky’ is a diminutive aloe, with petite rosettes of glaucous blue leaves, tightly clustered, and prickly margined. In bloom throughout the year, the long-stalked flower heads of pendulous coral-red blooms are a favorite of hummingbirds. Right at home in containers.

Crassula   Crassulaceae Full sun to half day sun   I am so intrigued by this often overlooked genus of succulents, in past times grown as houseplants known for their tolerance to neglect. Take them outside! They thrive in mixed containers and are great ‘fillers and spillers’, and many bring a colorful touch with summer flowers that attract pollinators. Family members include the popular jade plant, echeveria, and florists’ kalanchoe.
Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’ $3.95 – 4 inch pot This branching succulent is a prostrate grower similar to sedum with fleshy green leaves that mature to fiery- orange during the cooler months. It is tender, but a worthy candidate as a pot plant in more northern zones. In late summer upright stems emerge, forming lovely, tight clusters of tiny white and pink blooms that draw in pollinators.
NEW! Crassula coccinea (Red Crassula)   $3.95 – 4 inch pot   Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor! Bill and I brought this back from our California trip in 2009. As much as I confess to loving the amazing diversity in succulent foliage, I’m a real sucker for any that are willing to flower in the summer growing season. This might just be one of those. California nurseries claim it as a summer bloomer, but that remains to be seen in our lower Midwest growing season. The intensely pink-scarlet blooms rise on upright stems and lure hummingbirds and butterflies. In autumn, foliage takes on a lovely orange hue.
NEW! Crassula dejecta (Doily Crassula) $3.95 – 4 inch pot      Here is another crassula native to south Africa that we are anxious to trial and while we are probably more interested in flower production in summer, its fleshy green leaves do form beautiful dense and upright clusters that trail and are great filler for containers. The white blooms are honey scented and faintly tinged in pink, springing from red sepals….cool! Like all crassulas, quite easy to grow.
Crassula schmidtii (Fairy Torque)   $5.95 – 4 inch pot Crassulaceae   Zones 9b-11 Here is my favorite crassula. This is a wonderful component to mixed succulent containers that I would not be without! Narrow, fleshy green leaves form low, tight, spilling carpets that are covered from mid to late summer with clouds of tiny pink flowers. Very tolerant of our humid summers, too!

NEW! ECHEVERIA $4.95 – 4 inch pot We have various offerings of echeveria that arrive without names. They are all beautiful, forming fascinating rosettes that any succulent container is incomplete without. Please call and inquire for descriptions, or better yet, walk into our greenhouse and see for yourselves!

NEW! ECHEVERIA subrigida ‘Fire and Ice’ $12.95 – 4 inch pot USDA Zones 9 – 11 After listing this last year we were unable to supply it due to production problems. We have it listed again for 2010 and hopefully it will be available by May. It is simply gorgeous. The frosted silver-teal blue leaves are margined in deep rose and form a large rosette reaching to eighteen inches across eventually, with a twelve inch height. A stunning container diva, easily over-wintered in a well lit, frost free area. In hot summer climates some afternoon shade may be beneficial.

NEW! EUPHORBIA tirucalli ‘Mahogany’ (Purple- stem Pencil Cactus) $5.95 – 4 inch pot Euphorbiaceae Zones 8 - 11 I had no idea this beautiful euphorb existed and was tickled pink to find it. Unlike typical pencil cactus with green stems, ‘Mahogany’ is exactly what its name promises, with deep purple brown finger-like stems. Just like its kin, ‘Sticks on Fire’, it is a superb thriller for a combined succulent planter.
Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ (Flaming Pencil Cactus) $5.95 – 4 inch pot Euphorbiaceae Zones 8 – 11 An African species we dote on as a centerpiece in our succulent containers. With its jointed, fiery orange, finger-like stems growing up and out, flaming pencil cactus is a valuable vertical element, bringing a fascinating architecture and blazing color. In containers, surround it with fellow succulents echeveria, aeonium, and crassula for a scene-stealing show.

KALANCHOE     Crassulaceae   Another favorite group among the succulents are the Kalanchoe ( I say Cal-en-ko-ee). Easily grown, and often with colorful flowers to spice up your succulent dish, many with an amazing felted texture (African and Madagascan natives). They are simply fascinating.
Kalanchoe daigremontiana ‘Big Mama’ (Jaws of Life)    $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Zones   10 – 11    This is an amazing succulent, and a fertile one. After the large paddle-shaped leaves mature (in a short time) tiny pups are produced all along the leaf edges, producing an amazing frilly edge of tiny plantlets that turn red in cooler weather. Easy and drought tolerant, a perfect companion in a mixed succulent container. Height 18 inches.
NEW!   Kalanchoe mamorata (Penwiper Plant) $5.95 – 4 inch pot     Zones 10b – 11   Large oval, blue-green leaves are heavily spotted in purple, with scalloped leaf edges. This was given to me by Chip Tynan of the Missouri Botanical Garden who received it from a Master Gardener volunteer. Quite beautiful.
Kalanchoe thrysifolia (Flap Jack Plant/ Jurassic Cabbage)   $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Crassulaceae   Zones 9 - 11 My favorite succulent! This marvelous South African native has broad, flat, paddle-shaped leaves in a soft blue color. Leaf edges, in contrast, are bright red in drier conditions with full sun. Jurassic Cabbage is surely the most architecturally interesting plant I have ever grown.

Mangave x ‘Bloodspot’ $14.95 qt Agavaceae In a word, mesmerizing! Gorgeous teal- blue leaves grow in rosettes heavily spotted in red. Each leaf is thinly outlined in a coppery brown. A hybrid of Agave macroantha and Manfreda maculosa, ‘Bloodspot’ is a non-suckering plant that will eventually grow to fifteen inches across, providing a truly stunning container specimen that can easily overwinter in a frost free, well lit area.

Mangave‘Macha Mocha’ $22.95 Gallon / $9.95 qt Agavaceae Zones 8 - 11 Full sun to part sun ‘Macha Mocha’ tops the list of plants with attitude! This hybrid of Agave celsii x Manfreda variegata is an amazing container plant for gardeners north of Zone 8. Mine has presided in a ruby red lacquered pot that color echoes the huge, succulent blue-gray leaves that are wildly peppered with red spots. Visiting gardeners have begged me for this plant, and now, through the wonder of tissue culture, we have it available. These are nice, bulky plants in gallon pots promising instant gratification (or for more budget-minded plant geeks, we offer a smaller quart pot). ‘Macha Mocha’ is a rapid grower, too, and in its second or third year will send up a soaring stem of red and yellow tubular blossoms in summer that hummingbirds covet---to eight feet high! Mine is easily over-wintered in its container in a bright, frost free area where it is allowed to dry out entirely between waterings.

SEDUM    Crassulaceae     Full sun to part sun
Sedum lineare ‘Variegatum’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Zones 6 – 9   Although this is a semi-hardy perennial in our lower Midwest climate, I include it with the tender succulents for its contrast and wonderful compatability in a mixed succulent container. Use it as a ‘spiller’, forming soft cushions of light green leaves delicately edged in cream, attached to pink stems. Yellow flowers appear in cymes in early summer and hover just above the foliage. Height 1 inch.
Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   A low, succulent carpet of tiny round chartreuse/ yellow leaves. Imagine that---a sedum that actually prefers shade or morning sun only! Great for carpeting a potful of playful succulents, where it is shaded by taller growing companions.
Sedum ruprestre ‘Angelina’ $5.49 – 4 inch pot    Zones 5b – 11   A hardy perennial we use in containers for its striking color. ‘Angelina’ is a low maintenance carpet of chartreuse to gold, needle-like foliage in spring and summer, taking on hues of orange and red in autumn and winter. It provides a stunning contrast when included in mixed succulent plantings.
NEW! Sedum rupestre ‘Lemon Coral’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot    This beauty requires more shade than its sister ‘Angelina’. A pale shade of buttery-yellow, ‘Lemon Coral’ will bleach out (white edged leaves) if given too much sun. Use it as a carpet to underplant taller succulents that will provide shade.
NEW! Sedum hakonense ‘Chocolate Ball’ $5.49 – 4 inch pot   Zones 7 – 11   Very similar to ‘Angelina’, this very unique sedum is noted for its chocolate-brown foliage color. The chubby, linear leaves are packed onto low cushions that thrive in dry soil or containers. Less vigorous, but very desirable!
NEW!Sedum v. yunnanense Crested Form (Golf Ball Sedum) $4.95 – 4 inch pot You have to look closely to tell if this is actually a sedum. The spherical golf ball shape is a puzzler and I always want to reach out and touch this slightly weird, yet fascinating, creature. The teardrop shaped, fleshy leaves grow in a tight ball, a perfect accent for containers.

NEW! SENECIO vitalis ‘Serpents’ (Blue Chalk Fingers) $4.95 – 4 inch pot I have a specimen of ‘Serpents’ that is several years old and it is quite an eyeful! Growing to twenty four inches in height, and spreading into a fat clump about 24 inches wide, it is a stunner in its own pot where visiting gardeners are always drawn to it. The upright stems are thickly clustered with succulent fingers, with superb heat and drought tolerance. Amazing texture like a miniature pine tree!

END SUCCULENT LISTING

TALINUM paniculatum (Jewels of Opar)    Portulacaceae   Hummingbird Attractor! Full sun    Adaptable self-sowers that thrive in any well drained garden soil.
Talinum ‘Kingwood Gold’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   This is the golden-leaved form of Jewels of Opar, the heirloom annual. Hot pink blooms are born on wiry stems well above the beautiful leaves, and spring open in the afternoon in beautiful contrast to the succulent mounds of golden leaves. Ideal for hot, dry sites that are well drained. Passionately self sows, but I don’t consider it a pest.
Talinum 'Variegated' $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Fleshy leaves of gray-green and creamy white. Hot pink flowers sparkle in the afternoon sunlight.

TECOMA (Yellow Bells)     Bignoniaceae   Hummingbird Attractor!    Full sun to half-day sun
Tecoma stans 'Gold Star' $5.49 – 4 inch pot     One of the shining stars in our tropical commune. Growing to tree-like proportions in its native South America, we lucky souls can prize ‘Gold Star’ as a starring centerpiece in containers, where its upright stems are covered in sprays of large yellow bugle blooms, sweetly fragrant like raspberries, in summer and fall. You’ve heard of thrillers, fillers, and spillers? Consider this is a premier thriller, the main presentation---for a large container if you’re shopping around for a featured plant diva. I simply cannot live without my trained standard (tree form) of ‘Gold Star’. In a large pot, it is returned outdoors in May where it commences its monthly flush of bloom. My plant never seems to be without bloom, and the intoxicating fragrance of raspberries wafts about in the air. This marvelous plant is the ultimate reward for nectar-hungry hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. Selected for Plants of Merit (plantsofmerit.org) at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Height 3 - 6 feet.
Tecoma stans augustifolia 'Sunrise' $7.95 – 4 inch pot   Some like it hot….and so does Tecoma 'Sunrise'! Thriving and blooming in summer's worst heat, the clusters of brilliant orange-yellow blooms, etched in bronze central bee line zones, are heaven to hummers. Pot it with a carpet of Coleus 'India Frills' at its feet, for a perfect color echo. Tecoma stans augusta is native to Texas and Mexico. Height 8 feet.
Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’ $7.95 – 4 inch pot   This hybrid of T. stans x T. alata offers the deepest orange flowers I have seen in this genus. Perfect for standardizing (training into tree form) in containers, where it will thrill gardeners and hummingbirds alike with summer-long, orange-red trumpets that appear in clusters at stem tips. Like its cousins, ‘Orange Jubilee’ is a sun lover, flourishing in heat and sun. Height 4 - 6 feet, dependant on container size.

TELOSMA cordata (Chinese Violet Vine/ Dime Store Floozie Vine) $9.95 – 4 inch pot Asclepiadaceae Full sun to part sun Butterfly Attractor! An extravagant violet fragrance oozes from the small, lovely, yellow blossoms of this twining climber throughout summer, most notably when heat and humidity settle in. The fragrance wafts throughout my garden and retail area, always reminding me of the long, lovely days of late summer when tropicalismo is peaking. It positively enchants in the evening and morning hours---a good excuse to park it in a basket or on a wire obelisk near your sunny patio, where its scent and romance will draw you outdoors and quell any work-a-day worries. Aromatherapy at its finest! I recommend a bark-based potting mix, such as Fafard # 51, or any coarse, well draining soil less mix that is allowed to dry out moderately between waterings. Height 3 to 6 feet.

THUNBERGIA   Acanthaceae
Hummingbird and Butterfly Attractor!   Full sun to part sun
NEW!   Thunbergia alata 'Terra Cotta Skies' (Black Eyed Susan Vine)   $4.95 – 4 inch pot   A mix of black-eyed salmon and creamy apricot flowers. This is a charming, vigorous and super easy to grow granny plant that, I believe, is taken for granted. Try growing them in containers with a tomato cage or wire obelisk tucked in the pot. A lovely focal point in the garden or on the patio. Try under planting ‘Terra Cotta Skies’ with coleus in shades of orange, pink and chartreuse!
Thunbergia battiscombei (Blue Glory Vine)   $11.95- 2-qt   A very essential clock vine for that lush, tropical feel. Large funnel-shaped flowers of dreamy lavender blue just don’t quit, and lush, polished green leaves are the perfect background. A super groudcover, parked beneath towering elephant ears, or spilling from a large basket. Especially lovely in bright shade with Strobilanthes (Purple Shield).

TIBOUCHINA grandifolia $5.95- 4” pot Melastomataceae Zones 10 – 11 Full sun to part sun Grow this beauty for its abundant, huge velvety green leaves that offer eye popping architecture when grown in containers. In winter time conservatories or in more southern zones, expect panicles of violet blue flowers born on stem tips in January and February. Height (for me, in a large container) 4 feet.

TORENIA fournieri ‘Summer Wave Large Blue’ (Wishbone Flower) $4.25 – 4 inch pot Scrophulariaceae Hummingbird Attractor! Full sun to part sun
I happily confess to being a huge fan of the new, more heat and humidity tolerant torenia hybrids. They enchant in a palette of dreamy blues, purples, and magenta. The large snapdragon-type flowers are produced consistently on vigorous mats of fresh green leaves, ideal for baskets and containers, or edging annual and perennial beds. ‘Summer Wave Large Blue’ is the best of the bunch with superb, large blue flowers, a Georgia Gold Medal winner. Height 6 inches.

TRACHELOSPERMUM asiaticum (Star Jasmine)   $5.95 – 4 inch pot   Apocynaceae   Attracts night flying pollinators! Full sun to part sun
Lovely trained on a wire obelisk, sweetly fragrant creamy yellow blooms are packed densely up and down the twining stems in spring and sporadically in summer and fall. Relatively winter hardy, to USDA Zone 7. Further north, containerized plants can be easily wintered over in a frost free area, with an occasional watering. Height 3 to 5 feet.

TRADESCANTIA     Commelinaceae    Full sun to part sun
Tradescantia fluminensis aurea (Chartreuse Wandering Jew) $4.25 – 4 inch pot   This is a delightful groundcover, oblivious to heat and humidity, that is perfect for under planting in tropical and annual beds, or cascading from containers or baskets. The tiny, succulent leaves are a perfect hue of chartreuse that brighten any tropical venue.
Tradescantia boliviensis $4.25 – 4 inch pot This is a very fine textured, tight mound of bitsy green leaves, backed in purple, that are perfect for cascading down the side of a pot, or to carpet the ground beneath you tropical plantings in sun or shade. So versatile, growing in sun or shade!
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Giant’   $5.95 – 4 inch pot   This version of purple inch plant is all pumped up with huge, fleshy, iridescent purple leaves. Limited numbers for 2009.
Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Plush' (Inch plant) $4.95 – 4 inch pot    An irresistible name, an irresistible plant. Another great 'weaver', with unbelievably colored leaves in iridescent violet purple. Did you know that southerners grow this genus as a perennial groundcover? And lovely it is when given full reign in beds, spreading willy nilly…… what a colorful carpet! Like a massive grape juice spill, delicious! My non-gardener (that’s okay) sister in law grows ‘Purple Plush’ in St. Louis (Zone 6) and it returns after every winter. If Kathy can grow it, anyone can! A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from Missouri Botanical Garden. Height 12 - 15 inches.
Tradescantia zebrina $4.95 – 4 inch pot   Reddish violet leaves with a prominent silver stripe down each leaf center, a perfect accent in beds of pink flowering annuals, say wax begonias. Like 'Purple Plush' it makes a splendid groundcover of colorful, flowing foliage tolerant of sun, shade, humidity, heat....anything but soggy soils!

TULBAGHIA (Society Garlic)    Amaryllidaceae    Butterfly Attractor!
Full sun to part sun
Tulbaghia violacea $4.95 qt   I have grown Society Garlic since my herb gardening days, when I used it as a splendid container plant to add interest to a somewhat dull palette of herbs. The fleshy green, long and narrow strap-like leaves are upright, in clumps, and bear long stems of lovely lavender pink umbels all summer and fall. The leaves are scented like garlic and are sometimes used as a seasoning. Our stock originated from Gilberg Perennial Farms in St. Louis, where I purchased my first plant twenty three years ago!
Tulbaghia violacea 'Tricolor' $5.95 qt    Pastel-hued leaves are striped in cream, green and pink, with the same beautiful flowers of T. violacea. A truly beautiful container specimen that in full sun seems to glow. Height 30 inches.

VERBENA    Verbenaceae   Butterfly and Hummingbird Attractor!
Full sun to half-day sun
These impressive annuals form carpets of fine textured leaves with searing color that cannot be beat for edging beds or draped from hanging baskets. I have chosen cultivars that perform well in hot and humid summer climates
NEW!   Verbena bonariensis ‘Little One’ (Dwarf Purple Top)  $4.95 – 4 inch pot    Zones 7 - 10
This is a diminutive version of the species, V. bonariensis (‘Verbena-on-a-Stick’) only growing to 18 – 24 inches tall. A vigorous self seeder once planted it is a friend forever, and brings delightful hazy-blue clouds of color to the summer garden that Monet would have appreciated. Indispensable in butterfly gardens!
NEW!   Verbena ‘Carolina Coral’ $4.95 – 4 inch pot   From photos that I have seen of this hard-to-find cultivar, it has perhaps the most unusual color in the bunch. Juicy coral-orange flowers cry out for color echoes with orange hued coleus, zinnias, you name it. It is a typical annual verbena, heat loving and forming colorful carpets that are sirens to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Verbena 'Imagination' $4.95 – 4 inch pot This seed grown verbena is a favorite here at the nursery. The mossy leaves make soft, low mounds that spread quickly to 24 inches across, covered in umbels of deep purple blooms. Summer's worst heat and humidity don't seem to faze it. Truly wonderful and, lucky us, it self sows. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden (mobot.org)
Verbena 'Lanai Bright Pink' $4.95 - 4 inch pot   The Lanai series of verbenas from Flower Fields are some of the best new hybrids in years. 'Lanai Bright Pink' forms low mounds covered in rose pink flowers all season long. Luscious!
Verbena 'Mystic' $4.95 - 4 inch pot    Here is an unusual hue of powder blue in verbenas. This color glows, especially on cloudy days and after sunset and looks great in any color scheme. Very beautiful and very heat tolerant, this jewel is perfect for steamy summer climates where other verbena fail. Height 3 inches. Spread 24 inches.

VIGNA caracalla (Snail Vine) $5.95 - 4 inch pot Fabaceae
Full sun or half-day sun
This tropical lovely is quite vigorous, clamoring up to ten feet when given full reign. In the heat of summer, awesome 'corkscrew' flowers of lavender, sweetly fragrant, dot the winding stems. Easily grown and satisfying. Height 8 to 10 feet.

XANTHOSOMA (Elephant Ear) Araceae
Full sun to half-day sun Deer resistant
Xanthosoma mafaffa 'Lime Zinger' (The Big Mafaffa) $9.95 – 4 inch pot Once again the Jungle Gods have descended on Cottage Garden , and we fall on our knees in worshipful thanks for this, their finest offering. A massive ear of glowing, succulent chartreuse leaves named 'Lime Zinger'. Ours summered in a pot with half-day sun, under planted with bronze and lime-green patterned Coleus 'Inky Fingers'. Playing second fiddle in containers nearby were golden shrimp plant, Coleus 'Trailing Salamander' and Salvia 'Paul. You get it, a masterful, if I do say so, blend of bronze, purple, maroon and chartreuse proving that, yes, horticulture is indeed art. Thrives in compost enriched soil, where it will morph into Colossus the Master of the Universe! Height 3 to 5 feet. A Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.
Xanthosoma violaceum (Blue Zinger Elephant Ear) $9.95 – 4 inch pot The giant arrowhead leaves of blue suede might very well be the lure for you. Then you see the amazing stems of violet-purple and it's hard to think of anything other than the countless possibilities of designing with this humongous ear. I always remove the lower leaves, better to see that amazing stem color, and eye popping combinations evolve when under planted with lantana, dwarf coleus, or wow!, Evolvulus 'Blue Daze', for a dreamy palette of blue and purple hues. Like its cousin 'Lime Zinger', blue taro prefers moist, organically rich soil, and this ear can take full sun, thriving in heat and humidity. It will freak out neighbors and any poor faint-of-heart souls who have pitifully remained ignorant and happy with lesser plants. Shame, shame. Height 3 - 5 feet.

Annuals & Tropicals