Orange Fruit

The dainty white flowers of spring are soon followed by bumpy green fruits that mature to pink and then nearly to red. Once fully mature the pods split open to display the bright orange seeds inside giving it the name of Hearts-A-Burstin'. The American Strawberry bush is typically a deciduous to tardily deciduous large shrub (this selection seems to be more consistently evergreen) with green stems and dark to medium green, somewhat glossy foliage that is native to much of the eastern and central US. Excellent fall color in oranges, reds, and yellows. Images of fruit courtesy of Susan Thomas Spell. Item# 10218.

The sweet melon scented, 8-10" wide huge white flowers are produced in midspring and can potentially reach 12" across with pollinated flowers producing large cones with bright orange-red fleshy seeds. One of the most notable aspects of the Bigleaf Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, as its name suggest is its huge, wide, bluish-green foliage with a white reverse that can be up to 30" long and over 12" wide boasting the largest leaves of any native North American tree. This is a medium sized, deciduous tree with a slow to moderate rate of growth with a pyramidal habit when young eventually developing a rounded crown at maturity. Provide the Bigleaf Magnolia with an average moist, well-drained, acidic soil rich in organic matter preferably sited out of strong winds to protect the foliage. It can be grown in full sun to partly shaded conditions and flowering usually begins at around 10 years of age. The flowers offer nectar to a variety of pollinators and the ripe fruit is utilized by birds and small mammals. Item# 12600

A small native tree or large thicket forming, suckering shrub which is covered with lightly fragrant white flowers in late winter or early spring before the leaves emerge and are followed by about 1" diameter or slightly larger red to yellow fruit. The Chickasaw Plum, Prunus angustifolia, is widely distributed throughout the south central and southeastern portion of the US and is typically found on well-draining sandy sites although it is considered to be fairly adaptable even in clay soils. Fruit quality varies from tree to tree with some fruits being tart to sweet while that on other trees may be bitter and typically ripens in early to midsummer. The dense growing canopy offers protection to nesting birds, the flowers attract a variety of pollinators especially bees, and the fruit can be eaten fresh or made into preserves or jelly. Provide this deciduous native with a full to mostly sunny site, with average or better drainage, and an average moist soil. Item# 1097

Crushed Coral Mamou Bean produces tall spikes of dark coral pink, 2-3" tubular flowers in late spring and early summer atop sturdy stems that are held well above the foliage of this tough native perennial. The Mamou Bean is a drought tolerant and hardy shrublet that freezes back to the ground to return in spring. The flowers are followed by dark colored bean pods that split open to display their brilliant red-orange beans that can remain on the plant all winter. Excellent for Hummingbirds.  Crushed Coral Mamou Bean is an Almost Eden exclusive introduction. Item# 10751

A wonderfully free-flowering Gardenia that was selected by Greg Grant from seed collected from Rosedown Plantation and named in honor of the garden's owner and horticulturist Martha Turnbull. 2-3" sweetly fragrant, white star-like single flowers are born over a long period beginning in spring and lasting through summer. Cross-pollinated flowers will produce bright orange hips to provide winter interest. Item# 9867.

A wonderfully free-flowering Gardenia that was selected by Greg Grant from seed collected from Rosedown Plantation and named in honor of the garden's owner and horticulturist Martha Turnbull. 2-3" sweetly fragrant, white star-like single flowers are born over a long period beginning in spring and lasting through summer. Cross-pollinated flowers will produce bright orange hips to provide winter interest. Item# 12237

Tall spikes of glowing red to purplish-red, 2-3" tubular blooms are born in summer above the foliage of this tough native perennial. A drought tolerant and hardy shrublet that freezes back to the ground to return in spring. The flowers are followed by dark colored bean pods that split open to display their brilliant red-orange beans that can remain on the plant all winter. Excellent for Hummingbirds. Item# 9408.

The huge white fruitily fragrant flowers of the Southern Magnolia can reach up to 12" across and are set against a backdrop of deep green glossy foliage in mid to late spring. Pollinated flowers are followed by cones whose fruit ripens to bright red and are often used as additions to fall and early winter bouquets, wreaths, and other types of floral arrangements. The ripe red fruit attract songbirds and small mammals. The Southern Magnolia is a moderately fast growing tree when young and typically develops into a naturally pyramidal form when young and typically develops a rounded crown at maturity. In a full to mostly sunny position limbs will often reach to ground even on mature trees and the dense thick foliage makes a nearly impenetrable mulch beneath them. Seedling trees, which these are, are somewhat variable and flowering may not begin flowering until the trees are 10-25 years of age. Item# 12030

Royal purple, 1/2" blooms that are edged in white lace, are born in drooping clusters from spring or early summer until frost and attract butterflies and bees. The nectar rich flowers are followed by grape-like clusters of 1/2" golden berries giving it the name of 'Golden Dewdrop'. Sweet Memories Purple Sky Flower is naturally a large multi-stemmed tropical shrub and can be trained into tree standards or use it as a hedge or screen in mild winter climates. In mild winters in zones 8B and 9, well-established plants may act as a die-back perennials or they can easily be overwintered as a container plants. Item# 579

The Sweetbay Magnolia or White Bay is an upright to pyramidal generally small to medium-sized native tree typically found growing in baygalls as well as along small creeks and streams in nearly every state bordering the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf Coast. In midspring, mature trees produce fragrant white flowers to about 4" across and are followed by typical Magnolia cones whose seeds turn a bright orangey-red when mature in fall and winter and are utilized by songbirds as well as other wildlife. Magnolia virginiana is sometimes used as a caterpillar host by Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly, Palamedes Swallowtail Butterfly, Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly, and the Sweet Bay Silk Moth .The deep blue-green to green foliage has a white reverse and can be used in the place of the unrelated Bay Leaf which is also known as Sweetbay or Laurus nobilis. Prefers average moist to moist to boggy to swampy acidic soils and is tolerant of clay soils. Item# 11713

see # 666 for the cooking Bay, Laurus Nobilis.

Pure-white 1/2" blooms are born in grape-like drooping clusters from spring/summer to frost on this large tropical shrub sometimes grown as a tender perennial or annual. In freeze-free climates the Duranta can be used as a hedge or screen or train them into beautiful small trees. In the mildest portions of zone 8B-9 it will often act as a die-back perennial. The blooms are followed by 1/2" golden berries giving it the name of 'Golden Dewdrop'. Item# 737.

Dainty white and green spring flowers develop into dense masses of 1/4-3/8" diameter, deep golden yellow berries that adorn the bare winter stems for months. Winter Gold Winterberry, a selection of Ilex verticillata, is a native, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub growing to about 5-8'H x 5-8'W. Young plants tend to have an upright habit and then become rounded at maturity. The fruit of the Winterberry Holly is utilized by a variety of songbirds. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in an average moist to wet, fertile soil. A male holly, not necessarily of the same species, that flowers at the same time is required for good fruit set. The nectar and pollen laden flowers are an important resource for a variety of native bees and smaller pollinators. Item# 12745