Rare & Unusual Plants

As sexy as Hot Lips but in an all new shade! The spikes of two-lipped tubular bright white flowers are tipped with a broad band of deep cherry red at the tips of the petals creating a stunning contrast. Flowers may be solid cherry red when the weather is cool and dreary but quickly revert to their two-toned splendor with a little sunshine. Cherry Lips Salvia begins flowering in late spring or early summer and continues into fall, all the while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. A hybrid of the two native species S. greggii and S. microphylla, a.k.a S. x jamensis, this sunloving Sage develops into a naturally rounded, shrub-like perennial that may remain evergreen in mild winter climates, like zones 9B-10, but acts like a die-back perennial where temperatures fall much below about 30^oF. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in well-drained, average moist, fertile soils for maximum flower power. Item# 12471

This rare and magnificent member of the Witchhazel family, Hamamelidiceae, is a close kin to the more widely grown Persian Ironwood, Parrotia persica, but offers better cold hardiness, improved heat tolerance, brilliant red long-lasting fall color, better wind resistance, excellent disease and pest resistance, and it tends to be faster growing. The Chinese Ironwood, Parrotia subaequalis, develops into a multi-trunked, naturally vase-shaped to rounded, deciduous large shrub to small tree growing to 15-30' high. The beautiful exfoliating bark in shades of green, tan, and white and on mature trunks add another season of interest while the clusters of small Witchhazel-like red winter to early spring flowers are hardly noticeable. The fall color of the Chinese Ironwood starts out maroon and deepens to an intense glowing red that lasts for weeks whether grown in sun or shade. It is considered to be drought resistant but should be provided with average moisture until well-established. Item# 12265

The spikes of ball-shaped deep red-pink buds uncurl into deep rosy pink and cream flowers that may be produced throughout the year on mature plants and are sure to attract low-flying hummingbirds and some larger bees. Coastal Gem Grevillea is a very low growing nearly ground-hugging, evergreen, subtropical shrub that tops out at about 1' high and can reach 4-5' feet across at maturity. It makes an easy choice as an evergreen groundcover in tough situations where hardy or add it to rock and xeric gardens for a long-flowering specimen plant. Coastal Gem Grevillea is one of the few US hybrids and was developed at the University of California's Santa Cruz Arboretum and has proven to be cold hardy well into zone 8. It is tolerant of full sun to part sun conditions and needs little supplemental water once well-established in the garden and landscape. Grevilleas can be maintained as container plants where not hardy and the flowers make long-lasting cutflowers. Do not use phosphorous containing fertilizers, especially in soil-less potting mixes and soils low in Iron. Item# 12639

The large, glossy, dark green, tropical foliage of the Congo Fig, Dorstenia bahiensis, creates a beautiful rosette of foliage on a 2-4" high stem that will rarely exceed 12" high and about 18" wide making it the perfect little container plant. Unusual flattened maroonish 'flowers', technically hypanthodia, are produced basically year-round and are held on sturdy stalks and peak above the foliage of this easy and unusual indoor plant. The flower structures forcefully eject the ripened seeds a few feet from the mother plant. The cream to tan colored seeds require no pollination and are clones of the parent plant and so often come up in the pots of neighboring plants. The Congo Fig is quite tolerant of low to high indirect light and is forgiving when it comes to moisture levels but the plants seem to be happiest in a well-draining, average moist, fertile soil. Item# 10055

The stiff ferny fronds are adorned with numerous thick leathery medium to deep green leaflets often with a bronze tinge and emerge from what becomes an underground trunk. The Coontie, Zamia integrifolia (a.k.a Z. pumila), is a small tough southeastern native Cycad that eventually develops an underground trunk that will branch with age creating a dense 24-36" high cover of the soft to medium textured fronds. It is resistant to drought, tolerates high heat and humidity, sun or shade, and is a very low maintainence addition to the landscape. In areas that experience hard freezes, like zone 8, the foliage may freeze back but a new flush readily returns in spring. Makes an easy bonsai and a low maintenance container plant. Item# 12729

The large 8" long, white to greenish white, dangling angel's trumpet-like, night fragrant flowers are produced over an extended period a few times a year and the plants begin flowering at a very young age. Cubanola or Campanita, Portlandia domingensis, is a naturally evergreen small tree-like tropical shrub with glossy rich green foliage growing to about 5-8' high. It is shade tolerant but is reported to flower the most profusely where it gets more sun. The night fragrant flowers attract a variety of pollinating moths and makes a neat addition to a moon moth garden either as a container plant or in the ground where reliably hardy. Provide an average moist well-drained soil for optimum growth and flowering. Item# 12229

The deep green 4-angled succulent stems are tipped with deep green fuzzy palmate grape or cucumber-like foliage that soon becomes deciduous. The Cucumber Cactus, Cissus quadrangularis, is an easy to succulent herbaceous vining to trailing plant whose stems can potentially grow to 5-15' long if a support is provided but is easily kept as a smaller hanging basket or container plant. In spring it may produce clusters of small green to yellowish flowers that may be followed by grape-like clusters of red to black berries. This unusual succulent is drought resistant and is quite adaptable to growing conditions from full sun to light shade as well as very acidic to very alkaline soils, although, it does require good to excellent drainage and should never be soggy wet. The Cucumber Cactus has been used medicinally,as food, and as fiber in its native tropical Asia and Africa. If stems happen to break off they will readily root. Item# 12438

Clusters of red, 3/4-1" long, flaring tubular flowers with yellow throats encircle the softly textured fountaining green stems from summer to fall on this heat and sun-loving drought resistant perennial. Desert Fire Firecracker Fern is a herbacious tropical perennial with low-growing to fountaining green stems whose flowers attract hummingbirds and larger butterflies. This Mexican native is considered to be cold hardy into the warmer portions of zone 9 and it makes this an excellent choice for sun-baked xeric landscapes, well-draining garden soils, as well as a container specimen where not reliably hardy. Item# 9566

Masses of deep brick red trumpet shaped flowers nearly cover up this vine in spring or early summer just in time for arriving hummingbirds. It's almost like the two coordinate it or something! The red Dragon Lady Crossvine is a vigorous evergreen to semi-evergreen clinging vine(it does so via pads on the end of its tendrils and so is not destructive to brickwork and masonry) that can easily clamber up or along masonry, tree bark, fences, or other structural supports on its own. Crossvines are a low maintenance choice for fences, posts, arbors, and larger trellises. The deep red trumpet shaped flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. The foliage takes on purple and burgundy coloration throughout the cooler months when grown in full to mostly sunny conditions. Dragon Lady Crossvine is reported to be a slightly more cold hardy selection and was chosen as the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society's Gold Medal Award winner in 2003. Item# 391

The near black to dark burgundy, large, sagittate to near heart-shaped tropical foliage adorns the black to deep burgundy stems of this reverted form of the Pink Princess Philodendron. The Duchess of Burgundy Philodendron, Philodendron erubescens, is the non-variegated form of this species. It is a slow growing mounding to vine-like Philodendron and can be trained to a wooden support where its sturdy adventitious roots will attach to it. Provide an average moist, fertile, high quality, well-draining potting soil in high light for optimum vigor and color. During the warmer months of the year, when night time temperatures remain above about 60-65^oF, the Princess of Burgundy Philodendron can be enjoyed on a brightly lit porch or patio. Item# 11700

Tall spikes adorned with whorls of 3/8" purple flowers edged in light lavender are produced throughout the growing season and the nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and even hummingbird moths. From the breeding work of the Durham twins of east Texas, Darrell and Jerrell, comes this unusual picoteed color form of Porterweed. These are vigorous well-branched herbaceous to shrub-like tropical perennials that revel in the heat and sun of summer providing a continuous display of flowers and pollinators until the first frost. The flower power of Porterweeds makes them worthy of being grown as annuals where not hardy or they can be overwintered as container plants in a warm sunny location indoors. Provide a full to mostly sunny location with average or better drainage and moderate fertility for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11967

Tall spikes adorned with whorls of 3/8" purple flowers edged in white to light lavender are produced throughout the growing season and the nectar rich flowers attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and even hummingbird moths. From the breeding work of the Durham twins of east Texas, Darrell and Jerrell, comes this unusual picoteed color form of Porterweed. These are vigorous well-branched herbaceous to shrub-like tropical perennials that revel in the heat and sun of summer providing a continuous display of flowers and pollinators until the first frost. The flower power of Porterweeds makes them worthy of being grown as annuals where not hardy or they can be overwintered as container plants in a warm sunny location indoors. Provide a full to mostly sunny location with average or better drainage and moderate fertility for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11931

Exceptionally dark purple to black shamrock-like foliage creates the perfect foil for the white to light pink trumpet shaped flowers that are produced during much of the the growing season. Ebony Allure™ Purple False Shamrock, a selection of Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionaceae, is the latest, darkest foliaged cultivar of this popular container and garden plant which can be enjoyed indoors or out. This is a clump-forming bulbous and non-aggressive Oxalis that slowly multiplies into larger and larger clumps. Ebony Allure™ Purple Oxalis will perform best in a well-draining, average moist, fertile soil under lightly shaded conditions. Easy and rewarding! Images courtesy of AG3, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12456

The starry soft primrose yellow, wavy edged flowers are centered by a deeper yellow star shaped throat that is tinged with orange at its edges and are produced in clusters of 3-4 atop light green sturdy stems in late winter to early spring. Evan's Yellow Amaryllis, Hippeastrum evansiae, is a rare and endangered Bolivian Amaryllis species that readily produces offsets at the tips of the fleshy roots during winter dormancy. It is from a relatively dry region and does best in soils with excellent drainage and will prefer a dry winter rest period of 6-8 weeks prior to flowering. Evan's Yellow Amaryllis is considered to be one of the smallest Hippeastrum species and is a naturally deciduous tropical species. It is reported to be hardy into zone 9B, although, it is possible it will withstand colder regions but we have not yet tried it in the ground. Grown from offsets of our parent plants and are planted one flowering-size bulb per 4.5" pot. Item# 12278

The starry soft primrose yellow, wavy edged flowers are centered by a deeper yellow star shaped throat that is tinged with orange at its edges and are produced in clusters of 3-4 atop light green sturdy stems in late winter to early spring. Evan's Yellow Amaryllis, Hippeastrum evansiae, is a rare and endangered Bolivian Amaryllis species that readily produces offsets at the tips of the fleshy roots during winter dormancy. It is from a relatively dry region and does best in soils with excellent drainage and will prefer a dry winter rest period of 6-8 weeks prior to flowering. Evan's Yellow Amaryllis is considered to be one of the smallest Hippeastrum species and is a naturally deciduous tropical species. It is reported to be hardy into zone 9B, although, it is possible it will withstand colder regions but we have not yet tried it in the ground. Grown from offsets of our parent plants and are planted one flowering-size bulb per 4.5" pot. Item# 12754

Spike-like clusters of deep red ball-shaped buds uncurl into fiery red and red-orange hooked flowers that are produced throughout the warmer months of the year to potentially year-round on mature plants all the while attracting hordes of hummingbirds and some larger bees. Fire Sprite Grevillea is a vigorous, naturally evergreen, subtropical shrub with deeply cut, rich green foliage suitable for use as a specimen plant or informal hedge or screen. Grevilleas need little supplemental water once well-established in the garden or landscape. It also makes an easy, low-maintenance and forgiving container specimen that can be overwintered indoors where not hardy. Grevilleas may also be utilized as cut flowers. Do not use phosphorous containing fertilizers, especially in soil-less potting mixes and soils low in Iron. Item# 12640

Tall dense spikes of foxglove flowers in shades of orange are produced beginning in late spring with the show continuing into fall above the rosettes of dark green foliage. Firecracker Digiplexis, is one of the first cross-generic hybrids between the tropical Canary Island Isoplexis (now classified as a Digitalis) and Digitalis purpurea producing a vigorous exceptionally free flowering hybrid. These new longer flowering Foxgloves can be added to the garden and landscape but also make showy container specimens. The flowers are sure to draw in a variety of pollinators for the nectar rich reward. Firecracker Digiplexis is considered hardy in zone 8, in colder climates it makes a worthy annual. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12303

One-sided, toothbrush-like, upward facing spikes of deep red hooked filaments spring erect from short purple to red-purple tubes from late winter to fall to potentially year-round. Guadi Chaudi Grevillea, a naturally occurring hybrid, is a very low growing, ground-hugging, naturally evergreen shrub with bronze and red-tinged oak-like foliage that can be readily used as a tough drought-resistant groundcover or allow it to spill over walls. Grevilleas need little supplemental water once well-established in the garden or landscape. Grevilleas may also be utilized as cut flowers. Do not use phosphorous containing fertilizers, especially in soil-less potting mixes and soils low in Iron. Item# 12641