Rare & Unusual Plants

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

Tall dense spikes of light blue-purple tubular flowers are held above the licorice-scented deep green foliage that is neatly edged in bright white. The nectar rich flowers are produced throughout the growing season and attract a seemingly endless procession of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Crazy Fortune Anise Hyssop, a selection of the award winning Blue Fortune, is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial with an upright bushy habit maturing to about 2-3'H and half as wide. The variegated foliage will be most noticeable where plants are upclose and personal making this an easy choice for containers on a sunny deck or patio or near the front of the garden or landscape. Provide a well-drained, fertile, average moist soil in a full to mostly sunny location for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Concept Plants BV®, all rights reserved. Item# 13161

Huge 18-24" long spikes of deep coral-red to red-orange, 2" long pea-like flowers are produced in cycles throughout the warmer months of the year on new growth. The specialized flowers are designed for hummingbird pollination but may also be visited by larger bees and occasional butterflies. The Crybaby or Cockspur Coral Tree, Erythrina crista-galli, is considered to be one of the most cold hardy and free flowering of the Coral Trees. This is a rarely available and highly desirable fast-growing, heat and sunloving, deciduous tropical tropical tree to large shrub growing to about 15-20' high in zones 9B-10 but is typically closer to 10' high in zones 8B-9A. Once well-established, the plants are somewhat drought resistant and are slightly salt tolerant. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average moist to moist , fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Protect young plants from harsh freezing temperatures until the trunk becomes woody and has grown to about 5-6" diameter if planting out in zone 8B-9A. Young plants can be overwintered indoors in a warm sunny window until they get to an appropriate size for planting out. The huge flower clusters are utilized as cutflowers in its native range and it is also the national tree of Argentina, the national flower of both Uruguay and Argentina, and is the city tree of Los Angeles as it makes a fantastic, low-maintenance street tree. A Royal Horticulture Society Award of Garden Merit Award winner for its reliablity and flower power. Item# 9137

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

A branch sport of Chicago Hardy with very short internodes producing a very compact, well-branched plant that is a good producer and is ideal for container culture. Expect Fignomenal to produce large crops of medium to small nearly black to brown or violet, pear shaped to turbinate figs with amber to strawberry flesh with a rich sweet flavor. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and fruit production. Protect young trees for the first few years especially in zones 8A and colder while they become established. Item# 13249

Large rounded clusters composed of a multitude 2" tubular flowers open a deep red, fade through orange, and finally to a coral pink are produced throughout summer and into fall attracting hummingbirds for miles around. The Firecracker Bush, Bouvardia ternifolia, is a naturally small upright to rounded subtropical shrub native to the US desert southwest and Mexico. Its desert roots makes this an easy and forgiving container plant as well as an excellent addition to the garden and landscape. Provide the Firecracker Bush with a well-drained soil in a fertile, average moist soil in part shade to bright shade for optimum vigor and flowering. Under warm frost free conditions it may flower nearly year-round. Item# 13182

An unusual plant rarely found for sale in the US, Giant Blue African Salvia produces spikes, up to 16" high, of blue to purple, up to 2" long, hooded, two-lipped, tubular, lightly fragrant flowers throughout the warmer months of the year with the heaviest flowering in spring and late summer and fall. A vigorous tender herbaceous plant with very large tropical foliage and square stems that can easily reach 6-9' high and may grow to 15' high becoming tree-like in its native habitat. Item# 10703.

The clusters of purple to purplish-pink 3" wide trumpet shaped flowers with a nicely contrasting white ring surrounding the yellow throats that are lined with fine magenta lines that guide large bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the nectar and pollen reward inside. The Glowvine, Bignonia magnifica, is a highly desireable, exceptionally free flowering, naturally evergreen tropical vine with unusual pairs of oval leaflets that are centered by its grasping tendrils. Once mature, these easy to grow vigorous vines can flower continuously throughout the year under warm tropical conditions. The Glowvine (a.k.a. Glow Vine) can be trained as a shrub and overwintered indoors with regular pruning or allow it to cover fences, trellises, and arbors in tropical regions. Item# 12033

Large clusters of brilliant golden yellow 3" long trumpet shaped flowers are produced most heavily in early to midspring and may be produced sporadically during the growing season. The nectar rich flowers are produced during its short deciduous period to better show them off while attracting a variety of pollinators including hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. The Golden Trumpet Tree, previously Tabebuia chrysotricha and now classified as Handroanthus chrysotrichus, is a highly sought after, relatively fast growing, small to medium sized, short term deciduous, tropical tree that develops a naturally rounded crown at maturity growing to about 25-35'H and nearly as wide. This is a good choice as a street tree, small lawn tree, or for lightly shading a pool or patio. Pollinated flowers produce long, curving brown fuzzy seed pods. The Tabebuia prefers a well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 9678

The fine dark green linear foliage is tipped with a slightly larger rounded pad and adorns fine trailing to twining stems. The Grass-Leaved Hoya, Hoya retusa, produces white waxy flowers that are centered by a nicely contrasting deep burgundy 'eye' in spring and on and off during the growing season on mature plants. The flowers are born singly and in small clusters. This unusual Hoya hails from India and its fine stems lend it to use as a hanging basket specimen, allow it to spill from containers like the 'head' pots as wild looking hair, and it can be used as a groundcover below larger plants that require similar conditions as long as there is ample bright light to keep it growing and healthy. Like most Hoyas, allow the soil to become semi-dry between waterings although this species can tolerate a little more moisture than most. Item# 12294