Rare & Unusual Plants

Loads of 1-1/2" wide, purple tinged rich peachy-pink, starry funnel shaped flowers are produced in midspring with good repeat in fall all on a low mounding spreading plant. Momo No Haru Azalea, which roughly translates to 'Spring of Peach', is a dwarf Satsuki evergreen azalea slowly building to about 2-3'H x 4-5'W. Its compact habit lend it to use as a bonsai specimen but it can also be utilized as a low growing evergreen hedge or as a specimen plant in the garden and landscape. Azaleas do best in average moist, acidic soils that are rich in organic matter but have good to excellent drainage and should be top dressed with an organic mulch such as pine straw and pine bark. We recommend using a slow-release, non-burning fertilizer that is labeled for acidic loving plants. Azalea flowers attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 12801

The 8-10" long rounded to nearly heart-shaped, deep green leaves are full of large holes leaving a narrow band of leaf blade around the edges and between the holes. The Monkey Mask Monstera, possibly a selection of Monstera adansonii, has foliage and stems that are 2-3 times larger than the more common Swiss Cheese Plant. This is a naturally evergreen, shade tolerant tropical vine that can be trained to a wooden support where its adventitious roots will naturally attach itself. During the warmer months of the year or in freeze free climates this tropical plant can be grown on a shaded porch or patio. Provide a well-drained, average moist (never soggy wet), fertile soil for optimum growth and vigor. Item# 12725

Wow! Possibly THE darkest purple Salvia on the market today! Dark colored spikes of deep royal purple, sometimes with a hint of red, two-lipped tubular flowers are produced from spring to fall on a compact well-branched vigorous plant. Nachtvlinder Salvia is a perennial Salvia with excellent vigor and flower power growing to about 24" high and wide and is adorned with glossy green fragrant foliage. Nachtvlinder translates to "night butterfly" or "moth" and was discovered as a chance seedling in the gardens of Hessenhoff Nursery in the Netherlands and is reported to have withstood temperatures as low as -4^oF. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Nachtvlinder Salvia is compact enough for low-maintenance specimens or add it to the garden and landscape for a summer long show. The nectar rich flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and the occasional butterfly. A Royal Horticulture Society 2015 Award of Garden Merit Winner. Item# 12474

The 2-3" wide light sky-blue trumpets with yellow throats are produced throughout the warmer months of the year, to year-round under warm tropical conditions, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds all on a compact upright to spilling plant with medium green foliage. The Natal Blue Bell, Thunbergia natalensis, is very similar to the slightly more commonly grown Blue Glory Vine, Thunbergia battiescombeii. Like its cousin, this is a tropical herbaceous perennial producing a multitude of upright to sprawling stems to about 18-24" high and sprawling to about 36-48" wide and it can be enjoyed as a container plant or in the ground in zones 9 and warmer. Provide the Natal Blue Bell with a partly sunny to partly shaded site in a fertile, well-drained, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering throughout the growing season. Item# 12703

The loose hanging flower clusters of the rare Nong Nooch Vine can reach over 4' in length! Long-lasting bright yellow bracts subtend the creamy white tubular flowers and the dark green tropical foliage makes a wonderful foil for this easily grown tropical climber that blooms throughout the warmer months of the year. Grow the Nong Nooch Vine as a vine on small to medium-sized trellises or allow it to trail in hanging baskets. The flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and likely larger bees. It can be grown in full sun but greenhouse grown plants, like ours, should be slowly acclimated to sunny conditions or leaf burn may occur. Provide an average moist to moist but never soggy wet, fertile, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 10045

Large tight clusters, reaching up to 4-6" across, of orange flowers sit atop sturdy curving 18-24" stems that emerge in early spring just before and as the new foliage is unfurling. A rare and unusual South African beauty, the Paintbrush Lily is a shade loving bulb for well-drained, lightly shaded sites and is a close cousin of the Blood Lily or Football Lily, Scadoxus multiflorus. Item# 10892.

A rare and highly prized, the Pedali Tree or Purple Radermachera prodcues 2" wide light purple trumpets with contrasting yellow to orange beelines in the throat are produced throughout the growing season or yearround in warm tropical climates. A.k.a. Purple Radermachera Tree, this is a vigorous exceptionally free-flowering small tropical tree with glossy rich green foliage reaching about 20-25' high at maturity making it an excellent size as a smaller specimen in the landscape or as a street tree. Unlike many in the Radermachera genus this one lacks the fragrance but makes up for it with its flower show. It can also be grown as an indoor plant that is prized for its glossy green foliage but flowering is best where it receives direct sunlight. Item# 12015

The fleshy deep green to reddish green 1/2" diameter, 4-5 angled, branched stems are adorned with small spikey thorns that produces 3-5" wide pale yellow to near white starry flowers that are overlaid with intricate burgundy and dark burgundy variegation reminiscent of a Persian carpet. It can flower any time of year and multiple times per year once fully mature and under good conditions. Like Stapeliads, this plant is pollinated by flies and has a rotten carrion like odor to attract them but you may have to put your nose in the flower to notice it as it does not seem to permeate the air. The Persian Carpet Flower, Edithcolea grandis newly reclassified as Ceropegia sordida, is an evergreen herbaceous succulent from tropical Africa that can build to 4-8"H x 12"W and is typically found growing in partially shaded to occassionally full sun conditions in dry desert-like regions. Its main requirements are soils with excellent drainage and warm temperatures, preferably not below about 60^oF. The Persian Carpet Flower should make an easy summer porch or patio plant or even as a hanging basket where it receives at least some direct sunlight during the day to promote flowering. It can tolerate slightly more moisture when in active growth but should still be allowed to become moderately dry between waterings. Reduce watering in winter, especially if grown under cool conditions. These are well-established young plants that are already branching. Item# 12457

Hundreds of Japanese-lantern like buds open to display the unusual, downward facing, deep rosy pink flowers with strappy petals, that lighten toward their tips and are red speckled on the inside, are produced in late spring and early to midsummer with some repeat into fall. The flowers are held in large clusters of up to 50 flowers from the upright flower stems. Pink Octopus Japanese Bellflower, an unusually heat and humidity tolerant Campanula hybrid, is a clump forming, slowly spreading, 12-16" high perennial with feathery edged deep green foliage that makes an easy groundcover in full sun to part shade conditions. Provide an average moist soil in full sun but tolerant of drier soils in shaded areas once fully estagblished. Soils should be well-drained for optimum growth and flowering. Pink Octopus Bellflower was recommended for green roofs by Jimmy Turner while he was at the Dallas Arboretum and it performed quite well in their Perennials for Purgatory trials. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12861

Large, 3" wide deep purplish red trumpet shaped flowers are produced throughout the warmer months of the year to potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions. The Purple Allamanda, we originally thought that this was the dwarf form, is a vigorous growing and very free flowering, naturally evergreen, scandent (or vine-like shrub, rambler, etc.) and can be trained to espelier, trellis, or arbor or periodic pruning will help to keep it semi-shrub-like. Rich green smooth foliage adorns the upright to arching stems on a plant that grows to about 8-12'H and may get larger with age under good conditions. Provide the Purple Alllamanda with a full to partly sunny site in an average moist but never soggy wet, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Where not hardy it can be easily overwintered in a warm sunny window as a container plant. It should make an excellent container specimen that is sure to add a little tropical flair to any sunny setting. Item# 12976

This very rare red flowered form of Chinese Hat produces red tubular blooms that emerge from the Chinese hat-like red calyxes are produced from late summer to autumn along the arching stems of this unusual shrub. An excellent late summer and fall flowering shrub-like to die-back perennial for a sunny location. Easy and begins flowering just in time for the Hummingbird migration southward. Provide a deep winter mulch in the northern portions of its range. Item# 11486

The Red Firecracker Fern produces loads of 1" showy red tubular flowers that are born in large loose clusters along the arching ferny stems throughout the warmer months of the year or nearly year round where winters are mild. Excellent for Hummingbirds! This is a durable and long-lived, clump forming perennial that requires little additional care once well-established. The Firecracker Fern has excellent heat and sun tolerance as well as moderate drought resistance once well-established. It is even listed as being suitable for xeriscaping. Firecracker Fern, Russelia equisetiformis, is listed as a Texas A&M Outstanding Coastal Plant as it has excellent resistance to soil and wind born salts, though it could use some protection from harsh, drying winds. It is also an RHS Award of Garden Merit selection. It can be used as a low informal hedge, allow it to spill over walls, enjoy it as a hanging basket, window box, or container specimen, as well as in mixed container gardens. Item# 417

Dense bottlebrush-like flowers composed of fragrant frilly white to cream colored flowers are produced atop the tips of the bare stems in late winter or early spring. Redneck Nation Fothergilla or Witch Alder is a moderately dense growing small to medium sized deciduous suckering native shrub with showy gray-green and bronze new growth that matures to blue-green in summer and produces fall color in shades of red, orange, and yellow. This species is new to science as of 2020! The the cultivar name is in honor of its original discovery by botanist and naturalist Fred Nation in Baldwin County, Alabama and the species name honors Dr. Ron Miller. Provide an average moist, well-drained, acidic soil in full to partly sunny location for optimum vigor and flowering. Redneck Nation Fothergilla can be used as a low growing and low maintenance informal hedge or as a specimen plant in the garden and landscape as well as in naturalistic settings. Flowers will be similar to those shown although this is an image of Mt. Airy Fothergilla. Item# 12165

Purple, purple tinged to green oblong succulent foliage to about 1" long adorns fine purple stems and is topped by sweet sunny yellow daisies on short fine stems that open on sunny days in late spring, summer, and fall and attract smaller pollinators. This purple to purple tinged form of the Little Pickles Plant, Othonna capensis 'Ruby Necklace', is a suprisingly hardy evergreen perennial, into zone 5!, and develops into a low dense mass of succulent foliage and stems commonly spreading to 12-18" wide or where it is allowed to trail it can reach 36" long. It has the deepest foliage color in full to mostly sunny sites but is also tolerant of partial shade as well as in sunny windows indoors. Use Ruby Necklace in mixed container gardens, as a groundcover, in rock gardens, or allow it to spill from baskets, containers and over rock walls. Super easy and rewarding! It is drought resistant but is also suitable under average moisture conditions as long as it has good drainage. Salt spray, wind, and heat tolerant. Item# 12267

The nearly 1/2" wide ruby red flowers adorn the narrow elongating spikes of this large growing Porterweed from spring to frost. We are excited to be able to finally offer this true red flowering form of the ever popular Coral Porterweed! Ruby Throat Red Porterweed is a vigorous large type Porterweed that can easily exceed 3' high. The Ruby Throated Hummingbirds along with a host of butterflies are sure to search this beauty out and enjoy its rich near continuous supply of nectar. These are heat and sun loving tropical plants that have excellent flower power and will show off in a non-stop fashion throughout the growing season! Item# 12377

The thick, smooth, succulent, upright to trailing stems are rounded to 4-angled and tend to be green and purple when grown in high indirect light but become burgundy under full sun conditions. In summer Schinz's Carrion Flower produces 3-5" wide burgundy to brownish yellow starfish-shaped flowers that have a fringe of purple to burgundy club-shaped hairs dangling from the edges of the petals and tremor at the slightest breeze attracting insects for pollination. Like the larger growing Starfish Cactus, the flowers produce a light scent of rotting meat to attract their main pollinators - flies. This is an easy to grow succulent that will readily multiply into a dense mass of short upright stems and where allowed to trail the stems can grow to exceed 18" long. Provide full sun to bright indirect sunlight in a very well-draining, cactus-like soil for optimum vigor, health and flowering. Makes an easy windowsill, porch, or patio plant whose unusual flowers are sure to be a conversation piece. It can tolerate slightly more moisture when in active growth but should still be allowed to become moderately dry between waterings. Reduce watering in winter, especially if grown under cool conditions. These are well-established young plants with multiple plants per pot. Item# 12633

Possibly the most exciting native grass introduction on the market to date! In spring the narrow blades emerge heavily variegated with green and cream and are accented by pink tones, especially when weather is cooler. By summer it has grown into a 12-18" by 12-18" mass of arching boldly variegated white and green foliage. In late summer the flowering stalks begin to elongate showing off their variegated form and as summer temperatures begin to cool the white portions of the foliage and flowering stems deepens into pink and rose tones and finally into burgundy. Shining Star™ Little Bluestem, a beautifully variegated selection of our native Schizachyrium scoparium, is a widely distributed, clump forming, herbaceous perennial grass that is native to all but 2 of the lower 48 US states and is a major component of the Tall Grass Prairies of the midwest. Provide this lovely little grass with a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and growth. Images courtesy of Emerald Coast Growers, who discovered this new nativar, all rights reserved. Item# 13138

Small clusters of sweetly fragrant, starry white tubular flowers with contrasting red pistils and are produced in late spring to early summer and attract mainly butterflies and larger moths for pollination. The Sweet or Smooth Azalea, Rhododendron arborescens, is a medium to large native deciduous shrub to small tree that is typically in 4-8' high range but can potentially reach 12-20' high under good conditions and with age. This species is found throughout the Appalachian mountains from as far west as western Tennessee, with its main range being from N and NE Alabama into central Pennsylvania. It is generally only recommended for zones 4-7 and like any of the Azaleas it will prefer an average moist, acidic, well-drained soil and an organic mulch. *Note: In hot summer climates consider providing midday and afternoon shade to filtered shade. Where it receives at least some direct sunlight, the Smooth Azalea can develop beautiful fall color ranging from yellows to reds. Item# 13077

The bare winter stems are adorned with bright sunny yellow flowers in late winter and early spring attracting mainly bees as pollinators. Once the flowering season is finished this beautiful shrub is adorned with solid yellow foliage providing color until autumn when the foliage takes on purple tones until it falls away. The Solid Gold Dwarf Korean Forsythia, Forsythia viridissima var. koreana 'Solid Gold', is an Almost Eden introduction that we selected as a stable sport of the cultivar Ilwang. Ilwang was first shared with us by the late great nurseryman Sherwood Aikens of Minden, Louisiana. This is an easy to grow, low maintenance, compact growing deciduous shrub with an arching, fountaining habit growing wider than tall and maxing out at about 3-4'H x 4-5'W. Its golden foliage can tolerate full sun but may lighten some but this does not appear to affect the plant's vigor it. Provide a fertile soil with average or better drainage and average moisture. Item# 9742