Rare & Unusual Plants

The beautifully mottled, splashed, and flecked yellowish, chartreuse, and deeper green variegated succulent ovate foliage adorns the zig-zagging stems of this upright growing succulent and summer may bring a ring-like cluster of 1" long deep red, bird-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and give the plant its common name. The Splish Splash or Mottled Red Bird Cactus is an easy to grow highly decorative form of this heirloom and Florida native plant that has an easy and forgiving disposition creating fantastic, architecturally pleasing specimens. A shrub-like native of tropical forests of southern Florida and as far south as Central America, it makes an easy porch or patio plant where it partial shade to bright shade but can also be enjoyed as an easy indoor plant.  Allow the soil to become somewhat dry between waterings although it can tolerant more moisture when in active growth and less during winter. Item# 12608

Deep pumpkin orange single flowers with long elegant staminal columns and recurving petals. A rare orange subspecies of the native Hawaiian Kokio Hibiscus, St. John's Hibiscus produces a year round display of 3-4" wide flowers on a moderately vigorous naturally large growing tropical Hibiscus that can easily be maintained as a container specimen where not hardy. Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Item# 11036

Unusual bluish-green to gray-green foliage is shaped like dolphins leaping from the water and are attached to thin succulent trailing stems that can reach over 36 inches in length. The String of Dolphins or Dolphin Plant is considered to be a hybrid of the String of Pearls, Senecio rowleyanus, and the Candle Plant, Senecio articulatus. Like its parents, it prefers a soil with excellent drainage and cool sunlight to high indirect light making this an easy choice for a covered porch, patio, or windowsill. May produce white discoid flowers in fall that are very similar to those of the String of Pearls. Allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings although it can tolerate slightly more moisture when in active growth. To learn more about how to care for this plant see our Cactus and Succulent Growing Guide. Item# 12172

The ovate, pointed, succulent, blue-green to gray-green foliage is adorned with fine streak-like veins reminiscent of a watermelon rind and may also be coated in a white bloom. Like the String of Pearls, this easy to grow succulent has a clear, slit-like "epidermal window" that allows light to enter the internal part of the leaf. The String of Watermelons, Senecio herreanus, is a tropical, trailing succulent whose thin trailing stems can reach 12 or more inches long. During the warmer months of the year it produces small, ray-less white flowers enjoyed by bees and other small pollinators. Provide a sharply draining, cactus-like soil allowing it to become moderately dry between waterings although they can tolerate slightly more water during the growing season. The String of Watermelons makes an easy windowsill plant, hanging basket specimen, and table top decoration or use it in one of the head pots for an interesting specimen plant. Provide high or bright indirect light outdoors but they can also tolerate some cool direct sunlight indoors. Item# 12675

Rare and Unusual! The large 7-10" wide dark magenta flowers are held against contrasting variegated deep green foliage that is edged in a narrow band of white and pink and even the buds are intrestingly striped in green and white. Summer Carnival Hardy Hibiscus is a rare variegated form of Perennial Hibiscus flowering from summer into early fall with a compact branching habit. This is sure to be a fun plant in the garden and landscape! Provide a full to mostly sunny location in moist to average moist to wet, moderately fertile soils. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12068

In summer, clusters of tubular buds open to starry, pure-white flowers that attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and likely hummingbird or Sphinx moths as well. The Swamp Azalea, Rhododendron viscosum, is a native deciduous shrub growing to about 6'H x 3-5'W that is native from East Texas and along the Gulf Coast as well as long as all along the Eastern Seaboard and into southern Maine. In the Pineywoods this species is typically found in consistently moist soil near bogs and small streams and is the only locally native (west central Louisiana) species of Rhododendron to flower in summer. In sunnier sites, the Swamp Azalea can produce burgundy and yellow fall color. Provide a moist to average moist loamy soil rich in organic matter and mulch with a breathable organic material such as pine straw or pine bark. Even though it is common to more moist sites, it can tolerate short periods of drought once fully established and should perform well in average moist garden soils provided it is properly mulched and receives some midday shade. Item# 12742

The large waterfall like clusters (racemes) of white, bell-shaped flowers that are produced in late winter and early spring and last for weeks, absolutely shine against the dark green foliage covering the upper and outer portions of this easy evergreen shrub. Temple Bells Pieris, Pieris japonica 'Temple Bells', is a small to medium-sized evergreen shrub with a slow rate of growth. The glossy deep dark green ovate foliage that emerges in red to bronze shades and finally to medium green before deepening in color adding to this plants seasons of interest. This member of the Blueberry family, Ericaceae, is one of the more shade tolerant evergreens but it is perfectly happy in morning sun to filtered shade. Temple Bells Pieris will do best in a moist to average moist soil rich in organic matter, with average or better drainage and will happily grow anywhere that Azaleas, Camellias, and Japanese Maples thrive. It is more tolerant of calcareous soils than most members of this family, including in the midwest, but acidic soils are probably optimal. Provide an organic mulch and use slow release fertilizers that are labeled for acid loving plants. I pass by these shrubs in my mother's garden on the north side of her house twice a day and never tire of its welcome flowers during the dreary days of late winter when we are so ready for spring! Item# 1190

An exceptionally rare species found only in 4 Texas counties, Texan Trailing Phlox is a low growing groundhugging perennial that produces clusters of deep fuchsia pink Thrift-like flowers held above the low trailing stems that are densely covered in short needle-like deep green foliage. The flowers attract butterflies large and small alike. This evergreen native perennial needs excellent drainage and is typically found growing on sandy pimple mounds. It can be used as a groundcover in the garden and landscape where soils have excellent drainage. Texan Trailing Phlox, Phlox nivalis ssp. texensis, also makes an easy and forgiving container plant with stems that can trail to 12" or more. In containers use a cactus-like mix and preferrably unglazed terra cotta containers. Item# 11966

1-2" wide, outward facing, sunny yellow daisies with green central disk-flowers that create the green 'eye' are produced on loosely branching stems with quilted medium green foliage and are produced nearly continuously from spring to fall. Texas Greeneyes, Berlandieria betonicifolia, is a taprooted native perennial growing to about 18-24" high and is locally common on semi-open, loamy sandy soils in full sun to mostly sunny sites. It appears to be reliably perennial and long-lived in well-drained soils staying neatly where it placed and returning each year. It should make a good addition to roadside plantings and naturalistic areas. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a sandy well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 9749

The gigantic arrowhead shaped medium green foliage of this Elephant Ear is truly massive with individual leaves reaching 5' long and 4' wide and plants reaching heights of up to 9' high! The Thailand Giant Elephant Ear, a Plant Delights selection of Colocasia gigantea now classified in the genus Leucocasia, is a naturally evergreen, cormous, herbaceous tropical that tends to be much more of a clump forming species versus the long rhizomatous runners of the common Elephant Ear or Taro, Colocasia esculenta. While it is naturally evergreen in its native tropical habitat, in areas that experience freezes, frosts, or even temperatures that fall as low as about 45^oF the plants typically die back to near ground level reemerging in spring if properly mulched and plants are well sited. Does well in both full sun to partially shaded sites in fertile, well-draining soils. Unlike their cousins, the Giant Elephant Ears should be allowed to become semi-dry between waterings when not in vigorous active growth. Images courtesy of Agristarts (primary image was taken at Plant Delights' Juniper Level Botanic Gardens), all rights reserved. Item# 13126

Grown more for its beautifully variegated, starkly contrasting bright white and deep green, upright to slightly arching clumps of slender foliage than for the near continuous procession of starry, ½" wide white flowers produced throughout the warmer months of the year on gracefully arching stems. The iris-like flowers are reported to attract bees, butterflies, and other smaller pollinators. Variegated Shooting Star Lily, a selection of Anthericum saundersoniae but now reclassified as Chlorophytum saundersoniae, is a naturally evergreen, clump forming member of the Asparagus family and a close cousin of the popular Spider or Airplane Plant, Chlorophytum comosum. It is adaptable to both full sun to bright shade as well as to soil types although an average moist, fertile, well-drained loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter may be optimum in the garden and landscape. The Variegated Shooting Star Lily also makes an easy container plant as a specimen or as a filler in mixed combination pots and can be easily overwintered indoors near a sunny window. Item# 13064

The Variegated Red Shrimp Plant produces a continuous display of upright to arching spikes composed of large showy maroon bracts from which the individual maroonish-red and white tubular flowers emerge in spring and summer to year round under warm tropical conditions. This plant has exceptional flower power along with beautifully variegated foliage that is flecked and splotched with creamy white. Use as a container plant specimen and in mixed container gardens as well as in the garden and landscape. The common Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegeeana, is a heat loving, naturally evergreen, bushy, tropical plant with dark olive green foliage and grows to about 24" high by about 18" wide. It is both full sun and bright shade tolerant but tends to have the densest branching habit where it receives at least 4 hours or more of direct sunlight. Provide an average to well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Attracts hummingbirds and the occasional larger butterfly and is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Item# 710

Possibly one of the most strikingly variegated succulents you will find! The new growth is mostly white to cream with a narrow green line along the midvein and as the densely stacked opposite leaves mature the cream variegation slowly changes to light green. Where the plants receive direct sunlight the foliage becomes tinged with red and pink. The Variegated String of Buttons, Crassula perforata f. variegata, has a naturally dense upright to sprawling habit slowly building to 8-16" high. It is a naturally evergreen miniature shrub-like member of the Jade family from South Africa and it is reported to be hardy into zone 9. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site, or a sunny window, in soils with excellent drainage and the allow the plants to become moderately dry between waterings. *Note: As with many variegated plants, it may benefit from midday shade in hot summer climates. Item# 12293

Large rounded clusters of medium to light pink, honeysuckle-like fragrant flowers are produced in early spring atop the still bare winter stems attracting larger butterflies, hummingbirds, and the hummingbird like Sphinx moths with its fragrance and nectar. Varnadoe's Phlox Pink, a strongly pink selection of the native Piedmont, Mountain or Pinxterbloom Azalea, Rhododendron canescens, whose flowers are more commonly a light pink to near white, at least here in the Pineywoods. This is a medium-sized deciduous native shrub and is often still fondly called Wild Bush Honeysuckle. Like most Azaleas, it will do best in an average moist, acidic, well-draining soil that is top dressed with a breathable organic mulch like pine straw. It can tolerate full to mostly sunny sites under good conditions but is generally best grown in an area that receives filtered to partial shade. Item# 13078

The large 3-4" wide, funnel shaped, white flowers are neatly edged in a broad band of contrasting rich reddish-pink and seem to nearly glow against the foil of dark green, medium textured foliage. Flowering is in midspring attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Vibrant Evergreen Azalea, a Harris hybrid, is a rare dwarf with a dense and compact habit that lends itself to bonsai culture but is sure to be a low-maintenance conversation piece 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. Item# 12576

Yellow trumpet shaped flowers are heavily accented by deep brick red in the throat and are produced in mass in spring to early summer with flowering coinciding with the arrival of migrating hummingbirds. The flowers have a fragrance similar to the candy Bit O' Honey that my mother often enjoyed as we were growing up. The flowers also attract larger bees and other pollinators. The Wabash Valley Crossvine, a selection of Bignonia capreolata from its northern most regions in Wabash County in southern Illinois and was selected by the late Dr. Wesley Whiteside and was introduced to the nursery trade by Ellen Hornig via Broken Arrow Nursery. It was selected at least in part for its reliable zone 6 cold hardiness. The Crossvine is a vigorous semi-evergreen, clinging native vine that produces pads at the ends of its tendrils that can attach to most surfaces without harming brickwork and masonry. These native vines make a low maintenance choice for fences, posts, arbors, and larger trellises. Item# 13055

Rare in the nursery trade and certainly unusual, in late spring and early summer bring square-shaped clusters of purple flowers of this Beautyberry are followed by small green fruit that eventually turn to pure white in fall and winter. In the northern portions if its range it may freeze to the ground or back to its woodiest stems and grows to 6-8' high, in milder winter regions, like zone 9, it can become a 20' high shrub. Item# 10638.

A rare or at least uncommon color form of the ever popular Blue Pea Vine producing large white blossoms held against medium green to blue green foliage on a small vine with excellent flower power. The White Pea Vine makes the perfect vine for container culture on small trellises, mailboxes, and fences that will flower from spring nearly all the way until frost. By some accounts it is a tender perennial in mild winters but is more generally grown as an annual and it readily returns from seeds saved the previous winter. Provide a full to partial sun location in a moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11952

Beautiful and unique spidery white flowers absolutely cover this semi-dwarf evergreen shrub in mid-spring. The rare Koromo White Azalea's naturally compact growth habit, durability, and rare flower form make this a definite conversation piece. The lavender form of this Azalea, Koromo Shikibu or Purple Spider, lines the eastern border of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Gardens at Stephen F Austin's Mast Arboretum. 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. Item# 10813