Porterweeds

Blue, indigo, to purple 1/4" wide flowers adorn the long spike-like flowering stems from spring to frost and are held above the rich green glossy foliage. Blue Porterweed, Stachytarpheta cayennensis, is an intermediate growing Porterweed and has a fairly dense upright to spreading habit. An excellent choice for butterfly gardens or as a container plant. Also known as Blue Snakeweed, Verbena Azul, Cayenne Snakeweed. For the Florida native Blue Porterweed see Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. Item# 13080

Light blue to blue-purple 1/4" wide nectar-rich flowers adorn the tall narrow indeterminate flower spikes from spring to frost to year round under warm tropical conditions. Native to Florida and much of the tropical Americas, Blue Porterweed, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, has smoother lighter green foliage and generally grows wider than tall whereas the other Blue Porterweed, Stachytarpheta cayennensis or S. urticifolia, has more rugose or quilted deeper green glossier foliage with a typically upright habit. Porterweeds are excellent pollinator plants where they attract a continuous menagerie of aerial acrobats from spring until frost. This a heat and sunloving tropical to tender perennial that can be added to gardens and landscapes or plant them in containers to draw the pollinators in for upclose viewing. Blue Porterweed is also a caterpillar host plant for the Tropical Buckeye butterfly. Item# 12046

1/2" wide coral pink to orange flowers adorn the long spike-like flowering stems that are held above the foliage and the plants flower from spring to first frost or year round under warm frost free conditions. The nectar laden flowers are seemingly in constant use by hummingbirds, butterflies, and larger bees from just after dawn to near dusk. Coral Porterweed, Stachytarpheta mutabilis, is a vigorous growing, heat and sunloving, herbaceous shrubby tropical growing to about 4-5' high and wide by the end of summer. Porterweeds are a mainstay of butterfly houses due to their reliable and ample nectar production and it is an important nectar source for many overwintering hummingbirds in Central and South America. This species is also known as Pink Porterweed, Orange Porterweed, Pink Snakeweed. Item# 372

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

1/4" soft red blooms adorn the long spike-like bloom stems from spring to frost. Another of the smaller varieties creating a dense bush with loads of nectar rich flowers for the butterflies and hummingbirds. Dwarf Red Porterweed is the smallest and most compact Porterweed that we offer and it lends itself to use near the front of the border, in butterfly and hummingbirds gardens, as well as in containers. Item# 407.

In a nod to the fierceness of hummingbirds protecting their nectar sources we bring you our latest hybrid Porterweed introduction Fiercely Fuchsia! Nearly 1/2" wide bright *fuchsia flowers are produced on narrow elongating spikes on this medium-sized Porterweed from spring to frost attracting a wide array of pollinators. Porterweeds, members of the genus Stacytarpheta, are shrubby tropicals with exceptional flower power and excellent nectar production and these are the plants that many hummingbirds feed on in their winter resting grounds in Central and South America. We can tell you from personal experience, these tiny aerial acrobats will even try to face down a human over their prized plants with a series of strong and forceful "Cheeps!". Expect Fiercely Fuchsia Porterweed to grow to about 3-4' high and 2-3' wide by the end of the growing season. Item# 13261

Nectar-rich, light purple flowers are produced continuously from spring to fall on tall spikes that butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds cannot seem to resist! Lavender Porterweed is a medium to large growing exceptionally full and vigorous Porterweed was once considered to be a purple form of the highly popular Coral Porterweed although we have learned that this is a sterile or nearly sterile hybrid cultivar. Porterweeds are excellent nectar producers outperforming nearly all other butterfly plants in the garden. Item# 483

The 1/2" wide, deep purple flowers with starkly contrasting white eyes are produced along the wispy elongating flower spikes from spring to frost attracting a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Midnight Moon Improved Porterweed, a hybrid that includes Stachytarpheta cayennensis in its lineage, is a compact growing, well-branched, naturally evergreen tropical growing to about 2-3' high and 1-2' wide. This improved version sports larger, even deeper purple flowers with a similar growth habit to its predecessor. This Porterweed is small and compact enough for container culture as a specimen or in mixed company or utilize it as a summer long pollinator magnet for the garden and landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil for optimum vigor and maximum flowering. Item# 12081

Deep velvety purple blooms are produced continuously from spring to fall on this upright to spreading perennial. The Purple Porterweed is a medium sized variety becoming fairly dense as it matures. Porterweeds are excellent nectar producers outperforming all other butterfly plants in the garden. Item# 578.

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