Tropical Plants

Considered by many to have some of the largest flowers among the Brunfelsia's, this Lady of the Night produces clusters of wavy edged, creamy white flowers that are borne on long tubes. The fragrance is released late in the day and into early morning and is sweet, heady, and intense and the flowers are borne throughout the warmer months of the year. Large thick glossy green foliage adorns this upright to arching tropical shrub. Easy indoors or out. Item# 10053

An exceptionally free flowering passionvine, Lady Lavender produces 3-4" wide, lightly fragrant flowers with purple sepals and petals that fade to near white near their base. The flowers are topped by a corona of blue filaments that fade to white and then darken to deep burgundy at their base. Lady Lavender Passionflower is a sterile Patrick Worley cultivar considered to be hardy to near 10oF. It is large and vigorous enough to cover a medium to large trellis easily in one season or it can be enjoyed as a container plant where not hardy. Provide a full to mostly sunny location and a moderately fertile soil with average drainage for the best flowering. Click on "More Details and Growing Info" or the image to learn more about growing Passionvines as perennials in containers or in the garden and landscape. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Item# 11444

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

Loose hyacinth-like spikes of dainty green flowers with recurving petals and contrasting dark purple filaments and yellow stamens are held above the spotted succulent lax green foliage in spring after a dry winter dormancy. This is an easy to grow dwarf scilla or squill, tentatively Ledebouria socialis 'Laxifolia' as there are many similar horticultural forms within this species, is a dwarf growing, evergreen herbaceous tropical succulent that grows from a thickened above ground bulb and readily multiplies happily filling its container. This should make an easy windowsill, porch, or patio plant where it receives bright indirect sunlight or a small amount of cool early morning or filtered sunlight. Provide this easy to grow plant with a well-drained, cactus-like soil and allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings. If it gets too dry it will wilt to let you know but it readily recovers once moisture is applied. During active growth, average moisture is preferred and it can be allowed to remain a good deal dryer when dormant. We ship 1-3 or more bulbs actively growing in a 2.25" pot. Item# 12451

Loose hyacinth-like spikes of dainty green flowers with recurving petals and contrasting dark purple filaments and yellow stamens are held above the spotted succulent lax green foliage in spring after a dry winter dormancy. This is an easy to grow dwarf scilla or squill, tentatively Ledebouria socialis 'Laxifolia' as there are many similar horticultural forms within this species, is a dwarf growing, evergreen herbaceous tropical succulent that grows from a thickened above ground bulb and readily multiplies happily filling its container. This should make an easy windowsill, porch, or patio plant where it receives bright indirect sunlight or a small amount of cool early morning or filtered sunlight. Provide this easy to grow plant with a well-drained, cactus-like soil and allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings. If it gets too dry it will wilt to let you know but it readily recovers once moisture is applied. During active growth, average moisture is preferred and it can be allowed to remain a good deal dryer when dormant. We ship 3 or more bulbs actively growing in a 4.5" pot. Item# 12452

The Lemon Vine creates a beautiful foliage plant with its yellow to bronze and even orange, thick succulent leaves that adorn this vining tropical cactus. Makes a wonderful hanging basket, allow it to spill from mixed containers, or train it as a vine. More light produces richer foliage color. Mature plants may produce white to pale yellow flowers in spring or fall that may be followed by small cactus fruits. Item# 10350.

Huge clusters of 1-1/2" tubular yellow flowers are borne profusely throughout summer and fall on this vigorous shrub-like perennial and attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. The flowers are sweetly fragrant at night and likely attract hummingbird moths. Lemon Zest Cestrum becomes large and shrub like in mild winter climates whereas in the coldest portions of its range, like zone 8B, it will often freeze to the ground and return in spring. A loose breathable mulch will also help to ensure that your Cestrum returns each spring. If you have purchased Orange or Yellow Cestrum from us in the past it is the cultivar Orange Zest. Item# 13017

A rare and unusual succulent, the Lifesaver Cactus produces burgundy and tan star-shaped flowers that look as though a grape lifesaver has been stuck perfectly in their center. This is a low growing to trailing succulent with softly toothed 4-angled thick succulent stems that root into the soil anywhere they are in contact with it making it an easy plant to share. The Lifesaver Cactus makes for an easy and forgiving container plant for a porch, patio, or window and prefers a well-draining cactus-like soil. Grow it in an area that receives high indirect sunlight as it normally grows in the shade of larger desert plants in its native Africa. Allow the soil to become moderately dry between waterings and never keep the soil soggy wet. Item# 489

Up to 1" wide dense double wonderfully fragrant white flowers are produced in abundance throughout the growing season to year round under warm tropical conditions. The Little Duke Sambac Jasmine is an old cultivar with a compact upright to scandent (a.k.a. vine-like) habit and slightly smaller flowers that is a more vigorous prolifically flowering plant than the Grand Duke of Tuscany Jasmine. The dark green elongated to rounded foliage is reminiscent of Grand Duke Supreme Jasmine but Little Duke Jasmine has denser flowers and is expected to be more compact making it a good choice for container culture or bonsai. Provide a full to part sun site in a fertile well-drained acidic soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12272

Small clusters of 2" long tubular red and orange flowers with a yellow throat emerge from the leaf axils on long peduncles, the stem that supports the flowers, to offer up its nectar reward to hummingbirds and larger butterflies. Under warm tropical conditions Lobelia aguana flowers nearly year round with the heaviest flowering in summer and fall. A shrubby Lobelia with long deep green narrow foliage it quickly matures into a 5'x5' specimen. Lobelia aguana hails from the Mesoamerican Cloud Forests of Central America. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist soil with average or better drainage. Item# 11802

Louisiana Red Copper Plant's color is hot as a Louisiana summer with large, dark coppery red foliage that can be solid or variegated. Long one of the most popular Coppers in our area and known for its vigor and reliability. Use Copper Plants as a summer shrub, container plant, or anywhere low maintenance, season long color is desired. Item# 10277.

Much like our old favorite the Butterfly Ginger but with much larger (like the size of a Luna Moth) white fragrant flowers that are borne from early summer to fall on shorter sturdier stems to 3-4'H and large lush tropical foliage. An excellent cut flower whose fragrance can fill a room. Multiplies readily but not uncontrollably. Item# 9775.

A sterile clump forming selection! Machu™ Morado Ruellia produces a summer long display of purple trumpet shaped flowers that attract bees and larger butterflies. This new introduction boasts a slightly more compact habit than the similar Purple Showers but with all the flower power, heat tolerance, and adaptability and with a sterile non-invasive clump forming habit. Machu™ Morado Ruellia or Mexican Petunia is an easy to grow heat and sunloving tropical well suited to container culture as well as in the garden and landscape. Adaptable to soil types but prefers a sunny site in a fertile moist to average moist soil. Item# 12072

Large clusters of 1" wide starry golden yellow flowers with anthers that age to a contrasting red may be produced throughout the year under warm tropical conditions. The flowers attract bees and butterflies and if pollinated they are followed by 3/4-1" wide helicopter-like samaras. Maiden's Jealousy, Tristellateia australasiae, is a naturally evergreen tropical twining woody climber with rich green foliage and purplish stems on the growth. It can be grown in the ground in areas with mild winters and can also be grown as a container plant where not hardy. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum flowering. Maiden's Jealousy should be fairly tolerant of soil types as it is a component of Mangrove swamps and coastal forests in Tropical Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Australia. Item# 12026

Small clusters of 2" wide white fragrant flowers open at the end of long slender tubes release their fragrance mainly at night with some fragrance maintained throughout the day as well. Peak flowering is generally in spring and summer with some flowers produced year round under warm tropical conditions. Manacá, Brunfelsia uniflora, is considered to be the most importnat Brunfelsia species used by South American shaman's and medicine men with a wide variety of uses from poison arrows, to 'dream walks', as an aphrodesiac, as well as a medicine to treat a variety of illnesses (we cannot recommend the use of this plant in any form as it can be potentially deadly). This is a naturally evergreen medium to large tropical shrub that may be planted in the garden and landscape where hardy or use it as a container plant that is overwintered indoors elsewhere. Item# 11896

Marshmallow Sunset Angel's Trumpet produces large double, triple, or more creamy white, fragrant trumpets whose skirts darken through yellow to orange. This easy to grow double flowers even at a young age and over an exceptionally long period making this is a choice container specimen or add it to a tropical garden in areas where it is winter hardy. The creamy trumpets are most fragrant at night but it is still noticeable by morning. A great choice for a Moon Moth garden. Item# 11371

Extra large, amazing deep red overlapping petals edged with fuschia-purple. An easily grown cactus-like plant with 1.5" wide, flat, scalloped branches to 8'. Great in hanging baskets. Item # 1073

Extra large, amazing deep red overlapping petals edged with fuschia-purple. An easily grown cactus-like plant with 1.5" wide, flat, scalloped branches to 8'. Great in hanging baskets. Item # 9472.