Tropical Plants

A purple form of the Blue Butterfly Bush, producing large clusters of violet and purple butterfly-shaped flowers beginning in spring and early summer and continuing into fall under good conditions. For years the only cultivar of Blue Butterfly Bush available was 'Ugandense' the common Blue Butterfly Bush, Rotheca myricoides (syn. Clerodendrum myricoides 'Ugandense'), a.k.a. Oxford Blue and Cambridge Blue, this darker purple to violet flowered cultivar was shared with us by plantsman Heidi Sheesley of Treesearch Farms, Inc., Houston, Texas. The specialized butterfly-shaped flowers are pollinated by Bumblebees and Carpenter Bees. The Purple Butterfly Bush can be enjoyed as a colorful container plant or in the garden and landscape where hardy. Item# 11765

Deep blue to purple tubular, 1" long flowers emerge from the center of the purple, rounded, chinese hat-shaped calyces typically throughout summer and in to fall. The Purple Chinese Hat has a naturally upright to vase shaped habit. We have seen it return from the roots after experiencing 24F if the base of the plant is mulched with a breathable but insulative organic mulch. Easily grown as a medium sized container plant where not hardy. Item #574

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.

Huge drooping panicles of long lasting, lavender, star-shaped calyxes that are centered by royal purple 1/2'' rounded verbena-like flowers that may be produced anytime between January and August. The medium-green leaves are textured like sandpaper. A vigorous, naturally evergreen tropical twining vine that lends itself to use on arbors, large trellises, fences, or on nearly any sturdy structure. Queen's Wreath can also be trained into a tree form if given a supporting post. The flowers of Queen's Wreath attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 12153

These beauties are about 18 inches tall above the pot, and healthy.  As of 4-17-2022

Exceptionally dense spikes of 1-1/2" long purple tubular flowers are produced from late summer, throughout winter, and into spring under frost free conditions on this vigorous and unusually shade tolerant Salvia. Purple Sage, or Autumn Purple Sage is a vigorous easy to grow species from south of the border with a mounding to upright habit. Attracts hummingbirds as well as larger butterflies. Item# 11173

An exceptionally cold hardy and easy to grow bromeliad! The Queen's Tears Bromeliad produces large arching stems covered in big showy pink bracts the last bracts on the stems open to reveal hanging clusters of green flowers with delicately recurving petals edged in deep bluish purple, contrasting bright yellow stamens along with matching pink calyxes. The tropical, nectar rich flowers are produced in mid winter. The blue gray rosettes of foliage provide excellent contrast for the brightly colored flower spikes. Queen's Tears readily multiplies by rhizomes creating a dense mass of foliage and can be grown in a well draining soil or as a semi-epiphyte on a board. Item# 11117

Large clusters of long-lasting, light lavender, mauve, to purple calyxes serve as the backdrop for the contrasting deep red, 1" wide, butterfly shaped flowers that are produced throughout the warmer months of the year, as early as midspring to about mid fall. The Red Bleeding Heart Vine, Clerodendrum x speciosum, is a naturally evergreen, heirloom, twining, tropical climber that is one of the better and more reliable flowering vines for shaded areas, although it can also take *full sun, if acclimated, where it may be even more floriferous, and it attracts butterflies and likely hummingbirds. I have always found it interesting that many of the butterfly and moth pollinated species in the genus Clerodendrum appropriately have butterfly shaped flowers. Provide the Red Bleeding Heart Vine with a moist to average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. This is a hybrid of the White Bleeding Heart Vine, C. thompsonae, and the Flaming Glory Bower Vine, C. splendens. Item# 599

The Red Butterfly Ginger produces large deep reddish orange to red flowers that emerge from a darkened flower spike atop the sturdy stems of rich green smooth tropical looking foliage. It very much resembles the White Butterfly Ginger when in flower other than the flower color but has darker foliage a more compact habit. The Red Butterfly Ginger is one of the earliest gingers to flower in our collection. Provide a semi-shaded location where it receives shade during the hottest portion of the day although it is fairly tolerant. The Red Butterfly Ginger will prefer an average moist, well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Item# 11521

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

Brilliant crimson red bottlebrush-like flowers are produced in summer often into fall to potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions and attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Red Clusters Bottlebrush, a selection of Callistemon viminalis, is a vigorous freely flowering, naturally evergreen large shrub that can also be trained into a small tree form that matures to about 12' high by about 8' wide. In zone 8, the foliage may drop after hard freezes potentially reducing flowering and so this cultivar may be best grow in warmer winter climates like zones 9 and 10. They can also be enjoyed as container plants where not reliably hardy. Provide Bottlebrush with a full to mostly sunny site in an average to well-draining, fertile soil and they are moderately drought resistant once fully established. Item# 603

The large glowing red 'parent' flowers of the original El Capitolio Hibiscus appear to have a second smaller double bloom that is held out away from it creating a 'poodled' effect. The El Capitolio Hibiscus have the potential to flower throughout the year under good conditions and with enough warmth and sunlight.The large blooms often have a streak of white adding to their tropical beauty. Their unique form, flower size, vigor, and flower power all make the El Capitolio Hibiscus types some of our favorites for large tropical specimens. They can be used as formal or informal shrubs for hedging and screens, as tree forms, or even trained into large espalier. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 610.

Clusters of deep red, 1 1/2", tubular blooms are borne throughout most of the year on this beautiful tropical spreading to mounding perennial with beautiful glossy rich green foliage. An excellent choice for hanging baskets, spilling from containers, or in the garden where hardy. Provide a moist but well-draining soil for the best results. A hummingbird magnet! Item# 1201.

This new variety of variegated Hibiscus is absolutely Red Hot with it's burgundy, red, pink, green, and white foliage. The new growth starts out nearly maroon and lightens to a hot pink that sticks with it all season long adding its color to the landscape in broad strokes. 3-4" wide glowing red flowers add to its elegance in spring and summer and are sure to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 9348

Clusters of dark red to red-orange daisy-like flowers with yellow fading to red 'eyes' are produced throughout the growing season, and potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions, on this vigorous and easy small to medium-sized vine. The Sao Paulo Mexican Love Vine, a somewhat rare selection of Senecio confusus, is a naturally evergreen, twining herbaceous tropical vine that can be grown as a die-back perennial in areas with mild winters, like zones 9-10 and even into 8B, if provided with a breathable insulative protective mulch for winter. It is vigorous enough to be grown as an annual in colder climates and can also be maintained as a container plant that is overwintered indoors. The Mexican Love Vine, a.k.a Mexican Flame Vine, is a heat and sunloving free-flowering tropical suitable for small to medium-sized trellises, fences, and can even be allowed to spill from hanging baskets. The flowers attract a variety of butterfly species and seem to be especially popular with migrating Monarchs as well as bees and hummingbirds. Provide a full to partly sunny site in any average to well-drained, fertile, average moist soil. Item# 612

Thin flat scalloped stems turn deep red to near purple-red when the plants are grown where they receive high light and produce long-lasting decorative white berries along the leaf edges that follow the small inconspicuous flowers. The Red Mistletoe Cactus or Red Rhipsalis, Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa, is an easy to grow vigorous tropical cactus whose weeping stems can create an amazing specimen hanging basket plant. A component of tropical forests with an epiphytic-like growth habit, it naturally receives filtered sunlight and will have the most intense color where it receives high indirect light to cool sunlight, like early morning or very late evening or filtered sunlight. Provide a well-drained soil and average moisture for optimum growth and vigor. Item# 11825

The extra large flowers of this old favorite are created by deep fuchsia inner petals surrounded by crimson outer petals. The long lasting flowers open at night and often last through the day. An easily grown cactus-like plant with 1.5" wide, flat, scalloped branches to 8'. Item # 784.

The extra large flowers of this old favorite are created by deep fuchsia inner petals surrounded by crimson outer petals. The long lasting flowers open at night and often last through the day. An easily grown cactus-like plant with 1.5" wide, flat, scalloped branches to 8'. Item # 11022.

Spikes topped by densely stacked pinecone-like bracts which are produced in summer emerge green and slowly deepen to red. Sunny yellow flowers emerge from between the bracts over a long period. The Shampoo Ginger or Pinecone Ginger is a hardy, clump forming rhizomatous perennial that produces deep green narrow tropical looking foliage that can reach 4-6' high. Prefers cool sunlight and an average moist, well-drained soil. Where not hardy this ginger is easy to enjoy and overwinter as a container plant. Long lasting cut flower. The flower shown is in between the green and red stage. Item# 11477