Tropical Plants

Medium height and sterile! Aztec Purple™ Ruellia or Mexican Petunia produces purple trumpets that are born freely from late spring or early summer until first frost to year round under warm tropical conditions atop medium-sized sturdy stems. This Mexican Petunia is a relatively new, compact, seed and pollen sterile selection that can spend more energy on flowering instead of adding unwanted seedlings to the garden. It is a naturally evergreen, rhizomatous or spreading, tropical perennial that is grown as a die-back perennial in zones 8-9. It can be grown as a low maintenance container specimen plant, in mixed container gardens, as well as in the garden and landscape. It can also be used as a medium-sized groundcover in difficult sites. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Provide Mexican Petunias with a full to part sun site in an average moist to wet, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12780

4-5" wide flowers with white petals and sepals are topped by a crown of white filaments with a light purple halo surrounding the central portion of these exotic looking flowers. Bahama Blue Passion Flower is a beautiful and vigorous free flowering selection of the Blue Crown Passion Flower, Passiflora caerulea, with all its hardiness and reliability. The nectar rich flowers are adored by larger bees and the foliage is a host to a variety of butterflies. Caterpillar host: Gulf Fritillary, Julia Butterfly, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a moderately fertile, average moist, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and 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. Item# 11222

Deep orangey-red, up to 2" wide, mimosa-like blossoms are produced nearly every month of the year when grown under frost free conditions. The brilliantly colored flowers of the Baja Fairy Duster are rich with nectar and pollen attracting hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. It is reported that fairies like them too! The deep blue-green finely textured, nearly fern-like foliage is touch sensitive like the sensitive briar, if not quite as fast, and this one has no thorns. Considered to be one of the most cold hardy Powderpuffs, the Baja Fairy Duster develops into an informal fountaining shrub once mature that is nearly twice as wide as high. Moderately drought resistant once well established. This dwarf Powderpuff also makes a low maintenance container plant. Item# 838.

Perfect for hanging baskets! The large rounded clusters of flowers open a sunny yellow and mature to creamy white creating a complimentary two-tone effect and attracting a variety of pollinators and all on a mounding to semi-trailing plant. BANDOLISTA™ Coconut Lantana was developed with container culture in mind, specifically hanging baskets, with its naturally spreading to semi-weeping and mounding habit it is sure to provide spring to frost color with minimal fuss. The flowers of this cultivar are sterile meaning the plants can spend more time and energy developing new flower buds instead of ripening fruit. Utilize BANDOLISTA™ Coconut Lantana as a spiller or filler in mixed container gardens, use it as a colorful, pollinator attracting groundcover in the garden and landscape, and as specimen container plants. Excellent for attracting a variety of pollinators including butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other garden beneficials. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in well-draining, average moist, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Syngenta Flowers, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13630

The #1 Lantana in 2022 trials at Penn State Trial Gardens and ideal for hanging baskets! The large rounded clusters of flowers open a deep orangey yellow and mature through orange tones and finally to deep fiery red all on a mounding to semi-trailing plant. BANDOLISTA™ Red Chili Lantana was developed with container culture in mind, specifically hanging baskets, with its naturally spreading to semi-weeping and mounding habit it is sure to provide spring to frost color with minimal fuss. The flowers of this cultivar are sterile meaning the plants can spend more time and energy developing new flower buds instead of ripening fruit. Utilize BANDOLISTA™ Red Chili Lantana as a spiller or filler in mixed container gardens, use it as a colorful, pollinator attracting groundcover in the garden and landscape, and as specimen container plants. Excellent for attracting a variety of pollinators including butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other garden beneficials. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in well-draining, average moist, fertile soils for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13086

A succession of red tubular blooms that end in a purple bat-like 'face' are topped by a pair of glowing red 'ears' creating the interesting 'bat face' look. Batface Cuphea, or Georgia Scarlet Batface Cuphea, is a tough and reliable low mounding perennial which blooms from late spring to frost. Provide a well-drained soil with full to mostly sun for the best results. An excellent choice for hummingbirds, mixed containers, hanging baskets, and in mass plantings. Item# 1220

The beautiful, unusual and almost alien looking burgundy, bronze, and green colored dutchman's pipe-like flowers are produced during the growing season atop the smooth and glossy olive green variegated foliage. Bejuco de Santiago, or Contribo in its native Belize, is an easy to grow, evergreen, vigorous twining tropical climber that is small enough to be enjoyed on a 3-4' trellis although it can climb to 12-15'H if given support. The foliage and dense habit are decorative and showy even when the plant is not in flower. Bejuco de Santiago can tolerate full sun but the foliage seems to be at its best where the plant receives some shade or filtered sun during the heat of the day. Caterpillar host: Polydamas and Pipevine Swallowtail. Item# 3123

The intensely fragrant, up to 4" wide, double white flowers may produced throughout much of the year under warm tropical conditions and are held against a foil of large glossy dark green foliage. Belmont Gardenia is almost old enough to be an heirloom variety being patented in 1934 by Walter E. Lenk on Belmont Estate, Massachussets. In his patent application, PP93, he states that "The variety is an extraordinarily heavy producer and can be propagated rapidly. If not pinched back this variety blooms almost continuously and readily adapts itself to maximum production of blossoms in the Winter when they are so valuable." Obviously, Mr. Lenk developed it for greenhouse production but it has proven to be a highly desirable Gardenia clone that is still popular today and has proven to be hardy into zone 7. It is fairly similar to Aimee Yoshioka and Miami Supreme in vigor and flower size. In the garden and landscape, expect flowering to be heaviest in spring and summer with some repeat flowering into fall on mature plants. Item# 12299

Conical spikes of deep red, 3" long tubular flowers are produced nearly continuously throughout the growing season on this vigorous and easy to grow shrub to shrub-like perennial. Bidwill's Coral Tree is a hybrid of our native Mamou Bean, Erythrina herbacea, and the tropical Crybaby Tree, Erythrina crista-galli, combining the best features of both parents. It has the cold hardiness of the Mamou and the continuous flowering of the Crybaby and the hummingbirds flock to the intense red tubular flowers. Easy to grow and establish, it is perennial in areas where freezes are common and becomes more shrub-like in zones 9, 10, and 11. Item# 11083

The deep scarlet red, 1-1/2" long, Turk's turban-like flowers are held upright and are produced in abundance from late spring or early summer until the first hard frost or freeze to potentially year round in mild winter climates. The nectar rich flowers attract a seemingly continuous horde of bright yellow Sulphur butterflies as well as hummingbirds. Big Momma Turk's Cap, a hybrid Malvaviscus developed by noted Texas horticulturist and author Greg Grant, has all of the toughness and flower power of the common Turk's Cap with the added vigor and increased flower size attributed to its other parent the Giant Turk's Cap. As a die-back perennial, in areas where hard freezes occur, the plants typically reach about 4' high and 5-6' wide by the end of the growing season. In warm winter regions, the plants can easily be used as a formal or informal 6' high hedge or as specimen plantings. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average to well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 1081

Selected at the esteemed Biltmore Estate, Ashville, NC, the summerlong display of 2" wide dangling Chinese lantern-like flowers are a soft yellow-orange heavily overlaid with a strongly contrasting deep red veining. Biltmore Ball Gown Abutilon or Flowering Maple is an exceptionally hardy and reliable upright growing, naturally evergreen shrubby tropical that has proven to be evergreen in mild zone 8 winters but where it is not reliably hardy it makes an easy container plant that can be overwintered indoors near a sunny window. Abutilons are also known as Parlor Maples as this was a reliably flowering indoor plant and a conversation piece. The flowers attract hummingbirds and other garden beneficials. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in a fertile, average moist soil. Item# 13087

Arching 2-3" long spikes adorned with numerous whitish to greenish tiny flowers are produced from the leaf axils with pollinated flowers producing small round, 1/5" diameter fruits that start out green and mature through orange-red to black. The Black Pepper Plant is a tropical, evergreen vine with glossy, deep green foliage. It uses adventitious roots to support itself on the bark of nearby trees, shrubs, or wooden trellises and supports. It branches readily creating a full lush decorative vine. Black Pepper prefers a mildly acidic to neutral, average moist to moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter but should not be allowed to remain soggy wet. Item# 12581

The large rounded flower clusters open a soft lemony yellow, darken to apricot and coral, and finally fade into shades of pastel orange. Bloomify™ Mango Lantana is a sterile dwarf cultivar with a compact, well-branched upright to rounded habit lending it to use near the front of the garden and landscape, in mixed contaiener gardens, and as specimen container plants. Since the Bloomify™ Lantanas do not waste energy on fruit and seed production they can spend that much more time flowering! The flowers are sure to attract a myriad of pollinators with their nectar rich flowers. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Item# 12409

The rounded flower clusters open sunny yellow and deepen into shades of orange as they mature. Bloomify™ Orange Lantana is a sterile dwarf cultivar with a compact, well-branched upright to rounded habit lending it to use near the front of the garden and landscape, in mixed contaiener gardens, and as specimen container plants. Since the Bloomify™ Lantanas do not waste energy on fruit and seed production they can spend that much more time flowering! The flowers are sure to attract a myriad of pollinators with their nectar rich flowers. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture Company, all rights reserved. Item# 12589

Bloomify™ Pink Improved Lantana produces rounded clusters of flowers that open a sunny yellow, fade through orangey pink, and finally darkening to near fuchsia. These are compact and free flowering plants with a naturally dwarf rounded habit. Since they don't have to spend energy on ripening fruit they can spend much more time flowering. The compact habit of the Bloomify™ Lantanas make them an easy choice for containers or in the garden and landscape. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. The Bloomify™ Lantana series are the first certified sterile Lantana on the market. Bloomify™ Pink Improved sports slightly darker pink flowers than the original form. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture Company, all rights reserved. Item# 13307

New for 2024! Bloomify™ White Lantana produces rounded clusters of flowers that open white with a primrose eye to solid primrose and quickly mature to pure white. These are compact and free flowering plants with a naturally dwarf rounded habit. The Bloomify™ Lantana series are the first certified sterile Lantana on the market. Since they don't have to spend energy on ripening fruit they can spend much more time flowering. The compact habit of the Bloomify™ Lantanas make them an easy choice for containers or in the garden and landscape. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13308

Large clusters of nicely contrasting two-toned, deep blue and pale blue to near white, butterfly-shaped flowers with dainty recurving styles and stamens are produced during the warmer months of the year and attract a variety of pollinators. The Blue Butterfly Bush, Rotheca myricoides 'Ugandense' and once classified with the Clerodendrum, is a medium to large, naturally evergreen, vigorous growing, heat and sunloving, tropical shrub that can attain heights of 10-12' but is more commonly maintained as a 4-6' high shrub. Its long canes lend it to use as a tree standard or as an espalier where it isn't exposed to hard freezes or allow it to grow into an informal specimen or hedge. It can also be maintained as a container plant where not reliably hardy but should be protected from freezing temperatures. *Plants can act like die-back perennials into zones 8-9 with the stems freezing to near ground level when temperatures fall below about 25^oF and plants will benefit from a mulch to help the crown overwinter. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in an average moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. The Blue Butterfly Bush's ease of care and reliability have garnered it the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Item# 10681

Dense tall spikes are composed of hundreds of light violet-blue and white tubular flowers that are produced throughout the growing season attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Blue Chill Salvia, a branch sport of Mystic Spires Salvia, is a compact growing, upright to spreading, herbaceous perennial growing to about 18-24" high and 12-18" wide. Where not exposed to freezes or frosts, the plants should remain evergreen through winter, but are considered root hardy into zone 7 with a mulch. Plants are adorned in deep green foliage that acts as a wonderful foil for the light-colored flowers. Its compact size and exceptional flower power make this an excellent choice for containers, as specimens or in mixed company, as well as in a sunny garden or landscape. Provide an average moist, fertile, well-drained soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum growth and flowering. Item# 13517

A crown of deep sapphire blue filaments create a striking contrast with the white petals and sepals that are held against the rich green foliage throughout the growing season. The Blue Crown Passionflower is a vigorous growing tropical vine and can easily reach 20' once well-established. This is also one of the most reliably cold hardy Passionvines with foliage remaining evergreen in the mildest 8B winters but dying back to the ground in severe winters and returning readily in spring. The Blue Crown Passionflower may spread somewhat by rhizomes but it is generally much more tame than the Maypop. Cross pollination may produce tropical tasting tangy fruit that surrounds the dark seeds inside. 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# 733

2" wide deep blue to purple trumpets with contrasting yellow throats are produced freely beginning as early as mid-spring and continuing until frost, to potentially year round under warm tropical conditions. The large showy flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The Blue Glory Vine, Thunbergia battiescombeii, is a small to medium-sized, mounding to sprawling, multi-stemmed, naturally evergreen tropical, in frost free climates, to root hardy perennial in zones 8-9 and grows to about 2-3' high and 3-4' wide as a perennial and up to twice as large in frost free conditions. This has been a reliable, low-maintenance, pest free, long-lived perennial in our gardens and easily survived 8^oF and 12^oF winter lows and extended freezing temperatures. It is tolerant of full sun where it has adequate moisture but seems to benefit from midday or afternoon shade or an eastern exposure in regions with hot summer climates. The Blue Glory Vine makes an easy container plant or an easy addition to the garden or landscape and has the potential to be used as an informal groundcover. Provide an average to well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. One of our longtime favorite root hardy tropicals. Item# 327

The large, 3-4'' wide, blue to lavender, Hibiscus-like flowers are produced throughout the warmer months of the year to year-round under warm frost free conditions. The Blue Hibiscus, Alyogyne huegelii, is an upright to rounded, naturally evergreen, Australian native shrub that is heat and sunloving and is somewhat drought resistant once well-established. It is fairly adaptable to soil types and moisture as long as they are provided with excellent drainage, otherwise it tends to be fairly short-lived. Full sun is optimal and it can be enjoyed both as a container plant as well as making a nice specimen or informal hedge in the garden and landscape. It is sometimes trained as a tree standard to good effect. Plants tend to be somewhat open and if foliage becomes too sparse or the plants too larger they can be pruned back fairly hard and will put out vigorous new growth and some sources suggest that it flowers best after a good pruning. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 12881

2022 Missouri Botanic Garden Plants of Merit selection! One of the most amazingly blue colored flowers in the plant world! This small growing but vigorous annual or tender perennial vine produces loads of brilliant deep blue flowers with recurving and overlapping petals with a white to creamy yellow throat. It can be successfully overwintered but it's easier just to save a few seeds to plant in spring. Caterpillar host: Longtail Skipper. Item# 9114

Blue dye can be extracted from the blossoms!!

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