Tropical Plants

The leaves of this rare beauty emerge a deep coppery pink and mature to a bronzy green and are broadly to narrowly edged and splashed with cream. The leaf undersides are a solid rich dark orange-pink color and the plant is often at its best where both sides of the foliage can be fully enjoyed making the Variegated Chinese Croton an excellent choice for a colorful and easy hanging basket specimen or container specimen. An easy to grow and rewarding tropical container plant. Item# 10066

8" long golden trumpets with purple veins are borne in late winter and early spring on this scrambling tropical climber with cream and green variegated foliage. Most unusual. Item # 698.

The beautifully variegated foliage of this Gardenia make it a stand out. The rounded and often twisted rich dark green foliage is randomly streaked and splashed with cream and white creating a wonderful contrast. The plant is fairly upright and seems to be a dwarf to semi-dwarf making it a good choice for containers. Item# 9341.

The large, palmate, tropical-looking, glossy deep green foliage of this Variegated Fatsia is splashed with nicely contrasting bright creamy white making this a standout in shaded gardens. Large loose clusters to 18" or more across are composed of 1" to 1-1/2" diameter, ball-shaped white flowers that are produced in fall to winter attracting an amazing number of mainly smaller pollinators and are followed by 1/4" diameter green berries that ripen to black. Fatsia or Japanese Aralia makes an excellent choice for shaded locations and develops into a medium to large, often multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an initially slow rate of growth that increase to moderate once plants are well-established. Makes a wonderful specimen, informal hedge, or container plant for indoors or out. Provide Fatsia with an average moist, fertile, acidic soil rich in organic matter with average or better drainage. Item# 9305

Beautiful white edged to pink tinged, succulent variegated ovate foliage adorns the upright, zig-zagging stems on an upright growing succulent. The beautifully variegated foliage of this Red Bird Cactus, actually a Euphorbia or Pedilanthus and not a true cacti, makes this plant worth growing although the plant gets it's name from the clusters of tiny red bird-shaped that may be produced in summer. This is an easy and forgiving succulent that develops into an architecturally pleasing specimen plant suitable for a semi-shaded porch or patio and it tends to have more pink foliage coloration where it receives some direct sunlight as well as during cooler weather. Allow the soil to become somewhat dry between waterings although it can tolerant more moisture when in active growth and less during winter. Item# 598

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

Broad white margins surround the rich bluish-green heart of each leaf as they gracefully spiral down and around each of the sturdy upright to arching stems of this beautifully variegated ginger. Narrower white streaks often randomly dive into the green center of the leaves. The bright foliage is a standout in shaded gardens or patios. The brightly contrasting foliage is excellent for mixed containers and can be used as cut foliage in flower arrangements. Item# 3049

This  fragrant tropical vine flaunts wide cream to gold edging on the thick rich green foliage. Very fragrant, tubular, waxy white flowers are borne in clusters from early summer until late fall. Item # 9394.

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

The spring to frost display of tall dense spikes of tubular, almost batface-like purple and lavender flowers are held above the neat mounds of dark purple-tinged deep green foliage. VELVET™ Diva Plectranthus is a breakthrough for this easy to grow, showy tropical and has a nice, almost formal, densely branching habit that doesn't require pinching like the older Mona Lavender Plectranthus did. It makes a perfect container specimen for 8-10" pots for shaded to partially shaded areas like a porch or covered patio. VELVET™ Diva Plectranthus can also be used as a warm season annual shaded gardens and landscapes. It can tolerate cool direct sunlight, like early in the day or late in the evening, and filtered sunlight fairly well but will need shade during the hottest portions of the day, especially in areas with hot summer climates, to keep the foliage a dark healthy green. Provide a moist to average moist, fertile, well-drained soil for optimum growth and vigor. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12865

The spring to frost display of tall dense spikes of tubular, almost batface-like flowers sport shades of bright rose, pure pink, and violet and are held above the neat mounds of the purple-tinged deep green foliage. VELVET™ Starlet Plectranthus is a breakthrough color for this easy to grow, showy tropical and has a nice, almost formal, densely branching habit that doesn't require pinching like the older Plectranthus did. It makes a perfect container specimen for 8-10" pots for shaded to partially shaded areas like a porch or covered patio. VELVET™ Starlet Plectranthus can also be used as a warm season annual shaded gardens and landscapes. It can tolerate cool direct sunlight, like early in the day or late in the evening, and filtered sunlight fairly well but will need shade during the hottest portions of the day, especially in areas with hot summer climates, to keep the foliage a dark healthy green. Provide a moist to average moist, fertile, well-drained soil for optimum growth and vigor. Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12864

1" long tubular fiery red-orange flowers tipped in white seemingly cover up this plant throughout the growing season to yearround under warm frost free conditions. Vermillionaire™ Cigar Plant is basically a compact better branching form of the hummingbird garden staple David Verity that grows to about 2'x2'. This new compact Cuphea has made a big splash with its exceptional flower power and, like David Verity, it is a heat and sun-loving flowering machine which is perfectly suited for medium-sized containers. It can be used as a a stand alone specimen, in combination plantings, and even as a hanging basket plant as well as in the garden and landscape. Provide a full sun to part shade location in a fertile, average moist soil. The flowers attract hummingbirds as well larger butterflies, especially the Sulphur butterflies with their strong affinity for red flowers. Item# 11996

Strongly fragrant 3" creamy white single flowers are held against the large deep green glossy foliage on this vigorous evergreen shrub with a naturally dense and rounded habit. The Vietnamese Gardenia is much easier to grow than many Gardenias as it is more tolerant of overly moist soils as well as drought once established and has high resistance to Nematodes and other pests. This is one of the most free flowering Gardenias in our collection! Item# 9592

Redwing, Vining Maple, and Mariposa are among its many names, whatever you choose to call it this rather hardy vine with tropical origins creates quite a show throughout the warmer months of the year with a near continuous display of yellow, orchid-like flowers that are quickly followed by bright red, winged, maple-like seeds. Even the new growth is bright red adding to its color show. Grow Redwings as a vine or a sprawling shrub preferably in a sunny location and it should reward you for many years to come. Item # 1232.

Loose hyacinth-like spikes of dainty green flowers with recurving petals and contrasting dark purple filaments and yellow stamens are held above the narrow silvery foliage with dark green spots and reddish-purple reverses in spring after a dry winter dormancy. This is an easy to grow dwarf scilla or squill, tentatively Ledebouria socialis 'Violacea' 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 2.25" pot. Item# 12453

Wanda Sue Angel's Trumpet produces double to single orange trumpets throughout the warm months of the year on a vigorous growing plant. Angel's Trumpets are fast growing tropical shrubs that act-like die-back perennials in the northern parts of their range but readily return from the roots in spring. Sure to attract hummingbird moths. Item# 11196

The White Bleeding Heart Vine produces large clusters of white, bell shaped, flower like calyces from which deep red almost butterfly-like flowers emerge. This vigorous twining tropical climber will flower throughout the warmer months of the year or practically year round where protected from frosts and freezes. The dark green foliage acts as the perfect foil for the long-lasting bright white calyces. The White Bleeding Heart Vine may freeze to the ground in the coldest portions of its range but established plants typically return in spring. An easy and rewarding container plant where not hardy. Item # 723.

Clusters of pure-white, butterfly-shaped, fragrant flowers are produced in clusters in summer atop the tropical looking, rich green foliage and sturdy lush stems attracting both butterflies and the hummingbird-like Sphinx Moths. Cut the flowers and put them in a vase and they can perfume an entire room with their sweet heady fragrance. The White Butterfly Ginger, Hedychium coronarium, is a rhizomatous and slowly spreading, naturally evergreen tropical that acts like a die-back perennial in areas where freezes occur, reliably returning in zones 7B to 10. The Hedychium Gingers typically grow and flower best where they receive at least some direct sunlight for 3-4 hours during the day and generally have the best looking foliage where they receive shade during the heat of the day. A planting on the east facing side of a house, tree or other structure where they receive morning sun is often optimum. Provide an average moist to moist, average to well-drained, moderately fertile soil to keep this easy and reliable heirloom growing and flowering. Item# 1065

Fragrant clusters of 1" white tubular flowers are produced in summer at the leaf axils and may be followed by 1/4" glossy black fruits. White Cestrum or Day Blooming Jasmine, Cestrum diurnum, is an upright to rounded, naturally evergreen shrub with glossy ovate foliage. Well established plants can be can be grown as a root hardy, die-back perennial in the colder portions of its range or it can be easily maintained as a medium to large container plant where it is protected from freezing temperatures. The day-fragrant flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. Item# 725

Pure white 3" trumpets are borne in succession throughout summer and into fall on this upright to loosely open and spreading shrub-like tropical. The Morning Glory Bush is considered root hardy throughout much of zone 9. Provide your plants with a warm protected site, a well draining soil, and extra protection during hard or extended freezes for the best results. Item# 731.