Tropical Plants

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. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, fertile soil. Item# 13080

Clusters and chains of large 3" wide purple-blue trumpet shaped flowers with contrasting yellow throats are produced throughout much of the growing season and attract larger bees and butterflies as well as the occassional hummingbird. The Blue Sky Vine, Thunbergia grandiflora, is an exceptionally popular tropical vine that is easy, reliable, has excellent flower power and it can be grown as a die-back perennial in zones 8-9 if established early in the growing season (click the "More Details and Growing Info" link or the plant's image to learn more). It may remain evergreen in warm frost free tropical climates where it can flower nearly yearround. The Blue Sky Vine is a heat and sunloving twining vine suitable for metal fences, smaller arbors, and medium to large trellises or other sturdy supports. Provide a well-drained, moderately fertile soil. The Blue Sky Vine can also be enjoyed as an easy and low-maintenance container plant. Item# 1108.

The widely flaring deep blue-purple fan shaped flowers open from tubular buds, and are very reminiscent of Scaevola or Half-Flower, open singly and in clusters held at the growing tips as well as in the leaf axils attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The 5-lobed flowers of Blue-Lips, Sclerochiton harveyanus, are produced most heavily throughout the warmer months of the year. This is a shade tolerant naturally spreading to scandent (vine-like) evergreen tropical shrub with rounded, glossy deep green foliage. Blue-Lips is considered to be frost resistant but not freeze tolerant and it is easily maintained as a shrub form for containers, including hanging baskets, in and around larger growing shade-loving tropicals in the garden as well as on a shaded porch or patio. Provide it with an average moist, acidic to neutral, well-drained soil in a site that receives at least some cool morning sunlight or filtered sunlight for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12268

Unusual fuchsia colored flowers with exerted purple stamens and pistil are produced throughout the year attracting hummingbirds along with occasional butterflies. Brazilian Candles, Pavonia multiflora, is an exceptionally free flowering, naturally evergreen tropical shrub with an upright to vase shaped growth habit and glossy dark green textured foliage. Provide a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. This rare tropical shrub is sure to be a conversation piece! Item # 544

Clusters of sunny yellow orchid-like flowers are borne in summer and into fall to yearround under warm tropical conditions on this vigorous twining vine. The Brazilian Golden Orchid Vine, Stigmaphyllon ciliatum, is a naturally evergreen woody twining climbing with dark green arrowhead shaped foliage that has a heart-shaped, or cordate, leaf base and fine bristles along their edges as well as along the sepals. It is not quite as cold hardy as the Yellow Butterfly Vine, Mascagnia macroptera, with which it is easily confused but it has larger flowers. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Where not hardy it is easily overwintered indoors in a warm sunny location. Provide a well-drained, moderately fertile, acid soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12001

An unusually free-blooming white flowered plumeria, producing a succession of the 1 1/2" white flowers with a yellow eye are born throughout the warmer months. Unusual spatula shaped, shiny, deep green foliage on an upright plant. A great patio plant. Item # 788

The Buddha's Belly Bush or Gout Plant produces long lasting clusters of bright reddish orange flowers that open a few at a time on sturdy stems held well above the large tri-lobed, rounded tropical foliage. The base of the plant develops into a swollen caudex providing the Buddha's belly. These are easily grown and rewarding plants that flower throughout the warmer months and will often flower sporadically through winter on established plants. Its drought tolerance lends it to a well-drained soil and is an excellent choice for the porch, patio, or even indoors. Item # 339.

The multitude of bright golden-yellow petals create a rounded, 3-4'', peony-like flower that seems to glow against the foil of deep green foliage. The Butterball Hibiscus (a.k.a. Triple Yellow) Hibiscus has a vigorous bushy upright to spreading habit and flowers throughout much of the year when grown under warm tropical conditions. Provide a mostly sunny to part shade position in a well-drained fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Catepillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 1052

Large clusters of 2" long creamy white tubular flowers are produced throughout the warmer months and potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions. Buttercream Icing Iochroma, an Almost Eden selection and exclusive introduction, develops into an upright to spreading, exceptionally free-flowering, naturally evergreen, shrub-like tropical that can easily be maintained in medium-sized containers or add it to the garden and landscape in tropical climates. Provide a full sun to part shade site in a fertile, well-drained, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. In hot summer climates midday or afternoon shade may be beneficial. The flowers of Iochromas attract hummingbirds and the occasional long-tongued bee. Easy and rewarding and sure to add a tropical flair to any garden and landscape. Item# 12673

Similar to New Gold in habit and flower power, Buttercream Lantana produces clusters of golden yellow flowers that change to a soft golden yellow and finally to white. An excellent Greg Grant introduction with somewhat more of a pastel effect than that of New Gold. Great for butterflies and pollinators! Buttercream Lantana is a low growing mounding Lantana suitable for use as a groundcover, at the front of the garden, or spilling from containers. Item# 9904.

Each petal of the Butterfly Amaryllis is heavily veined in burgundy and has large splotches of burgundy toward the center of the largest petals. The flowers have a narrow display and are born in small clusters atop sturdy stems in late winter and early spring. A rare and endangered species of tropical Amaryllis that makes an easy container plant. One 2-1/2 to 3" diameter flowering size bulb per container. Item# 10495.

Sweetly fragrant, 6" wide, clusters of deep pink flowers with deep magenta throats are held atop the dark glossy green heart-shaped foliage. The fragrant flowers attract mainly butterflies but other pollinators may show up as well. Cashmere Bouquet, Clerodendrum bungei, is an upright typically single stemmed perennial growing to about 2-4' high, occassionally to 6-8' high under freeze free conditions, and will spread vigorously if grown in the ground via underground runners creating a dense groundcover. Planted outdoors in areas where hard freezes occur, like in zones 7-9, the stems of the plant typically freeze to the ground and at the very least are typcially deciduous anywhere hard frosts occur. Cashmere Bouquet can also be enjoyed as a low maintenance container plant where it will remain more confined, click here to learn more. Item# 11316

Large 3" wide dark reddish-purple trumpet shaped flowers are borne throughout summer to year-round under warm tropical conditions adorn the vine-like stems of this tropical. Cherries Jubilee Allamanda, a selection of Allamanda blanchetii, is a naturally evergreen, scandent (a.k.a. vine-like) large arching to shrub to vine-like shrub that revels in the heat and sun of summer. The flowers may be visited by butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. It can be trained as an espalier, trellis, or even as a tree form and can be allowed to trail along fences and up arbors in freeze free climates. Cool winter temperatures and frosts may cause some leaf drop. Provide Cherries Jubiliee Alllamanda with a full to partly sunny site in an average moist but never soggy wet, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Where not hardy it is easily overwintered in a warm sunny window.  Item# 356

Graceful foot-long spikes of fuzzy bright fuchsia tubular flowers are produced from summer through fall and throughout winter under frost free conditions on a mannerly shade tolerant plant with deep green textured foliage. Chiapas Sage develops into a 3' high and wide plant and hails from the Cloud Forests of San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico and should do wonderfully in the humid central and eastern US. It is frost tender but is reported to withstand zone 7 winters if given a breathable protective winter mulch in a well-drained soil. In hot summer climates plan to give Chiapas Sage midday and afternoon shade and it can tolerate light shade and will be sure to brighten up these areas. The nectar rich flowers are a treat for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Easy to overwinter as a container plant and floriferous enough to be enjoyed as an annual. Item# 11691 

This perennial, succulent, tropical bulb from Africa is very unique. The bulb grows on top of the soil and sends up a long twining vine with small, dark green leaves and small, star-shaped white blooms in summer. It is easy to grow in well-drained soil and good light. Item # 846.

This perennial, succulent, tropical bulb from Africa is very unique. The bulb grows on top of the soil and sends up a long twining vine with small, dark green leaves and small, star-shaped white blooms in summer. It is easy to grow in well-drained soil and good light. item # 9015

The dark maroon spikes to 30" high are adorned with clusters of dangling 2" long tubular bright red flowers that flare at their ends and are produced in cycles throughout the growing season attracting a variety of pollinators but especially hummingbirds. COLORBURST™ Deep Red Cape Fuchsia, a hybrid Phygelius, is a clump forming, heat and humidity tolerant perennial that is normally relegated to the West Coast but newer cultivars and hybrids like this one are showing that these plants can be enjoyed in the Southeast as well. They will do best in an acidic, well-draining, fertile, moist to average moist soil and can be enjoyed as both container specimens as well as in the garden and landscape. After a flowering cycle, remove the spent stems to help promote the production of new flowering stems. Images courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13323

Vibrant red, single Hibiscus blooms bring elegance and poise to the chaos of color brought on by the brilliantly variegated foliage which is randomly splashed in shades of burgundy, red, pink, white, and green. A vigorous growing Tropical Hibiscus. Makes a wonderful full bushy Hibiscus or small tree standard where it provides a loud summer long splash of tropical foliage color. For the best foliage colors grow Cooper's Variegated Hibiscus in full sunlight and where it gets plenty of warmth. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item # 806.

Coming again for 2022! The Coral Firecracker Fern produces loads of 1" salmon tubular flowers that are born in large loose clusters along the arching ferny stems throughout the warmer months of the year or nearly year round where winters are mild. Excellent for Hummingbirds! Plant it with the red and yellow for a colorful combination. This is a durable and long-lived, clump forming perennial that requires little additional care once well-established. The Firecracker Fern has excellent heat and sun tolerance as well as moderate drought resistance once well-established. It is even listed as being suitable for xeriscaping. Firecracker Fern, Russelia equisetiformis, is listed as a Texas A&M Outstanding Coastal Plant as it has excellent resistance to soil and wind born salts, though it could use some protection from harsh, drying winds. It is also an RHS Award of Garden Merit selection. It can be used as a low informal hedge, allow it to spill over walls, enjoy it as a hanging basket, window box, or container specimen, as well as in mixed container gardens. Item# 992