Tropical Plants

The large, glossy, dark green, tropical foliage of the Congo Fig, Dorstenia bahiensis, creates a beautiful rosette of foliage on a 2-4" high stem that will rarely exceed 12" high and about 18" wide making it the perfect little container plant. Unusual flattened maroonish 'flowers', technically hypanthodia, are produced basically year-round and are held on sturdy stalks and peak above the foliage of this easy and unusual indoor plant. The flower structures forcefully eject the ripened seeds a few feet from the mother plant. The cream to tan colored seeds require no pollination and are clones of the parent plant and so often come up in the pots of neighboring plants. The Congo Fig is quite tolerant of low to high indirect light and is forgiving when it comes to moisture levels but the plants seem to be happiest in a well-draining, average moist, fertile soil. Item# 10055

The stiff ferny fronds are adorned with numerous thick leathery medium to deep green leaflets often with a bronze tinge and emerge from what becomes an underground trunk. The Coontie, Zamia integrifolia (a.k.a Z. pumila), is a small tough southeastern native Cycad that eventually develops an underground trunk that will branch with age creating a dense 24-36" high cover of the soft to medium textured fronds. It is resistant to drought, tolerates high heat and humidity, sun or shade, and is a very low maintainence addition to the landscape. In areas that experience hard freezes, like zone 8, the foliage may freeze back but a new flush readily returns in spring. Makes an easy bonsai and a low maintenance container plant. Item# 12729

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. Item # 806.

Foliage is splashed, streaked, and spotted with colors ranging from deep burgundy to a reddish-pink. A great splash of color from spring to fall.  item # 370

Deep rusty red, red, to burgundy foliage with fine rounded teeth is narrowly edged in starkly contrasting yellow to neon yellow and is sure to provide a summer long splash of hot and spicy color. Copperhead Coleus has a naturally full and densely branching upright to rounded habit, growing a little taller than wide typically. Its compact habit lends it to use as specimen container plants, in mixed container gardens, as well as to liven up the garden and landscape from spring to frost. Copperhead is both sun and shade tolerant and will generally have the deepest most intense coloration where it receives more than about 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. The colors will be only slightly muted in light shade where it leans more toward the rusty reds with a chartreuse to neon yellow edging. Copperhead Coleus won high marks in Penn State's 2021 Trial Gardens in both sun (4.79 out of 5) and shade(4.96 out of 5) containers. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12945

The large, deep coppery red tropical-looking foliage is accented by random splashes, flecks, and patches in red, pink, and orange tones when grown in sunny conditions. In shade the colors are less intense and lean toward bronze, pink, green tones. Copperhead Copper Plant is a moderately vigorous selection with a naturally upright to rounded habit. This heat and sun-loving, naturally evergreen tropical shrub is well suited for use as a thriller in mixed container gardens, as specimen container plants, as well as for a tropical accent in sunny gardens and landscapes providing continuous color from spring to frost. Foliage colors often intensify as summer wanes and autumn approaches. Provide your Copperplants with an average to well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and health. Copperhead is very similar to Louisiana Red. Item# 12587

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

The true demand  is for the VIGNA  Caracalla, a favorite of Thomas Jefferson's, the Corskscrew Vine, Snail Vine, or Caracalla Bean produces large clusters of fragrant white and lavender coiling buds and flowers that fade to a creamy yellow just before dropping. The Corkscrew Vine is a vigorous climber that grows from a tuberous, somewhat potato-like, root that it can return from in mild winter climates. The intricate late summer and fall blooming flowers attract a variety of pollinators, particularly larger bees. Item# 373.

There exists a "Corkscrew vine, a.k.a. Snail vine" that looks very similar to the V. caracallas vine, but has no fragrance, and can become a pest.  It is more hardy  of the two.   We do not grow it.  

A very unique Tropical Hibiscus, Corona del Rey Hibiscus produces an abundance of 4-5" purple flowers that are edged in rosy-pink.The unusually colored flowers are subtended by mediumsized, dark green, tropical foliage that is typically, but not always, deeply serrated. A semi dwarf plant with a bushy and generally spreading to upright habit. Item# 9332.

Costa Rican Blue Salvia produces large spikes of exceptionally large bluish purple tubular flowers that emerge from darkly colored calyxes in summer and fall above the soft, somewhat bluish green foliage. Considered by some to be a selection of Salvia guaranitica, and possibly a tetraploid or hybrid, it differs in its larger more robust habit, larger flowers that start later in the summer, and its very pubescent foliage. Excellent for hummingbirds and other long tongued pollinators. Provide a full sun to part shade location in an average moist to moist acidic well-drained moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item#10233

Huge 18-24" long spikes of deep coral-red to red-orange, 2" long pea-like flowers are produced in cycles throughout the warmer months of the year on new growth. The specialized flowers are designed for hummingbird pollination but may also be visited by larger bees and occasional butterflies. The Crybaby or Cockspur Coral Tree, Erythrina crista-galli, is considered to be one of the most cold hardy and free flowering of the Coral Trees. This is a rarely available and highly desirable fast-growing, heat and sunloving, deciduous tropical tropical tree to large shrub growing to about 15-20' high in zones 9B-10 but is typically closer to 10' high in zones 8B-9A. Once well-established, the plants are somewhat drought resistant and are slightly salt tolerant. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in an average moist to moist , fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Protect young plants from harsh freezing temperatures until the trunk becomes woody and has grown to about 5-6" diameter if planting out in zone 8B-9A. Young plants can be overwintered indoors in a warm sunny window until they get to an appropriate size for planting out. The huge flower clusters are utilized as cutflowers in its native range and it is also the national tree of Argentina, the national flower of both Uruguay and Argentina, and is the city tree of Los Angeles as it makes a fantastic, low-maintenance street tree. A Royal Horticulture Society Award of Garden Merit Award winner for its reliablity and flower power. Item# 9137

The large 8" long, white to greenish white, dangling angel's trumpet-like, night fragrant flowers are produced over an extended period a few times a year and the plants begin flowering at a very young age. Cubanola or Campanita, Portlandia domingensis, is a naturally evergreen small tree-like tropical shrub with glossy rich green foliage growing to about 5-8' high. It is shade tolerant but is reported to flower the most profusely where it gets more sun. The night fragrant flowers attract a variety of pollinating moths and makes a neat addition to a moon moth garden either as a container plant or in the ground where reliably hardy. Provide an average moist well-drained soil for optimum growth and flowering. Item# 12229

The deep green 4-angled succulent stems are tipped with deep green fuzzy palmate grape or cucumber-like foliage that soon becomes deciduous. The Cucumber Cactus, Cissus quadrangularis, is an easy to succulent herbaceous vining to trailing plant whose stems can potentially grow to 5-15' long if a support is provided but is easily kept as a smaller hanging basket or container plant. In spring it may produce clusters of small green to yellowish flowers that may be followed by grape-like clusters of red to black berries. This unusual succulent is drought resistant and is quite adaptable to growing conditions from full sun to light shade as well as very acidic to very alkaline soils, although, it does require good to excellent drainage and should never be soggy wet. The Cucumber Cactus has been used medicinally,as food, and as fiber in its native tropical Asia and Africa. If stems happen to break off they will readily root. Item# 12438

A rare Angel's Trumpet that produces split petalled hanging white trumpets that are held among the very narrow, dark green, velvety foliage. The 6-8'', fragrant, pure white blooms are formed of loose petals that twist and flare out at the bottom like a petticoat. Culebra Angel's Trumpet is not as large growing as many of its cousins and so is easily maintained as a container plant. Item# 9351.

8" long fragrant golden trumpets with purple veins are borne from winter through spring on this large scrambling tropical climber. A very unusual and easily grown specimen plant that is quite tolerant of seaside conditions. An excellent choice for large trellises and arbors or as an espalier. Item # 375.

The foliage of this Epiphyllum wants to twist and curl into great locks of of flat, rich green foliage. Small for an Epiphyllum, the 3" white flowers open at night and are often followed by small red, delicious, edible fruit. With this particular cultivar of Epiphyllum guatamalense the flowers may or may not open fully or at all but as it is self-pollinating it may produce fruit even so. An easy hanging basket plant and sure to be a conversation piece! Item# 10481.

The foliage of this Epiphyllum wants to twist and curl into great locks of of flat, rich green foliage. Small for an Epiphyllum, the 3" white flowers open at night and are often followed by small red, delicious, edible fruit. With this particular cultivar of Epiphyllum guatamalense the flowers may or may not open fully or at all but as it is self-pollinating it may produce fruit even so. An easy hanging basket plant and sure to be a conversation piece! Item# 11582

Elegant, clear pink, 3" wide hibiscus flowers are held against a foil of contrasting dark green tropical foliage. Dainty Pink Hibiscus is a non-stop bloomer that puts on a show practically throughout the year and slows down only for the shortest and coolest days of winter. This vigorous Hibiscus has an upright to spreading, at times even weeping growth habit and makes a beautiful specimen plant whether grown as a shrub, tree standard, or even an espalier. Like Dainty White, Dainty Pink is almost constantly visited by a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Sometimes offered as La France Hibiscus. Item# 10429.

Elegant, pure white, 3" wide hibiscus flowers seemingly glow against the foil of exceptionally dark green tropical foliage. Dainty White Hibiscus is a non-stop bloomer that puts on a show practically throughout the year and barely even slows down only for the shortest and coolest days of winter. This vigorous Hibiscus has an upright to spreading growth habit and makes a beautiful specimen plant whether grown as a shrub or a small tree standard. Dainty White is almost constantly visited by a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Item# 379.

1" tubular orange blooms, tipped in white, are produced from spring to fall on this upright to spreading shrub-like perennial. David Verity Cigar Plant is an easy to grow, heat and sunloving hybrid Cuphea that flowers non-stop from spring or early summer through fall. In the portion of its range where freezes occur, it can be grown as an annual or if protected with a mulch it is generally a reliable perennial well into zone 8. David Verity Cuphea makes for an easy and rewarding container specimen as well as in the garden and landscape. Excellent for hummingbirds and larger butterflies. Item # 361

Clusters of red, 3/4-1" long, flaring tubular flowers with yellow throats encircle the softly textured fountaining green stems from summer to fall on this heat and sun-loving drought resistant perennial. Desert Fire Firecracker Fern is a herbacious tropical perennial with low-growing to fountaining green stems whose flowers attract hummingbirds and larger butterflies. This Mexican native is considered to be cold hardy into the warmer portions of zone 9 and it makes this an excellent choice for sun-baked xeric landscapes, well-draining garden soils, as well as a container specimen where not reliably hardy. Item# 9566