Heirloom Plants

An easy groundcovering perennial, Selfheal produces dense spikes of contrasting coppery tinged green bracts from which row after row of white tubular flowers with a purple 'hood' emerge. It begins flowering in early to mid spring lasting for several weeks providing nectar to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. This member of the mint family is easy to establish and requires little care once established in the garden. Use Selfheal as a groundcover, on roadsides, as a component of the meadow, prairie and other naturalistic settings. Selfheal can be used to good effect spilling over walls or even in containers if you feel you need to contain it. Deer, rabbit, and pest resistant. Mainly a winter and spring growing perennial that moves into dormancy after seeds set in summer. Item# 11176

Large, 4-5" wide, fragrant, semi-double flowers of the purist white with wavy petals and a contrasting boss of golden yellow stamens shine like spotlights against the foil of deep green glossy foliage. Flowering begins early in the season in October continuing into December, with a few flowers into early January. Setsugekka Sasanqua Camellia has a vigorous moderately upright habit that rounds out with at maturity. This dense foliage of this large evergreen shrub lend it to use as a specimen, screen, hedge, or even a small evergreen tree form. The Sasanqua Camellias are tolerant of full sun to part sun conditions. Provide an average moist, average to well drained, moderately fertile, acidic soil rich in organic matter and an organic mulch for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 10183

Shoal Creek Vitex produces 12" spikes of rich deep purplish-blue from late spring to fall.  This is a vigorous and disease free and drought tolerant spreading to upright deciduous shrub or small tree that attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators. Shoal Creek was selected as a Louisiana Super Plant for the spring of 2011 due to its large & richly colored spikes as well as for the fact that Vitex is an excellent low maintenance plant with a long flowering season. Item# 10305.

White buds open to the classic pure white tea rose form and then flatten at maturity with the heaviest flowering in spring, usually around Easter, with some flowers on mature plants in full sun in summer and occassionally in fall. The white flowers of Sombreiul Climbing Rose create a wonderful contrast with the exceptionally dark green foliage of this easy and disease resistant heirloom rambling rose well-suited to sturdy supports on an arbor or fence. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11920

The large pyramidal flower clusters are composed of showy, 1-2" wide, trumpet shaped, fragrant, white flowers that are accented by larger yellow-orange dots and numerous smaller purple dots and lines in the throat that act as bee guides. Flowering occurs over a few weeks in mid to late spring and attracts a number of different pollinators but especially native bees and honeybees. The Southern Catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, is a naturally pyramidal shaped, fast growing tree when young quickly reaching flowering size at about 15-25' high under good conditions and with ample moisture and moderate fertility. With age, this deciduous tree develops a rounded crown. The large medium green leaves often produce good yellow fall color. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 3057

The large maple-like foliage is broadly edged in bright creamy white and provide a nice backdrop to the orange veined Chinese lantern-like, 2" long flowers. Souvenir de Bonn Variegated Abutilon is a vigorous upright growing Flowering Maple that makes an easy to grow addition to tropical settings or as an indoor plant (this is a type of heirloom Abutilon that was once called a Parlor Maple).  Easily reaches 6-8' high if allowed to.Item# 11318

A climbing sport of the popular found Rose Martha Gonzales, it produces deep red single flowers throughout the growing season. The dark green healthy foliage is accented by dark burgundy new growth. Speedy Gonzales Climbing Rose is another excellent selection and introduction by noted Texas horticulturist and author Greg Grant. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11672

The large, palmate, tropical-looking, glossy medium to deep green foliage is heavily overlaid with contrasting white to creamy white variegation including the major veins which are almost solid white. A choice evergreen shrub for shaded sites. Mature plants produce 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. Spider's Web 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. Photos courtesy of TERRA NOVA® Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12829

Dainty, nectar-rich, late winter to midspring, greenish white flowers are followed by sweet, clear orange, 3/8" diameter berries with a flavor reminiscent of cantaloupe ripen in fall. Like all of our native Hackberry species, the Spiny Hackberry, Celtis pallida or C. ehrenbergiana, is an important host plant for the Hackberry butterflies (American Snout, Cuban Snout, Empress Leilia, Dusky Emperor, Tawny Emperor, Hackberry Emperor, etc...) as well as the Red-Bordered Metalmark. The ripe fruit are devoured by a variety of birds and other wildlife. Human nibblers should be aware that the fruit does contain a large pit. The Spiny or Desert Hackberry develops into a large shrub or small tree that seems to prefer average moist soils but as the name implies it is quite drought tolerant once well-established. Item# 10682

Large clusters of large fragrant soft rosy pink double flowers, often with one or more petals streaked or flecked with white, are born over a long period on this reliable old favorite. Mrs. Isadore Dyer is considered one of the first Oleanders to make its way to Galveston island, the Oleander capital city of the US. According to one of the grandchildren of Mrs. Isadore Dyer, their grandmother smuggled the original plants to Galveston Island from Jamaica. This is a large, vigorous, and reliable Oleander. Item# 387.

Whorls of curving, tubular, yellow to cream flowers, commonly with purple dots, are held above the whorls of colorful bracts ranging from cream, to pink, to purple tones are produced in late spring and summer with the colorful bracts providing interest often into fall. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and occasional hummingbirds. Spotted Horsemint, Monarda punctata, is a clump forming, native perennial with lemony to oregano scented, narrow foliage. It is found throughout much of the central and eastern US and as far west as New Mexico and is commonly found on dryish, well-drained, and often poor, sandy soils. Spotted Horsemint makes an easy and reliable addition to naturalistic settings like roadsides, prairies, and meadows. Readily reseeds on exposed soils. Deer and rabbit resistant. Prefers a full sun site in well-drained soils.

Clusters of 3-4" long, tubular, waxy buds open to display the long-lasting starry white wonderfully fragrant flowers that are held against a foil of shiny ovate foliage and may be produced throughout the growing season to year round under warm tropical conditions. Stephanotis or Madagascar Jasmine, Stephanotis floribunda, is an evergreen tropical twining vine that makes an easy container plant and is readily trained to small to medium sized trellises although it can climb to 12-15' high where it has a support. This is an old favorite and as Liberty Hyde Bailey states in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture "is one of the best greenhouse climbers" and "There are few plants that have all the good qualities of S. floribunda. It is a splendid grower, has good foliage, is very free flowering, and the flowers last well on the plant or when cut for decorative work." Provide a quality well-drained fertile soil in light shade to full sun. Stephanotis is an RHS Award of Garden Merit plant. Item# 665

Clusters of sunny yellow, 2" long, tubular flowers are produced in late winter or early spring and continue through summer and into fall attracting mainly hummingbirds but potentially other pollinators. Sulphurea Coral Honeysuckle, an older yellow selection of Lonicera sempervirens, is a native, semi-evergreen to deciduous, twining woody vine growing to about 8-12' high and is cloaked in bluish-green foliage. Flowers are followed by 1/4"' diameter bright red berries that are a treat for songbirds. The more restrained habit of these Honeysuckles make them low maintenance selections well suited to arbors, posts, trellises, and fences. Caterpillar host: Chalcedon Checkerspot. Item # 1075

An Almost Eden Exclusive introduction! 'Sunset Scentsation' Night Blooming Jasmine has proven to be a vigorous repeat blooming selection, producing waves of the famously fragrant blooms about every 6 weeks during the growing season. The tubular white to greenish-white blooms begin to release their wonderful perfume at sunset and continues through early morning. This is a vigorous growing tropical shrub in warmer regions, or grow as a perennial in zone 8B. Item # 528.

Medium to large pyramidal clusters of golden yellow flowers are produced in summer and fall attracting a myriad of mainly smaller pollinators with special importance to native bees. Sweet Goldenrod, Solidago odora, is an upright growing, clump-forming, herbaceous, native perennial adorned in anise-scented, deep green, glossy, narrow foliage and the single to multistemmed plants grow to about 2-4' high and 1-2' wide. The flowers and foliage, fresh or dried, is often used to make a very nice herbal tea, as a mild spice in cooking, and could certainly be used in potpourris as well (Bonnie fell in love with the fragrance of the dried seed heads!). The strong fragrance makes them unlikely to be browsed by deer or rabbits. Use Sweet Goldenrod in a sunny perennial border, herb garden, or allow it to naturalize in meadows, prairies, and roadside plantings. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, acidic soil with good drainage, but otherwise plants are fairly adaptable. Item# 10684

Loads of glossy black, 3/8", thin skinned, very sweet huckleberries (actually blueberries) begin ripening in mid April often lasting through May. Sweetie Pie Elliott's Blueberry, a local selection of Vaccinium elliottii, is one of the earliest ripening native blueberries and we selected this variety for its exceptionally sweet, larger than average, tender fruit and its heavy bearing characteristics. An excellent berry for pancakes, muffins, pies, jams, and certainly fresh eating. An Almost Eden Exclusive introduction that is always in high demand! Item# 10832

The Tennessee Mountain Fig Tree is perhaps the most cold hardy fig ever discovered, the original tree was found growing in 1945 near Nashville Tennessee, where it had survived the bitter cold winters to -10 degrees F. in the snow-covered mountains of the Appalachians. This Tennessee Mountain fig fruiting at a nursery withstood the heavy frost and freeze in Georgia on the morning of November 8, 2007. Cold Hardy Tennessee Mountain Figs Grow in the Mountains of Tennessee. The original Tennessee Mountain fig tree is reliable in producing heavy crops of fruit that ripen in July through September.    Courtesy of Chris Foust. Item# 11055.

A new twist on old favorite! The 5-6" wide bubblegum pink flowers may be single, semi-double, or fully double depending on the whimsy of the plant and are produced in late summer and continuing into fall. Tickled Pink Confederate Rose Hibiscus is a selection of Hibiscus mutabilis that was shared with us by a longtime customer and Hibiscus enthusiast. Expect the growth habit to be similar to the old standards reaching about 8-12' high and wide at maturity. In areas where hard freezes occur, provide a breathable but insulative mulch, such as pine straw or pine needles, around the crown of the plants. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, fertile, well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. An Almost Eden exclusive introduction for 2025! Item# 13137

Clusters of 6-8" wide night fragrant white flowers with long thin narrow petals and a wavy circular hymen are borne in summer atop the sturdy 2-3' high stems of this heirloom garden favorite. Tropical Giant Spider Lily is a vigorous clump forming, evergreen (to deciduous where freezes occur) bulbous perennial with large glossy medium green sword-shaped upright to arching foliage that readily multiplies into a dense clump of foliage and flowers. It makes an easy and low maintenance addition to the garden or landscape as well as an easy and forgiving container specimen plant. The lush, large sword-like, rich green upright to arching foliage is attractive even when the plant is not in flower. We ship large established plants growing in their own soil and container. Item# 1239

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

The 18" arching stems are adorned with deep green foliage edged in chartreuse and yellow and by late summer and fall when terminal clusters of orchid-like light purple to white flowers with darker speckling are produced. This Variegated Toadlily makes a beautiful addition to the shade garden where it is sure to shine. Toadlilies or Tricyrtis are slowly spreading rhizomatous winter deciduous perennials that are well suited to partially shaded sites with average moist soils. A few hours of cool sunlight like early morning, very late evening, or filtered shade help to ensure good vigor and flowering. They are generally considered hardy perennials well into zone 5. Item#11796