Perennials - All

Small spike-like racemes composed of numerous 1-1/2" long, tubular, deep cherry red flowers are produced from spring to frost to potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions potentially attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Red Fountains Skullcap, a selection of Scutellaria longifolia, is a mounding, naturally evergreen, herbaceous perennial perfectly suited for hanging baskets or container culture as a spiller or filler and is considered to be a root hardy, dieback perennial into zone 8. It can also be utilized as a groundcover for near the front of the border or landscape. Hanging basket culture will bring the nectar rich flowers within easy reach for hummingbirds. Provide an average moist to moist, fertile soil in full sun to partly shaded conditions for optimum vigor and flowering. Provide an organic mulch to protect the crown in areas where freezes occur if it is intended to be grown as a perennial. Item# 1201

Red Fountains Skullcap is considered by some to be hardy to zone 8A if provided with a breathable but insulative winter mulch like pine straw (a.k.a. pine needles).

It's hard to beat Turk's Cap for sheer flower power! From summer to fall the brilliant red flowers just keep coming. Red Hot, a.k.a. Red Spreader, is a lower growing and more spreading form of Turk's Cap with slightly larger red flowers that was selected by plantsman Greg Grant who also developed Pam Puryear's Pink, and Big Momma. Greg says that Red Hot has a more noticeable lower and spreading habit when grown in full sun. Excellent for Hummingbirds and Butterflies, especially the Sulphurs. Item# 9726.

Clusters of dark red to red-orange daisy-like flowers with yellow fading to red 'eyes' are produced throughout the growing season, and potentially year-round under warm tropical conditions, on this vigorous and easy small to medium-sized vine. The Sao Paulo Mexican Love Vine, a somewhat rare selection of Senecio confusus, is a naturally evergreen, twining herbaceous tropical vine that can be grown as a die-back perennial in areas with mild winters, like zones 9-10 and even into 8B, if provided with a breathable insulative protective mulch for winter. It is vigorous enough to be grown as an annual in colder climates and can also be maintained as a container plant that is overwintered indoors. The Mexican Love Vine, a.k.a Mexican Flame Vine, is a heat and sunloving free-flowering tropical suitable for small to medium-sized trellises, fences, and can even be allowed to spill from hanging baskets. The flowers attract a variety of butterfly species and seem to be especially popular with migrating Monarchs as well as bees and hummingbirds. Provide a full to partly sunny site in any average to well-drained, fertile, average moist soil. Item# 612

An earlier flowering and cold hardy selection of the Forsythia Sage developed by Plant Delights, Red Neck Girl boasts dark maroon red stems that contrast nicely with the 12-18" spikes of yellow tubular flowers in late summer and fall. This is a vigorous growing Salvia that can reach 7' high and wide in a single season so plan to give it plenty of space as it will tower over most other perennials in the late summer garden. Enjoys a moist, but not wet or soggy location, and a full to mostly sunny location. Item# 11517

Spikes topped by densely stacked pinecone-like bracts which are produced in summer emerge green and slowly deepen to red. Sunny yellow flowers emerge from between the bracts over a long period. The Shampoo Ginger or Pinecone Ginger is a hardy, clump forming rhizomatous perennial that produces deep green narrow tropical looking foliage that can reach 4-6' high. Prefers cool sunlight and an average moist, well-drained soil. Where not hardy this ginger is easy to enjoy and overwinter as a container plant. Long lasting cut flower. The flower shown is in between the green and red stage. Item# 11477

Clusters of deep red, 1" long tubular blooms are borne in whorls around the arching green stems. Dainty deep green foliage adorns the arching green stems. Red Rocket is excellent for hummingbirds and flowers continuously throughout the warmer months and possibly year round in tropical settings. Item# 973

A seemingly continuous display of upright to arching spikes composed of large showy maroon bracts from which the individual pink lipped tubular flowers emerge from spring to fall to year round under warm tropical conditions. This plant has exceptional flower power and makes a beautiful display as a container plant specimen and in mixed container gardens as well as in the garden and landscape. The common Red 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. Caterpillar host: Cuban Crescent, Texan Crescent, White Peacock, and Malachite. Item# 620

A wonderfully colorful fall suprise, the Red Spider Lily produces neatly rounded clusters of deep red spidery flowers atop sturdy 12-18" high stems in late summer and early fall before the blue-green narrow straplike foliage emerges for winter. The nectar rich flowers attract larger butterflies and the large yellow Sulphur butterflies seem to be especially attracted to them. This heirloom pass-a-long multiplies readily to create a dense clump of offsets that can be divided in summer. Each pot contains 3 medium to large flowering size bulbs that can be planted anytime of year from containers. Work them into garden and landscapes but they can also be allowed to naturalize in the lawn. Item# 9338

Red Spread Lantana produces clusters flowers that open orange and then darken to deep rich red on a mounding to spreading plant. Lantanas are excellent free flowering perennials that love the heat and the sun. Use Red Spread as a ground cover or allow it spill from large containers. Great for butterflies and other pollinators. Item# 10104

Giant 6" scarlet pinwheels are produced throughout summer and often well into fall on sturdy stems with finely cut darkly tinged foliage. The Red Texas Star or Scarlet Swamp Mallow is a vigorous sun loving perennial which is native to the swampy soils of the southeastern US but is somewhat drought resistant once well-established in the garden. The brilliant red flowers attract a variety of pollinators including hummingbirds, bees, and the occasional butterfly. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak. Item# 672.

A multitude of upward facing, sleepy, scarlet blooms are born among the soft, dark green foliage from late spring to frost. A hardy and long-lived, spreading to upright perennial, Turk's Cap is an easy to grow heirloom that will flower in sun or light shade. An excellent nectar plant for hummingbirds as well as butterflies. Caterpillar host: Glassy Winged Skipper. Resistant to browsing by deer and moderately drought resistant once well-established. The ripe fruits are readily consumed by birds and other wildlife, along with the occasional curious human. Item# 691.

The Blue Walking Iris is a vigorous growing tropical but surprisingly cold hardy and fragrant Walking Iris with strongly upright, architectural fans of blue-gray to green, 2-3" wide, sword-like foliage reaching up to 36'' high. Sturdy, loose spikes of 2-3" wide, bluish purple irises with delicately rolled, darker veined, inner standards are born in summer on this highly sought after 'blue' Iris. Great for larger containers and it has the best foliage in high indirect light. Item# 2987.

18-24" high spikes are adorned with 1" long, tubular, purple buds that open to display 3 large lower lips and 2 recurving upper lips and are produced in fall attracting butterflies, larger bees, and hummingbirds. Reverchon's Lobelia, Lobelia reverchonii, is a rosette forming, native, herbaceous perennial to biennial and is adorned with deep green, lanceolate foliage and obviously hairy stems. This species is found in consistently moist to wet sites, like pitcher plant bogs, in eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a wet to moist, sandy to loamy soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 13563

New for 2025! This Texas Superstar® selection produces large, two-toned intense red and gold pink flowers from spring or early summer until frost, to potentially year round in frost free climates, attracting a variety of pollinators but especially bees. Rio Grande™ Citrus Crush Purslane, a.k.a. Portulaca, is a low growing, well-branched, vegetatively grown selection of this succulent annual with a slightly more compact habit meaning that it isn't apt to open up in the middle like older varieties thus providing a fuller look throughout the growing season. Its exceptional flower power, larger and intensely colored flowers that remain open longer, and a neater habit make this Purslane an excellent choice for low maintenance sunny containers, whether in hanging baskets, as specimens, or as a spiller in mixed gardens, or utilize it for the front of the garden and landscape as a sunny groundcover. Provide a full sun to partly sunny site in a well drained, average moist, fertile soil and allow the soil to become slightly dry between waterings. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, all rights reserved. Item# 13503

New for 2025! This Texas Superstar® selection produces large, two-toned magenta and pink flowers from spring or early summer until frost, to potentially year round in frost free climates, attracting a variety of pollinators but especially bees. Rio Grande™ Frosted Strawberry Purslane, a.k.a. Portulaca, is a low growing, well-branched, vegetatively grown selection of this succulent annual with a slightly more compact habit meaning that it isn't apt to open up in the middle like older varieties thus providing a fuller look throughout the growing season. Its exceptional flower power, larger and intensely colored flowers that remain open longer, and a neater habit make this Purslane an excellent choice for low maintenance sunny containers, whether in hanging baskets, as specimens, or as a spiller in mixed gardens, or utilize it for the front of the garden and landscape as a sunny groundcover. Provide a full sun to partly sunny site in a well drained, average moist, fertile soil and allow the soil to become slightly dry between waterings. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, all rights reserved. Item# 13502

New for 2025! This Texas Superstar® selection produces large, deep golden yellow flowers from spring or early summer until frost, to potentially year round in frost free climates, attracting a variety of pollinators but especially bees. Rio Grande™ Yellow Purslane, a.k.a. Portulaca, is a low growing, well-branched, vegetatively grown selection of this succulent annual with a slightly more compact habit meaning that it isn't apt to open up in the middle like older varieties thus providing a fuller look throughout the growing season. Its exceptional flower power, larger and intensely colored flowers that remain open longer, and a neater habit make this Purslane an excellent choice for low maintenance sunny containers, whether in hanging baskets, as specimens, or as a thrilling spiller in mixed gardens, or utilize it for the front of the garden and landscape as a sunny groundcover. Provide a full sun to partly sunny site in a well drained, average moist, fertile soil and allow the soil to become slightly dry between waterings. Images courtesy of Ball Horticulture, all rights reserved. Item# 13501

Large rounded to pyramidal clusters of lightly fragrant, bright purplish-pink flowers that are produced atop the sturdy stems attracting mainly butterflies. The show begins in early summer and lasts for several weeks and potentially longer if plants are deadheaded. Robert Poore Garden Phlox, a Mississippi selection of Phlox paniculata, is a disease resistant, clump forming, upright growing, herbaceous, native perennial growing to about 3' high and 1-2' wide. Garden Phlox will do best in an open, full sun to partially shaded site, with a well-draining, rich and fertile, acidic soil with average moisture and an organic mulch is highly recommended. Robert Poore is one of only a handful of Garden Phlox cultivars recommended for southern gardens by noted Texas plantsman Greg Grant. Item# 10161

The large flowers are composed of dark indigo-blue outer falls that are centered with dark blue inner standards creating full nearly rounded flowers. This is a vigorous and hardy, early to midseason flowering Louisiana Iris that is part of the Fallen Heroes series hybridized by Lee-Ann Connelly, now Shearouse, and marketed by Ag3 Inc. A portion of the price of each plant is donated to the Fallen First Responders charity that aids the children of both Firefighters and Law Enforcement. Multiplies readily in average garden soils, moist to wet soils, or they can be set in water gardens where the container is just below the water's surface. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 9205

Grown mainly for its large aromatic heart-shaped tropical foliage that produce a strong root beer-like fragrance when crushed along with contrasting narrow creamy white arching 'flowers' in the form of a 'spadix'. The Rootbeer Tree, Piper auritum, is a vigorous, naturally evergreen, shrub-like herbaceous tropical that can be grown as a die-back perennial into zone 8. In the garden and landscape it can spread aggressively and invasively, like some mints, via fleshy white underground rhizomes and can be difficult to eradicate once well established. It is generally easiest to contain when grown as a container plant that is not in contact with soil below it. The Rootbeer Tree is widely used as an herb in Meso-American cultures like Oaxacan. It can be used fresh or dried to flavor soups, eggs, drinks and is an essential ingredient in Mole Verde. Item# 789

Deep rose pink, fuzzy tubular flowers are produced in spikes atop the tall stems of this vigorous and free flowering hummingbird magnet! Rosebud Sage is a vigorous and hardy Salvia that begins flowering in early summer and continues into fall on a plant that can easily reach 6' x 6' so allow for plenty of room. A native of Mexico it is a die-back perennial into zone 7 if give protection and a winter mulch. Provide a moderately fertile, well-drained, average moist soil in a full to mostly sunny location for the best results. Item# 11143

The dark colored nearly black spikes and calyxes provide a dark contrast to the brilliant glowing red two-lipped tubular flowers that are sure to draw hummingbirds for miles from spring to fall! Royal Bumble Salvia, a selection or hybrid of the native Littleleaf Sage, S. microphylla, is a 2015 Royal Horticulture Society Award of Garden Merit winner with excellent vigor and amazing flower power all on a compact well-branched plant. Considered by some to be the best red Salvia x jamensis/S. microphylla hybrid on the planet! Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile well-draining soil for optimum vigor and flower power. In areas that experience hard freezes plant this Salvia out between early spring to midsummer to ensure winter survival. Item# 12476

Spikes of deep red upward facing funnel-shaped flowers are produced non-stop from mid to late spring to fall atop the rich glossy deep green foliage attracting hummingbirds, occasional butterflies, and long-tongued bees. San Antonio Red Hummingbird Bush, a selection of Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii, is a small decidous native shrub from South Texas with excellent flower power. This easy and reliable heirloom has an upright to spreading busny habit rarely exceeding 3-4' in height (3'x3' is fairly typical in our zone 8B gardens) and it revels in the heat and sun of summer and is undaunted by the high humidity and high rainfall of the southeastern US. In the northernmost portion of its hardiness range, zones 7A-8A, the Hummingbird Bush may freeze back to near groundlevel in the hardest winters but readily returns to flowering by mid to late spring. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Small and tough enough for container culture but it also makes a low-maintenance addition the garden and landscape. Caterpillar host: Crimson Patch Item# 10034