Salt Tolerant Plants

The tall dense spikes of golden yellow flowers and seedheads are held well above the fountaining clump of wide olive green foliage on sturdy 6' high stems beginning in early August and are showy throughout winter. Golden Sunset® Yellow Indiangrass, a University of Minnesota selection of Sorghastrum nutans,  was selected for its early flowering, sturdy stems that do not fall over or lodge and last through winter, as well as for its reliable zone 3 cold hardiness. it has received high marks in trials and has been in development for about 15 years. This is a wonderful refinement for this showy native grass making it a useful addition to both formal and informal garden and landscape settings. The seed heads provide fodder for songbirds and other wildlife and the foliage is utilized by the Pepper-and-Salt Skipper butterfly as a caterpillar host plant. Provide a full to mostly sunny site optimally in a well-drained loamy soil with average moisture but the plants are fairly adaptable to soil types and are drought resistant once fully established. When not in 'flower' the grass itself is about 3' x 3'. Plants may top out at about 4-5' high the first two years of establishment. Images courtesy of the University of Minnesota. Item# 12850

Few plants can consistently attract as many butterflies as this Lantana making the plant appear alive with these fluttering wonders, especially in summer and fall. Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch Lantana produces yellow centered clusters of brilliant pumpkin orange flowers from late spring to frost on this vigorous Lantana that can certainly keep up with New Gold for flowering ability. Item# 9605

White lightly fragrant frilly witch hazel-like flowers nearly cover the backdrop of medium-sized oval dark olive green foliage in spring. Green Giant Loropetalum is a vigorous large evergreen shrub with a naturally rounded upright form and is well suited for use as a screen, hedge, or specimen plant. A relatively unknown heirloom shrub until the purple foliaged forms came on the scene in the 1980's and 1990's, Chinese Witch Hazel has few pests or disease problems when grown in a well-drained, acidic to neutral soil with average fertility in a full sun to partly shaded site. Item# 11623

The medium-sized purple, red, brown to near black figs have a thin skin with a  juicy, mildly fruity flavored, sweet flesh that ranges from deep amber or orange to a near strawberry heart typically ripening in September. Grise Olivette Fig is a French fig whose name translates to "gray olive". Expect it to be a smaller plant as this variety tends to have lower vigor which may lend it to use as a containerized plant. Item#13016

3-5" wide primrose yellow flowers with a burgundy eye that quickly fade to orange and near red are produced in summer on this vigorous large shrub to small tree-like Hibiscus with glossy rounded foliage. The Hamabo Hibiscus is an unusual species from China that is salt tolerant and provides beautiful fall colors ranging from yellows to near reds before dropping its deciduous foliage for the winter. In zone 8, plant young plants out early in the growing season so that they will be reliably hardy for their first winter. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a moderately fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 11303

Considered by many to be one of the best Bottlebrush cultivars, Hannah Ray is a vigorous growing selection whose large deep orange-red flowers hang from weeping stems. The new growth is bronze and develops into a soft blue green. An excellent choice anywhere a small evergreen tree or large shrub is desired. Hannah Ray is drought resistant and the nectar and pollen laden flowers are sure to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Established plants may be found in flower nearly throughout the warmer months. Item# 11043

The large rounded clusters of flowers open a bright yellow and quickly deepen through shades of orange and red into magenta and purple tones. HEARTLAND™ Neon Lantana is a new more vigorous cousin to the HAVANA™ series growing to about 18-24" high and wide making these great choices for colorful containers as well as in the garden and landscape. The HEARTLAND™ Lantana series are nearly sterile producing almost no fruit or viable seed thus these plants can spend their energy on flower and nectar production. They start flowering earlier giving you a longer season of color from spring into fall attracting a myriad of pollinators throughout the growing season. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Dümmen Orange, all rights reserved. Item# 12813

The large rounded clusters of flowers open a golden yellow and quickly deepen through shades of orange into fiery reds. HEARTLAND™ Really Red Lantana is a new more vigorous cousin to the HAVANA™ series growing to about 18-24" high and wide making these great choices for colorful containers as well as in the garden and landscape. The HEARTLAND™ Lantana series are nearly sterile producing almost no fruit or viable seed thus these plants can spend their energy on flower and nectar production. They start flowering earlier giving you a longer season of color from spring into fall attracting a myriad of pollinators throughout the growing season. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Dümmen Orange, all rights reserved. Item# 12814

Large dense branched pannicles to 12" x 12" are composed of multitudes of small pale purple tubular flowers are produced over an extended period through much of summer and attract a variety of pollinators including smaller shorter tongued bees like Honeybees as well as larger native bees like Bumblebees. The large palmate foliage of Hempleaf Vitex resembles that of the Hemp plant and thus the specific epithet of "cannibifolia". Like its close cousin the Chaste Tree, Vitex agnus-castus, the Hempleaf Vitex, Vitex negundo var. cannibofolia, is an easy to grow sun and heat loving deciduous shrub that prefers an average to well-drained soil. It appears to have few pests or disease issues and is unlikely to be bothered by deer. Item# 11879

The tall dense flower spikes are composed of deep coral orange tubular buds that change through coral and finally mature to white creating a wonderful contrast. The spikes are held on sturdy 3-4' high stems well above the mound of gray green arching to upright foliage over an exceptionally long period in summer and potentially into fall attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators. High Roller Kniphofia or Red Hot Poker is a repeat flowering exceptionally cold hardy, clump forming, naturally evergreen selection of this heat and drought tolerant perennial. Enjoy it as part of the border, as part of a low maintenance garden and landscape or as a container specimen. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of Walter's Garden, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 13098

The glossy, dark green, curled foliage of the Hindu Rope grows in dense, rounded strings making beautiful and unusual hanging baskets. Beginning in late spring and sometimes lasting into fall, mature plants produce dense, rounded, hanging clusters up to 2-1/2" wide composed of waxy, star-shaped, lightly scented flowers. This is an easy to grow and forgiving heirloom that does best in well-drained soils in lightly shaded areas like a patio, porch, or as an indoor plant. Item# 455

Clusters of light pink, tubular to funnel-shaped flowers may be produced from summer into fall on mature plants and are held against a foil of golden yellow to cream and green variegated foliage. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Hopley's Glossy Abelia, also offered under trademarked names, is a naturally compact and rounded, small to medium-sized, evergreen to semi-evergreen tough and easy shrub that can be utilized for its brightly contrasting foliage as a specimen plant, as an informal hedge, as well as in containers. Abelias are exceptionally tough, easy, and reliable shrubs that are deer reistant as well as moderately drought resistant once fully established. Provide a full sun to partly shaded site in an average moist, average to well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and flowering. An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Item# 9006

A sterile exceptionally free flowering Lantana with a compact well-branched habit and improved vigor over similar cultivars that has received high marks in trials across the US. Hot Blooded™ Red Lantana produces rounded clusters of flowers that open golden yellow, deepen to fiery orange and quickly darken to deep brilliant red. The compact habit lends this Lantana for use in containers as a specimen or in combinations as well as in formal and informal garden and landscape settings. Hot Blooded™ Red Lantana develops into a rounded mound of foliage covered in flowers from spring to fall and the flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators including hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other garden beneficials. Item# 12105

Dense spikes of fragrant white flowers nearly cover up this dense and compact selection of our native Summersweet and contrast nicely with its deep green foliage. The fragrant flowers attract loads of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and other garden beneficials. Hummingbird Clethra was selected for its exceptional flower power, as compared to other Clethras, as well as for its dense, compact, naturally rounded habit. Provide Clethras with a well-drained, wet to moist soil. The more direct sunlight you can provide the better the flower show tends to be. In hot summer climates provide shade to filtered shade during the hottest part of the day. Item# 11900

5" wide rounded clusters of pure white trumpet shaped flowers are held above the dark green mounds of strap-like foliage on short sturdy 24-30" high stems beginning in spring to early summer and continuing into early fall. Ice Angel™ Lily of the Nile or Agapanthus is a newly introduced vigorous hybrid with a medium sized vigorous habit with excellent flower power. It's still compact enough for colorful low-maintenance container specimens as well as adding a tropical feel to the garden and landscape. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and the plants are deer and rabbit resistant. Provide a full sun to part sun site in an average moist, fertile, well-draining soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Images courtesy of CND Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 12297

How can you improve on Celeste, the Honey fig? Well here you go, Improved Celeste produces good crops of very sweet, small to medium sized light violet to violet-brown fruit with reddish amber flesh. It may produce a light breba crop but the main crop produces a large yield of delicious fruit. The tightly closed eye makes it resistant to spoiling and so it is a good choice for the Southeast. Ripens with Celeste in June. A small productive and hardy tree. Item# 9033

Ischia Fig is a heavy producer of small to fairly large fruit that ripens to greenish yellow and has a rich flavor. It is well suited to container culture.  For the best growth and largest crops, provide your figs with a well-drained, moderately fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny position. Images courtesy of Agristarts, Inc. All rights reserved. Item# 11267