Tom MacCubbin's Plant Profiles:

Click on the plant name for more information

Aeschynanthus  African Iris  Ageratum  Alternanthera
Aluminum Plant  Amaryllis  American Hop Hornbeam
Angelonia  Anise  Annual Phlox  Ascocenda Orchid
Australian Violet  Bacopa  Bat Flower  Beach Sunflower
Bengal Clock Vine  Blanket Flower  Blood Lily  Butterfly Bush
Blue-eyed Grass  Bolivian Sunset  Bougainvillea
Butterfly Ginger  Caladium  Calendula  California Poppy
Cassia  Chandelier Plant  Chickasaw Plum  China Pink
Chinese Ground Orchid  Chinese Wisteria  Chrysanthemum
Clivia  Common Camellia  Common Mulberry
Common Sunflower  Confederate Rose  Copperleaf Shrub
Coral Bean  Coral Honeysuckle  Crinum  Cross Vine
Croton  Crown of Thorns  Cyclamen  Dogwood
Dotted Horsemint  Dusty Miller  Dwarf Chenille Plant
Dwarf Schefflera  Edging Lobelia  English Lavender
Eucharist Lily  False Heather  Fan Flower  Fire Thorn
Firespike  Flame Vine  Florida Anise  Foxglove  Frangipani
Gazania  Gerbera Daisy  Giant Crinum Lily  Ginger Lily
Gloriosa Daisy  Gloriosa Lily  Gloxinia  Golden Tickseed
Golden Trumpet Tree  Hardy Bamboo Palm  Heavenly Bamboo
Hindu Rope Plant  Holiday Cactus  Hollyhock  Horsemint
Hybrid Tea Rose  Japanese Honeysuckle  Jasmine Nightshade
Joe-pye Weed  Johnny-Jump-Up  Kaffir Lily  Kalanchoe
Knock Out Rose  Licorice Plant  Lily of the Nile  Lily Turf
Lion's Ear  Loquat  Love Rose  Million Bells  Miniature Roses
Mona Lavender Plectranthus  Mondo Grass  Muhly Grass
Mussaenda  Nagami Kumquat  Nasturtium
Neoregelia Bromeliad  Oleander  Ornamental Cabbage
Pagoda Flower  Pampas Grass  Parakeet Flower  Pecan
Pentas  Peregrina  Perennial Peanut  Persian Shield
Petunia  Philippine Violet  Philodendron Selloum
Pincushion Flower  Pineapple  Pineapple Lily  Pink Allamanda
Pink Ball  Pink Trumpet Vine  Pinwheel Flower  Plumbago
Poinsettia  Purple Coneflower  Rabbit's Foot Fern  Red Maple
Red Powderpuff  Reiger Begonia  Rose Moss  Scarlet Sage
Scarlet Swamp Mallow  Shasta Daisy  Shell Ginger
Shooting Stars  Showy Primrose  Shumard Oak  Silk-floss Tree
Silk Flower  Simpson Stopper  Slash Pine  Southern Live Oak
Southern Magnolia  Spider Flower  Spider Plant  Star Daisy
Stock  Stokes Aster  Summer Poinsettia  Summer Torch
Swamp Mallow  Sweet Gum  Sweet Osmanthus  Sweet Peas
Sycamore  Tea Rose  Texas Wild Olive  Thryallis
Ti Plant  Triostar Stromanthe  Tropical Sage  Tulip
Twinspur  Variegated Cassava  Variegated Flax Lily
Variegated Vitex  Virginia Willow  Voodoo Lily  Walking Iris
Wax Myrtle  Wheat Celosia  Whirling Butterflies
White Bird of Paradise  White Rain Lily  White Trailing Lantana
Xanadu Philodendron  Yarrow  Yaupon Holly  Yellow Elder
Yellow Walking Iris  Zebra Plant  Zinnia

 

 

Aeschynanthus

Scientific Name:Aeschynanthus hybrid.
Growth Habit: A semi-trailing to trailing evergreen perennial growing shoots to more than 2 feet long. The leaves are bright green and lance-shaped, growing to 4 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Light: Provide a high light location, but protect from all but filtered or early morning sun.
Feedings: Apply a houseplant product monthly during periods of active growth March through November; no fertilizer is needed during the winter months.
Water Needs: Allow the surface soil to dry between waterings. Plants grow best in a humid atmosphere; mist frequently during hot, dry weather.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from 4- to 6-inch tip cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; grow as a houseplant year-round or patio plant when temperatures are above 50 degrees.
Major Problems: Aphids and mealybug; wash off with a soapy water solution or apply an insecticidal soap spray. Avoid overwatering during the cooler weather to prevent root rot.
Pruning: Periodically tip back the ends of shoots of young plants to cause branching and additional flowers. Groom plants as needed to remove extra-long shoots and produce uniform displays.
Uses: An attractive foliage plant to display indoors in a hanging basket or planter during the winter months. Use outdoors suspended from rafters, overhangs and tree limbs spring through early fall. Plants produce terminal flower clusters of tubular-shaped orange blossoms July through March to contrast with the bright green waxy foliage.
Florida Native: No; a hybrid with parentage from Malaysia.

African Iris

Scientific Name: Dietes bicolor
Growth Habit: An upright, clump-forming evergreen perennial with foliage arising from rhizomes at ground level. The leaves are lancelike, forming the clumps that grow to 2 feet tall and a foot wide.
Light: Grow in full sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Seldom needs special feedings; where needed growth can be increased with a general garden fertilizer application once monthly in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; can survive with seasonal rains but grows best with waterings every 10 to14 days.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: From seeds or by dividing older clumps.
Hardiness: Hardy; some leaf damage may occur during severe freezes.
Major Problems: Chewing insects occasionally damage the foliage, but controls seldom are needed. Plant in well-drained soils to avoid root rot problems.
Pruning: Remove declining foliage and old seed heads as needed throughout the year. Trim away cold-damaged foliage, and reduce the clump size if needed during late winter.
Uses: Cluster several clumps to form a durable ground cover. Plantings are especially useful in dry locations and sunny spots where grass is difficult to grow. Use along walkways, in foundation plantings and as part of a perennial garden. Bright yellow flowers with dark spots near the center are produced during all but the coldest months.
Florida Native: No; native to South Africa.

Ageratum

Scientific Name:Ageratum houstonianum
Growth Habit: A sprawling, long-lived annual growing to 2 feet tall and almost as wide. The leaves are bright green and heart-shaped, growing to 2 inches long and an inch wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer monthly to in-ground plantings; feed container plantings with a 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer solution every other week. A slow-release fertilizer also can be used following label instructions.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; water when the surface begins to dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed.
Hardiness: Tender; protect from frosts and freezes.
Major Problems: Chewing pests including caterpillars and slugs may damage foliage. Handpick or apply a natural control. Garden flea hoppers often cause a yellow dotting of the leaves and can be controlled with a natural pyrethrin spray.
Pruning: Keep in bounds by removing extra-long portions of sprawling shoots as needed. Trim off cold injury.
Uses: An attractive temporary ground cover developing a carpet of blue, purple or white blooms depending on the variety. Plants can be in flower October through July provided they are not affected by cold during the winter months. Ageratum also can be used in borders with a backdrop of other taller greenery or flowers. Also add to container gardens or hanging baskets where they can cascade over the sides.
Florida Native: No; native to Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.

Alternanthera

Scientific Name: Alternanthera dentata 'Purple Knight'
Growth Habit: An evergreen multi- stemmed perennial growing to 24 inches tall and 36 inches wide. The leaves are broadly lance-shaped, deep green to purple and growing to 6 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer monthly to encourage growth of in-ground plantings, every other month to maintain established plants. Feed container plantings every other week during the warmer months.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought, but in-ground plantings grow best with weekly waterings; container plantings may need daily waterings during hot, dry weather.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; grow in containers so plants can be moved to a warmer location or cover in-ground plantings to protect from frosts or freezes.
Major Problems: Caterpillars and slugs like the tender leaves. Handpick and destroy or control with a natural pesticide.
Pruning: Plantings grow rapidly during the warmer months and may encroach upon nearby perennials or shrubs. Trim back as needed to control growth. Also tip back vigorous shoots during the growing season to cause branching and produce more compact plants.
Uses: Purple Knight is a new variety of the popular alternanthera, sometimes called Joseph's coat. It's often planted as a border or a ground cover.
Florida Native: No; native to the West Indies and Brazil.

Aluminum Plant

Scientific Name: Pilea cadierei
Growth Habit: A sprawling perennial growing to 18 inches tall and twice as wide. The leaves are shiny green with silvery blotches and grow to 3 inches long and about half as wide.
Light: Plant in shade to filtered-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer to in-ground plantings once monthly in March, June and September. Feed container-grown plants monthly, March through November.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best if watered once a week during hot, dry weather.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; survives most winters under trees and overhangs with some stem damage.
Major Problems: Mites may attack the foliage, causing yellowing and leaf drop. Control with a soap spray as needed.
Pruning: Keep plants in bounds by periodically trimming off sprawling shoots. Remove cold-damaged stems and reshape plantings to begin spring growth during March.
Uses: An underused ground cover that adds the tropical look to shady landscapes. Plants are easy to grow and offer attractive silvery foliage. Small white clusters of flowers also are produced among the foliage during the summer months. Plants also are used individually or in combination with other shade-loving foliage plants in container gardens to decorate balconies and patios. A small-leaf form is also available.
Florida Native: No; native to Vietnam.

American Hop Hornbeam

Scientific Name: Ostrya virginiana
Growth Habit: An upright to pyramidal tree when young, gradually taking a rounded shape with age and growing to 25 feet tall and wide. The leaves are deciduous and oblong, growing to 4 inches long with finely toothed edges.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Fertilize lightly once monthly in March and June with a general garden fertilizer for the first three years after planting. Once established, the tree obtains needed nutrients from decomposing mulches and nearby feedings of shrubs and lawns.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant. Water when young to establish the root system in the surrounding soil; thereafter, the tree usually survives with seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start trees from seed.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: During the rainy summer season, the foliage develops leaf spots that are unsightly, but no sprays are needed. Plant in well-drained soils to avoid root-rot problems.
Pruning: Train to a single or multiple trunk tree, removing suckers and competing limbs until the tree is 6 to 8 feet tall. Then allow branching to form a rounded crown. Remove lower limbs as needed to allow movement along walkways and maintenance under the canopy.
Uses: Plant as a small shade tree for patios and along walkways. Trees also can be used as backdrops for gardens and as street trees. The flowers are brown and green but not showy. An attractive pale green, hoplike, papery capsule forms during the summer and matures a golden brown color by early fall to provide food for wildlife. The tree adds the Northern temperate climate look to local landscapes with attractive, often reddish shredding bark and leaves turning a yellow color for fall.
Florida Native: Yes.

Amaryllis

Scientific Name: Hippeastrum hybridum
Growth Habit: A perennial with long straplike leaves arising from a large bulb with a neck protruding a few inches above the soil line. Leaves are dark green, often arching, with parallel veins growing to 2 feet long.
Light: Plant in full sun to light shade.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer every six to eight weeks March through August.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought but grows best with weekly waterings February through September. During the fall and winter months allow the soil to dry between waterings to encourage spring blooms.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants with seed or by dividing older clusters of bulbs.
Hardiness: Hardy; tops may be damaged by frosts or freezes, but plants survive as bulbs protected by mulches and soil.
Major Problems: Large lubber grasshoppers love the foliage and should be handpicked from the plants when young each spring. Plantings are also affected by red blotch, a disease causing brown to red spots on the leaves. Prune light infections or treat with a fungicide when severe.
Pruning: Amaryllis need minimal pruning except as required to remove damaged leaves and foliage affected by cold. When needed, longer leaves can be trimmed from walkways and nearby plants.
Uses: Add amaryllis to perennial flower beds and to create spots of color among shrub plantings. They can also be used in container gardens to set on porches and patios when in bloom. Bulbs are available to produce red, orange or white trumpet-shaped blooms that rise well above the foliage during March and April.
Florida Native: No; hybrids produced with species from South America.

Angelonia

Scientific Name: Angelonia angustifolia
Growth Habit: An evergreen upright perennial with numerous stems growing to 24 inches tall and wide. The leaves are sparingly toothed, bright green and lancelike and growing to 4 inches long and 3/4-inch wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer every other month March through November.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; water at least weekly.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; protect from freezing weather. May survive freezes, growing back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Plant in well-drained soils to avoid root-rot problems. Foliage may be damaged by chewing insects, but a control is seldom needed.
Pruning: Remove old flower heads as they begin to decline. Trim stems that become floppy and interfere with nearby flowers or ground covers. May also be sheared back as needed to encourage branching and a more compact growth habit.
Uses: Angelonia plantings appear to grow best in Florida during the warmish weather fall through spring. Cluster in flower beds to enjoy the spikes of blue, purple, pink, white and bicolor blossoms that last for weeks. Angelonia can be added to container gardens for balconies and patio displays. Stems of blooms also can be cut for bouquets.
Florida Native: No; native to Mexico and the West Indies.

Anise

Scientific Name: Illicium parviflorum
Growth Habit: An evergreen shrub with dense foliage to the ground and an upright to rounded shape; grows to 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The leaves are a medium-green color and lancelike in shape, growing to 6 inches long and 2 inches wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to shady.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March, June and September if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best when watered every seven to 10 days.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Scale insects occasionally may attack the stems and foliage. When needed, a low-toxicity oil spray can be applied as a control.
Pruning: Encourage dense growth by removing the growing tips as needed to produce additional branches with foliage. The plants grow tall and may need the selective removal of individual stems to control height and width in late winter and midsummer. Shearing is not recommended because the leaves are large and show the pruning wounds.
Uses: An excellent hedge plant for sun and shade. Plantings make an excellent backdrop for smaller shrubs and flower beds or can be used to create view barriers. They also can be trained to form small trees for patios and along walkways. The leaves have an anise fragrance when crushed. Small, yellowish, bell-like flowers are produced during May and June but are not very showy.
Florida Native: Yes.

Annual Phlox

Scientific Name: Phlox drummondii
Growth Habit: A multistemmed upright-to-spreading annual growing to 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide. The leaves are oblong and medium green and grow to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Light: Plants prefer full sun but tolerate light shade.
Feedings: Tolerates poor soils. Best growth comes with light monthly feedings of a general garden fertilizer.
Water Needs: Phlox plants are drought tolerant and can survive with seasonal rains. Newer selections appear to grow best with weekly waterings during hot, dry times.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed. Plants may reseed from one year to another.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Grow in well-drained soils to prevent root-rot problems during damp weather. Plants may be affected by powdery mildew during the spring months but seldom need a control.
Pruning: Trim spreading selections as needed to prevent the plants from encroaching upon other flowers. Remove declining blooms to encourage additional flowers.
Uses: Trim spreading selections as needed to prevent the plants from encroaching upon other flowers. Remove declining blooms to encourage additional flowers.
Florida Native: No; native to Texas.

Ascocenda Orchid

Scientific Name: Ascocenda hybrid
Growth Habit: An upright to sprawling orchid growing to 18 inches tall and wide. The leaves are straplike and medium green and grow to 6 inches long and an inch wide.
Light: Grow in a filtered-sun location.
Feedings: Apply a 20-20-20 or orchid fertilizer every other week during the warmer months, once a month during the cooler weather.
Water Needs: Moisten daily to every other day during the hot, dry weather; water when the plants or growing medium dries during the cooler months.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Remove offshoots during the spring months to continue growth in pots or baskets.
Hardiness: Tender; keep from freezing. The best growth is obtained when plants are kept above 55 degrees.
Major Problems: Gardeners may encounter root rot and leaf spot problems. These fungal diseases can be prevented by providing good air movement and following a good care program.
Pruning: Remove old leaves and flower stems as they begin to decline. Avoid removing the aerial roots that extend down from the stems. These are used to obtain water and nutrients for growth.
Uses: An exotic accent plant to hang under a tree or lath structure during the warmer months. Display the orchids where they can be seen easily near patios, in gardens and along walkways. Clusters of blooms open throughout the year in white, yellow, orange, red or purple colors depending on the varieties. The plants also can be grown in a bright window or a shaded greenhouse.
Florida Native: No; a hybrid of plants from Burma, India and the Philippines.

Australian Violet

Scientific Name: Viola hederacea
Growth Habit: A creeping evergreen perennial spreading from shoots near the ground line producing plants up to 6 inches tall and more than a foot wide. The bright green leaves are kidney-shaped and up to an inch long and wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to shady locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist site; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Divide older clumps.
Hardiness: Hardy; top portions are damaged by severe freezes, but plants grow back from stems at or below the soil surface. Plantings protected by trees and shrubs are seldom damaged by cold.
Major Problems: Slugs can produce holes in the leaves; they hide in the moist areas under the foliage. Try to handpick or use a shallow container of beer or a malt beverage to trap the pests.
Pruning: Plantings produce lots of runners and may invade nearby flowers and shrubs. Keep the plants in bounds by periodically edging beds and walkways. After a freeze, rake out cold-damaged foliage.
Uses: Home gardeners are just discovering the Australian violet for use as a ground cover in the lower light locations. It's a good plant to fill areas where the grass won't grow, providing an almost constant display of white blossoms with a central lavender blotch held well above the foliage March through November. Plants also can be used to fill pots or placed in a hanging basket where the stems trail down over the sides.
Florida Native: No; native to Australia.

Bacopa

Scientific Name: Sutera cordata
Growth Habit: An evergreen-vining perennial often used as an annual; grows to 5 inches tall and 2 feet wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Feed container plantings every other week with a 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer; apply a general garden fertilizer to in-ground plantings monthly.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; needs cooler weather for best growth but should be protected from freezing temperatures.
Major Problems: Stay alert to whitefly infestations and control with an oil spray as needed. Also plant in a well-drained soil to avoid root-rot problems.
Pruning: Periodically trim the ends of new shoots to encourage branching and plants with a dense growth habit.
Uses: A new plant for the fall through spring garden. Bacopa can be grown as a ground cover but finds much more use as a cascading addition to hanging baskets and other container plantings. Gardeners like to include bacopa as a border in container gardens to contrast with other colorful cool- season flowers. Plants flower continuously, opening small but plentiful blossoms. A white flowering selection is most commonly marketed, but pink, lavender and blues should be available shortly.
Florida Native: No; native to South Africa.

Bat Flower

Scientific Name: Tacca integrifolia
Growth Habit: A clump-forming evergreen perennial with broad green leaves arising from a rhizome and growing to 2 feet tall and wide. The leaves are dark green and have a crinkled appearance, growing to 2 feet long and 10 inches wide.
Light: Plant in shade to filtered-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer monthly March through November to container-grown plants. Apply a light scattering of a general garden fertilizer every other month during the same time period to in-ground plantings.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; water when the surface soil begins to dry during the warmer months. Allow the surface soil to dry during the cooler months. Keep in a naturally humid location.
Ease of Culture: Medium; needs more care than most plants.
Propagation: Start plants by dividing older clumps during late spring and summer. Seeds are available but difficult to germinate.
Hardiness: Tender; best grown in containers that can be protected from cold.
Major Problems: Must be protected from cold, which makes plants more susceptible to rot and general decline. Failure to keep in a humid location causes brown leaves to form. Leaves may be damaged by slugs.
Pruning: Trim old leaves and flowers back to the base of the plant as needed.
Uses: The bat flower is a conversation starter and should be displayed on a porch, patio or along walkways where visitors are sure to notice the unusual inflorescence developing May through November. Also called the devil flower or cat's whiskers plant, the trick to success is finding the right location with shade and humidity. Avoid breezy spots and be ready to give the plant a warm area with temperatures consistently above 50 degrees during the cooler months. The plants can be grown in the ground but are best kept in containers locally.
Florida Native: No; native to Southeast Asia.

Beach Sunflower

Scientific Name: Helianthus debilis
Growth Habit: A long-lived annual vine that grows to 24 inches tall and 48 inches wide, filling with glossy triangular leaves. Plantings give an almost continual display of 2-inch-diameter yellow flowers with dark centers.
Light: Plant in full-sun locations.
Feedings: None needed; plantings receive needed nutrients from decomposing leaves and rainwater.
Water Needs: Keep moist until roots grow into the surrounding soil. Thereafter, plantings survive with moisture from seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start new plants from seed and cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy; damaged by severe freezes but grows back from stems near the ground or from seeds.
Major Problems: Avoid poorly drained areas or overwatering which encourages root rot. Plantings are considered pest free.
Pruning: Keep plants in bounds by pruning vigorous shoots as needed. Pruning also may be needed in garden settings to remove plants completing their life cycles.
Uses: Beach sunflower plantings are ideal for coastal gardens because they tolerate salty growing sites. They also can be used as a ground cover in the sandy soils throughout Florida. In time, the plantings decline but grow back from seeds that fall to the ground. Plantings are in bloom year-round except in the colder locations. The flowers attract nectar-feeding butterflies, and the seeds are a favorite food of wildlife.
Florida Native: Yes.

Bengal Clock Vine

Scientific Name: Thunbergia grandiflora
Growth Habit: An evergreen vine with shoots growing more than 20 feet long. The leaves are dark green and oblong and grow to 8 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Plant in full sun for best flowering.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March and June if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought. Grows best if watered every 10 to 14 days.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed, cuttings or air layers.
Hardiness: Medium; may be damaged by freezes but usually grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Leaves occasionally are damaged by chewing insects, but controls seldom are needed. The vine also may exhibit minor nutrient deficiencies that can be avoided by including these nutrients in the fertilizer.
Pruning: This vigorous grower during the warmer months may need trimming to remain in bounds. Also requires pruning during mid- to late February to remove cold-damaged shoots and to control growth.
Uses: Everyone likes the sky blue to white blooms of the Bengal clock vine opening to 3 inches in diameter, but not every landscape has the space to grow this plant. Train to a long fence or extended trellis to enjoy the green foliage and clusters of blossoms opening May and October but also sporadically anytime it's warm. Plantings also may be trained to disguise a wall or cover an arbor.
Florida Native: No; native to India.

Blanket Flower

Scientific Name: Gaillardia pulchella
Growth Habit: A long-lived annual with an upright to sprawling habit growing to 18 inches tall and wide. The leaves are lancelike and smooth-edged on upper plant portions and toothed near the base; they grow to 4 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun locations.
Feedings: Fertilizer is seldom needed except to encourage growth. Where needed, feed lightly with a general garden product in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Keep moist until established. Thereafter, plantings usually survive with moisture from seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Plantings need a well-drained soil to prevent root-rot problems. Caterpillars may chew holes in the leaves but seldom need control. Garden flea hoppers cause pinpoint-size yellow spots in the leaves, and they may be a bit unsightly but they usually can be tolerated.
Pruning: Some trimming may be needed to keep sprawling plants off pathways. Also remove old flower heads throughout the year to encourage additional blooms. Clean plantings of older stems and brown leaf portions during late winter as new growth begins.
Uses: Add to flower beds, planters and perennial gardens for periods of extended color. Plants open daisylike yellow and red flowers year-round that last for more than a week. Gaillardia is often included in wildflower plantings where it self-seeds to continue the displays. Plantings are salt-tolerant and can be used near beaches. Blossoms attract butterflies and are often cut for bouquets.
Florida Native: Yes.

Blood Lily

Scientific Name: Scadoxus multiflorus
Growth Habit: An upright perennial bulb with a single stalk of foliage growing to 18 inches tall and wide. The leaves are lancelike in shape and produced in whorls growing to12 inches long and 6 inches wide.
Light: Plant in shade to filtered sun.
Feedings: Apply a light scattering of a general garden fertilizer once monthly in June and August.
Water Needs: Plantings prefer a moist soil during periods of growth late spring through early fall; water at least weekly. Allow the planting sites to dry and receive seasonal rains late fall through midspring.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants by division of older clumps during late fall and winter.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Slugs often consume major sections of leaves. Control with a shallow saucer of beer that acts as a trap, or use natural baits available from garden centers. Grasshoppers also may feed on the leaves but seldom need control.
Pruning: Remove flower heads as the blossoms fade by midsummer. Trim declining leaves as plants go dormant during October.
Uses: An attractive plant for the shady gardens, often opening an inflorescence more than 6 inches in diameter and composed of many small red blossoms in June and July before the foliage appears. Plant clusters of several bulbs set 8 to 10 inches apart for a burst of color. The foliage that follows flowering is bright green and serves as a ground cover until early fall when the plants decline. Blood lilies also can be grown in containers to add to the porch or patio for seasonal flowers and foliage.
Florida Native: No; native to South Africa.

Blue-eyed Grass

Scientific Name: Sisyrinchium atlanticum
Growth Habit: A clump-forming perennial with grasslike leaves creating plants that grow more than 12 inches tall and wide. The leaves are linear, bright green and grow to 12 inches long and 1/4-inch wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Feed lightly with a general garden fertilizer once in March.
Water Needs: Needs a moist location. Plant in naturally damp soils, or water at least weekly.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed or by division of older clumps.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Few problems, but plants likely will decline in a location that is too dry.
Pruning: Trim old flower heads after spring bloom and remove declining leaves as needed.
Uses: An attractive plant that resembles a grass but is really a member of the iris family. The flowers, which bloom February through May, are up to 1/2-inch in diameter and are mainly blue in color with a yellow center; a white-flowered selection is also available. Plant as a ground cover or use as an accent in perennial flower beds and along walkways. This is an ideal plant to add to bog gardens and to use in naturalized plant settings. It also may be grown in containers to set on patios and balconies.
Florida Native: Yes.

Bolivian Sunset

Scientific Name: Gloxinia sylvatica
Growth Habit: An upright multistemmed evergreen perennial growing to 2 feet tall and wide. The leaves are dark green and lancelike, growing to 6 inches long and an inch wide.
Light: Plant in locations with morning sun and afternoon shade or a full day of filtered sun.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once a month March through November to in-ground plantings and every other week during the warm months to container plantings; none during the winter.
Water Needs: Keep in-ground plantings moist with weekly waterings when plants are growing; water less during the winter months. Check container plantings daily for water needs, and moisten when the surface soil begins to dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings or by dividing older clumps.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by frosts and freezing weather but usually grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Mealybugs may encase the tips of new shoots to cause yellowing and decline. Control with a soap spray as needed. Leaf-spot-fungal organisms can affect plants during the rainy season. Keep in an airy location and treat with a fungicide for leaf spots as needed.
Pruning: Trim back the tips of growing shoots to cause branching as needed to maintain a compact growth habit. Also, remove faded flowers to maintain an attractive plant. Remove cold-damaged portions and trim to reshape the plants in March.
Uses: Plants can be added to shaded flower beds to enjoy the dark foliage and brilliant tubular-shaped orange-red blooms with yellow centers October through January. Many gardeners also like to grow the plants in containers that can be added to patio or balcony plant collections and moved to a warm location during the cold weather.
Florida Native: No; native to Bolivia and Peru.

Bougainvillea

Scientific Name: Bougainvillea species
Growth Habit: An evergreen sprawling shrub to vining plant growing to 15 feet tall and twice as wide. Leaves are oval to heart-shaped and grow to 4 inches long and wide.
Light: Tolerates light shade; grows and flowers best in full sun.
Feedings: Feed lightly with a general garden fertilizer once each month in March, June and August.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; needs frequent watering until established. Thereafter, plantings usually survive and flower best with moisture from seasonal rainfall.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by freezes but usually grows back from main stems or buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Gardeners frequently have trouble getting plants to rebloom after planting. A lack of flowering is usually because of overwatering and overfeeding that promotes growth rather than blooms. Caterpillars also damage the leaves and are best controlled with a natural insecticide when noted.
Pruning: Avoid major pruning to encourage blooms. Perform needed trimming between May and mid-August to ensure winter flowering.
Uses: A strong accent plant often grown as a wall covering or vine for a trellis. Bougainvillea are also planted in hanging baskets and large containers to ramble up and over the edges. The small tubular flowers are white and surrounded by the more obvious colorful bracts of red, pink, orange, purple or white. Major flowering occurs November through April, but plants may produce sporadic blooms at any time of the year.
Florida Native: No; native to Brazil.

Butterfly Bush

Scientific Name: Buddleia davidii
Growth Habit: A rounded evergreen shrub with multiple arching branches growing to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The leaves are deep green and lance-shaped, growing to 8 inches long and 2 inches wide.
Light: Plant in a full-sun location.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March, June and September.
Water NNeeds: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best when watered every 10 to 14 days.
Ease of Culture: Medium.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy; may be damaged by freezing temperatures but grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Wet-soil conditions may cause stems and roots to rot. Plant in a well-drained soil. Roots also may be damaged by nematodes, and caterpillars often feed on the foliage.
Pruning: Control vigorous warm-season growth that overhangs walkways and affects nearby plantings. Also trim faded blooms to encourage extended flowering. Remove cold-damaged portions and trim older stems back to within a few feet of the ground during February to encourage vigorous shoots with blooms for spring.
Uses: An attractive accent plant opening arching clusters of white, pink, red or purple flowers May through November. As the name suggests, this is a favorite plant of butterflies. Add butterfly bushes to foundation plantings, use as a backdrop for perennial gardens, plant near a patio or display along walkways.
Florida Native: No; native to China.

Butterfly Ginger

Scientific Name: Hedychium species
Growth Habit: Upright semievergreen perennials, with long stalks of clasping leaves, growing to 6 feet tall. The leaves grow to 2 feet long and 5 inches wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; maintain a mulch layer and water weekly during periods of drought.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plantings by dividing older clumps.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by frosts and freezing weather but grows back from underground rhizomes.
Major Problems: Chewing insects may cause minor damage to the foliage but seldom need control.
Pruning: Plantings grow vigorously during the warm, humid months and often need trimming to remain in bounds. Many die back during the winter or have cold damage that should be removed during late February.
Uses: Butterfly gingers add the tropical look to Florida landscapes. Cluster several plants to form a backdrop for gardens or a view barrier along walkways and boundary lines. Plantings are also ideal additions to perennial gardens and useful as accent features near water and bog plantings. All produce attractive and often fragrant white, red, pink, orange or yellow flower clusters May though October. They can also be added to container gardens for porches and patios.
Florida Native: No; native to India and Malaysia.

Caladium

Scientific Name: Caladium hortulanum
Growth Habit: An upright to rounded perennial with large heart-shaped leaves rising from below-ground tubers. Plants grow to 18 inches tall from spring through fall and die back to the ground during winter dormancy.
Light: Full sun to shady locations.
Feedings: Apply a light scattering of a general garden fertilizer or manure every 6 to 8 weeks March through September.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; water every 3 to 4 days.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Divide older clumps during February or March.
Hardiness: Hardy; keep mulched to protect tubers from cold.
Major Problems: Slugs feed on the foliage in moist soils, producing large holes in the leaves overnight. Handpick from plants or coax into shallow trays of stale beer. Baits for snails and slugs are also effective. Foliage also may burn if plants are moved from shady sites to sunny locations, but new shoots adjust to the higher light levels.
Pruning: Remove yellowing leaves and old flower heads in late spring and summer.
Uses: Caladiums with brightly colored leaves are the stars of the Florida perennial garden. The foliage is blotched, stripped or spotted with numerous green, red, pink, orange and white patterns. Tubers from the previous year begin growth during March and continue producing foliage through October. Plant in beds, along walkways and in container gardens.
Florida Native: No; hybrids of species from Central and South America.

Calendula

Scientific Name: Calendula officinalis
Growth Habit: A rounded multibranched annual growing to 18 inches tall and wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to light shade.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer monthly to in-ground plantings; feed container plantings every other week.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; water in-ground plantings weekly, container plantings when the surface soil begins to dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Roots are affected by nematodes. Plant in gardens that are free of nematodes or grow in containers using a pest-free potting soil. This cool-season annual declines rapidly during the hot spring months.
Pruning: Flowers become unsightly as the petals begin to decline. Remove the faded blooms to keep plantings attractive and to encourage additional buds.
Uses: A colorful cool-season accent, sometimes called the pot marigold, usually planted November through February for flower garden and container displays. The daisylike blooms are available in yellow, orange and light red selections plus varieties with a blend of colors. The blooms are long lasting and often more than 2 inches in diameter. Petals from pesticide-free plantings are edible and often added to salads.
Florida Native: No; native to southern Europe.

California Poppy

Scientific Name: Eschscholzia californica
Growth Habit: An annual flowering plant with fernlike blue-green leaves growing to 18 inches tall and equally as wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer monthly if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant, but grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start seeds during the fall months for spring blooms. Sow seeds directly in the ground. Also may be started in small pots or cell packs to help the young poppies with sensitive roots survive transplanting.
Hardiness: Hardy; tops may be damaged by severe freezes but plant usually grow back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Aphids often feed in the tender new shoots. Control as needed with a soap spray; follow label instructions.
Pruning: Plants spread out over the surface of the ground and over the edge of pots. Some light trimming may be needed to keep in bounds.
Uses: Add to the cool-season annual garden. Start plants during the fall to produce growth for flowering March through May. Colors available include orange, yellow, pink, rose and red. Also plant as a temporary ground cover and in containers. Plantings usually regrow from seeds the following year.
Florida Native: No; native to western North America.

Cassia

Scientific Name: Cassia bicapsularis
Growth Habit: A rounded evergreen shrub with multiple branches growing to 8 feet tall and wide. The leaves grow to 6 inches long and 3 inches wide and are composed of many bright green leaflets.
Light: Plant in full sun to light shade.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March, June and August if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; when established, usually survives with seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed.
Hardiness: Medium; damaged by severe freezes but normally grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Plants are a favorite food of the sulphur butterflies. Most gardeners tolerate the chewing damage caused by the caterpillar stage of the insect and even plant cassia as larva food. Plants may reseed and become a nuisance but can be hand pulled as needed.
Pruning: This shrubby cassia is a bit weak wooded and may need periodic pruning to help reduce growth and keep the plants sturdy and compact. Reserve major pruning until late February at which time cold damage can be removed and the plants can be thinned of lanky shoots and cut back to just a few feet high to resume growth.
Uses: Cassia shrubs invite the butterflies to visit with an abundance of bright yellow flowers during October and November. Plants can be featured as accents near patios or along walkways. They can be used as low view barriers and backdrops for gardens or added to containers for patio or balcony displays.
Florida Native: No; native to the Caribbean.

Chandelier Plant

Scientific Name: Kalanchoe delagoensis
Growth Habit: An upright succulent perennial with leaves uniformly spaced around a single stem growing to 3 feet tall. The leaves are lancelike and folded to a canoe shape; they have brownish spots and grow to 8 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Light: Plant in a full-sun to lightly shaded area.
Feedings: Seldom needed. Apply a light feeding of a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March and June only if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Very drought tolerant; survives with moisture from seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings or plantlets that form along the leaves.
Hardiness: Medium; damaged by freezes but grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Occasionally damaged by slugs and chewing insects, but controls are seldom needed. Grow in a sandy, well-drained soil to avoid root-rot problems.
Pruning: Trim as needed to keep plants in bounds and remove old flower stalks as they decline. Also remove dead and lanky shoots during February before growth begins.
Uses: A colorful plant for the drier poor landscape soils. Plants can be used as ground covers in dry or hard-to-maintain areas. They also can be planted as accents in portions of perennial beds or containers. February through March, clusters of pendulous orange-red flowers open at the top of up-to-3-foot-tall stalks above the foliage. This succulent multiplies quickly and may compete with nearby plantings; control as needed to restrict growth to the desired location.
Florida Native: No; native to Madagascar.

Chickasaw Plum

Scientific Name: Prunus angustifolia
Growth Habit: A small deciduous tree with a rounded shape, often developing more than one trunk and growing to 20 feet tall and wide. The leaves are bright green and lancelike, growing to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once each month in March and June for new trees up to three years after planting. After that, additional feedings are normally not needed as older trees obtain nutrients from decomposing mulches or nearby feedings of turf and shrubs.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant. Water until the root systems of new trees become established in the surrounding soil. Seasonal rains normally provide adequate moisture for established trees.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or by removal of rooted offshoots.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Eastern tent caterpillars build nests in the trees during later winter. The insects are unsightly and cause only minor damage. If needed, the nests can be cut out or treated with a natural insecticide.
Pruning: Train the plum to a single trunk until more than 4 feet high; then allow branching to create a rounded canopy. Thin out smaller limbs in midwinter just before flowering to keep an open growth habit. Trees commonly send up shoots from their base and root system that should be removed as noted to prevent a thicket of growths.
Uses: A beautiful first of the year accent tree for street, entrance, patio or garden plantings. The white blossoms open in February and are especially appreciated by those who remember the early spring cherry blossoms of the north. Chickasaw plums provide good shade and maybe a few tart but tasty fruits for you and the wildlife.
Florida Native: Yes.

China Pink

Scientific Name: Dianthus chinensis
Growth Habit: An upright perennial, often planted as a garden annual, growing to 18 inches tall and half as wide. The leaves are blue-green and lancelike, growing to a half-inch wide and several inches long.
Light: Plant in full sun to light shade.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer to in-ground plantings monthly; feed container plantings every other week.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil. In-ground plantings grow best with weekly waterings; container plantings may need daily watering during the drier months.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Easy.
Hardiness: Easy.
Major Problems: Caterpillars sometimes feed among the flowers and leaves. Handpick or control with a natural spray as needed. Slugs and snails also may affect the foliage. Handpick or use a snail-and-slug bait as instructed on the label.
Pruning: Breeders have tried to produce plants that naturally hide the declining flowers, but it's probably best to remove them by hand from container plantings to keep them attractive.
Uses: China pinks, commonly referred to by the scientific name dianthus, are best used in clusters as a garden annual or added to containers for color November through May. Flushes of flowers with edges that appear to be trimmed with pinking shears open in red, white and pink colors to cover the tops of the plants. Use in hanging baskets or planters in combination with other seasonal annuals.
Florida Native: No; most are hybrids with relatives from China.

Chinese Ground Orchid

Scientific Name: Bletilla striata
Growth Habit: A terrestrial orchid with broad, lancelike, dark green leaves borne on plants growing to 12 inches tall. Leaves appear before the flowers open during spring and die back by fall.
Light: Plant in a lightly shaded location under a tree, tall shrub or arbor.
Feedings: Fertilize lightly with a general garden product every 6 to 8 weeks March through August.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil during periods of above-ground growth. Water at least weekly and maintain a 1- to 2-inch mulch of leaves or compost.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Divide older, well-established clumps; dividing too often delays flowering.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Plantings need adequate moisture but a well-drained soil. Wet soils can cause root rot and plant decline.
Pruning: Gardeners can remove old flower stalks after the blooms fade and declining stems during fall to maintain attractive beds.
Uses: The Chinese ground orchid thrives in lightly shaded sites and flourishes in a moist soil. This true orchid has stalks of 1- to 2-inch purplish flowers produced above the foliage during March and April. Plant as a ground cover for the spring blossoms and green foliage during the summer. Plant in containers for patios, porches and balconies. A white variety is also available.
Florida Native: No; native to China and Japan.

Chinese Wisteria

Scientific Name: Wisteria sinensis
Growth Habit: A deciduous vine with twining shoots growing to more than 40 feet long. The leaves are composed of seven to 13 leaflets, are bright green and grow to 6 inches wide and a foot long.
Light: Tolerates light shade but grows and flowers best in full sun.
Feedings: Fertilize lightly once monthly in March and June with a low-nitrogen general garden product often sold as a blossom booster. Overfeeding encourages excessive vining and fewer flowers.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; keep moist until the roots of new plants grow into the surrounding soil. Thereafter plants usually exist with moisture from seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start vines from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Thrips and mites may cause the flowers and foliage to turn brown, but they are considered minor pests that seldom need control. Vining shoots can climb trees to compete for foliage sites. Restrict vines to landscape structures to prevent tree decline.
Pruning: Prune after flowering and periodically during the summer months to restrict growth. Discontinue pruning by late summer to allow the stems to form flower buds. Plants can also be trimmed to create a free-standing shrub.
Uses: An attractive accent vine to conceal a wall or a fence, climb a trellis or cover an arbor. Plants are often featured near a home or a patio and at the entrance to gardens.
Florida Native: No; native to China.

Chrysanthemum

Scientific Name: Chrysanthemum x morifolium
Growth Habit: Upright clump-forming evergreen perennials growing to 2 feet tall and equally as wide. Produces pleasantly scented deep-cut, dark-green leaves that grow to 2 inches long and equally as wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer to in-ground plantings once monthly in March, June and August. Feed container plantings every other week March through December.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought during the cooler months; in-ground plantings grow best with twice-a-week, evenly spaced waterings during periods of growth and flowering. Water container plantings when the surface soil starts to dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Leaf miners often tunnel between the leaf surfaces causing a blotched look to the foliage; control with a systemic insecticide as needed. Fungal leaf spots produce brown leaves during the summer rainy season; apply a fungicide as needed. Some selections are not suited to Florida conditions and decline after providing a cool-season display.
Pruning: Trim declining flower heads during the fall and winter months to encourage additional blooms. Cut back the plants to within 6 inches of the ground during spring to encourage growth. Trim out the tops as needed spring through summer to encourage branching; complete all trimming by mid-August.
Uses: Chrysanthemums, often called mums, are one of the sure signs fall has arrived. Plants begin blooming during late August and continue through the early spring months, creating mounds of daisylike displays of assorted colors. Add to perennial beds for permanent plantings or use as seasonal flowers for pockets of color throughout the landscape. Mums also are added to planters, dish gardens and pots for fall and winter displays.
Florida Native: No; hybrids with parents from China.

Clivia

Scientific Name: Clivia miniata
Growth Habit: An upright bulblike evergreen perennial related to the amaryllis with leaves originating from tuberous roots forming plants 18 inches tall and wide. The leaves are dark green and lancelike and grow to 18 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Light: Plant in filtered-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a light application of a general garden fertilizer to in-ground plantings once monthly in April and July. Feed container-grown plants every other week with a half-strength 20-20-20 or similar product April through September.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil April through September; water at least weekly. During the fall and winter, seasonal rains provide adequate moisture.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed or by dividing older clumps.
Hardiness: Tender; susceptible to severe freezes but survives most winters with little damage when protected by trees.
Major Problems: Grasshoppers may chew holes in leaves but can be handpicked from the plants as needed. Provide a well-drained soil to prevent root-rot problems during cool, damp weather.
Pruning: Periodically remove declining leaves to keep garden clumps attractive. Also remove old flower heads or seed clusters as needed.
Uses: A special flowering bulb for hobbyists and collectors that's sure to attract attention with its ornamental dark-green foliage and bright-orange flowers. The plants come into bloom, opening clusters of trumpetlike blossoms, after cool, dry weather, normally in late winter or early spring. Most blossoms are orange, but a yellow-flowered form is also available. The plants are best displayed in clusters to form a garden accent, but they also can be spaced along a shaded pathway. Many gardeners like to keep clivia in a container to display on a porch or a patio, where the plants can be given more protection during a severe freeze.
Florida Native: No; native to South Africa.

Common Mulberry

Scientific Name: Morus alba
Growth Habit: A deciduous tree with a rounded shape growing to 30 feet tall and wide. The leaves are bright green and variable, ranging from rounded to three-lobed and growing to 6 inches long and wide.
Light: Plant in a full-sun location.
Feedings: Fertilize new trees with a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March and June for the first three years. Thereafter, decomposing mulches and feedings given nearby lawns and ornamentals provide needed nutrients.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; can usually exist with seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start trees from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Caterpillars and leaf spot organisms may occasionally affect the foliage but seldom need control. The berries are messy if trees are planted near walkways. They are also a favorite food of birds, which may leave residues on furniture and other outdoor structures.
Pruning: Train trees to a single trunk when young and allow branching to begin when 6 to 8 feet tall. Prune to develop a rounded crown with evenly spaced limbs.
Uses: An excellent addition to the edible landscape; also known as the white mulberry. Trees can be used for shade in natural areas away from patios and walkways. Small white flowers open in February and are followed by the red to black berries that mature in late March and April. The fruits attract wildlife but can also be used fresh or made into pies and preserves. Fruitless selections and a weeping form are also available.
Florida Native: No; native to China.

Common Camellia

Scientific Name: Camellia japonica
Growth Habit: An upright to rounded evergreen shrub to small tree growing to 15-feet tall. The leaves are glossy, dark green, elliptic in shape with small-toothed edges and grow to 4 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Plants grow best in partial shade, but many selections tolerate full sun.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March, June and August.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil with weekly waterings, but can tolerate short periods of drought.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy; open flowers may be damaged by freezing weather, but the plants are not affected.
Major Problems: Almost every camellia grower can expect an attack of tea scale, a small brown to white insect that feeds from the undersides of the leaves. Apply an oil spray as needed to maintain control. Poor flowering may result if gardeners do not pick their varieties carefully. Choose types that are labeled early to midseason selections. Also avoid pot-bound plants that never grow out of their root balls.
Pruning: Encourage numerous branches and compact growth by periodically removing the ends of branches during spring. Also remove errant shoots to keep a shapely plant and trim out declining stems to prevent die-back in older plants. Pruning should be stopped by the end of May to allow the plants to form buds for fall and winter color.
Uses: Camellias find many uses including foundation plantings, backdrops for gardens, unclipped hedges and view barriers. They are also used as freestanding accents at entrances, near patios and along walkways. This is one of a few late fall and winter flowering shrubs that can add lots of color to landscapes. Flowers open December through early March.
Florida Native: No; native to Japan and South Korea.

Common Sunflower

Scientific Name: Helianthus annuus
Growth Habit: An upright annual flower growing to more than 10 feet tall depending on the variety. The leaves are bright green and heart-shaped and grow to a foot long and about as wide.
Light: Grows in a full-sun location.
Feedings: Apply a balanced fertilizer monthly until the flowers form.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; add a 2- to 3-inch mulch and water every three to four days.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed.
Hardiness: Tender; severely damaged by frosts.
Major Problems: Caterpillars and grasshoppers often chew holes in the foliage. Control by handpicking or use of a natural insecticide. Beetles and big-legged plant bugs may affect the flowers and can be handpicked to control as needed. Taller plants may need staking to prevent wind damage.
Pruning: Plants grow to a single stem until flowering, when newer selections often branch to open multiple blooms. Varieties with a single large flower head do not need pruning until it's time to remove the seeds or declining stems. Plants forming multiple flower heads can have the faded blooms removed to encourage additional flower clusters.
Uses: Sunflowers form an attractive backdrop for flower gardens and shrub plantings. They also may be planted along walkways and in containers. The colorful sunflower portion is an inflorescence composed of hundreds of blossoms. Most gardeners are familiar with tall-growing sunflowers with the traditional single flower head featuring yellow outer petallike blossoms and yellow to dark central blooms. Newer varieties often open orange, red, bronze or bicolor blossoms. Sunflowers begin flowering about 60 days after planting and can be grown year-round but may be affected by cold during the winter months. Stems of blooms can be cut for flower arrangements or left in the garden to form seeds to harvest or leave for the birds.
Florida Native: No; native to the United States.

Confederate Rose

Scientific Name: Hibiscus mutabilis
Growth Habit: A semi-evergreen rounded shrub with an open branching habit maintaining limbs to the ground and growing to 8 feet tall and wide. The leaves are heart-shaped, growing to 6 inches long and wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once each month in March, June and August.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows and flowers best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy; damaged by cold and may freeze to the ground but grows back from buds near the soil line.
Major Problems: Plants are a favorite host for whiteflies that cause leaves to yellow and drop. They also may become covered with a black sooty mold because of insect activity. Control whiteflies and sooty mold as needed with a natural oil spray; follow label instructions.
Pruning: Most plantings decline during the winter months and need rejuvenation pruning by February. Remove cold-damaged limbs back to healthy stems or to the ground. Also remove older limbs and reshape plants as needed.
Uses: Plant as an accent feature near patios, along walkways or with other shrubs. Also use as a backdrop for other plantings or as a view barrier during the warmer months. Confederate rose plants, also called cotton rose, open white to pink 6-inch or larger blossoms in the morning that turn a reddish color by the end of the day and decline. This member of the mallow family is related to okra, rose of Sharon and cotton.
Florida Native: No; native to China.

Copperleaf Shrub

Scientific Name: Acalypha wilkesiana
Growth Habit: An upright to rounded evergreen shrub growing 8 feet tall and wide in Central Florida but much larger in more southern locations. The leaves are oval to rounded in shape with green, bronze, red and yellow variations; they grow to 8 inches long and wide.
Light: Plant in a full-sun location.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once a month in March, June and September if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought but grows best with weekly waterings during drought.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by freezes but usually grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Mealybugs and scale insects may cluster along stems and within the buds to suck plant juices and encourage the growth of sooty mold on the foliage. Use an oil spray for control. Caterpillars are also occasional feeders but seldom need control.
Pruning: Give a renewal pruning in late February to remove cold-damaged shoots and reshape the shrubs. Remove errant shoots at any time to keep plants in bounds and maintain a compact growth habit.
Uses: Create mass plantings of three or more shrubs to form accents that give a year-round burst of color. Plantings also can be used as space dividers and hedges. Many gardeners like to set individual plants in containers to display on the patio, the balcony or at entrances. Several varieties are marketed for their exceptionally colorful foliage. Terminal but usually inconspicuous clusters of yellow to copper-colored flowers also are produced.
Florida Native: No; native to the Pacific Islands.

Coral Honeysuckle

Scientific Name: Lonicera sempervirens
Growth Habit: An evergreen vine with entwining shoots that grow 10 to15 feet long. The leaves are oblong, bright green on the top and whitish beneath, growing to 3 inches long and 11/2 inches wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun locations.
Feedings: Fertilize new plants lightly every other month March through September with a general garden product for the first year. Thereafter, plants usually obtain needed nutrients from decomposing mulches and nearby feedings of trees and shrubs.
Water Needs: Drought-tolerant but prefers a moist soil. Grows best with waterings every other week.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Aphids may affect new shoots, and leaf spots can develop during periods of damp weather. The problems seldom need control.
Pruning: Direct growth by trimming stems to cause branching which can fill a trellis or an arbor. Also trim as needed to keep the plants in bounds. Like many vines over time, the lower leaves are lost and most growth is concentrated near the top of the plants. Renewal pruning is needed every few years to encourage new shoots from the base and fuller plants.
Uses: One of Florida's best vines, also known as the trumpet honeysuckle, is used to disguise and accent a wall or to create a colorful view barrier. Avoid sending vines up trees; instead provide a trellis, a fence or an arbor. Clusters of tubular orange to reddish blossoms with contrasting yellow stamens produce major displays in March and April. Plants continue to open sporadic blooms through summer. A yellow-flowered selection is also available.
Florida Native: Yes.

Coral Bean

Scientific Name: Erythrina herbacea
Growth Habit: An open, rounded to sprawling, multibranched deciduous shrub growing to 5 feet tall and wide. The leaves grow to 6 inches long and are bright green with three triangular segments. Leaves and stems have thorns.
Light: Plant in full sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Feed once monthly in March and June with a general garden fertilizer. Once established, the shrubs can exist with nutrients from decomposing mulches or leaf litter.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; grows best when watered at least every other week.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed or cuttings.
Hardiness: Medium; often damaged by freezes but grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Chewing insects occasionally may damage the foliage, but a control seldom is needed.
Pruning: Remove cold damage at the end of February, and reshape to a compact habit of growth. Prune as needed during the growing season to keep the plants in bounds.
Uses: Add to woodland settings with filtered sunlight. Can be planted as an understory shrub that opens bright-red stalks of flowers that attract hummingbirds April through May. Plants can be clustered in open areas as accents along walkways or as a backdrop for flower gardens. Long seedpods are produced during the summer and open by fall to reveal poisonous red seeds.
Florida Native: Yes.

Crinum

Scientific Name: Crinum bulbispermum
Growth Habit: Upright, evergreen perennials grow from bulbs near ground level. The bright green leaves are 5 inches wide and up to 3 feet tall.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed or by dividing older clumps.
Hardiness: Hardy; leaves may be damaged by cold, but new growth resumes from the bulbs.
Major Problems: Grasshoppers feed on the large green leaves. The lubber grasshopper is especially attracted to the crinums and is best controlled by hand removal and destroyed. Red blotch, a fungal disease, causes large rusty red spots on the leaves. Affected leaves are best removed as they develop.
Pruning: Most flower heads are removed as the blossoms fade. Also remove declining leaves and those affected by cold as needed.
Uses: Plant crinums in groups for their warm-season flower clusters produced at the top of thick stems. Several species, hybrids and varieties are cultivated in Florida. They open large trumpet- to spider-shaped red, pink or white blossoms April through November. Add crinums to perennial gardens or use as accents among foundation plantings and along walkways. Specimens also can be grown in containers.
Florida Native: No; native to South Africa.

Cross Vine

Scientific Name: Bignonia capreolata
Growth Habit: An evergreen vine with lancelike 2- to 5-inch-long leaves on shoots that can climb to heights of more than 30 feet.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer under the spread of the foliage monthly in April and June.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start new plants from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Caterpillars may feed on the foliage; control seldom is needed.
Pruning: Trimming often is needed to keep the vigorous shoots trained to an arbor or a trellis. Give the vine a major pruning after it flowers during the spring months. Avoid allowing the vine to climb trees and shrubs.
Uses: Cover a wall, a trellis or a patio arbor with the cross vine for summer shade and plenty of late winter and spring color. The clusters of 2-inch-long tubular yellow and orange blossoms begin opening during February and may continue through April. The vine has disk-bearing tendrils that allow it to adhere to wood and masonry without supports.
Florida Native: Yes.

Croton

Scientific Name: Codiaeum variegatum
Growth Habit: Evergreen shrubs upright to rounded in shape growing to10 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The leaves are linear to oval in shape, often lobed and of varying colors.
Light: Plant in full sun to shady locations. Leaf color is best in the higher light levels.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once each month in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: From cuttings.
Hardiness: Medium; damaged by freezing weather. Plants protected by buildings and trees normally escape major cold injury.
Major Problems: Mites and thrips can cause leaf discoloration and drop. Scale insects and mealybugs also are noted often. All can be controlled with an oil spray as needed following label instructions.
Pruning: Reshape crotons during March by removing cold damage and limbs that have grown out of bounds. Light pruning also may be needed during the growing season to encourage compact, well-branched shrubs. Crotons can be trimmed to a hedge.
Uses: A color-filled shrub to plant as an accent feature anywhere in the landscape. Plantings are especially attractive in the shady locations where flowering plants are not always available. They also can be added to containers for indoor patio displays. The small white flowers are borne on long shoots but are not especially attractive.
Florida Native: No; native to Malaysia.

Crown of Thorns

Scientific Name: Euphorbia milii
Growth Habit: A rounded to sprawling evergreen perennial with thorny stems and open-branching habit growing to 2 feet tall and wide. Plants produce only a few leaves, toward the ends of the branches, that grow to 3 inches long and an inch wide.
Light: Plant outdoors in full sun to light shade. Indoors, grow in a bright location.
Feedings: Broadcast a light application of general garden fertilizer on the surface of the soil once monthly in March and June. Feed container plantings with a half-strength 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer every two to three months.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; outdoor plantings usually receive adequate water from seasonal rains. Indoors or in protected areas, water when the surface soil feels dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings during the warmer months.
Hardiness: Tender; protect from freezing temperatures.
Major Problems: Plant in well-drained soils to avoid root-rot problems. Plants growing indoors or in areas protected from natural weather conditions may be affected by mealybugs. Control with an oil spray as needed.
Pruning: Slow growing but may spread out to interfere with nearby plantings. Prune unwanted shoots during the warmer months and use as cuttings. Remove dead or declining shoots as needed.
Uses: An ideal accent for dry-land plantings and perennial gardens. The crown of thorns resembles a cactus but is really a poinsettia relative in the Euphorbiaceae family. Many of the introductions are hybrids with colorful red, pink, orange or yellow blossomlike portions. Plants are often grown in containers for indoor or patio displays.
Florida Native: No; native to Madagascar.

Cyclamen

Scientific Name: Cyclamen persicum
Growth Habit: A perennial growing to 10 inches tall and wide; grows from a tuber. The leaves are dark green to silvery and rounded to heart-shaped.
Light: Grow in a filtered-sun or bright location without direct sunlight.
Feedings: Monthly September through April with a liquid houseplant fertilizer; none during summer.
Water Needs: Moisten when the surface soil begins to dry September through May; then allow the soil to remain dry until growth resumes.
Ease of Culture: Medium; plants often decline during the summer.
Propagation: New plants are started from seeds or tubers.
Hardiness: Tender; protect from temperatures below 40 degrees.
Major Problems: Grows best in a cool climate. Tubers are susceptible to rotting and should be kept dry when the plants rest during late spring and summer.
Pruning: Remove older yellowing leaves and faded flowers as needed. All declining portions should be removed when plants go dormant during the warmer months.
Uses: Cyclamen, with pink, white or red blossoms, can be displayed in the home, on the patio or as a seasonal bedding plant. As cyclamen begins to decline during late spring, allow the soil and tuber to dry; add water as needed to prevent shriveling. Water normally when growth resumes in the fall. Saved plants re-bloom in early spring.
Florida Native: No; native to the Mediterranean region.

Dogwood

Scientific Name: Cornus florida
Growth Habit: An upright to rounded deciduous tree growing to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide. The leaves are oval and medium green with pronounced veins growing to 6 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Tolerates full sun but grows best with light shade.
Feedings: Feed lightly in March and June with a general garden fertilizer for the first three years after planting; thereafter, needed nutrients are supplied by the decomposing mulch and nearby feedings of shrubs and flowers.
Water Needs: Needs a moist soil; maintain a 3- to 4-inch mulch layer and water whenever the surface soil begins to dry.
Ease of Culture: Medium; needs more care than most trees to become established.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or by grafting.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Dogwoods are difficult to establish in dry, sandy Florida soils. Improve planting sites with organic matter and keep moist. Borers affect the young branches and may have to be pruned from the trees. Powdery mildew and leaf spots may blemish the foliage, but controls seldom are needed.
Pruning: Train the trees to a single trunk, and keep the branches evenly spaced to form a symmetrical growth habit. Perform all pruning immediately after flowering during the spring to avoid affecting bud formation for the following year.
Uses: Dogwood trees bring back memories of northern landscapes, which many gardeners would like to re-create locally. They are used as accents near patios and along walkways. Dogwoods also can be planted as part of the backdrop for shrub and flower beds and under taller trees along property lines. Only the white-flowered dogwood grows locally. The variety Weaver's White appears to be one of the better selections for Central Florida, tolerating the hot, humid local growing conditions. Leaves and fruits provide fall color; the fruits are also a food for wildlife.
Florida Native: Yes.

Dotted Horsemint

Scientific Name: Monarda punctata
Growth Habit: An upright to sprawling evergreen perennial growing to 3-feet tall. The leaves are medium green, lancelike and aromatic, growing to 2-inches long and 1/2-inch wide.
Light: Plant in light-shade to full-sun locations.
Feedings: Plant in light-shade to full-sun locations.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with a light mulch and weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Susceptible to powdery mildew that often turns the leaves white during late spring and early summer. If needed, a fungicide can be applied for control. Chewing insects also may damage the leaves, but control seldom is needed.
Pruning: Plants can become gangly around midsummer as the flowers begin to decline. Prune to within a foot or two of the ground to encourage growth and fall blooms. Give the plants another renewal pruning in late February before spring growth.
Uses: An attractive addition to natural gardens, perennial beds and butterfly plantings. Horsemint produces a colorful inflorescence consisting of pinkish bracts that surround the white- to yellow-purple-dotted flowers May through October. The inflorescence remains attractive for a month or more. Plant as a backdrop for additional lower-growing flowers or use along walkways. Plantings attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Florida Native: Yes.

Dusty Miller

Scientific Name: Senecio cineraria
Growth Habit: An evergreen perennial that is upright when young and spreads with age; grows to 2 feet tall and wide. The leaves are green with a thick covering of white to silvery hairs; the leaves are deeply cut to lacelike in appearance and grow to 6 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer monthly to in-ground plantings, every other week for container plantings.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought but grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed.
Hardiness: Hardy; survives all but severe winter freezes.
Major Problems: Dusty miller plants need a well-drained soil to prevent root rot problems. Plants decline during the summer rainy season because of excessive moisture.
Pruning: Trim as needed to keep leggy shoots in bounds. Many gardeners also remove the flower heads as they form during late spring to encourage branching.
Uses: Dusty miller is grown for its white to silvery foliage that forms an attractive contrast with red, pink purple and other plants with bright flowers. It's often planted in flower beds and container gardens with cool-season petunias, snapdragons and dianthus. Yellow flowers are produced in late spring but are of little interest to gardeners. Florida plantings of dusty miller are treated as long-lived annuals and are added to landscapes fall through winter. The plants are removed during early summer as they start to decline because of heat and excessive moisture.
Florida Native: No; native to the Mediterranean region.

Dwarf Chenille Plant

Scientific Name: Acalypha pendula
Growth Habit: A low-spreading evergreen perennial growing up to 6 inches tall and more than 2 feet wide. Dark green oval leaves growing 2 inches long and almost as wide with toothed edges forming along horizontal shoots.
Light: Plant in shade to filtered-sun locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once in March, June and September. Feed container plantings monthly with a 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer.
Water Needs: Prefers moist soils; water at least weekly.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by frosts and freezing weather but often grows back from shoots near the ground in protected sites.
Major Problems: Occasionally damaged by chewing insects and mites but controls are seldom needed. Grow in a well-drained soil to prevent root rot problems.
Pruning: Trim plants during early March to remove cold damage and out-of-bounds shoots. Trim periodically during the growing season to prevent shoots from overgrowing walkways and creeping into nearby plantings. Keep the plants attractive by removing declining flowers.
Uses: Fill flower beds, open spots in foundation plantings and sites along walkways with chenille plants to develop a colorful ground cover. Strands of red flower clusters, called catkins, form March through November to contrast with the dark green foliage. Plants also can be added to hanging baskets and planters to display on shady patios and balconies.
Florida Native: No; native to Cuba.

Dwarf Schefflera

Scientific Name: Schefflera arboricola
Growth Habit: An evergreen upright plant that gradually grows to a rounded, multistem shrub more than 12 feet tall and wide in consistently warm climates. The shrub grows to about half this size in Central Florida. The leaves are compound, often more than 6 inches in diameter and consist of seven to nine dark-green to variegated segments.
Light: Plant in full sun to shade.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer to in-ground plantings every six to eight weeks March through October. Feed container plantings every other week with a 20-20-20 or similar product. A slow-release fertilizer also may be used following label instructions.
Water Needs: In-ground plantings tolerate short periods of drought but grow best with weekly waterings. Container plantings need a moist soil; water when the surface soil begins to dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings or air layers.
Hardiness: Tender; can survive frost and light freezes, growing back from stems near the ground.
Major Problems: Scale insects may affect the foliage and stems, causing leaf loss and general plant decline. Where needed, a natural oil spray can be applied.
Pruning: Remove the tips of new shoots as needed to encourage branching and full compact plants. In late February, remove cold damage and reshape the plants before spring growth.
Uses: Plants of solid green or variegated foliage are finding use as ground covers and foundation plantings in home landscapes. The unusual foliage adds the tropical look. Plants often are added to containers for patio, balcony and indoor displays. Plants occasionally flower, producing clusters of white blooms.
Florida Native: No; native to Taiwan.

Edging Lobelia

Scientific Name: Lobelia erinus
Growth Habit: A rounded to trailing annual growing to 12 inches tall and wide. Plants produce multiple stems with bright-green, oval, large-toothed leaves growing to 2 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to light shade.
Feedings: Lightly apply a general garden fertilizer monthly.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from seed.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Plant in well-drained soils to avoid root-rot problems. Expect plants to decline during the hot, humid weather.
Pruning: Remove shoots that grow out of bounds or encroach upon nearby flowers, as needed. Declining flower stems also can be removed to encourage additional shoots with blooms.
Uses: An attractive annual for the cooler months to plant in clusters as part of flower gardens or to use as a temporary border along walkways. Plantings are blanketed with bright-blue multipetaled blossoms with a white eye held well above the foliage. They bloom January through May, then decline during the hot, humid months. Plants also can be used in hanging baskets or added to containers with other seasonal flowers.
Florida Native: No: native to South Africa.

English Lavender

Scientific Name: Lavandula angustifolia
Growth Habit: An upright to rounded perennial growing to 18 inches tall and wide when in bloom. The leaves are narrow and simple to oval and lacelike, depending on the variety. All leaves are gray-green in color and grow to 2 inches long and an inch wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to light shade.
Feedings: Apply a light feeding with a general garden fertilizer every six to eight weeks during periods of growth.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Medium; subject to summer-rot problems.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: English lavender grows well during the cooler months but is subject to rot problems during the hot, humid summer weather. Plant in a well-drained soil or a container to delay decline.
Pruning: Remove declining flowering stems as needed. Also thin out some of the older shoots after flowering to encourage vigorous growths.
Uses: An attractive, short-lived perennial for gardens best planted in clusters to provide an attractive display of lavender spikes of blossoms held well above the foliage. Plants also can be grown in containers alone or mixed with other flowers to display on the patio or along walkways. Flowers can be cut to use in fresh bouquets or dried for future arrangements.
Florida Native: No; native to the Western Mediterranean region.

Eucharist Lily

Scientific Name: Eucharis amazonica
Growth Habit: A bulbous perennial with large evergreen leaves arising from near the ground, producing foot-tall plants. The leaves are oval with prominent veins growing to 6 inches wide.
Light: Plant in a shady location; damaged by sun.
Feedings: Apply a light scattering of a general garden fertilizer every other month March through September. Feed container plants monthly with a 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer March through November.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best in a moist soil with weekly waterings during the warmer months. Allow surface soil to dry between waterings during the cooler months to encourage flowering.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants by dividing older clusters of bulbs.
Hardiness: Hardy; foliage may be damaged by severe freezes, but plants grow back from bulbs below the soil surface.
Major Problems: Slugs feed heavily on the foliage during warm, moist growing conditions. Handpick or apply slug baits as a control. Caterpillars and mites may also need periodic control using natural pesticides.
Pruning: Remove declining and slug-damaged leaves plus old flower stalks as needed to keep attractive beds. After severe winters, plants also may need a spring grooming to remove the damaged foliage.
Uses: An attractive ground cover and accent plant for the shady areas of the landscape. Eucharist lilies, also called Amazon lilies, resemble the large green-leaf hostas gardeners admire from Northern gardens. The lilies sprout up to 2-foot-tall stalks topped with fragrant white narcissuslike blooms January through March. They bloom sporadically during the remaining warmer months. The plants also can be grown in containers for the patio and indoors.
Florida Native: No; native to Colombia and Peru.

False Heather

Scientific Name: Cuphea hyssopifolia
Growth Habit: A shrublike perennial with small dark evergreen leaves on rounded multistemmed plants growing to 18 inches tall and wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once every 6 to 8 weeks March through November.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start new plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by severe frosts and freezes but usually survives from buds below mulches near the ground.
Major Problems: Small blue metallic beetles are heavy feeders especially during the spring. Control as needed with a pesticide labeled for chewing insects.
Pruning: Plants produce vigorous growth and may need trimming to keep in bounds along walkways. If damaged by cold, plants may be trimmed back to near the ground to encourage new shoots.
Uses: False heather, also known as Mexican heather, is an old garden favorite with year-round lavender to pink blooms. Interest in the plant was revived with the introduction of newer varieties including Alba with white blooms and Allyson bearing slightly larger leaves and more blossoms. It's often planted as a ground cover, a perennial garden addition or edging along walkways. Small plants can be worked into dish gardens and hanging baskets.
Florida Native: No; native to Mexico.

Fan Flower

Scientific Name: Scaevola aemula
Growth Habit: A sprawling perennial growing to 8 inches tall and more than 36 inches wide. The leaves are dark green, oblong and 1-inch long and a 1/2-inch wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer monthly to in-ground plantings and a 20-20-20 or similar fertilizer solutions to container plantings every other week. Slow-release fertilizers also can be used.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; water in-ground plantings weekly and container plantings when the surface soil begins to dry.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants by cuttings.
Hardiness: Tender; protect plants from frosts and freezing weather.
Major Problems: Plant in a well-drained soil to avoid root-rot problems. Also control whitefly and garden flea hopper insects to prevent foliage decline.
Pruning: Encourage branching and full plants by pruning the tips of shoots as needed. Also trim to keep in bounds and to renew the vigor of older plants.
Uses: An attractive perennial frequently grown as an annual in home and commercial landscapes. Plant as a ground cover or edging for flower beds and shrub plantings. Also add to hanging baskets and mixed planters where stems can cascade over the sides. Plantings bloom year-round, opening clusters of purplish fan-shaped blossoms.
Florida Native: No; native to Australia.

Fire Thorn

Scientific Name: Pyracantha coccinea
Growth Habit: A sprawling, thorny, evergreen shrub with numerous twigs on shoots growing to 10 feet tall. The leaves are narrow, shiny and bright green, growing to more than an inch long and half as wide.
Light: Plant in full sun to light, shifting shade.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once each month in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Tolerates short periods of drought; grows best with waterings every other week.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: New shoots often are attacked by aphids and leaves by whiteflies. Leaves also may turn brown during the drier months because of mite populations. All these pests can be controlled with soap or oil sprays available from garden centers.
Pruning: Many gardeners like to train the fire thorn, also commonly called pyracantha, to a trellis or use the plants to create a topiary. This involves directing shoots where needed to fill out the display and trimming the ends to cause branching. Plants growing as free-standing shrubs also need periodic trimming to remain in bounds and encourage new fruiting shoots.
Uses: A good accent shrub and thorny barrier for the landscape. Topiaries and plants trained to a trellis often are used near patios, entrances and along walkways. Plantings also can be used as a hedge or a backdrop for gardens. The shrubs fill with white blossoms in March or April that are followed by quarter-inch berries that mature an orange to red color for displays October through February. The fruits are a favorite food for wildlife.
Florida Native: No; native to Europe and Asia.

Firespike

Scientific Name: Odontonema strictum
Growth Habit: Upright clump-forming evergreen perennials growing to 8 feet tall. The leaves are shiny and bright green, growing to 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.
Light: Plant in full-sun to lightly shaded locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer every six to eight weeks March through November.
Water Needs: Prefers a moist soil; grows best with weekly waterings.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plantings from seed, cuttings and division of older clumps.
Hardiness: Tender; damaged by frosts and freezes, but grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Chewing insects including grasshoppers and caterpillars occasionally may damage the foliage, but seldom need control.
Pruning: Trim in late February to remove declining plant portions injured by cold. Also use this time to reduce height and width to keep plants in bounds. Additional pruning may be needed during the growing season to remove shoots hanging over walkways and affecting nearby plantings.
Uses: Plant a cluster of firespike plants 3 to 4 feet apart as a backdrop or border for gardens, patios and walkways. Even when damaged by cold, the plants regrow quickly to form a view barrier and attractive accent with unusual, often footlong, flattened spikes of bright red flowers. This is an excellent plant for the butterfly garden.
Florida Native: No; native to Central America.

Flame Vine

Scientific Name: Pyrostegia venusta
Growth Habit: An evergreen, often rampant, vine with shoots growing to 30 feet long. The leaves are medium green with two to three elliptic leaflets each growing to 3 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Plant in a full-sun location.
Feedings: Fertilize in March and June with a general garden fertilizer if needed to encourage growth.
Water Needs: Drought tolerant; water frequently when young to help develop the root system. Established vines normally survive with seasonal rains.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: Start plants from cuttings and air layers.
Hardiness: Medium; damaged by severe freezes but grows back from buds near the ground.
Major Problems: Plants may be damaged by caterpillars that chew holes in the leaves, but controls seldom are needed. The vines also may be affected by scale insects and mites, which can be controlled with natural oil sprays when noted.
Pruning: Keep plantings to the desired area with a yearly pruning immediately after flowering. Additional trimming may be needed during the growing season to restrict growth further. Remove all dead or declining portions after severe freezes.
Uses: A colorful February-through-March flowering vine opening clusters of bright orange tubular flowers. Vines can be used to create view barriers and overhead covers or to form an accent when trained to a trellis, an arbor or a fence. Plant only where the shoots have lots of room to grow. Do not use near trees or shrubs where the vining stems often climb out of control to compete with these plantings.
Florida Native: No; native to Brazil and Paraguay.

Florida Anise

Scientific Name: Illicium floridanum
Growth Habit: An evergreen rounded shrub with an open branching habit growing to 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The leaves are deep green and lancelike, growing to 6 inches long and half as wide.
Light: Grows in full sun to shady locations.
Feedings: Apply a general garden fertilizer once monthly in March, June and September.
Water Needs: Prefers damp locations; water at least weekly.
Ease of Culture: Easy.
Propagation: From seeds or cuttings.
Hardiness: Hardy.
Major Problems: Leaves and stems may be affected by scale insects, which encourage sooty mold. Control as needed with a natural oil spray.
Pruning: Where possible the anise should be grown as a naturally shaped shrub, but it can be pruned to a more formal look. If needed, prune individual stems to keep them in bounds or encourage a compact growth habit. Avoid shearing, which leaves brown edges among the foliage.
Uses: Plant as a backdrop for gardens, a foundation plant or a view barrier along property lines. It's one of the few shrubs that grow well in the shady and damp areas of the landscape. Plantings produce 2-inch-diameter reddish blooms March through April, followed by an ornamental-looking, star-shaped seedpod. The leaves give off a licorice fragrance when crushed.
Florida Native: Yes.