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Florida Garden Select

New for 2013


Center Stripe Agave

Common Name: Center Stripe Agave

Center Stripe Agave

Photo Courtesy of:
Hortus Oasis
Botanical Name: Agave lophantha 'Splendida'
Hardiness Zone: 7-10
Height and Spread: 1' tall X 18" - 24" wide
Classification: Cactus
Landscape Use: low-maintenance gardens, cactus and succulent gardens, specimen, container, low ground cover
Characteristics: This hardy agave has proven to be slow and easy to grow and is ideal for temperate climates. The dark green rosettes are highlighted with a creamy-gold center stripe down each leaf; brightest in spring and early summer. In loose soils, Agave lophantha spreads vigorously via underground rhizomes. The sword-like green leaves are stiff, glossy and most varieties sport a prominent bright green stripe. The Century Plant grows solitary or as a clumping succulent rosette which will flower only once, then die-off leaving other rosettes to take it's place. An unbranched flower spike with small greenish-yellow flowers is typical for late Spring or early summer and will reach 12' tall. It's native to South Texas and into Mexico. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun to part shade and needs little water once established in the landscape.
   


Giant Elephant Ear

Common Name: Giant Elephant Ear Giant Elephant Ear
Photo Courtesy of:
Hortus Oasis
Botanical Name: Alocasia x portidora
Hardiness Zone: 7b-8-9-10
Height and Spread: 8' tall, tapers at base
Classification: tropical plant
Landscape Use: specimen, container, architectural element
Characteristics: Impressive in a large pot, or as a focal point in the garden, this Alocasia is a hybrid variety cross and has broad, heavily scalloped leaves that are held high on strong muscular stems. It is also known as Alocasia 'Portora' and grows quickly into a 5-6' tall plant during the first season alone and gives a strong, tropical presence. The stems are upright so it makes an ideal "thriller" in a mixed container. Plant in rich, moist soil and place in full sun for optimum growth.
   


Orange Marmalade Crossandra

Common Name: Orange Marmalade Crossandra Orange Marmalade Crossandra
Photo Courtesy of:
Rick Brown,
Florida Friendly Plants
Botanical Name: Crossandra infundibliformis 'Orange Marmalade'
Hardiness Zone: 9-10-11
Height and Spread: 1' - 3' tall X 1' - 2' wide
Classification: perennial
Landscape Use: borders, mass planting, edging, as a "filler" for containers, color splash
Characteristics: A great recent introduction to the Florida landscape, Orange Marmalade is a reliable perennial in sunny or partially-shaded Florida gardens. When other annuals have tired, Orange Marmalade is still going strong! It produces clusters of frilly orange flowers all season and shiny, dark green leaves. It blooms in all warm months of the year. For best year-to-year performance, protect from hard frost and freeze. A sterile hybrid, it holds its flower petals longer than the older seed-produced varieties.
   


Yellow Trumpet Tree

Common Name: Yellow Trumpet Tree Yellow Trumpet Tree
Photo Courtesy of:
Hortus Oasis
Botanical Name: Handroanthus umbellatus
Hardiness Zone: 8b-9-10-11
Height and Spread: 15' tall, up to 40'
Classification: tropical flowering tree
Landscape Use: Specimen, Buffer Strip, Container, Street Tree
Characteristics: An ideal patio, specimen, or lawn tree, this small-stature, flowering, evergreen trees has silvery foliage and deeply furrowed, silvery bark. The Yellow Trumpet/Tabebuia Tree thrives in dry weather, exhibits a profuse and breathtaking display of blooms which emerge in late Spring and sometimes again in the fall. The leaves often drop just before the flowers appear, adding to the visual intensity of the tree's color: brilliant two to three-inch-long, golden yellow, trumpet-shaped blooms.
   


Bridal Bouquet
Common Name: Bridal Bouquet Bridal Bouquet
Photo Courtesy of:
Harry P. Leu Gardens
Botanical Name: Plumeria pudica
Hardiness Zone: 9b-10-11
Height and Spread: 11' tall X 8' wide
Classification: Shrub, Tree, tropical perennial
Landscape Use: Container, Garden, Park, Parking lot, Patio, Streetscape, Focal Point, along walkways
Characteristics: Plumeria pudica has dark green, fiddleshaped leaves presenting its bouquets of large clusters of bright white 3" flowers with small yellow centers. Different from other plumeria is the absence of fragrance, but the addition of additional leaves along its slender stems. Seen typically as a medium-sized tree with profuse branching, its growth is rapid and upright. It typically blooms about 6 months of the year. Bridal bouquet is very easy to grow and is somewhat drought tolerant. It tolerates light shade and has very few, if any, insect and disease issues.
   


Wendy's Wish Salvia

 
Common Name: Wendy's Wish Salvia Wendy's Wish Salvia
Photo Courtesy of:
Rick Brown, Florida Friendly Plants
Botanical Name: Salvia 'Wendy's Wish'
Hardiness Zone: 8a-9-10-11
Height and Spread: 3' - 4' tall X 2' - 3' wide
Classification: herbaceous perennial
Landscape Use: massed beds, patio plants, containers
Characteristics: Wendy's Wish has show-stopping flaming magenta tubular blooms accented by its dusky, mauve calyx which gives this salvia extreme depth of character. Its incredible blooms appear Spring through Fall making it an ideal addition to most Florida landscapes. Mid-dark green colored leaves have serrated margins along dark maroon stems. Wendy's Wish is more than just one of the most colorful salvia on the market. Proceeds from the sale of this spectacular plant are donated to the Make-A-Wish® Foundation Australia as directed by it's Australian developer, Wendy Smith.
   


Dwarf Fakahatchee Grass

 
Common Name: Dwarf Fakahatchee Grass Dwarf Fakahatchee Grass
Photo Courtesy of:
UF/IFAS, Gulf Coast
Research Center
Botanical Name: Tripsacum floridanum
Hardiness Zone: 8-9-10-11
Height and Spread: 2' - 3' Height & Width
Classification: herbaceous perennial grass
Landscape Use: mass, ground cover, low maintenance garden, ideal for stabilizing slopes or banks
Characteristics: This small, dense clump-forming ground cover, has long, glossy light green leaves. It's light-weight blades catch the breeze providing movement to the garden. Also known as Florida gamagrass, it has inconspicuous yellow flowers which appear spring to fall. It is perfect for a sunny to part sun location, prefers damp rich soils, but is tolerant of most planting sites. A South Florida native plant, it can be found along roadsides and in pine wood areas of the state.