February 21, 2016

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New Plant Profile

The scarlet petunia (Ruellia coccinea) is a sub-tropical perennial or sub-shrub noted for its handsome glossy green foliage and brilliant blossoms. This subtropical flower is almost evergreen, even in zone 8 where, barring a hard freeze, it may have blossoms every month of the year. Read more » about the scarlet petunia, a good candidate for use in mixed borders or as a stand-alone specimen in USDA Zones 8 - 10.

Attract Hummingbirds

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is a very easy to grow annual that hummingbirds love and so will you! The large seeds are easy to handle and germinate quickly. The plants grow and bloom quickly. As a special bonus, the flowers and young leaves are edible! Here's a few favorite springtime hummingbird attractors (set the "Attracts Hummingbirds" Feature filter to see more in Master Plant List):

• anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
• bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
• cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
• coralbells (Heuchera sanguinea)
• larkspur (Consolida ajacis)
• scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea)
• seashore petunia (Calibrachoa X hybrida)
• snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

How could any hummingbird resist the incredibly gorgeous flowers of the wild columbine Aquilegia canadensis)? It blooms in the early spring and is extremely easy to grow, in sun or partial shade. The dainty flowers are produced over a long spring and summer season and often more than once per year. Download a large version of this image for a closer look at this spring beauty.

For Wet Soils

Even when it doesn't rain torrents every day, you may have places in your yard and garden that for one reason or another stays wet/moist most of the time. Many beautiful plants prefer to grow in wet soils so take advantage to grow beauties like the the scarlet hibiscus Hibiscus coccineus) and many other garden favorites that thrive under such conditions. More species that prefer moist soils:

• dense gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
• golden canna (Canna flaccida)
• gamma grass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
• giant rose mallow (Hibiscus grandiflorus)
• horsetail (Equisetum hyemale)
• obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)
• sand cordgrass (Spartina bakeri)
• swamp mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)

The Glories of Ipomoea

The red morning glory, also know as red creeper (Ipomoea coccinea), is another relative of the familiar blue morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor). The scarlet creeper blooms in late summer, producing showy flowers that are very attractive to butterflies. Click to download a large version (800x600). Read more...

• cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)
• moonflower/evening glory (Ipomoea alba)
• morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor)
• ornamental sweet potato (Ipomoea spp.)
• railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae)

Welcome to our New Site!

All of our articles and resource pages can be accessed from the Articles and Resources link is in the Site Menu at the upper right hand corner of each page. Some of the pages in our archive will be temporarily unavailable until they are reformatted and re-posted here on the new site. Sorry for the inconvenience.