Celebrate the holiday with these live plants, some of which you receive as gifts. These houseplants can stand alone or complement the festive holiday decor: Poinsettia. No other houseplant captures the Christmas spirit more than poinsettias. Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera bridesii or S. truncata) – these easy to care for dependable flowering cacti (they’re really succulents) come in red, pink or […]
Archive for the ‘Tropical Plants (non-hardy)’ Category
Poinsettias – Best Of Show**
This holiday season poinsettia breeders continue to give plant buyers lovely colors, patterns and shapes. Recently, at Mitchell’s Nursery & Greenhouse in King, North Carolina, Judy Mitchell got the word out about their annual Poinsettia Open House. Close to 400 people attended their openhouse and evaluated the 10,000 poinsettias, choosing which of the 79 […]
Care of African Violets
African violets (Saintpaulia ionantha) or AVs are among the easiest flowering house plant to grow. They need indirect moderate to bright lighting and moist well-drained potting soil. Grow plants in plastic pots and not in clay (terra cotta). AVs should be repotted annually. Here are some additional cultural tips: Room temperatures: AVs thrive at room […]
Geraniums Enjoy The Cool Autumn Season
Annual geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) are popular bedding plants in the garden or in all kinds of containers including window boxes or hanging baskets. Color choices include red, pink, rose, salmon, orange, lavender, violet, or white. High summer heat is challenging for all geraniums. Some types of geraniums stop blooming completely and perk up […]
First Days Of Fall…. Bring In Your House Plants
The final days are summer are over. It’s time to move your tropical plants indoors before night temps in the low 40°F arrive. These plants thrive outdoors in summer temperatures and high humidity, but cannot survive being left outdoors. Container plants such as Ficus (rubber) trees, orchids, Norfolk Island pines, scheffleras, bromeliads, gardenias, palms, and […]
Crown Of Thorns Is A Versatile Plant
Crown of Thorns plant (Euphorbia milii) is a thorny slow growing succulent native to Madagascar (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). In colder regions of the U.S., it is an easy- care flowering houseplant that seems to thrive on neglect. It blooms almost year-round. Outside, in a garden setting, it blooms nonstop from spring thru mid-fall here in the Mid-South […]
Mussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer Gardens
Mussaenda (Mussaenda spp.) is a small tropical tree or large shrub. It’s a spectacular bloomer that grows to 10-15 feet tall in tropical zones (USDA zones 10-12). It is sometimes called “tropical dogwood” or “Buddah’s lamp”. In large containers it will reach 1-3 feet tall. Mussaenda blooms from late spring to mid-fall in mild-winter areas. Bloom […]
Pineapple Lilies For Summer Garden
Pineapple lilies (Eucomis spp.) are native of South Africa and are easy to grow (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). Several hybrid cultivars are winter hardy in zone 6 if provide a protective layer of mulch or loose leafy compost. Plants have basal rosette of strap-like, wavy-edged, purple-spotted, dark green leaves which spread upward and outward to […]
Agaves Like It Hot, Dry and Sunny
Agaves (Agave spp.) are long-leaved succulent landscape plants. These native perennial succulents grow in desert-like environments (USDA hardiness zones 8 and warmer). Plants grow in a rosette form with long their fleshy leaves frequently tipped with one or more sharp spines and a prominent bloom spike with cup shaped flowers. Most are native to the Southwest U.S. […]