Dwarf Schefflera Arboricola Capella

• Requires low to medium well drained water
• Grows well in low, medium or high sun
• Capable of getting 6-8 feet tall
• Does not flower
• Not native

The arboricola can adapt to a wide variety of light levels but prefers higher light if possible especially the variegated varieties (Gold Capella & Trinette). If left alone the branches can stretch and grow out of shape. It is easy to keep them shaped with occasional selective pruning. Fortunately just like a ficus, the dwarf schefflera can also handle some radical pruning and come back strongly. Do not be afraid to prune the plant when needed. If leaves turn black and begin dropping off, it is a good signal that the soil is staying too wet or moist. On the flip side, leaf tips wrinkle if they are too dry.

Dwarf Schefflera Arboricola Green

• Requires low to medium well drained water
• Grows well in low, medium or high sun
• Capable of getting 6-8 feet tall
• Does not flower
• Not native

The arboricola can adapt to a wide variety of light levels but prefers higher light if possible especially the variegated varieties (Gold Capella & Trinette). If left alone the branches can stretch and grow out of shape. It is easy to keep them shaped with occasional selective pruning. Fortunately just like a ficus, the dwarf schefflera can also handle some radical pruning and come back strongly. Do not be afraid to prune the plant when needed. If leaves turn black and begin dropping off, it is a good signal that the soil is staying too wet or moist. On the flip side, leaf tips wrinkle if they are too dry.

Dwarf Schefflera Arboricola Trinette

• Requires low to medium well drained water
• Grows well in low, medium or high sun
• Capable of getting 6-8 feet tall
• Does not flower
• Not native

The arboricola can adapt to a wide variety of light levels but prefers higher light if possible especially the variegated varieties (Gold Capella & Trinette). If left alone the branches can stretch and grow out of shape. It is easy to keep them shaped with occasional selective pruning. Fortunately just like a ficus, the dwarf schefflera can also handle some radical pruning and come back strongly. Do not be afraid to prune the plant when needed. If leaves turn black and begin dropping off, it is a good signal that the soil is staying too wet or moist. On the flip side, leaf tips wrinkle if they are too dry.

Orange Bird of Paradise

• Medium to high water
• Medium to high sunlight
• Usually 4-5 foot tall
• Flowers intermittently all year
• Not native

Bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is a native of South Africa and is closely related to the banana. The herbaceous plant derives its common names from the unique flower it bears, which resembles a brightly colored bird in flight. The leathery leaves are held upright on stiff leafstalks and are about 6 inches wide and 18 inches long. The plant forms a 3 to 5 foot tall clump that can be used as a focal point in the landscape or in mass plantings. The evergreen leaves of bird-of-paradise do not drop from the plant, which makes it an excellent addition around pools or wherever shedding leaves are an aesthetic and/or maintenance problem.

Bird-of-paradise makes an attractive landscape plant throughout Florida, although it requires cold protection in the northern part of the state. The plant will tolerate temperatures as low as 24°F for a short time; however, freezing temperatures will damage developing flower buds and flowers. To ensure flower production in north Florida, grow bird-of-paradise in a container that can be moved indoors during freezes. The showy bloom is actually a combination of blue petals and orange sepals that emerge from a beak-like bract (modified leaf). Blooms appear intermittently most of the year. Healthy, mature plants can produce as many as three dozen flower spikes a year, which will last up to two weeks when cut.

Cordyline - Red Ti Plant

• Medium water
• Low to medium sunlight
• Medium growth rate & gets up to 8 ft tall
• No flowers, but foliage is very vibrant in color
• Not native

The Red Ti is a palm-like evergreen shrub with a strong, usually unbranched trunk that can get up to 10 feet tall. However, most of us know it as a smaller foliage house plant, before much of a trunk has developed. The leaves are 12-30 inches long, 4-6 inches wide and may be glossy green, reddish purple, or marked with various combinations of purple, red, yellow or white. The leaves originate in tufts at the top of the woody stems in mature plants, and more or less along the stems in younger house plants. Mature plants produce yellowish or reddish flowers that are sweetly scented, less than a half inch across, and clustered in conspicuous 12 in panicles. The fruits are red berries. Ti plant sometimes grows in clumps by suckering from the enlarged tuber-like rhizomes.

The Red Ti plant (Hawaiian good-luck-plant) is technically classified as Cordyline Terminalis. There are approximately 20 species of Cordyline, which is in the Agave family, Agaveaceae. As one reads some of the older horticultural books, it will be noted that the Cordyline was formerly in the lily family, Liliaceae, and earlier, it was classified as Dracaena rather than Cordyline. There are many similarities between Cordyline and Dracaena with regard to their botanical classification and cultural requirements. Cordyline Terminalis, a native of East Asia and is the most popular species of the genus for indoor potted plants. Some selections of ti plant are also used extensively as cut florist greens. Although Ti plants represent only a small portion of the potted foliage plant product mix, they are among the most colorful foliage plants. Small-leaved selections of Ti plants are finished as small and medium pots for retail market outlets and for use in combination planters. Larger multi-branched plants in 6 to 14-inch pots are produced for large scale interior planting projects.

Croton (Gold Dust)

• Medium to high water
• Low to medium sunlight
• Slow grower, but can get up to 10 ft tall
• No flowers, but foliage is vibrant & showy
• Not native

In the wild, the garden croton is an evergreen shrub that grows to 10 ft tall and has large, leathery, shiny leaves. The cultivated garden crotons are usually smaller and come in an amazing diversity of leaf shapes and colors. What they do have in common are rather thick evergreen alternate leaves, tiny inconspicuous star-shaped yellow flowers that hang down in long racemes and a milky sap that bleeds from cut stems. Depending on the cultivar, the leaves may be ovate to linear, entire to deeply lobed, and variegated with green, white, purple, orange, yellow, red or pink. The colors may follow the veins, the margins or they may be in blotches on the leaf.

Garden croton occurs naturally in southern Asia, Indonesia and other Eastern Pacific islands where it grows in open forests and scrub. There are several hundred cultivars, selected and bred for their beautiful foliage. It is quite a challenge to keep these beautiful foliage plants healthy outside of the tropics or a greenhouse. They need to be kept warm and humid.

In tropical climates, crotons make attractive hedges and potted patio specimens. Elsewhere, they are grown in greenhouses or as house plants, valued for their striking foliage. In the home, put crotons on a window sill that faces southeast or southwest, but protect them from drafts and severe fluctuations in temperature. The better the light, the brighter the foliage colors will be, but do not leave crotons in direct sun when grown indoors.

Croton (Mammy)

• Medium to high water
• Low to medium sunlight
• Slow grower, but can get up to 10 ft tall
• No flowers, but foliage is vibrant & showy
• Not native

In the wild, the garden croton is an evergreen shrub that grows to 10 ft tall and has large, leathery, shiny leaves. The cultivated garden crotons are usually smaller and come in an amazing diversity of leaf shapes and colors. What they do have in common are rather thick evergreen alternate leaves, tiny inconspicuous star-shaped yellow flowers that hang down in long racemes and a milky sap that bleeds from cut stems. Depending on the cultivar, the leaves may be ovate to linear, entire to deeply lobed, and variegated with green, white, purple, orange, yellow, red or pink. The colors may follow the veins, the margins or they may be in blotches on the leaf.

Garden croton occurs naturally in southern Asia, Indonesia and other Eastern Pacific islands where it grows in open forests and scrub. There are several hundred cultivars, selected and bred for their beautiful foliage. It is quite a challenge to keep these beautiful foliage plants healthy outside of the tropics or a greenhouse. They need to be kept warm and humid.

In tropical climates, crotons make attractive hedges and potted patio specimens. Elsewhere, they are grown in greenhouses or as house plants, valued for their striking foliage. In the home, put crotons on a window sill that faces southeast or southwest, but protect them from drafts and severe fluctuations in temperature. The better the light, the brighter the foliage colors will be, but do not leave crotons in direct sun when grown indoors.

Croton (Petra)

• Medium to high water
• Low to medium sunlight
• Slow grower, but can get up to 10 ft tall
• No flowers, but foliage is vibrant & showy
• Not native

In the wild, the garden croton is an evergreen shrub that grows to 10 ft tall and has large, leathery, shiny leaves. The cultivated garden crotons are usually smaller and come in an amazing diversity of leaf shapes and colors. What they do have in common are rather thick evergreen alternate leaves, tiny inconspicuous star-shaped yellow flowers that hang down in long racemes and a milky sap that bleeds from cut stems. Depending on the cultivar, the leaves may be ovate to linear, entire to deeply lobed, and variegated with green, white, purple, orange, yellow, red or pink. The colors may follow the veins, the margins or they may be in blotches on the leaf.

Garden croton occurs naturally in southern Asia, Indonesia and other Eastern Pacific islands where it grows in open forests and scrub. There are several hundred cultivars, selected and bred for their beautiful foliage. It is quite a challenge to keep these beautiful foliage plants healthy outside of the tropics or a greenhouse. They need to be kept warm and humid.

In tropical climates, crotons make attractive hedges and potted patio specimens. Elsewhere, they are grown in greenhouses or as house plants, valued for their striking foliage. In the home, put crotons on a window sill that faces southeast or southwest, but protect them from drafts and severe fluctuations in temperature. The better the light, the brighter the foliage colors will be, but do not leave crotons in direct sun when grown indoors.

Duranta (Gold Mound)

• Medium water
• Medium to full sunlight
• Slow grower, getting approx 4-5 ft tall
• Flowers rarely
• Not native

There are more than 17 different varieties of Duranta, however the Gold Mound variety is used frequently in Florida landscapes. Its vibrant yellow leaves make it a great contrast plant. Gold Mound is a slow growing shrub that is easy to maintain & stays small (approximately 4-5 ft tall & 3 ft wide). This variety of Duranta blooms rarely & will do well in light shade or full sun. It thrives in heat & humidity.

Eugenia

• Low to medium water
• Medium to full sunlight
• Varies due to usual pruning of this type of shrub, but can get 25 ft tall
• Flowers occasionally
• Not native (although there are some varieties of Eugenia that are native - like the Eugenia Spanish Stopper)

Often used as a hedge, the Eugenia bush may grow as high as 25 feet. However, the Eugenia is typically maintained at 4 to 6 feet tall in a shrub or hedge form. The elongated leaves are a dark shiny green.

Eugenia can also be found in a container or in a large pot. Many times, these plants are groomed into topiaries with ball configurations and also into a bush or cone form. In addition to the ball-shaped formation of the leaves, this plant has a beautiful and amazing flower that looks like a fiber optic lamp.

Eugenia ball plant looks good when put on either side of an entry way. In outdoors, it is better to place them in the area that can get the morning sun or the late day sun. Indoors, it may be placed in a place where there is direct sunlight that is filtered through a glass. Just remember that when put in a bright light they consume a lot of water.

Green Island Ficus

• Low water required
• Performs well in low, medium or full sunlight
• Usually stays low growing, unless left to grow into a tree form (slow growing)
• Does not flower
• Not native

The Green Island Ficus was recognized by the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association (FNGLA) as a Plant of the Year for the year 2000. It has heavy-textured leaves that are a little longer than they are wide - say three to four inches in either dimension, and the shape would be described botanically as orbicular with only an obscure tip. The Green Island tends to spread out sideways and is easy to train as a ground hugging shrub clinging closely to rocks, across beds, or even trailing down a wall. It is also loved by bonsai growers because of its unique structure when left to grow into tree form.

The Green Island Ficus is grown in landscapes as a mounding shrub (getting up to 8 feet tall) or as a low cascading ground cover (staying a few feet or less in height). Of course, as a ground cover, it will need to be sheared from time to time to maintain its desired height and width. Aside from trimming now and then, once it is established it doesn't require any regular maintenance. It does not require any special soil type, any special watering requirements, and will survive nicely without regular fertilizer treatments. It is an extremely slow growing plant, so trimming constantly, like so many other Ficus plants require, is not necessary. And if kept as a small trimmed plant, you don't have the problem of destructive root system that is so prevalent with other common Ficus plant varieties. It is tropical so it will have to be moved inside for climates where the temperature falls below freezing. It can take most levels of sunlight, from low to high. And finally, it is not known to be susceptible to disease.

Ficus Benjamina - Weeping Fig

• Low water required
• Medium to full sunlight
• Capable of getting 60 ft tall in tree form, but is usually kept pruned into a hedge form
• Produces berries occassionally
• Not native

This is a huge tree growing to 60 feet tall & 60 to 70 feet wide. The dense, rounded canopy and gracefully drooping branches of Weeping Fig made it quite popular as a landscape tree. The thick, shiny, two to five-inch-long, evergreen leaves generously clothe the long branches, and the tiny figs eventually turn a deep red. Branches will weep toward the ground forming a canopy so dense that nothing grows beneath it.

The tree form of this plant is much too large for residential planting unless it is used as a hedge or clipped screen, but can be seen growing into massive trees in parks and other large-scale areas. Aerial roots descend from the branches, touch the ground and take root, eventually forming numerous sturdy trunks which can clog a landscape (similar to that of the Banyan tree, Ficus Benghalensis). Trees can grow to be quite large and spreading in this fashion. Roots grow rapidly invading gardens, growing under and lifting sidewalks, patios, and driveways.

Able to tolerate severe pruning, the Weeping Fig can also be successfully used as a clipped hedge or screen and is probably best used in this fashion, or can be trained into an espalier or topiary. Young trees are often grown in containers, appearing on patios, at entranceways, or indoors. Weeping Fig will grow in full sun or partial shade on any well-drained soil. Plants should be carefully watered when young and later during droughts. Plants are very frost-sensitive

Dwarf Firebush - Hamelia Patens Compacta or Glabra

• Medium water
• Medium to full sunlight * Approx. 3-4 ft tall
• Flowers all year
• Not native

The Dwarf Firebush (aka hamelia patens compacta/glabra) is not a native Florida plant. The similar variety Hamelia Patens is in fact the native variety. The native firebush (hamelia patens) is often confused with the dwarf variety commonly found in nurseries & the photo above. This photograph & following article describes the dwarf variety, & not the native variety.

Hummingbirds and butterflies enjoy the nectar in the clusters of tubular flowers. The small rounded red to black glossy fruit is a result of many visits by hummingbirds, moths and butterflies. There is a continuous crop of these seedy fruits, and birds like cardinals are quite fond of them.

Firebush (both the dwarf & also the native variety) are used as a foundation plant for large buildings – give it five feet from a wall. It is superb when placed in the background, behind smaller shrubs. A mass planting of Firebushes adds a bank of color to the landscape and rows of this shrub can form a screen or border.

The dwarf Firebush is usually around 3-4 feet high. It can be cut back to a shorter height, but if constantly pruned as a hedge, regular clipping removes the flowers and so destroys its most desirable feature. In contrast, the native Firebush can get up to 10 feet tall; however, it too can be pruned.

Growing new Firebush plants is easy. They pop up from seeds and are easily rooted from cuttings. Lower branches that lay on the ground are know to root - these make natural air-layers and create new plants as well.

Firebush is a popular shrub for Central and South Florida landscapes. To distinguish the native from non-native, look at flower color and leaves. Our native Firebush, Hamelia Patens, has flowers that are mostly red or reddish orange with darker linear stripes, and the leaves are softly hairy. Hamelia patens compacta, a non-native firebush, is frequently mistakenly identified as native, but has smooth leaves and flowers that are much more strongly yellow colored.

There is more than one non-native Firebush in the trade, which causes a lot of confusion and mislabeling. The dwarf Firebush (compacta/glabra) is native to southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. It is not native to Florida and is not a cultivar of Hamelia patens. It was introduced into the Florida nursery trade from a botanical garden in Pretoria, South Africa. As a result, it is frequently referred to as African Firebush or even more misleading, Hamelia patens African, suggesting that it is a named selection of our native Firebush. It has sometimes been listed under Hamelia nodosa. Unfortunately, no one has been able to reliably determine the origin of plants being sold as Hamelia patens Dwarf or Compacta. As a result, AFNN does not list these as natives.

Variegated Ginger (Shell Ginger)

• Prefers medium to high water
• Medium to high sunlight as long as adequate water is available
• Approx. 6 foot tall max
• Flowers rarely visible
• Not native

Variegated shell ginger (alpinia zerumbet variegate) is a tall and dramatic landscape or container plant. The leaves are about 2 ft long and 6 in across and strikingly variegated with irregular stripes of green and yellow. The habit is upright and does not require staking as do some other members of the family Zingiberaceae.

The flowers are white, tipped in pink, and borne in long pendant arches. The individual flowers are reminiscent of small seashells, which accounts for the common name shell ginger. This Alpinia is root hardy to Zone 8, but it only flowers on old growth, so the flowers rarely will be seen except in frost-free areas.

Typically, variegated shell ginger grows to about 6 ft tall, which is not as large as the non-variegated species (Alpinia zerumbet), which can grow to as much as 12 ft tall.

Variegated shell ginger is tolerant of a wide range of light conditions from light shade to full sun, so long as there is adequate moisture. Part shade is ideal for this plant. Rich, fertile, organic soil is best and regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer will keep this plant healthy. This plant usually has few pest problems but the leaves will brown on the edges if the soil is not kept moist or if touched by frost. Alpinias grow from thick fleshy roots called rhizomes, similar in appearance to the ginger root found in grocery stores. They may be purchased as potted plants or as bare rhizomes, but they are easy to grow either way. Variegated shell ginger is best used as a specimen plant in partly shaded areas or as a container plant on a shaded patio. It often is sold as a container plant, and can be grown indoors in brightly lit areas. It is not nearly as aggressive as the species, and therefore more suitable as a container plant. Variegated shell ginger is grown for its colorful foliage which will brighten up a partly shaded garden. The species may be found incorrectly named as Alpinia nutans in some catalogs or garden centers. Alpinia nutans is a very different-looking plant - with short, medium green leaves that have a unique fragrance when rubbed or crushed.

Hibiscus - Double Peach

• Medium to high water
• High sunlight
• Usually seen around 5 - 10 ft, however can get up to 15 ft
• Flowers all year in Florida
• Not native

The hibiscus is one of the most sought after flowering plants in Florida. They come in a variety of colors & sizes & can also be found in both bush and tree form. When selecting a hibiscus, keep in mind that they require a bit of care. They should have at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day, and they prefer soils high in organic matter. Until the hibiscus is well established, they require lots of water. Once established, they can tolerate both dry & moist conditions, as long as their soil drains well. A good flowering fertilizer is recommended a couple times a year, as the hibiscus blooms all year in south Florida.

Hibiscus bushes are divided into two main categories: tropical flowering hibiscus & hardy flowering hibiscus. The tropical hibiscus that grows in south Florida (zone 9 & 10) is not winter hardy & can not survive cooler climates. The hardy hibiscus can be found as far as zones 3 & 4, which is near the Midwest & New England states. Tropical hibiscus will not tolerate more than one or two nights of cool weather, and a hard frost could easily kill the plant. They much prefer sunny, warm & humid tropical climates.

Hibiscus - Double Red

• Medium to high water
• High sunlight
• Usually seen around 5 - 10 ft, however can get up to 15 ft
• Flowers all year in Florida
• Not native

The hibiscus is one of the most sought after flowering plants in Florida. They come in a variety of colors & sizes & can also be found in both bush and tree form. When selecting a hibiscus, keep in mind that they require a bit of care. They should have at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day, and they prefer soils high in organic matter. Until the hibiscus is well established, they require lots of water. Once established, they can tolerate both dry & moist conditions, as long as their soil drains well. A good flowering fertilizer is recommended a couple times a year, as the hibiscus blooms all year in south Florida.

Hibiscus bushes are divided into two main categories: tropical flowering hibiscus & hardy flowering hibiscus. The tropical hibiscus that grows in south Florida (zone 9 & 10) is not winter hardy & can not survive cooler climates. The hardy hibiscus can be found as far as zones 3 & 4, which is near the Midwest & New England states. Tropical hibiscus will not tolerate more than one or two nights of cool weather, and a hard frost could easily kill the plant. They much prefer sunny, warm & humid tropical climates.

Hibiscus - Seminole Pink

• High sunlight
• Usually seen around 5 - 10 ft, however can get up to 15 ft
• Flowers all year in Florida
• Not native

The hibiscus is one of the most sought after flowering plants in Florida. They come in a variety of colors & sizes & can also be found in both bush and tree form. When selecting a hibiscus, keep in mind that they require a bit of care. They should have at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day, and they prefer soils high in organic matter. Until the hibiscus is well established, they require lots of water. Once established, they can tolerate both dry & moist conditions, as long as their soil drains well. A good flowering fertilizer is recommended a couple times a year, as the hibiscus blooms all year in south Florida.

Hibiscus bushes are divided into two main categories: tropical flowering hibiscus & hardy flowering hibiscus. The tropical hibiscus that grows in south Florida (zone 9 & 10) is not winter hardy & can not survive cooler climates. The hardy hibiscus can be found as far as zones 3 & 4, which is near the Midwest & New England states. Tropical hibiscus will not tolerate more than one or two nights of cool weather, and a hard frost could easily kill the plant. They much prefer sunny, warm & humid tropical climates.

Hibiscus - President Red

• Medium to high water
• High sunlight
• Usually seen around 5 - 10 ft, however can get up to 15 ft
• Flowers all year in Florida
• Not native

The hibiscus is one of the most sought after flowering plants in Florida. They come in a variety of colors & sizes & can also be found in both bush and tree form. When selecting a hibiscus, keep in mind that they require a bit of care. They should have at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day, and they prefer soils high in organic matter. Until the hibiscus is well established, they require lots of water. Once established, they can tolerate both dry & moist conditions, as long as their soil drains well. A good flowering fertilizer is recommended a couple times a year, as the hibiscus blooms all year in south Florida.

Hibiscus bushes are divided into two main categories: tropical flowering hibiscus & hardy flowering hibiscus. The tropical hibiscus that grows in south Florida (zone 9 & 10) is not winter hardy & can not survive cooler climates. The hardy hibiscus can be found as far as zones 3 & 4, which is near the Midwest & New England states. Tropical hibiscus will not tolerate more than one or two nights of cool weather, and a hard frost could easily kill the plant. They much prefer sunny, warm & humid tropical climates.

Hibiscus - Yellow

• Medium to high water
• High sunlight
• Usually seen around 5 - 10 ft, however can get up to 15 ft
• Flowers all year in Florida
• Not native

The hibiscus is one of the most sought after flowering plants in Florida. They come in a variety of colors & sizes & can also be found in both bush and tree form. When selecting a hibiscus, keep in mind that they require a bit of care. They should have at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day, and they prefer soils high in organic matter. Until the hibiscus is well established, they require lots of water. Once established, they can tolerate both dry & moist conditions, as long as their soil drains well. A good flowering fertilizer is recommended a couple times a year, as the hibiscus blooms all year in south Florida.

Hibiscus bushes are divided into two main categories: tropical flowering hibiscus & hardy flowering hibiscus. The tropical hibiscus that grows in south Florida (zone 9 & 10) is not winter hardy & can not survive cooler climates. The hardy hibiscus can be found as far as zones 3 & 4, which is near the Midwest & New England states. Tropical hibiscus will not tolerate more than one or two nights of cool weather, and a hard frost could easily kill the plant. They much prefer sunny, warm & humid tropical climates.