A winter blooming vine is today’s topic. The vine is the Garlic Vine (Mansoa alliacea). Some may know the old botanical name, Cydista aequinoctialis. It is native to Northern South America, where it is called by its Spanish name, ajos sacha (False Garlic). It is so named due to the strong garlic smell and flavor…
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Mandarin Hat or China Hat Plant (Holmskioldia sanguinea) is well named due to the flower shape. It does in fact resemble a hat from the far east. This Asian shrub flowers most heavily between October and May. This is ideal for South Florida since this shrub is an excellent hummingbird nectar source and that…
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From time to time Richard Lyons Nursery features a specific Croton cultivar, and this week I took some pictures of Codiaeum variegatum ‘Fishbone’ or The Fishbone Croton. The pattern in the leaves gives this Croton its name and a spectacular look. The pictures are of a speciman in the ground which is about 10 feet…
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Tropical Hydrangea is probably not a very good common name given the fact this plant is not related to Hydrangea at all. I am referring to Dombeya burgessiae ‘Seminole’. A large shrub with dark green foliage contrasting with bright pink hydrangia looking blossoms. It is currently flowering all around South Florida, and will do so…
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This week’s featured plants are two native asters in the Smphyotrichum genus. Symphyotrichum dumosum (Rice Button Aster), is a mounding herbaceous plant native to eastern North America. In Florida, it is present in most of the state, but most noticeably absent from Hendry, Palm Beach, and Broward counties. The three counties just south of Lake…
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