(Brugmansia x ‘Charles Grimaldi)
Angel Trumpet is a semi-woody shrub, usually having one trunk with many branches. It grows and flowers best in full sun. Blooms late summer into fall. “Charles Grimaldi” has 15" yellow-orange pendant flowers with strongly recurved petals covered with fine hairs. It is the first hybrid of this color that flowers well in warm temperatures. It attracts bees, butterflies and birds with its delicious fragrance. A rich soil mix and regular watering are required. This evergreen shrub grows to about 12x12'. This particular variety is hardy to 25º F. May be grown in the landscape or in container. Brugmansias can be propagated easily from a tip cutting still attached to a piece of the older stem. All parts of the plant are poisonous.
(Buddleia davidii ‘Black Knight’)
This is a deciduous (Zone 5-8) to semi-evergreen shrub (Zone 9) with a weeping form that can get 10-12 ft. high and wide. The tiny blue-black flowers are irresistible to butterflies. They are arranged in 10" inch, cone-shaped clusters that droop in a profusion of color and stay abuzz with winged, nectar-feeding insects late spring until frost. Blooms are so profuse that they cause the branches to arch even more and are sweetly fragrant. Butterfly bush likes well drained, average soil and full partial sun. They thrive in fairly dry conditions once established. Roots may perish in wet soil. May be cut back to 6" in late winter and will re-emerge from roots and reach normal size each year. It is advisable to cut back the shrubs, since flowers are usually larger and more prolific on new wood. Avoid pesticide use. Pinch off spent flower clusters to encourage blooming. Can be propagated by cuttings.
(Orthosiphon aristatus)
This tender perennial shrub grows 2 to 4' tall and up to 3' in width. The blooms which are usually white, but also bluish-purple, grow on 6" stems with long stamens resembling a cat's whiskers, blooming from summer to early fall. It can survive full sun, but afternoon shade and frequent watering are especially helpful in hot climates. It will quickly wilt when the soil becomes dry. You will have more blooms if you snip off the faded flowers. Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Protect from freezing weather. Zone 9-11.
Petite ever blooming salmon pink, single blossom oleander with burgundy margins leading to the edge of each curled petal. The eye is pinkish yellow with burgundy stripes. The Carnival can easily be kept to 3 or 4 feet , but will grow to 5-6 feet unless cut. Blooming time is earlier than other oleanders and lasts until frost. Zones 9-10. Root hardy Zone 8. No special soil or cultivation requirements.
(Rosa x ‘Grandma’s Yellow')
The deep yellow shrub rose named Grandma’s Yellow is upright and bushy. Formerly called 'Nacogdoches' this rediscovered hybrid tea with butter yellow double flowers that won’t fade in the sun is an antique rose that grows on its own roots. It was rediscovered in Nacogdoches, Texas, and it especially disease resistant. Grandma’s Yellow flower is deep yellow with 17-25 petals and repeats blooms from spring until the first hard frost. Its new leaves have a shade of bronze, then turn dark green. Flowers have a light and spicy fragrance. With a full sun exposure, it reaches 4 to 5 feet in height and 3 feet in width. It is cold hardy to zone 6.
(Guara lindheimeri)
Upright perennial, clumping, simple lanceolate leaves along stems that end in profusion of pink or white, delicate, butterfly-like flowers from early Spring until frost. ‘Whirling Butterflies’ is a white cultivar. Guara lindheimeri, a Texas Native, does best in rich, alkaline soil and full sun. Since it is tap-rooted, it does not transplant well once established, but is very drought tolerant. The long flower spikes provide a marvelous background for lower-growing flowers. It grows to 2-4’tall x 2-3’ wide. New cultivar "Siskiyou Pink" is very pink and quite attractive. It is more compact and will become scruffy in the middle if not pruned during mid-summer. Plant for Zones 5-10.
(Hydrangea macrophylla)
This hydrangea, 3-5' high and wide, blooms on both current year’s growth and old wood, with flower heads up to 9" across, blue in acid soils and pink in alkaline soils. If deadheaded regularly, it can bloom repeatedly for more than six months in warm areas. Plant in moist, well-drained soil amended with organic material. It prefers morning sun and afternoon shade; however, do not plant under a tree where there is competition for moisture. Hardy in zones 4-9.
(Agave angustifolia var. marginata)
This small-medium sized agave, often called Caribbean Agave, native to tropical Costa Rica and Mexico, forms clumps 3' tall and wide. The stiff sword-shaped 1.5" wide leaves, are green with creamy yellow stripes along the margins. It prefers filtered shade, but will accept full sun. It is cold hardy to about 25 degrees F and requires more water than most other agaves when it is young, but allow to dry before watering again. Do not over-water during the winter. Very little water is needed once established. Fertilizer once during the growing season. It blooms after ten or more years, dies after flowering, but new plants may develop at the base. It is used to make mezcal (tequila), rope, soap, and other products.
