Heliotropium amplexicaule  (Hardy Heliotrope)                                                          #159   $6.00

Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 12”x2’-3’ – Zone 6-9 –

Family:  Boraginaceae       Origin:  Argentina

Most of our hardy perennials come from North America, Europe or Asia.  Hardy Heliotrope, however, is a choice ornamental native to Argentina in South America.  It is a tough, drought-tolerant perennial that can survive in the rugged Southern Great Plains even if neglected.  The flower-heads, with blooms of violet with yellow centers are dense at first then later loose, are known botanically as Scorpiod Cymes.  Hardier than what I think many gardeners realize, it flowers spring into fall and works tremendously well as a groundcover.

Purple flowers, moderate to low moisture, most soil types.

Heteropterys glabra  (Red Wing)                                                                                          #202   $6.00

Shrub, hardy with protection – Sun – 3’x3’ – Zone 7a-10 –

Family:  Malpighiaceae       Origin:  Argentina

If the bright yellow flowers were the only color offering that Red Wing produced, it would still be considered an attractive plant.  However, the showy blooms are followed by even showier fruit in the form of glowing red tri-winged samaras.  Appearing for all the world like some sort of exotic Maple species, this semi-hardy shrub from South America is in the Malpighiaceae, a family known for heat-tolerant plants.  Hardy in zone 7 and South, Red Wing produces enough summer color to warrant its planting as a seasonal color plant or use in a container in more northern areas.  This plant is vine-like in part shade, more shrub-like in full sun.

Yellow flowers, red seeds, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.

Heterotheca canescens   (Silvery Golden Daisy) OK Native                                          #213   $4.00

Native Perennial – Sun – 24"x24" – Zone 5-9 –

Family:  Asteraceae       Origin:  OK, TX, KS, NM, MO

Silver Golden Daisy is a wonderful perennial for use in native collections, xeric plantings and butterfly gardens.  A tough drought-tolerant plant for poor well-drained soils, it sports yellow daisies July through September, and contrasts nicely with other plants with its fine silvery leaves.  Hold back excess water and keep it out of amended soil as it may expand its location.  Sometimes called Silvery Golden Aster or False Aster, its bright yellow daisies are a welcome sight in summer.

Hibiscus Coccinea ‘Alba’  (White Texas Star Hibiscus)   On Site Only    $9.00

I’m always excited when I see a traditional plant with an all new color. Such is the case with White Texas Star Hibiscus.  This new pure white form is a drastic departure from the scarlet flowers of the species.  It sports the same flower size, plant habit and toughness of its original form, while offering a distinctively new look for the landscape.

This plant was shared with us recently by fellow plant collector and gardener, Judi Hill-Hively of Hominy, OK.

Hibiscus 'Moy Grande'  (Moy Grande Hibiscus)                                                                 #171   $7.00

Perennial – Sun – 5’x5’ – Zone 5-9 –

Family:  Malvaceae       Origin:  Hybrid

Most people understand that “Muoy Grande” is Spanish for “very big”.  However, Moy Grande is a hardy hibiscus cultivar with perhaps the largest flowers ever developed.  It was bred by Dr. Ying Doon Moy at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, and sports enormous 12” diameter rose-pink blooms.  This hardy perennial lights up the garden each day, summer through fall with an incredible amount of color.  Hybridized from hibiscus species native to America (Hibiscus grandflorus x Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Southern Belle’), Moy Grande is an easy to grow knockout for the garden.

Red flowers, moderate to high moisture, well to average draining soil.  (Limit 3)

Hymenoxys scaposa  (Plains Yellow Daisy)  OK Native                                               #189   $5.00

Native Perennial – Sun – 8"x12" – Zone 5-9 –

Family:  Asteraceae       Origin:  OK, TX, KS, CO, NM

Talk about the perfect plant for a Southern rock garden, Plains Yellow Daisy is a superb choice with its tiny stature and non-stop flowers.  The small rosettes of narrow leaves might reach 8” if they’re standing on their toes.  From spring through fall this little native perennial continually puts up golden yellow daises on straight stems that rest about a foot above the foliage.  Although it comes from the direr parts of western Oklahoma and the southwest, it can be grown further east if placed in a raised bed.  Plains yellow Daisy is popular in Houston where it is grown in this manner.

Indigofera kirilowii  (Pink Chinese Indigo)                                                                        #184   $7.00

Perennial/Shrub – Partial shade, sun – 30”xspreading – Zone 6-10 –

Family:  Fabaceae       Origin:  China, Japan, Korea

This little-known hardy perennial stops gardeners in their tracks when they see its rose-pink wisteria-like bloom clusters.  Pink Chinese Indigo flowers late spring through summer with its 6” drooping racemes on 30” somewhat woody stems.  In zones 7 and north, all growth begins below ground each season.  Performing best in light shade, its attractive compound leaves scorch lightly in southern full sun.  With its spreading nature, Pink Chinese Indigo works great as a taller groundcover.

Pink flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.

Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa (Pink)  (Pink Morning Glory Tree)                                #186   $6.00

Tropical Color – Sun – 6’x4’ – Zone 8b-10 –

Family:  Convolvulaceae       Origin:  Mexico

With a number of Ipomeas going by the name of Morning Glory Bush, we’ve named this tropical woody plant Morning Glory Tree.  They do resemble small trees with their heights of 5 to 6 feet in a single season.  The large pink saucer-shaped flowers are produced all summer into fall on these easy to grow plants.  An excellent choice as a tender tropical for beds and containers in zones 7 and north as their seeds are produced too freely further south.  I’ve grown them for years in our zone 6b Stillwater gardens and rarely see any seed.Will not ship to zones 8 or warmer.

Pink flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.

Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa (White)  (White Morning Glory Tree)                           #245   $6.00

Tropical Color – Sun – 6’x4’ – Zone 8b-10 –

Family:  Convolvulaceae       Origin:  Mexico

This is a tropical shrub that quickly gives the seasonal garden a tall flowering tree-like element.  We’ve included Morning Glory Trees in the studio at Oklahoma Gardening since the late 90’s much to the delight of garden visitors.  I was actually pictured with the white one on the cover of the brochure one year.  With its crisp pure white flowers, this form produces more blooms than the pink form during the growing season.  This is an easy to grow fun plant for the back of the mixed border or large patio containers. Will not ship to zones 8 or warmer.

White flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.

Ipomoea lobata  (Spanish Flag)                                                                                         #217   $5.00

Tropical Vine – Sun – 18’ – Zone 10 –

Family:  Convolvulaceae       Origin:  Mexico to South America

This unique and festive climber blooms throughout the year in warm climates making it a superb choice for hot Southern gardens.  Spanish Flag, or Exotic Love Vine, as it is also know, belongs to the same genus as Morning Glories, but has a totally different flower structure.  Instead of wide saucers, it has spikes of stacked hummingbird-attracting tube-like flowers that display firey colors of red, orange, yellow and white, all at the same time as each bloom ages.  Native to Mexico, Central and South America, this tender vine can reach 15’ in a single season.

Red, orange, yellow, white flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.

Ipomoea x imperialis 'Sunrise Serenade'  (Double Red Morning Glory)               #129   $5.00

Tropical Vine – Sun – 15’ – Zone 10 –

Family:  Convolvulaceae       Origin:  Hybrid

This is probably the most appropriately named Morning Glory I know.  Greeting each new dawn, are its double cherry-red and ruffled blooms that resemble gigantic Sweet Pea blossoms.  We grew this unique climber at the Oklahoma Gardening studio for the first time in 2004, and visitors immediately wanted to know what it was.  Sunrise Seranade is easy to grow like other Morning Glories but very unmorning glory-like with its spectacular flowers.  Not a heavy seed producer, let it light up your trellis or arbor every morning with its huge and out-of-the-ordinary blooms.

Red flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.

Iresine herbstii 'California' (California Irisene)                                #115   $6.00

Tropical Color – Partial Shade – 24-30"x24-36" – Zone 10 –

Family:  Amaranthaceae      Origin:  South America

If you’re looking for an eye-popping all pink mound of foliage that’s easy to grow, check out California Iresine.  This is a beautiful selection of the aptly-named Beef Steak Plant or Chicken Gizzard that were extremely popular in Victorian gardens.  From the very heat tolerant Amaranthus family, California Iresine is 100% color.  The leaves, stems, petioles (pretty much everything above ground), is deep magenta pink and lasts throughout the growing season.