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Tropical Color – Sun, Partial Shade – 24"x24" – Zone 10 – Family: Acanthaceae Origin: Mexico So many tropical plants in the Acanthaceae make wonderful additions to temperate gardens because of their undaunted flowering in the heat of summer. The continuously abundant flowers of Mexican Plume are likewise summer-tough, bright and showy. We discovered this plant at a nursery in south Texas a while back and have been quite impressed with its festive flowers of orange, yellow and reddish tones. The hummingbirds and butterflies also enjoy its colorful blooms. Great in beds or containers, plant it in full sun or light shade for a fabulous summer show.
Tropical Foliage – Sun – 36"x18" – Zone 10 Family: Crassulaceae Origin: Madagascar Not a Kale but a Kalanchoe, this giant succulent gives the gardener something distinctly different. Wonderful in beds or containers its thick compound leaves and massive stalk evoke scenes of a prehistoric era. I fell in love with this plant when I first saw it used at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the campus of Duke University. If kept over as a houseplant, it may produce its winter-time display of unique green rectangular flowers which inspired its other common name, Box Flower. This is a fun and easy plant that anyone can grow, yet exotic looking enough to please the most discriminating of plant collectors.
Flowering Shrub – Full Sun, Partial Shade – 36"x36" – Zone 4-9 – Family: Rosaceae Origin: China I’ve admired this variegated shrub for many years, ever since I first saw it in bloom at Lendonwood Gardens in Grove, Oklahoma several years ago. The bright single yellow flowers coupled with its soft gray green leaves edged in white make variegated Kerria a highly sought after landscape specimen. Smaller in stature and much slower to spread than other Kerrias, ‘Picta’ is even admired by gardeners not typically fond of variegated plants. An explosion of color when in bloom and a lot, even when it’s not, this little shrub will add interest to any garden.
(Pink Velour® Crapemyrtle) #188 $8.00 Flowering Shrub – Full Sun – Up to 12' – Zone 6-10 – Family: Lythraceae Origin: Hybrid - Asia Once you’ve experienced the Whit series of crapemyrtles all others pale in comparison. Developed right here in Stillwater by Dr. Carl Whitcomb, these shrub’s flowers are brighter in color than all others. With its shrill pink blooms and dark wine foliage, Pink Velour® continues to impress gardeners everywhere. It was selected as an Oklahoma Proven shrub in 2003, and given a Gold Medal Plant Award by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in 2007. Plant this highly decorated and recommended shrub in your landscape and see for yourself how special a plant it is. Lagerstroemia indica 'Whit II' U.S. P.P.#10296 (Dynamite® Crapemyrtle) #135 $8.00 Flowering Shrub – Full Sun – Up to 15' – Zone 6-10 – Family: Lythraceae Origin: Hybrid - Asia Another outstanding selection created by Dr. Carl Whitcomb here in Stillwater, Dynamite® is the first true red tree form crapemyrtle. Its flowers are brilliant cherry-red, produced among foliage that emerges crimson later turning green. This flowering shrub delivers pure garden color for the hot bright areas of the landscape. Chosen as one of the 2002 Arkansas Select Plants, Dynamite® is a fabulous garden specimen sporting high mildew resistance. Let it create an explosion of color in your landscape.
(Burgundy Cotton® Crapemyrtle) #114 $8.00 Flowering Shrub – Full Sun – Up to 12' – Zone 6-10 – Family: Lythraceae Origin: Hybrid - Asia This is one of my favorites in the Whit series of crapemyrtles developed here in Stillwater by Dr. Carl Whitcomb. Burgundy Cotton® has white flowers during hot sunny weather, then, develops pinkish blooms under cool cloudy conditions. This dynamic color changing ability makes it a truly spectacular garden specimen. The two-tone color theme extends to its foliage also as the leaves emerge dark wine changing to wine-green when flowers appear. Flowering is virtually non-stop from July until frost because few seeds are produced. We are so fond of the Whit series crapemyrtles, we include them in mixed borders with tender plants and perennials because their blooms are so profuse.
Tropical Color – Sun – 24”x30” – Zone 8-10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: Hybrid - South America This is a tremendous plant for Southern gardens, discovered by and named for our friend, Texas plantsman Greg Grant. Greg found this variegated sport on the old fashioned cultivar ‘Flava’, growing in a church yard in New Braunfels, Texas. Lantanas are winning plants to begin with but this one is extra choice because the pink and yellow flowers are made more festive with the yellow marbling and patches on the leaves. As with all variegated plants, keep any all-green portions pruned out. We propagate only from the best variegated plant portions to ensure the most colorful specimens possible. Pink & Yellow flowers, var. leaves, moderate moisture, well-drained soil, remove any all-green shoots.
Tropical Color – Sun – 18"x30" – Zone 8-10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: South America Samantha is a fun in the sun plant that lights up the garden. Heat-tolerant and tough as other lantanas with the added bonus of golden variegation make it extra special. Samantha Lantana is also sterile, meaning flowers are non-stop since fruit isn’t produced. This is an excellent and easy plant for beds and patio containers.
Tropical Color – Sun, partial shade – 12”x36” – Zone 8-10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: South America I’ve always loved trailing lantana for its toughness and continual flowering in hot weather. This variegated selection boasts all these attributes but has the added bonus of even more color from its marbled white, pink and green foliage. A gift from Greg Grant in the late 90’s, it looks outstanding spilling over the edges of containers and window boxes. Of course, another source of color this plant provides is from the brightly hued butterflies it attracts. As with all variegated plants, keep any all-green portions pruned out. Lavender flowers, var. leaves, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Perennial – Sun, shade – 3”x18” – Zone 6-10 – Family: Campanulaceae Origin: New South Wales - Australia Blue Star Creeper is one of the few Australian plants winter-hardy in our zone 6b, Stillwater garden. A carpeting plant that is an excellent low-growing ground cover, it has a fine texture with its tiny leaves. We used this ground-hugger as a substitute for moss in a Japanese Garden I created at the Oklahoma Gardening studio. This little perennial is completely smothered with small pale-blue star-shaped flowers in the spring. It can be used between stepping stones but does not handle foot traffic. Blue Star Creeper performs best in full sun with adequate moisture in a soil amended with organic matter, like compost. Blue flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 3’x3’ – Zone 8-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: South and East Africa This showy plant’s botanical name says it all. Leon from the Greek means Lion and Otis means ear. It’s easy to see how the name came about as its individual blooms resemble the fuzzy ears of a lion. A shrubby member of the Mint family, it usually blooms a little when planted out in spring, but really comes on in late summer and fall. The whorled clusters of bright orange flowers make quite a glowing display in the autumn garden. It is listed hardy to zone 8, although we’ve had it survive several years in our zone 6b garden in Stillwater. Known as Wild Dagga in Kenya, it is found growing in the Great Rift Valley and a few other districts. Orange flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun – 3-4'x24" – Zone 5-9 – Family: Fabaceae Origin: Eastern North America Round-Head Lespedeza is a little-used native perennial that works well as an accent or back of the border plant in xeric plantings and native gardens. It has attractive silvery-green foliage held upright on stems to 3-4 feet. From July to October it has flower clusters at the stem ends made up of small white blooms with a small pink spot at their base. These are packed within numerous green feathery bracts that age to brown in the fall, giving the plant an interesting look through winter. This plant’s seeds are eaten by many species of birds and the flower stems are great in dried flower arrangements. Greenish flowers, silvery leaves, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun – 24-36"x18" – Zones 3-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Central and Eastern US, Canada Rough Blazing Star is another beautiful member of the Daisy Family, even without rayflorets, (“petals”). This native perennial’s flower stems have a thickened appearance due to the “Buttons” or “Little Cabbages”, of pastel purple flower clusters lining them. Attractive before the summer and fall flowers with its narrow leaves, Rough Blazing Star also makes a nice cutflower as lots of blooms are open at the same time. First collected on the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804, give it a dry and poor soil.
Native Perennial – Sun, Partial Shade – 24"x12" – Zone 6-10 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: OK, Southeast US From mid-summer into fall, these native perennials light up the garden with their flowering spike-like racemes, or wands of soft purple suffused with white. You get a unique pastel bicolor effect from its blooms as its disk flowers, with wider petals than most Liatris, have white stamens protruding from the centers. Elegant Blazing Star is native from South Carolina to Oklahoma and areas south though it is somewhat rarely encountered. Sometimes referred to as Pinkscale Blazing Star, our plants are selected from the north-most extent of its range giving them added cold hardiness.
Native Perennial – Sun – 18”x18” – Zone 3-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Central US, Canada From the central plains states and southern Canada, Dotted Blazing Star is the most western occurring Liatris, extending all the way to Arizona. For this reason, it does best when given a soil poor in nutrients, quick to drain and kept on the dry side. Too rich a soil will cause the stems to lie flat on the ground twisted and curled. This short-statured perennial grows from a bulb-like corn and sends deep taproots far down into the soil profile. Dotted Blazing Star gets its name from the numerous gland dots, or punctations, on its leaves. If you need a super tough plant for xeric plantings and butterfly gardens, this purple blooming perennial is just the right choice. Purple flowers, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 6’x12” – Zone 5-10 – Family: Liliaceae Origin: Taiwan This elegant Lily would be more widely grown if everyone knew how hardy it was. Readily surviving our zone 6b winters for years, it is also hardy in the zone 5 gardens of Kansas City. Interestingly it is native to tropical Taiwan, so it stands up to the heat of Southern summers where most Liliums fail. Tall and impressive, Formosa Lily sports huge white and fragrant trumpets during July and August when little is blooming in the garden. After flowering, the interesting seed pods provide a nice candelabra effect in the garden. Grow this easy plant in your garden and aid in its survival as it is becoming scarce in its home land of Taiwan. White flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun – 12”x12” – Zone 5-10 – Family: Boraginaceae Origin: Most of North America Very early to bloom in spring, this native perennial is an excellent choice for a rock garden. In the same family as Heliotrope, Fringed Pucoon sports attractive intricately fringed bright yellow flower clusters. It is interesting that the early flowers often produce no seed, then, later in the season non-showy cleistogamous flowers develop shiny hard-coated seed. The word ‘Pucoon” is a Native American word used to describe plants yielding dye. The roots of Fringed Pucoon can produce a red to purple dye still used today for dying wool. Yellow flowers, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Lobelia puberula (Downy Blue Lobelia) #131 $5.00 Native Perennial – Sun, Partial Shade – 30”x12” – Zone 6-10 – Family: Campanulaceae Origin: OK, Southeast US From scattered localities in the southeastern United States comes this rarely offered native perennial. Called Downy Lobelia for its pubescent leaves, it has in my opinion, showier and denser flower spikes than its cousin, Great Blue Lobelia. Blooming August through October with blue flower spikes up to 3 feet, this Lobelia gets noticed in our garden. The plants we offer are offspring from this species’ western most population in central Oklahoma. It is definitely something different and unique for the garden. Blue flowers, moderate moisture, average draining organically amended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 24”x24” – Zone 4-9 – Family: Lythraceae Origin: Central and Eastern US, Canada Not an invasive species but one of our own natives, this Lythrum has a place in the landscape. Native Winged Loosestrife is in the Lythraceae, the same family as cupheas and crapemyrtles and thus well adapted to the southern and central United States. It is an airy plant with small pale lavender to purplish flowers June through September. Grow this plant in poor soils with moderate moisture. Rich soils and disturbance at its feet may cause it to spread about. Use it in the back of the border, as an accent plant or grow it as an informal hedge. Lavender flowers, moderate to high moisture, average to poorly draining soil.
Half-Hardy Perennial Sun, Partial Shade 12-24"x12-24" Zone 8-10 Family: Malpighiaceae Origin: S. Texas to S. Americal, West Indies No doubt this form of Barbados Cherry was selected from a northern and inland part of its natural range as it over-winters in our zone 6b Stillwater garden. For us it behaves as a die-back shrub, slowly emerging in late spring, then with summer’s heat, puts forth its amazing floral show. From mid summer to first frost it is covered with delicate crapemyrtle-like pink flowers. Ours even occasionally sets fruit late in the season. We were fortunate to discover the Little One cultivar at a nursery on the east coast of Australia, and brought it back to the western hemisphere. Enjoy it as a tender specimen or plant in a protected location for the best shot at over-wintering.
Perennial – Sun, Partial Shade – 4'x4' – Zone 6-10 – Family: Malvaceae Origin: Southern US to South America Related to Hibiscus, this versatile plant grows well in full sun or full shade. It behaves as a shrub in zones 8 and warmer, but here in our zone 6b Stillwater garden, Turk’s Cap is a wonderful red-flowering perennial. The leaves of this plant look different whether it is in sun or shade. In shade they lie flat, while bright sunshine gives them a nice crinkly textured appearance. Heat and drought tolerant once established, Turk’s Cap is relished by hummingbirds and should be planted much more.
Tropical Color – Sun, Partial Shade – 40"x40" – Zone 10 – Family: Euphorbiaceae Origin: Brazil A highly coveted plant that we are always quick to sell out of, Variegated Tapioca seems to be an instant favorite to all who discover it. This tropical has electrifying foliage with large palmately divided leaves streaked green and creamy yellowish with glowing deep red petioles. It is definitely one of the most attractive of all variegated plants. It grows exceptionally well in hot steamy summers, performing great in full sun or light shade.
Variegated Tapioca is best grown as an ornamental rather than attempting to prepare anything from its poisonous plant parts.
Native Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 16”x16” – Zone 5-10 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Central, South and Southeastern US Native plant experts everywhere agree that Barbara’s Buttons is an exceptional and garden worthy perennial. It is a very tidy and refined native plant that fits well in the front of the border or in a rock garden. In mid spring it sends up white Scabiosa-like flower heads atop 12-18” stalks from a rosette of attractive strap-like leaves. The ”buttons” are daisies without rayflorets, or petals, instead consisting of unique frilly disk florets that are very showy. Sweetly fragrant, the blooms work well as cutflowers, are relished by butterflies, and when seed is formed, provide food for finches and other small birds. This is a pretty but tough plant, tolerant of a wide range of soil types and moisture regimes, growing well in full sun or partial shade. White flowers, moderate to low moisture, well-drained unamended soil.
Tropical Vine – Sun – 10’ – Zone 9-10 – Family: Scrophulariaceae Origin: Southwest US The thing I like most about this climbing member of the snapdragon family is its continuous production of deep amethyst blooms. Undaunted by hot weather, it flowers all summer right up to the first freeze of autumn. Easily reaching 8 feet in a single season, its small delicate leaves will also lend a distinct texture to the garden. Joan Lorraine is an especially floriferous purple cultivar. Purple flowers, moderate to low moisture, well-drained soil.
Native Perennial – Sun – 18"x24" – Zone 5-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: OK, KS, CO, AZ, NM, TX Perennials that bloom more than one or two months are such incredibly valuable plants in the garden. Black Foot Daisy, from western Oklahoma and a few other southwestern states, flowers continually from March to November, an amazing nine months. This plant is also loaded with other attributes like; compact and mounding habit, drought tolerance and ability to attract butterflies. It gets its name due to its ray florets that have a subtending bract (“Foot”) that blackens as it ages. The cheerfully abundant daisys are white with yellow centers. Be sure to give Black Foot Daisy the well-drained soil of a raised bed and hold back on water once it’s established.
Tropical Color – Full Sun – 18-24"x18-24" – Zone 8-10 – Family: Sterculiaceae Origin: FL, TX, Central and South America We’ve grown this gorgeous little member of the Chocolate family for a number of years and never want to be without it. Woolly Pyramid Bush is a delightful plant that more gardeners should know about. Its leaves and stems are soft, velvety and take on a bluish-silver color, but the flowers really make you want to grow it. They are continually produced from mid-spring through frost and are a rich violet pink or as Texas Native Plant expert Jill Nokes describes, Raspberry-colored fuchsia. Loved by butterflies, low moisture needs and those continuous hot pink blooms make this plant an all-around winner. (Limit 3)
Tropical Color – Sun – 24"x24" – Zone 10 – Family: Rubiaceae Origin: Tropical Africa to SE Asia From the same family as Pentas and Gardenias comes an equally impressive garden charmer. The very showy inflorescence of White Flag consists of one large leaf-like calycophyll, or calyx lobe, combined with clusters of bright lemony yellow star-shaped flowers. It is quite bizarre but incredibly colorful. Its tropical nature ensures that it blooms like crazy in the heat of summer, right up to the first frost. If grown in a container, it can be shuffled inside for the winter and treated like a houseplant. This was one of the most asked about plants at our fall open house in September of 2007.
Tropical Color – Sun – 24”x24” – Zone 10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Hybrid Variegated African Blue Basil is a treat for the eyes as well as the palate. Its leaves are a beautiful pale green with white marbling and purple markings. Even more attractive are its pinkish flowers and purple calyces. Because it is a hybrid and sterile, no seed is produced to taint the flavor, so the flowers can be left to enjoy. Placed in a patio container each year this basil makes a wonderful ornamental. The original non-variegated hybrid was discovered in Ohio in 1982, a cross of Ocimum ‘Dark Purple’ and Ocimum Kilimandscharicum, an obvious East African species. Pink flowers, variegated leaves, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Perennial – Full Sun – 24"x18" – Zones 6-10 – Family: Iridaceae Origin: Eastern Asia This showy Iris-like perennial is the only plant in the genus Pardanthopsis, and has been crossed with Belamcanda (Blackberry Lily), to create x Pardancanda, which we all know as the Hybrid Candy Lillies. In summer and fall it shoots up tall stems with Iris-like blooms of purple-blue, marked with yellow and white. An attractive plant for beds and borders, it also sports light green sword-shaped leaves. Native to eastern Asia, don’t let it stay dry for extended periods.
Hardy Vine – Sun, partial shade – 25’ – Zone 6-9 – Family: Passifloraceae Origin: South America The white and blue exotic looking blooms on this hardy vine are nothing short of stunning. It flowers from summer through fall and brings multitudes of large orange fritillary butterflies to the garden, as its foliage is a food source for their larvae. A bit rambunctious for the small garden, it’s best suited for a support in a lawn where any emerging suckers can be easily removed. Hardy Blue Passion Vine is easy to grow, blooming best in full sun with ample water to keep the flowers coming. Our plant resprouts from the roots each spring and extends 15’ or more covering a rustic cedar arbor here at Bustani Plant Farm. Blue & white flowers, moderate to low moisture, most soil types.
Tropical Vine – Sun – 6-10’ – Zone 9b-10 – Family: Passifloraceae Origin: Hybrid - South America This hybrid of two South American passion vine species is outstanding for a trellis placed in a large patio container or a smaller support in a seasonal bed. The huge (4”-5”) fragrant blooms sport sepals that alternate white and pinkish violet, and have double-ranked purple filaments in the center. As an interspecific hybrid, its flowers are sterile with no fruit or seed produced, enabling it to continue blooming freely throughout the season. It grows best in full sun in an organically amended soil with ample moisture. This vine is sometimes listed at the cultivar ‘Pfordtii’. Pink & white flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 24"x30" – Zone 10 – Family: Geraniaceae Origin: Hybrid - South Africa I started including this attractive foliage plant when designing theme gardens at the Oklahoma Gardening studio years ago. It combines so well with numerous types of plants. The interestingly shaped variegated leaves are a pleasing pale green and creamy white, giving the foliage a light almost pastel look. I was delighted to see it in mixed containers and window boxes at the world famous Butchart Gardens in 2005. Variegated Mint Leaf Geranium is a superb choice for patio containers or combined with other tender plants in beds or mixed borders.
Native Perennial – Sun – 30"x24" – Zone 3-10 – Family: Scrophulariaceae Origin: Eastern North America This native perennial is the species of Penstemon that Dale Lindren of Nebraska developed the cultivar ‘Husker Red’ from, which was later selected as the perennial plant of the year in 1996. It blooms April to June with large inflated white flowers and has smooth green leaves and stems. The word digitalis means foxglove-like and aptly describes the attractive flower stalks of this plant. Smooth Penstemon is more tolerant of moisture and enriched soil than most of the more western species. It is a stately perennial and one of the more long-lived species of the Penstemons. White flowers, moderate to low moisture, well-drained amended or unamended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun – 4’x18” – Zone 6-10 – Family: Scrophulariaceae Origin: OK, TX, AR, LA We’ve been growing this dynamite hummingbird plant in our Stillwater garden since 2002. One of my favorite penstemons, it is the only red or orange colored species of the 13 that are native to Oklahoma. Red Cup-Leaf Penstemon is quite rare in its natural distribution. The only area in the world it occurs is parts of east Texas, 4 parishes in Louisiana, 2 counties in southern Arkansas and from the southeast corner of Oklahoma. The plants we offer are from seed produced from our own stock plants, started from seed collected at the northern-most extent of its range in Oklahoma, making them the most cold hardy. Another interesting trait of this plant is its blue leaves; the upper ones cup the stem catching rain drops that provide drinks for butterflies and hummingbirds.
Red-orange flowers, low moisture (once established) to moderate moisture, unamended well-drained to sandy soil, raised bed best.
Native Perennial – Sun – 24”x12” – Zone 6-9 – Family: Scrophulariaceae Origin: Oklahoma One of only a handful of plants endemic to Oklahoma, this is truly a special plant. Blooming late April to June with long narrow white flowers that open from yellowish buds it is found only in specific tallgrass prairie sites. Oklahoma Penstemon is a unique species in that its flowers have closed throats, opening with the weight of a honeybee, and limiting nectar access to large bumblebees. Help perpetuate the existence of this native perennial by growing it in a raised bed of unamended well-drained soil.
White flowers, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun, Partial Shade – 30”x16” – Zone 4-9 – Family: Scrophulariaceae Origin: Central US Tubeflower Penstemon is a very elegant species blooming early May to early June with pure white flowers. Probably the best white-flowering penstemon, it has flat-faced blooms in tight clusters circling the stalks in closely stacked tiers. The inflorescence is technically a panicle but looks like a thick spike. Its mid-green leaves are well below the flowers giving it a pristine appearance. Tubeflower Penstemon is tolerant of more moisture and enriched soils than most species, but over-watering will shorten its duration in the garden.
White flowers, moderate to low moisture, well-drained soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 24”x24” – Zone 10 – Family: Rubiaceae Origin: Tropical Africa It’s hard to beat Stars and Stripes Pentas when it comes to sheer color impact in the garden. The contrast of its bright red flower clusters with its green and white foliage is very striking. Discovered by Texas plantsman Greg Grant, this heat tolerant tropical is always in flower. Both hummingbirds and butterflies are constantly visiting this pentas’ dramatic flowers. Beautiful in containers and flower beds, this is an instant impact plant that always gets noticed in the garden.
Red flowers, variegated leaves, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Tropical Color Plant – Full Sun Best – 24-36"x24" – Zone 10 – Family: Rubiaceae Origin: Tropical Africa As best we can determine, Bustani Plant Farm is the only source for Longleaf Pentas. It sports the same toughness and heat tolerance as Pentas lanceolata while offering a different look for the genus. As you might expect, its leaves are longer and narrower. The pure white flowers are held in loose clusters appearing larger than Pentas lanceolata due to their extended tubular form. An occasional sweet fragrance is detected on warm sunny days and is not surprising since Pentas are in the same family as Gardenias. (Limit 3)
Tropical Color – Sun – 24”x36” – Zone 10 – Purple flowers, moderate to low moisture, many soil types.
Tropical Color – Sun, Partial Shade – 30"x30" – Zone 10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Australia Here at Bustani we are always on the look out for silver foliage plants that perform well in high heat and humidity. Closely related to coleus and therefore really easy to grow, Silver Plectranthus is one of those elegant silvers tolerant of our hot summer weather. It has broad felty leaves and sturdy, square stems that combine so well with lots of other types and color of plants. Back in 2000 we had a mint family theme garden at the Oklahoma Gardening studio, where we combined Silver Plectranthus with the deep burgundy blooms of Salvia splendens ‘Van Houttei’ for a stunning effect. It is also superb with purple-foliaged plants.
Tropical Color – Sun – 4’x3’ – Zone 9-10 – Family: Bignoniaceae Origin: South Africa Port St. Jon’s Creeper is a remarkable tender sub-tropical shrub in the Bignoniaceae, or Trumpet Creeper family. Its impressive clusters of huge soft pink flowers appear in late summer and dazzle the garden throughout autumn. With as much color as a crapemyrtle when in full flower, this scandant shrub is one of the most asked about plants in our collection during September and October. Found in the wild at the mouth of the Mzimvube River at Port St. Johns, South Africa, it is grown as an ornamental in Mediterranean climates worldwide. Even as a tender shrub, gardeners who grow it say it is well worth planting for its fabulous fall display.
Pink flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
#239 $7.00 Tropical Color – Sun, shade – 30”-40”x30” – Zone 10 – Family: Acanthaceae Origin: Polynesia I’ve always had great success with the False Eranthemums, utilizing their brilliant foliage color in seasonal design schemes. On our 2004 plant collecting trip to Australia, I found this unique sport at a Queensland nursery. Its leaves boast a multitude of colors including purple, creamy white, yellowish, green and pinkish-burgundy. The colors are lighter in cool weather, turning to deeper tones with summer’s warmth. Variegated Purple False Eranthemum is an outstanding tropical foliage plant for beds and containers that is super heat tolerant and really easy to grow.
Multi-colored leaves, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 24”x18” – Zone4-9 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Eastern North America Slender Mountain Mint is a native perennial that provides an interesting texture to the landscape with its dark green and narrow, almost needle-like leaves. From late spring through summer it is crowned with flat toped clusters of white flowers with flecks of pink or lavender. Later in the season the dried flowerheads provide interest, turning a nice charcoal gray. Once used by Native Americans to bait mink traps, it is a great nectar plant for butterflies and beneficial insects like predatory wasps. Spreading in rich soil, it is better behaved when planted in poor soil and kept slightly on the dry side. White flowers, low to moderate moisture, well-drained soil.
Rhexia mariana (Meadow Beauty) OK Native On Site Only In Fall Native Perennial Sun, Partial Shade 18"x18" Zone 6-9 Pink flowers, moderate to high moisture, well to average draining amended or unamended soil.
Shrub Rose – Sun – 4’x4’ – Zone 6-10 – Family: Rosaceae Origin: Hybrid From the rugged plains of western Oklahoma comes this yet to be identified shrub rose. We discovered it growing in a cemetery, thriving without care for years. With fragrant blooms of brilliant pink, it sports an extremely tough demeanor. It has performed wonderfully well in our garden for several years with little incidence of disease. We are certain to discover its identity in the future, at which time we will list its proper name in our catalogs. (Limit 1) Pink flowers, moderate to low moisture, most soil types.
Native perennial – Sun – 24"x18" – Zone 6-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: South Central and Eastern US, Canada An easy way to remember the botanical name of the Black-Eyed-Susans is to memorize the phrase “Susan has a black eye because rude Becky hit her”. I find the Rudbeckias an amazing group of plants, many species of which are attractive and useful in the landscape. Large Coneflower, (not to be confused with Giant Coneflower), has green mostly basal leaves among which arise tall flower stalks topped with large, Echinacea-like flowerheads. This is an undemanding native perennial that should be present in more gardens, especially xeric plantings, native collections and butterfly gardens.
Native Perennial – Sun, Partial shade – 5’-6’x2’ – Zone 5-9– Family: Asteraceae Origin: OK, TX, AR, LA It’s hard to say enough about Giant Coneflower. It is one of my all time favorite perennials that I think should be in every Southern garden. Think of it as a Black-Eyed-Susan on steroids. Growing upwards to 5 or 6 feet tall, it’s decked-out with huge powder blue leaves from which shoot up thick stalks adorned with giant sombrero-like flowerheads. Gardeners in England love this perennial but have trouble growing it because it doesn’t get hot enough for it to do well there. Giant Coneflower’s native range occurs in east Texas, parts of Louisiana, southern Arkansas and a few counties in southeast Oklahoma, its northern-most limit. This is where the genetics of the plants we offer began, making them the hardiest possible.
Yellow flowers, bluish leaves - low, average or high moisture, well-drained to average draining soil.
Tropical Color – Sun, partial shade – 18”x18” – Zone 8-10 – Family: Acanthaceae Origin: Brazil Another exceptional group of plants in the Acanthaceae are the Ruellias. I had grown the regular Elegant Ruellia with bright red blooms for years when I discovered this pinkish coral form in 2001 at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. Other than the flower color, this plant is a bit larger leading me to believe it is a separate species or possibly a hybrid. Whatever the case, Coral Elegant Ruellia is a choice, low-growing tropical that loves heat and humidity and continually produces its showy flowers through the summer. (Limit 3)
Red flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 12"x18" – Zone 10 – Family: Acanthaceae Origin: South America I got seeds of Ruellia rosea a few years ago from California Academy of Science Acanthaceae expert, Tom Daniel. In growing the plants here in Stillwater, we’ve been quite pleased with their performance. A somewhat uncommon species, its flowers are the same size and nearly the same color as Ruellia elegans, except the flower scapes branch, giving twice as many blooms per stalk. Although this tender tropical’s leaves yellow if not given an acidic soil, it is worth growing in beds and containers especially for the gardener wanting a seldom seen Ruellia species. (Limit 1) |
Bustani Plant Farm, LLC, 1313 East 44th Ave, Stillwater, OK 74074 Phone: 405-372-3379 Fax: 405-707-8697
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