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Native Perennial – Sun – 36”x24” – Zone 4-9 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Central and Eastern US, Mexico The perfect companion plant for fall blooming Goldenrods, Asters and Snow-on-the-Mountain, this native perennial is the hardiest Salvia species occurring in North America. In late summer and fall their tall stems are decked out in vibrant medium to deep blue flowers. In fact, we are fortunate here in Oklahoma to have the variety grandiflora, which has larger flowers and a neater growth habit than Salvia azurea var. azurea which occurs in the eastern United States. Sometimes called Pitcher Sage, Azure Sage can be made to bloom at a shorter height by cutting the stems back to 12” in late spring and again to about 16” in mid summer if needed. Blue flowers, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 24”x24” – Zone 9-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Canary Islands One summer, Ruth and I were planning a 4th of July party and I was selecting planted containers from the garden to decorate the deck of our new home. A robust pot of Canary Island Sage was one I picked because it was absolutely loaded with color. Our guests were constantly asking what it was. You do get a lot of color from this unique tender sage, both from its flowers of rose-purple, with rose-purple calyces, and from its attractive silvery leaves and stems. The shape of the Canary Island Sage’s leaves is quite remarkable. Distinctly arrowhead-like, this plant could have easily been named Salvia Sagitatta. (Limit 3) Purple flowers, moderate to low moisture, well-drained soil.
Perennial – Sun – 30"x30" – Zones 7-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Mexico The brilliant scarlet-hued blooms of this heat-loving perennial are hummingbird magnets. Its silvery foliage provides an excellent contrast for the red flowers, which are quite large for the genus. Discovered near Galena, Mexico by YuccaDo Plantsmen, it has proven hardy here in our Stillwater garden. This is a wonderful addition to the perennial garden for super color when the weather is super hot.
Perennial/Shrub – Sun – 30”x30” – Zone 6-9 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Southwest Texas, Mexico When I was Garden Manager of the Oklahoma Gardening studio in the late 1990’s we had amassed quite a collection of Salvia greggii cultivars and had them planted throughout the grounds. On an extremely cold winter spell, they all froze and died except for Pink Preference. Definitely a tough selection, it was found by Texas plantsman, Logan Colhoun west of Waco, Texas and introduced by our friends at Sunshine Nursery. An Oklahoma Proven selection back in 2004, its brilliant hot pink blooms appear spring through fall with its best show in September and October. We grow this winning heat and drought-tolerant sub-shrubby perennial in full sun and cut it back to around 8” just before growth begins each spring.
Perennial/Shrub – Sun – 24”x24” – Zone 6b-9 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Southwest Texas, Mexico This shrubby perennial is rarely offered though it is quite a spectacular sight with its white flowers and beautiful gold green variegated foliage. Discovered by Texas plantsman Greg Grant, who named it after a friend whom he says like the plant, is also blonde and odd. Gorgeous and hardy, Rachel blooms spring through fall and is always a stand-out, thanks to its showy golden leaves. Give it a well-drained soil, don’t over water and cut back the previous season’s growth just as new growth sprouts from the lower branches in spring. White flowers, gold variegated leaves, moderate to low moisture, well-drained soil.
Slightly Hardy Perennial – Sun – 36"x45" – Zone 7-10 –
Salvia leucantha ‘Delilah’ (Variegated Mexican Bush Sage) #235 $8.00 Tropical Color – Sun – 30"x30" – Zone 8-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Mexico A striking new plant we acquired recently on a trip to South Carolina. Doubly beautiful when flowering with colored foliage to go with its bi-colored blooms. I’ve always said variegation makes great plants even better and such is the case with Delilah Mexican Bush Sage. You get the beautiful white marbled foliage through spring and summer, and then fall brings the grand finally with the purple and white velvety flowers completing the power-packed display. Gardeners in Zone 7 and colder should try it against a south-facing wall or fence and it may survive the winters. (Limit 3)
Tropical Color – Sun, Slight Shade – 30"x30" – Zone 9-10 – Lamiaceae Origin: Central America Unique among Salvias because of its smooth shimmering leaves, Belize Sage brings an unusual texture to the garden. Its bright scarlet red flowers are like stoplights to hummingbirds. Usually growing a little taller than wide, this Central American jewel really adds spark to the summer landscape. It combines well with chartreuse colored foliage plants and yellow or gold flowers such as ‘New Gold’ Lantana.
Tropical Color – Sun, Partial Shade – 36"x36" – Zone 9-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Brazil A royally colored seedling of Van Houtte’s Sage, Paul has the same wonderful attributes as its parent, long-blooming, easy to grow and heat-tolerant, all while providing the garden with a rich new color. We thank Barb Smith of Pendleton, SC for discovering this hot new plant and naming it after her son. I hope you can find room for a deep purple member of the Lamiaceae in your landscape.
Tropical Color – Sun, Partial Shade – 36"x36" – Zone 9-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Brazil The thing I like most about Van Houtte’s Sage is its unique deep burgundy-redish flower color. It is a distinctly different color that combines well with many other hues, especially well with silver plants. Sometimes listed as Salvia vanhouttei, it is actually an early Dutch selection of Salvia splendens made before the compact bedding forms popular today were selected. This Brazilian native performs extremely well with its spikes of 2-3” blooms produced throughout the warm months culminating in a fabulous fall display. Just one plant added to a bed, border or container makes quite an impact.
Perennial – Sun – 30”x30” – Zone 7-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Hybrid I was fortunate enough to acquire this intriguing perennial on a trip to Athens, Georgia in 2000. Seeing it bloom in Alan Armitage’s garden on the University of Georgia campus really made me want to grow it. I’ve had it in the display gardens here at Bustani in Stillwater, OK since then where it has performed tremendously well. Raved on by Armitage, Cherry Queen Sage has fruity scented foliage and bright cherry-red flowers. It is similar to Salvia greggii and can be used much the same way in beds and borders. Red flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun – 10”x36” – Zone 4-10 – Family: Fabaceae Origin: Central US Very few plants do anything fast enough for the eye to see. When you touch the compound leaves of Sensitive Briar, they immediately close up their leaflets. This is an adaptation the plant uses to discourage any animal or insect that might want to feed on it, with the idea that its foliage appears undesirable and wilted. This native perennial grows well in poor, dry, well-drained soils in full sun to very light shade. It provides these types of landscapes with hot pink puffball flower heads made up nearly entirely of stamens, characteristic of legumes in the sub family Mimosaceae. Pink flowers, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Perennial – Sun – 24”x30” – Zone 7-10 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Argentina With the protection of a fence or building to its north and the benefit of a well-drained soil, Silver Goundsel makes a delicate perennial in zones 7 and south. A silver-leaved daisy from Argentina, it looks terrific in borders, color beds or containers. Its finely dissected silvery foliage is almost white due to its thick covering of pubescence. Occasionally displayed, are this plant’s flowers, interesting rayless daisies of creamy white or soft lemon that are an excellent nectar source for butterflies. Silver leaves, moderate to low moisture, well-drained soil.
(Variegated Paraguayan Nightshade) #237 $8.00 Tropical Color – Sun – 24"x24" – Zone 10 – Family: Solanaceae Origin: South America A few years ago, after attending a Garden Writers Association symposium in VanCouver, BC and shooting an episode of Oklahoma Gardening at Butchart Gardens, I stopped by a California nursery on my way home and discovered this gem of a plant. A striking variegated selection of the “Blue Potato Tree”, or Paraguayan Nightshade as we call it, this tender plant is guaranteed to get noticed in the garden. It has bluish-purple blooms that standout magnificently against leaves so variegated, the entire plant looks almost all white. Use Variegated Paraguayan Nightshade in beds or containers and you’ll be amazed by its gorgeous foliage that doesn’t scorch even in southern summers.
Tropical Color – Sun – 5’x3’ – Zone 9-10 – Family: Solanaceae Origin: West Indies, South America This is an exceptional new tropical flowering vine for the summer garden. Heat tolerant, well behaved and absolutely gorgeous, Brazilian Nightshade provides a beautiful display of vibrant color. Its flower clusters of soft purple droop like grapes on stems of lacey green leaves. Each individual bloom is star-shaped, has contrasting yellow stamens and is followed by marble-sized red berries. As a Solanum, no plant part should ever be eaten. A twining climber that needs help to climb flat surfaces or large posts, it can also be grown in a mixed border, sprawling among other plants. Brazilian Nightshade is sometimes called St. Vincent Lilac. Purple flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil, don’t eat red berries.
Tropical Vine – Full Sun Best, Very Slight Shade – 8-12' – Zone 9-10 – Family: Solanaceae Origin: Costa Rica This is one of the neatest new vines we’ve grown in a while. The huge clusters of lilac-blue flowers are amazing, over 6” across. It was a definite favorite when the Garden Writers Association group toured our garden in fall of 2007. Thick near succulent stems and dark green leaves of this scrambling climber provide a nice backdrop for the impressive blooms. Costa Rica is the home of this heat-loving beauty.
Native Perennial Sun 24”x24” Zone 4-9 Family: Asteraceae Origin: Central and Eastern North America Goldenrods are valuable components of the fall landscape. They are included in botanical gardens worldwide for their fleecy yellow autumn flower panicles. Rigid Goldenrod is one with rough and hairy leaves and stems that are not fed on by deer. It doesn’t look like a typical goldenrod in that its blooms are larger and borne in flattened panicles at the stem tips. Also shorter than most species, it is a dynamite butterfly plant and provides a food source for small birds with its seeds. Deep-rooted and drought tolerant, give it a poor soil in a dry part of the landscape. Yellow flowers, , low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil. Solidago speciosa var. rigidiuscula (Showywand Goldenrod) OK Native # 210 $5.00 Native Perennial – Sun – 36"x36" – Zone 4-10 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Central and Eastern North America I am excited to be offering this native perennial. Blooming in fall, Showywand Gonldenrod sends up numerous flower scapes of dense golden panicles that look somewhat like a broadened yellow liatris. We recently discovered a large population of this species in a remote area west of Stillwater made up of good compact forms. We may do some vegetative selection work and name a few of the extra special individuals in the future. Until then, the seedlings we offer should produce extraordinary plants.
Perennial – Sun – 10”x30” – Zone 4-10 – Family: Lamiaceae Origin: Iran I have always loved Lamb’s Ear, using them often in garden designs wherever I needed a low splash of silver in front of other plants. Since 1998, I’ve been growing this ultra sleek variegated form that never fails to draw attention from other gardeners and plant collectors. It is just as tough and drought tolerant as the regular silver perennial, but with unique white marbling in its leaves. You can keep your Lamb’s Ear healthy by keeping humidity lower around the plant by not crowding it and applying a rock chip mulch. Keep all non-variegated portions removed. White & silver leaves, , low moisture (once established), well-drained soil, keep non-variegated portions removed.
Tropical Color – Sun – 24”x24” – Zone 10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: Central and South America. This brilliantly colored compact grower was given to me by Texas plantsman Greg Grant in the late 90’s. Several gardeners agree that this is probably the best of the False Vervains. It makes a great bedding plant when used in mass or as a single specimen. The bright red flower spikes are remarkable in the way they attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. This heat tolerant beauty is splendid when contrasted with the white foliage of Variegated Jewels of Opar. Red flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 36"x36" – Zone 10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: West Indies, South America If you ever get a chance to visit our nursery during one of our September open weekends, you’ll get a chance to view many of our plants after a season of growth. Lots of September visitors last year continually asked about the Purple False Vervain. The plants were in full bloom with numerous deep purple wands, which were attracting multitudes of butterflies. Heat-tough and long-blooming, this tropical is a real attention grabber in the landscape.
Tropical Color – Sun – 36”x36” – Zone 10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: Central and South America. This verbena relative is heat and humidity tolerant and provides the garden with nearly continuous flowering. The interesting pinkish-salmon colored blooms appear in long terminal snake-like spikes throughout the growing season. False Vervain can reach 8 feet tall in the wild but it only grows to around 3 feed in the garden. One of the best new plants for butterfly gardens, it also attracts hummingbirds. This selection is sometimes listed as the cultivar ‘Coral’.
Pink flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 36”x36” – Zone 10 – Family: Verbenaceae Origin: Central and South America. This new selection of False Vervain provides gardens and containers with even more color thanks to its marbled foliage. The variegated leaves lend an excellent contrast to the pinkish-salmon flower spikes. An exciting addition to any garden, keep any all-green reversions removed to maintain the variegation. Rest assured it attracts just as many butterflies and hummingbirds as its non-variegated kin. Pink flowers, var. leaves, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil, keep non-variegated portions removed.
Tropical Color – Sun, partial shade – 18”x18” – Zone 9-10 – Family: Portulaceae Origin: Mexico and Central America As you would expect from a plant closely related to Rose Moss, this tough variegated succulent performs brilliantly during heat and drought. Its small pink flowers open for a short period in the early evening and provide a quaint airiness above the foliage. The slightly smaller than pea-sized golden seed pods that follow also give a nice display, but the number one reason to grow this plant is because of its leaves. The beautifully variegated foliage lights up the garden with more color than most white flowering plants. Pest free and seedless, this selection thrives in a variety of soil types and moisture regimes. Pink flowers, var. leaves, moderate to low moisture, well-drained soil.
Tropical Color – Sun – 18"x24" – Zone 10 – Family: Portulacaceae Origin: Brazil This is a choice succulent for a sunny bed or container planting. We recently acquired this Talinum at a Florida nursery and have been quite pleased with its performance. Hot pink blooms about an inch wide with centers of bright yellow stamens make this fleshy-leaved Rose Moss relative an exciting addition to the garden.
Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 24”x30” – Zone 4-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Europe, Asia If you’re looking for an extraordinary hardy foliage plant with loads of garden appeal, Golden Tansy is just for you. This perennial is lavishly decked-out with fern-like, finely-cut bright yellow foliage. It holds its color well through the heat of summer and produces yellow rayless daisies in the fall. Its cultivar name, ‘Isla Gold’, comes from the place it was discovered, the now-closed Isla Nursery in Cambridgeshire, UK. This perennial contrasts beautifully with the green leaves of grasses, plants with blue or purple foliage, or pretty much anything in the garden. Gold leaves & flowers, moderate moisture, well-drained organically amended soil.
Native Perennial – Sun, partial shade – 24"x24" – Zone 4-9 – Family: Fabaceae Origin: Central and Eastern US The thing I find most alluring about Goat’s Rue is the unique bicolored display of pink and yellow flower clusters. These soft pastel colors create a delightful and very showy combination. This native perennial is quite tough, rarely wilting or turning brown even during severe drought. The roots of Goat’s Rue contain rotenone, a compound used to make pesticides and also once used by Native Americans to stun fish for capture. Tephros means ash-covered or hoary in Greek and refers to the downy hairs that cover the plant. Pink & yellow flowers, low moisture (once established), well-drained unamended soil.
Perennial – Sun, Partial Shade – 12"x30" – Zone 6-10 – Family: Commelinaceae Origin: Mexico I’m always excited to find hardy perennials with both attractive foliage and flowers. This Tradescantia is very similar to Purple Heart but rather than purple leaves, it has foliage of pleasing bluish-green with hints of purple. Its color contrasts exceptionally well with the plants showy pink flowers. Blue-Leaf Tradescantia is one of those easy-to-grow perennials that will one day grace many landscapes.
Tropical Color – Sun, Partial Shade – 18"x18" – Zone 7-10 – Family: Commelinaceae Origin: Mexico It’s hard to find a more striking plant than Variegated Purple Heart. It has pink flowers, but you usually don’t notice them because of its dark purple leaves with hot pink striping. Over-wintering in our zone 6b display garden since 2003, it needs protection from cold north winds when planted north of zone 8. One of those plants that a lot of people get excited about, it is quickly becoming a garden favorite. As with all variegated plants, keep all non-variegated portions removed.
Native Perennial – Shade, Partial Shade – 5'x2' – Zone 4-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: Eastern North America A tall native that works well in woodland settings, we grow Yellow Ironweed along one of our driveways. Blooming in fall with a wide panicle of yellow daisies, this plant is a favorite of butterflies, especially migrating Monarchs. The seed of this perennial is also fed upon by a number of birds. Yellow Ironweed occasionally creates “Frost Ribbons” in the fall, when the plant’s stem moisture freezes at that base and pushes out in narrow ice strips.
Native Vine – Sun, Partial Shade – 25' - 30' – Zone 5-9 – Family: Fabaceae Origin: OK, Eastern US Much better than Asian Wisterias, is our own species from only a few isolated localities in eastern Oklahoma, as well as from states east of here. This hardy vine produces numerous chains of sweetly fragrant blue-purple blooms in spring. Superior to other species because it isn’t quite as rampant, is not prone to suckering and it rarely has its flowers frozen in spring as it blooms in early May. The plants we offer come from one of this species’ western most population and are vegetatively propagated so they will be quicker to bloom in your garden. (One Gallon Size)
Native perennial – Sun – 10"x30" – Zone 5-9 – Family: Asteraceae Origin: OK, KS, TX, CO, NM, AZ A lot of people are surprised to learn about our native perennial zinnia. It’s not a tall seeded annual but a low-growing, tough-as-nails hardy member of the Daisy family. Plains Zinnia lights up xeriscapes and native gardens with its brilliant yellow flowers, which are continually produced late spring through fall. Its leaves are very un-zinnia like, small and narrow, almost needle-like. Just like most native Daisies, butterflies are constantly drawn to this plants floral display. Seed for our original stock plants was collected in southwestern Oklahoma. Make sure you plant it in a bright hot location with good drainage. Plains Zinnia does very well in poor gravely soils and needs no extra watering once established.
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Bustani Plant Farm, LLC, 1313 East 44th Ave, Stillwater, OK 74074 Phone: 405-372-3379 Fax: 405-707-8697
