Salt Tolerant Plants

This is a large to very large purple fig with good flavor. An heirloom fig that was brought to the US from Italy via Dr. Sam Monticello's grandmother. The soon to be Mrs. Decarlo was a 16 years old bride and on her way to meet her new husband. She wrapped the cuttings in newspaper to get them here as she traveled to the new world aboard ship. Dr. Monticello, a Lake Charles Master Gardener and retired physician, says that they have been grown in this area from the time his grandmother arrived here as well as in Kansas where part of their family migrated to. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing.

Clusters of fiery-orange tubular flowers are seemingly borne continuously from mid to late spring to fall, where grown as a die-back perennial, to potentially nearly year-round under warm tropical conditions attracting mainly hummingbirds but also larger butterflies. The Dwarf Mexican Firebush, Hamelia patens var. glabra 'Nana', is a naturally evergreen, heat and sunloving, tropical shrub that acts like a die-back perennial returning from the crown in spring in areas where freezes occur. This compact form of the Mexican Firebush lends it to use in smaller spaces and containers as well as in the garden and landscape. The Dwarf Mexican Firebush appears to be just as hardy as the standard larger growing form and we have seen it take temperatures as low as 8^oF with no problems carrying its hardiness well into zone 8. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, well-drained, fertile soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Item# 403

One of the earliest to begin flowering and an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner! Clusters of lilac-pink tubular flowers are produced in abundance beginning in midspring and continuing into fall and are held against a contrasting foil of long-lasting showy deep bronze-red bracts and exceptionally dark green glossy foliage that takes on purple and bronze tones in winter. The flowers of Abelias attract a variety of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Edward Goucher Glossy Abelia, considered to be a hybrid of Abelia x grandiflora x A. shumanii, has a naturally dense, rounded to vase-shaped habit on this medium-sized, evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub. Abelias are known for their toughness and adaptability to a variety of soil types provided they have average or better drainage. Deer resistant, somewhat salt tolerant, and mature, well-established plants are moderately drought resistant. Provide a full sun to part shade site with moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Long one of our personal favorites! Item# 3041

Eva Lyon Holmes is a repeat blooming Hydrangea sporting large Mopheads of pink or blue beginning in late spring and will continue to bloom on new growth into summer and fall. Repeat blooming Hydrangea varieties will bloom even after extreme cold has frozen the buds of older varieties making them more suitable choices for northern regions. item# 9074.

2018 Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year! This first ever Cascade Hydrangea produces strongly horizontal lateral branches that are covered in white lace-cap like flower clusters sorrounded by large, bright white, lacily edged florets in summer. Fairytrail Bride® Cascade Hydrangea has a naturally upright stems that produce strongly horizontal lateral stems that can produce flowers seemingly at every node. Its unusual mounding growth habit lends it to use in containers and hanging baskets as well as in the garden and landscape. As with the Bigleaf and Lacecap Hydrangeas, provide this Proven Winners® Color Choice® selection with a moist, well-drained, fertile soil in an area that receives morning sun with shade or filtered shade during the hottest portion of the day in areas with hot summer climates. In cooler climates Fairytrail Bride® Cascade Hydrangeas can tolerate full to mostly sunny sites. Some direct sunlight, preferably >4 hours per day, is needed for good bud and flower production. Photo courtesy of Proven Winners - www.provenwinners.com, all rights reserved. Item# 12916

A branch sport of Chicago Hardy with very short internodes producing a very compact, well-branched plant that is a good producer and is ideal for container culture. Expect Fignomenal to produce large crops of medium to small nearly black to brown or violet, pear shaped to turbinate figs with amber to strawberry flesh with a rich sweet flavor. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum vigor and fruit production. Protect young trees for the first few years especially in zones 8A and colder while they become established. Caterpillar host: Ruddy Daggerwing. Item# 13249

Glowing scarlet 1" long two-lipped tubular flowers are borne along dark tinged spikes from mid to late spring to frost attracting hummingbirds, occasional butterflies, and long-tongued bees. Flame Autumn Sage, a selection of Salvia greggii, is a long flowering shrub-like perennial with a semi-compact, well-branched habit potentially reaching 24-36"H x 18-24"W. The Autumn Sage and its hybrids make easy, reliable, and forgiving container specimens as well as a long-flowering additions to the sunny garden or landscape. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with very good to excellent drainage for optimum health and flowering. Drought resistant once fully established and deer resistant. Item# 9039

This Almost Eden exclusive introduction boasts clusters of glowing deep reddish orange 2" upward facing tubular blooms that are perfect for hummingbirds and butterflies. Flowering from summer and often well into winter this hardy heat and sun-loving tropical can be grown as a shrub, vine, espalier, or can even be trained into tree forms. Where not hardy it makes an easy container plant. Item# 9565.

The bright yellow and green variegated foliage of this dwarf variegated Glossy Abelia is a standout in the garden, landscape, and even as a container plant where its sunny foliage contrasts nicely with surrounding perennials and shrubs. The new growth of Francis Mason Abelia emerges an orange to coppery color and matures to a sunny yellow to gold and green. Francis Mason is a naturally dwarf to semi-dwarf, semi-evergreen to deciduous, naturally rounded shrub selected for its boldly variegated foliage and its clusters of large white tinged pink, lightly fragrant, funnel shaped flowers that begin appearing in late spring or early summer and continue into fall on new growth. The nectar rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Provide a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and the brightest foliage color. Tough, pest and disease resistant, easy and reliable. Item# 12052

Vigorous and reliably hardy to zone 6! Large rounded clusters, to 5" across, composed of pure white trumpets are perched atop strong 3-4' sturdy stems on a tight clump forming plant with upright to arching narrow rich green foliage. Galaxy White Agapanthus has been successfully trialed for over 7 years in Zeeland, Michigan by the folks at Walter's Gardens with excellent reliability, vigor and cold hardiness. Our plants are in bud at the time of this writing, 5-25-2020, but will likely flower in summer where winters are coldest. Use Galaxy White Agapanthus anywhere you want to make a statement and the flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item#12137

The rounded flower clusters open to a bright orange-yellow and quickly deepen into rich red tones. Gem™ Compact Orange Fire Lantana was developed with container culture in mind where they will provide spring to fall color and nectar for pollinators all on a compact rounded plant growing to just 8-10"H x 10-12"W. These versatile heat and sunloving plants can also be utilized for hanging baskets as well as in the garden and landscape. Due to their slow growth rate, the Lantana in this series may not be suitable for cool summer climates. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Danziger, all rights reserved. Item# 13121

The 2021 Classic City Award winner in the UGA Trial Gardens! The rounded flower clusters open yellow, fade into peach, and then deepen into rich pink tones. Gem™ Compact Pink Opal Lantana was developed with container culture in mind where they will provide spring to fall color and nectar for pollinators all on a compact rounded plant growing to just 8-10"H x 10-12"W. These versatile heat and sunloving plants can also be utilized for hanging baskets as well as in the garden and landscape. Due to their slow growth rate, the Lantana in this series may not be suitable for cool summer climates. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Danziger, all rights reserved. Item# 13122

The rounded flower clusters open a sunny yellow, fade into pastel peachy and apricot shades, and finally into soft rosy pink tones. Gem™ Compact Rose Quartz Lantana was developed with container culture in mind where they will provide spring to fall color and nectar for pollinators all on a compact rounded plant growing to just 8-10"H x 10-12"W. These versatile heat and sunloving plants can also be utilized for hanging baskets as well as in the garden and landscape. Due to their slow growth rate, the Lantana in this series may not be suitable for cool summer climates. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Danziger, all rights reserved. Item# 13123

The rounded flower clusters open deep golden yellow, fade through hot fuchsia, and then deepen into magenta. Gem™ Diva Pink Lantana was developed with container culture in mind where they will provide spring to fall color and nectar for pollinators all on a compact rounded plant growing to just 8-10"H x 10-12"W. These versatile heat and sunloving plants can also be utilized for hanging baskets as well as in the garden and landscape. Due to their slow growth rate, the Lantana in this series may not be suitable for cool summer climates. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Danziger, all rights reserved. Item# 13309

The rounded flower clusters open to a bright orange-yellow and quickly deepen into rich red tones. Gem™ Ruby Lantana was developed with container culture in mind where they will provide spring to fall color and nectar for pollinators all on a compact rounded plant growing to about 10-14" high and wide. These versatile heat and sunloving plants can also be utilized for hanging baskets as well as in the garden and landscape . Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and continuous flowering. Images courtesy of Danziger, all rights reserved. Item# 13120

The large 1-1/2" long tubular color-changing flowers are produced in spike-like clusters from the leaf axils and start out yellow and fade through orange into red tones and are held on 3-4'H sturdy stems. The flowers are produced during the spring, where plants are not frozen to the ground, and/or in fall just in time for migrating hummingbirds. The Giant Cigar Plant, Cuphea micropetala, is a herbaceous, slowly spreading, upright to branching perennial cloaked in dark green glossy foliage. Considered by many to be the most reliably cold hardy Cuphea species surviving into zone 7B if provided a breathable winter mulch. It typically spreads stoloniferously and via rhizomes but is not considered invasive or aggressive. As with basically all Cupheas, the Giant Cigar is heat and sunloving and will benefit from average moisture, in fertile soils with average or better drainage. Where not hardy it can easily be maintained as a medium to medium-large container plant. Item# 429

The tall dense spikes of golden yellow flowers and seedheads are held well above the fountaining clump of wide olive green foliage on sturdy 6' high stems beginning in early August and are showy throughout winter. Golden Sunset® Yellow Indiangrass, a University of Minnesota selection of Sorghastrum nutans,  was selected for its early flowering, sturdy stems that do not fall over or lodge and last through winter, as well as for its reliable zone 3 cold hardiness. it has received high marks in trials and has been in development for about 15 years. This is a wonderful refinement for this showy native grass making it a useful addition to both formal and informal garden and landscape settings. The seed heads provide fodder for songbirds and other wildlife and the foliage is utilized by the Pepper-and-Salt Skipper butterfly as a caterpillar host plant. Provide a full to mostly sunny site optimally in a well-drained loamy soil with average moisture but the plants are fairly adaptable to soil types and are drought resistant once fully established. When not in 'flower' the grass itself is about 3' x 3'. Plants may top out at about 4-5' high the first two years of establishment. Images courtesy of the University of Minnesota. Item# 12850

Large clusters of brilliant golden yellow 3" long trumpet shaped flowers are produced most heavily in early to midspring and may be produced sporadically during the growing season. The nectar rich flowers are produced during its short deciduous period to better show them off while attracting a variety of pollinators including hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. The Golden Trumpet Tree, previously Tabebuia chrysotricha and now classified as Handroanthus chrysotrichus, is a highly sought after, relatively fast growing, small to medium sized, short term deciduous, tropical tree that develops a naturally rounded crown at maturity growing to about 25-35'H and nearly as wide. This is a good choice as a street tree, small lawn tree, or for lightly shading a pool or patio. Pollinated flowers produce long, curving brown fuzzy seed pods. The Tabebuia prefers a well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 9678

Few plants can consistently attract as many butterflies as this Lantana making the plant appear alive with these fluttering wonders, especially in summer and fall. Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch Lantana produces yellow centered clusters of brilliant pumpkin orange flowers from late spring to frost on this vigorous Lantana that can certainly keep up with New Gold for flowering ability. Item# 9605