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Why is it called Chinese Hat Flower? Winter bloomer is here!

Holmskioldia sanguinea, or Chinese Hat Flower

💍 Why is it called Chinese Hat Flower? Winter bloomer is here!
  • 👒 The Holmskioldia sanguinea, or Chinese Hat Flower, gets its charming nickname from the shape of its blooms. Each flower resembles a tiny, colorful hat or parasol, with a narrow tubular structure backed by a broad, circular calyx, giving it a "hat-like" appearance!
  • 👒 This unique form has also inspired other playful names like Cup and Saucer, Parasol Flower, and Mandarin's Hat.
  • 👒 One of the most amazing features of the Chinese Hat Flower is that it's a vibrant winter bloomer. Just when many plants are dormant, it bursts into color, brightening up gardens with its eye-catching hues.
  • 👒 The classic variety produces red blooms, but there are also rare types, including Holmskioldia citrina, which has bright yellow flowers, and a bronze variety with orange-bronze blooms. These vibrant colors make it a fantastic choice for adding a splash of color to any garden during the cooler months.
  • 👒 This scrambling shrub is not only beautiful but also hardy and fast-growing, perfect for training along trellises, fences, or arbors, where its cascading blooms can shine.
  • 👒 Besides being visually striking, the Chinese Hat Flower is a magnet for pollinators, drawing in butterflies and hummingbirds.
  • 👒 For gardeners seeking a low-maintenance, colorful plant with a tropical vibe, the Chinese Hat Flower is an ideal choice!


📸 More photos of varieties in the next post ⬇️⬇️⬇️

🛒 Shop Chinese Hat Plants

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Why some cassias are called Rainbow?

Rainbow cassia - Cassia Marginata

🌈 Why some cassias are called "Rainbow"?

Cassias, besides yellow, can be pink, red, or with a multi-color flower combination.

Rainbow cassias are hybrids between yellow and pink or red cassias.

Some of the most showy cassias are:
Cassia grandis - Red Cassia
Cassia javanica - Apple Blossom Tree
Cassia marginata - Rainbow Shower Tree
Cassia roxburghii - Ceylon Senna
Cassia x nodosa - Pink Shower, Appleblossom.

♦️ Cassia trees are compact, fast growing, tolerant to drought and poor soils, free-flowering and relatively cold hardy. Always a great choice!

❓ What cassias do you have in your garden?
Share photos in comments👇

📚 More about cassias from previous posts:
How to add color to your yard
Rainbow Cassias

🎥 Rainbow cassia - Cassia Marginata.

🛒 Shop showy Cassia trees

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The plant you didnt know you needed!

Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise

Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise

Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise

Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise

🧙‍♀️ The plant you didn’t know you needed!
  • 🟨 Many gardeners love and want Caesalpinia pulcherrima, the common Bird of Paradise, but Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise - is a rare treasure with a delightful twist - fragrant flowers! This hardy, drought-tolerant shrub thrives in intense heat and is perfect for small yards or patios.
  • 🟨 During the warm months, it bursts with butter-yellow blooms that pop against feathery green foliage, attracting hummingbirds. As the flowers fade, woody pods form and snap open dramatically. It grows quickly to 10 feet and can be shaped into a small tree or kept as a compact shrub.
  • 🟨 Native to northern Mexico, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil with very little water. If you're looking for a low-maintenance beauty that adds both fragrance and charm, this plant is a must-have!


🛒 Plant Mexican Bird of Paradise

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How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor

Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa

Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa

😊 How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor
  • 🐝 Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa - is a delightful evergreen shrub that's as tough as it is charming!
  • 🐝 This large, multi-stem shrub can reach 15 feet tall and wide and sports thorny branches - a real character with a wild streak! But don't let the thorns scare you off; it offers rewards aplenty.
  • 🐝 Its canary-yellow, powder-puff flowers bloom all winter through spring, filling the air with a honey-like fragrance that attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
  • 🐝 This plant doesn't just survive - it thrives in poor soils, tolerates drought and alkaline conditions, and grows incredibly fast!
  • 🐝 Whether you're planting it as a privacy screen or just looking for a pop of cheerful color during chilly months, this hardy shrub keeps its evergreen leaves even through cold snaps when other plants throw in the towel.
  • 🐝 Native to Mexico and Central America, Sweet Mimosa has spread its charm far and wide, becoming popular in southern U.S. landscapes like Florida, Texas, and Arizona. It even finds use in perfume production with its flowers contributing to the fragrance known as "cassie" in Europe.
  • 🐝 Every gardener should have this resilient plant ready to brighten the garden and attract wildlife year-round!


🛒 Plant Sweet Mimosa

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Date:

hat is the most spectacular variegated ginger?

Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata

😵 What is the most spectacular variegated ginger?
  • 🌀 Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - is a tropical stunner originally from South America but adored in Hawaii and Florida
  • 🌀 This ginger's eye-catching, spiraling stems are streaked with striking white variegation, topped with elegant pure white flowers with yellow centers.
  • 🌀 The pure white blooms are truly a piece of art! Perfect for shade gardens (but also can take sun), this plant thrives in moist soil and loves plenty of water.
  • 🌀 If you're looking to add a bit of drama and elegance to your garden, this beauty is a must-have!


📚 Learn more about gingers from previous posts:

🛒 Shop Gingers

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Do you have a spot for pure white and elegant?

Bauhinia acuminata - Dwarf White Orchid Tree

🕊 Do you have a spot for pure white and elegant?
  • 🤍 Bauhinia acuminata - Dwarf White Orchid Tree - is a true gem for any garden! This charming small tree flaunts pure white, orchid-like flowers that bring a delicate beauty to sunny or semi-shaded spaces.
  • 🤍 Despite its smaller size, it's a standout with its lovely, five-petaled blooms and graceful, rounded leaves.
  • 🤍 Ideal for compact gardens or even containers, the Dwarf White Orchid Tree creates a tropical, elegant atmosphere while being easy to care for.
  • 🤍 With its bright, long-lasting blooms, this tree is sure to capture your heart!


📚 Learn more about Orchid trees from previous posts:

🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

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What is our favorite flowering shrub?

Ball of Fire - Combretum constrictum

🔥 What is our favorite flowering shrub?

🔥 Ball of Fire! Combretum constrictum is very showy beautiful vining shrub with powderpuff fire-red flowers. It is easy to grow and undemanding and booms almost year round; attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

📚 Learn more from previous post:
Watch out - Ball of Fire!

🛒 Order your Ball of Fire

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The solution to eliminate weeds finally found!

Senna (Cassia) alata â€" Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant

🌞 The solution to eliminate weeds finally found! Yet it has beautiful sunny flowers!
  • 🟡 Imagine a plant that grows fast, stays in bloom almost year-round, and covers your garden with lush, vibrant greenery with sunny, candle-like flowers. That's the Senna (Cassia) alata – Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant.
  • 🟡 This garden wonder lights up your space with golden, candle-like flowers, while its huge leaves provide cool shade and keep weeds at bay! Weeds 🌱 just don't have a chance to grow under its canopy!
  • 🟡 In just one or two seasons, it can grow up to 10 feet wide and 6-8 feet tall, creating a natural masterpiece of beauty.
  • 🟡 Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees flock to its bright yellow flowers, which are followed by intriguing, rattling seed pods 🦋🐝
  • 🟡 The Empress Candle isn't just a plant - it's a stunning, must-have addition that transforms any garden into a living work of art.


🎥 Watch the video in the next post 👇

🛒 Shop Empress Candle

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How Turks Cap can be full of snow in Summer

Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata -

Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata - "Summer Snow"

Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata -

Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata - "Summer Snow"

Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata - "Summer Snow"

❄️ How Turk's Cap can be full of snow in Summer
  • ⛄️ Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata - "Summer Snow"- is very rare variegated variety Turk's Cap, or Firecracker Hibiscus.
  • ⛄️ Almost ever-blooming, this shrub looks much like a hibiscus (to which it is closely related) which flowers are ready to open. In fact, the flowers never open much, hence the common name of Sleepy Hibiscus.
  • ⛄️ It blooms often, and the flowers attract hummingbirds. The 2 inch long tubular flowers appear to be constructed of crimson crepe paper as they nod against the large variegated leaves.
  • ⛄️ Some leaves can be completely white! The little tree looks like a decorated Christmas tree!
  • ⛄️ Can be kept compact shape and is good for container culture and bonsai.


🛒 Order Summer Snow

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What is the best flowering bush that everyone loves?

Calliandra schultzii - Dwarf Powderpuff

💑 What is the best flowering bush that everyone loves?

Calliandras, commonly known as powderpuffs, are vibrant and delightful additions to any garden. Their distinctive, fluffy flower heads and ease of care make them a favorite among gardeners. Calliandras are an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their garden with minimal effort while enjoying the beauty and benefits they bring.
  • 💖 Striking Blooms: Calliandra's unique, powderpuff-like flowers come in shades of red, pink, and white, adding a splash of color.
  • 💖 Attracts Wildlife: These flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
  • 💖 Low Maintenance: Calliandras are tough plants that require minimal care. Once established, they are quite drought-tolerant, ideal for water-wise gardening.
  • 💖 Year-Round blooms: Many varieties bloom multiple times a year.
  • 💖 Planting Options: Suitable for hedges, borders, or container planting, offering flexibility in garden design.
  • 💖 Pest Resistant: Generally resistant to common pests and diseases.


🎥 Calliandra schultzii - Dwarf Powderpuff
📚 More Calliandras from previous posts:

🛒 Shop Calliandras - Powderpuffs

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