Herbaceous Perennials, Groundcovers, and Small Shrubs

Iris Regina. This variety was discovered in Brazil near the ocean in shady sandy soil, introduced by Sid Gardino, and named after his wife, Regina.
The plant is salt tolerant. Plants mature to flowering size from seed in less than a year. Cold hardy only to about 30F.

Pitcher plant does well in both cooler or warmer conditions. Tubby pitchers may be constricted at the waist, pale green to red-infused, while the stems are compact. Passive pitfall traps produced at the tips of the leaves trap and digest small insects. Color of the pitchers light-green, often with light or dark-red or violet spots.
Nepenthes are extremely versatile and adaptable to many different growing conditions. The number one choice to try on a windowsill or tank, very easy, vigorous and attractive.
Do not fertilize these plants with dry fertilizer! They get all their food from "eating" insects! If you are growing the plant where it cannot catch insects for long periods, you can add an occasional small insect such as a fly, a cockroach or a few very small insects to mature pitchers. Many types benefit from very mild, diluted liquid orchid fertilizer such as SUNSHINE Orchidasm, and solution should be added only to the pitchers when they are 3/4 filled with water.
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Nepenthes x St. Gaya is a compact, easy-to-grow hybrid of N. khsiana x (ventricosa x maxima). It is a vigorous growing carnivorous tropical pitcher plant with large upright pitchers with cherry red speckles on yellow-green backgrounds. The trap mouths are wide and oval. Its parent species are quite adaptable, growing in the open or shade, among grasses and shrubs. It is very cold tolerant, but prefers warm, humid, bright conditions. It is quite good at catching large insects, such as: stink bugs, wasps and yellow jackets. It is a great house plant, that can be grown outdoors in the warm weather with a minimal transition period. It is a good Nepenthes for beginners.
Do not fertilize these plants with dry fertilizer! They get all their food from "eating" insects! If you are growing the plant where it cannot catch insects for long periods, you can add an occasional small insect such as a fly, a cockroach or a few very small insects to mature pitchers. Many types benefit from very mild, diluted liquid orchid fertilizer such as SUNSHINE Orchidasm, and solution should be added only to the pitchers when they are 3/4 filled with water.
See Article about this plant.

Rare small ornamental foliage plant from Thailand with beautiful unusual foliage, dark green, variegated with gold. Can be grown in a pot and indoors. Relatively cold hardy for subtropical areas.

Oxalis triangularis var. purpurea - unusual oxalis with large, dark purple leaves with a pattern design. Pink flowers. An eye stopper! Small perennial, will take both sun or shade. Cute container plant, and it is edible too! Tastes like grape skins.
Young plants have smaller leaves, then they will grow large up to 3" wide as the plant matures.
This plant may go semi-dormant in winter, just reduce watering, and new leaves are coming within a few weeks.

Brazilian candles. One of our most interesting shrubs. A vertical grower with green leaves and unusual dark pink and purple upright flowers with blue stamens that look like they are not fully opened. Flowers cover the whole plant sometimes. This plant excudes on stems and leaves, and after the liquid dries out, it leaves very attractive crystals, shining in the sunlight.

Devil's backbone, Zigzag plant, Jacob's ladder. Curious plant with showy growth habit - zig-zag stems, and interesting pink flowers. Drought tolerant, easy in cultivation, and as a houseplant.

Rainbow Peperomia, Ginny Peperomia, Baby Rubber Plant. Pretty variegated leaves grace Peperomia Ginny. Also known as Tricolor or Rainbow, the parent species radiator plant hails from the West Indies and Venezuela. It is an herbaceous tender perennial and a very popular houseplant. This cultivar has an upright growth habit and large leaves make it a good choice for containers. Ginny has thick elliptical leaves which are medium green edged in creamy white blushed with rosy-pink.
Peperomias are generally very easy to grow. Allow the soil of potted specimens to become somewhat dry between watering. Outside, red-edged peperomia prefers shady location. High ambient humidity is required for best looks and growth. Plant in containers or interior landscapes and as an unusual groundcover in frost-free humid areas.

An easy to grow perfect houseplant with round waxy variegated leaves. Blooms with small greenish-white flowers on spikes. Need bright indirect light; let dry before watering.

Radiator plant, False Philodendron. This perfect houseplant has bright emerald leaves and is a very fast grower and requires minimum care. It has glossy elongated heart-shaped foliage evenly spaced along long stems. Leaves resemble those of Philodendron scandens, hence the common name. This plant makes a great hanging basket or cascade in a planter. Great for beginners!
Allow getting slightly dry between waterings.

This unique plant is originally used in real Japanese sushi serving (instead of plastic "grass" used now in Western world).
Shiso is a perennial plant that may be cultivated as an annual in temperate climates. The Japanese name shiso is a loan word from Chinese zisu that means purple. Bunches of green shiso leaves packaged in styrofoam trays are now familiar sights on the supermarket shelves in Japan, as well as in Japanese food markets in the West. The oilseed crop, is the source of perilla oil. It is used as an ingredient in Korean cuisine, both "wild sesame'" (deulggae), and "sesame leaves". It is known in Japan as egoma. The red perilla has red leaves and used mostly in fish stews in China. Koreans make pickled "wild sesame" perilla leaves with red chili powder and soy sauce. Oil extracted from P. frutescens var. frutescens is still used to cover cookies in rural areas of Korea. Sometimes, the seeds are ground and added to soup for seasoning in Korea. Parts of the plants eaten are the leaves, flower and buds from the flower stalks, fruits and seeds, and sprouts. Japanese use green shiso leaves raw with sashimi. Dried leaves are also infused to make tea.
the plant is also called rattlesnake weed, because the sound the dried stalks make when disturbed along the footpath is reminiscent of the rattlesnake rattling sound.

A delightful philodendron with its dark green leaves that are highlighted by white stripes. As the leaves mature the pinstripes get even more intense making the leaves look like they are gleaming. This rare beauty makes an amazing houseplant and a colorful centerpiece of Aroid plant collection.
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A spectacular philodendron with chartreuse foliage. Super easy to grow and adapts well to almost any light.
This spectacular vine discovered in Indonesia has a lot going for it: It's a member of the trendy philodendron family; it's a climber; and it sports eye-catching golden-yellow foliage. On top of that, Golden Goddess is easy to grow in a bright spot, and like most vines, it becomes more spectacular with age. Over time, the new leaves get bigger and bolder, creating a look you can't help but show off. This plant prefers bright light but avoid direct sunlight. The Golden Goddess is a moderate grower depending on its environment and is hardy in USDA Zone 9-11.
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Philodendron hastatum is very rare and unusual philodendron with silver, almost metallic-looking foliage. It is perfect plant to light up your garden or indoor plant collection. It is found exclusively in south eastern Brazil and as well as the state of Rio de Janeiro. This part of Brazil has been devastated by the cutting of forest for farming, logging and residence, hence many plant and animal species have been extinct.
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While a less common houseplant, the Philodendron McColley's Finale features lovely multi-colored leaves that make it stunning to look at and an attention piece.
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Philodendron Moonlight is a bright green, almost fluorescent hybrid known for its cheerful look and its ease of care. New leaves unfurl from reddish skins in chartreuse and mature into an emerald green.
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Native to the tropical regions of Mexico and the Caribbean, Micans is a stunning philodendron variety that is known for its velvety, heart-shaped leaves and trailing growth habit. It has become extremely popular as a houseplant but can be difficult to come across; but if you are able to get your hands on one you won't regret it. Looks great in hanging planters or trellises, it is low-maintenance and easy to grow.
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Philodendron x selloum (bipinnatifidum) Super Atom - a rare hybrid, gorgeous subtropical plant with a reputation for being hardy and stable. It is easy-to-care-for, compact sub-tropical plant with wavy evergreen gloss leaves; originates from the rainforests of Brazil and Paraguay, and is fresh on the houseplant market. The biggest advantage of this plant is that it is a dwarf cultivar, slow growing and has smaller leaves. This makes it a perfect plant for any indoor plant collection.
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Root Beer Plant, Acuyo, False Kava-Kava. Close relative of Piper methysticum (Kava-Kava), and Piper nigrum (Black Pepper), this herb originated from Tropical America and grows also in the South Pacific. Large-leaved perennial, known for its leaves, which are used for their spicy aromatic scent and flavor, some liken to root beer, others to anise-clove. This species is easily identified by its huge leaves which can grow over a foot long in older specimens. The leaves are chopped and used for flavoring, as well as used whole, as wrappings for meats, tamales, etc. P. auritum is very often confused with Piper methysticum (Kava-Kava), and probably has some similar effects.
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Staghorn fern (Stagshorn). Showy, tropical looking epiphyte that can be grown on a tree or in a large hanging basket. It is able to grow high in the trees of the rainforest, often grows in large masses. Long, pendulous, much bifurcated fertile fronds produce spores on special cup shaped appendages. Basal fronds form a crown shaped basket.

Camphor plant - previously called as Ocimum kilimanscharicum. Wonderful scent! Very rare herb great for ground cover, xeriscape or rock garden, needs no care, grows fast, very drought tolerant. Plant it along walkway and enjoy pleasant scent as you walk by or brush on it.

This is a succulent plectranthus with small bright green, serrated leaves. It has a long bloom period of narrow 12 inch spikes of lavender blue flowers. In nature, it is found growing in full sun in hot dry rocky ground inland of Durban, South Africa. In gardens there, it is used as a vigorous ground cover and has been found suitable as a green roof plant. It's a tough groundcover that prefers dry conditions and grows in both sun or semi-shade. The shallow root system makes it ideal for shallow dry soil. Try it as a succulent groundcover for rockeries, slopes, or planted around Aloes or other large succulents. However be cautious, as it grows rapidly and might smother less vigorous smaller plants and can be damaged by the lightest frost. It does make an excellent potted plant where it has a more compact habit.

White Cape plumbago, cape leadwort. This is a rare variety, hard to propagate.

Blue Plumbago, Cape Leadwort. Unusual blue color for tropics! Blooms all year round with denser blooms from March to November. Plumbago is popular in both tropical and sub-tropical gardens because of its delicate blue flowers, it is seen often as a low plant used for hedges. It tolerates both drought and poor soil, grows best if it is heavily pruned from time to time, even cut back to the ground.