Butterfly attractors

Also known as A. x hybridum Fireball, and Abutilon Biltmore Ballgown, this is one of the many lovely hybrids between A. darwinii and A. striatum, with maple-like leaves and bell-flowers whose petals are recurved, turning in slightly at the bottom. Flowers are fiery red, as one would imagine, with prominent red veins accenting the surface. Happy plants can reach 8-10 ft tall, though pruning easily adjusts the size. Best with plentiful summer water and fertilizer. Less hardy than many, preferring temperatures that only occasionally drop into the 20s F, USDA zone 9. Placement out of wind with overhead protection and plentiful mulch help in less than balmy climates.

Brazilian Bell-flower is a fun and easy-to-grow hummingbird magnet for the perennial border. In the garden or in a hanging container, it spreads to several feet wide in a single season. In the wild, Abutilon megapotamicum reaches 8' tall, but in cultivation arely exceeds 5' tall, and less when grown as a potted plant. During warm months, the plants are laden with cool 2" hanging lantern-like flowers composed of red calyces above the yellow petals, ending with its bright red privates dangling beneath... all carefully arranged between the thumb-sized green leaves.

Mexican Coral Vine, Coral Creeper - fast-growing delicate vine with bright pink flowers. Cold hardy! Very fast growing, will cover a fence in one season. Blooms most of the year.

Yellow Aphelandra. Yellow flowers emerge out of long orange stalks in the fall time. Pretty and unusual! A tall, shrubby perennial with very long terminal inflorescences that are very unique and showy, with yellow flowers protruding from orange calyces in succession over many days. Grows nicely in full sun in south Florida, but it will also tolerate quite shady conditions.

Aphelandra scabra (panamensis). This is a new introduction, quite unique flowering plant from S America. Like all aphelandras, it has showy flowers that are loved by hummingbirds. The flowers of this variety are bright pink, up to 2 inch long, and tubular. They are 2-lipped, fuzzy and they bloom for one day before wilting. The A. scabra inflorescence is candle-like and the prepubescent flower spikes can grow up to 6 inch in height. The inflorescence has overlapping green bracts that are tinged with yellow and orange and they have extrafloral nectaries. Each day only one or two flowers open along the inflorescence to prevent self-pollination.
It is a great addition to a collectible tropical butterfly garden. Can grow into 4-5" tall bushy specimen. Blooms sporadically during warm season. Tolerates both full sun or filtered light.

White-leaved variety of Zebra Plant - gets its name from white stripes on the leaves. It is one of the best house plants. This plant is not only pretty because of its white-veined foliage, but also for the apical inflorescence with its beautiful yellow bracts.

This is a rare hybrid possibly with A. scabra (panamensis) that has bright red flowers, quite unique flowering plant from S America. Like all aphelandras, it has showy flowers that are loved by hummingbirds. The flower up to 2 inch long, tubular. They are 2-lipped, fuzzy and they bloom for one day before wilting. Inflorescence is candle-like and the prepubescent flower spikes can grow up to 6 inch in height. The inflorescence has overlapping green bracts that are tinged with yellow and orange and they have extrafloral nectaries. Each day only one or two flowers open along the inflorescence to prevent self-pollination.
It is a great addition to a collectible tropical butterfly garden. Can grow into 4-5" tall bushy specimen. Blooms sporadically during warm season. Tolerates both full sun or filtered light.

Aristolochia gigantea var. Brasiliensis is one of the most outrageous flowers in the world. This species from Brazil has huge, over ten inches in length lemon-scented flowers and exhibits an elaborate pattern of white and mottled reddish brown. Since it is not a vigorous vine, it can easily be trained on a stake, trellis or even a hanging basket. A most interesting rare collectible.

Pipe Flower. Unusual aristolochia species with deep veined leaves 5-6 wide and bigger. They are leathery and glossy, look almost like aroid leaves. Small flowers are unusual shape too. It is said that the plant is cold hardy to mid-20-s F.