HOT AND DRY SPOT

Dwarf Pomegranate - compact fruiting shrub that is often used for bonsai. Fruit are smaller than regular pomegranate, but also edible, although somewhat acid. Mostly used as cute ornamental specimen.
See Article about Pomegranate.

Red Rhipsalis. Arched then completely pendant flat tapeworm stems turn deep violet red in high light; tiny flowers followed by ornamental shell berries lining both edges of the ribbon stems most attractively.

Firecracker fern, Coral plant. Bright red flowers. Low-growing shrub, distinctive for its long, drooping, usually leafless stems and the almost continuous clusters of small tubular flowers. Each plant produces many branches and is particularly effective when grown in a raised bed or rock garden so that the flower-laden stems hang down. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Russelia will grow under both moist and dry conditions, but requires full sunlight and occasional pruning to flower well.
See picture of actual plant for sale (1-2013).

Abicola, Arboricola, Trinette, Hawaiian Umbrella Tree, Hawaiian Elf Schefflera. It is a popular low maintenance landscape plant and easy-to-care-for houseplant known for its glossy, green leaves with creamy yellow splashes, resembling tiny umbrellas. It thrives in sun or shade, has low water needs. This adaptable, tropical-looking plant is great for adding color and texture indoors and can be pruned to maintain a bushier shape. This is one of the easiest shrubs to care for and is a very beautiful "trouble-free" evergreen. This versatile little tree or shrub is great for home, office, or garden.

Sedum kamtschaticum (Orange Stonecrop, Phedimus kamtschaticus) is one of those plants that practically takes care of itself. This tough little succulent quickly forms a colorful, weed-suppressing carpet just 4-6 inches tall, covered with bright yellow star-shaped flowers in late spring and summer. As the weather cools, the foliage turns beautiful shades of orange and red, keeping the display going long after the blooms fade. It loves full sun, thrives in rocky or sandy soil, laughs at drought once established, and is perfect for rock gardens, borders, stone walls, slopes, or spilling over containers. If you're looking for an easy, low-maintenance groundcover that looks great year after year, Orange Stonecrop is a winner.

Starfish Flower, Giant Toad Flower, Carrion Flower. This spine-free succulent, Stapelia gigantea, is one of the plant world's giants and belongs to the milkweed family. It thrives in dry desert areas from Tanzania to South Africa. Its name "Carrion" comes from its unique scent that's similar to rotting meat, attracting pollinating flies who find the aroma irresistible. The standout feature of this plant is its large, fleshy star-shaped flowers, flaunting pale ochre-yellow petals with thin maroon lines. It blooms in the fall when daylight hours shorten. Despite its unusual smell, it makes for a stunning container plant with its 4-angled, succulent stems that grow upright to 8-12" before sprawling sideways. Plants in the ground can reach up to 24" wide. When it seeds, each pod looks like a mini milkweed parachute. Let's also appreciate its interesting background - the genus name honors Dutch physician Johannes Bodaeus van Stapel from the 1600s.
See video: Bizzare starfish flower - Stapelia gigantea.

White Velvet, White Gossamer, Cobweb Spiderwort. Fuzzy leaved spiderwort, appearing as if its leaves were covered with spiderwebs. Silver green leaves frosted with white fuzzy cobwebbing whorled around upright stems. Low growing and spreading, to 10-12" x 18", with striking magenta flowers in summer through autumn. Showy in containers or the garden. Unusual little plant for the rock garden, a pot or the top of a wall.
Sun to light shade. This is a plant that enjoys neglect and mixes well with succulents. Far hardier than appears, this overwinters at light freeze (zone 7B).

Variegated Purple Primrose, Chinese Violet. The brightly variegated leaves of yellow and dark green, make a great contrast with the flowers. It thrives in sun or partial shade and can tolerant dry conditions, heat, humidity, salty air, and poor nutrient soils. Give this easy growing plant good drainage and medium moisture for optimum growth.
Can be used as a mass planting under large trees and borders in full sun, semi-shade or full shade. It is also a good container plant. Leaves have been eaten as spinach in India.
This ground cover thrives in semi-shade and will also grow in sunny spots if it receives adequate moisture. It can be planted in any soil in the garden, but will do better if plenty of compost is added.

Bauhinia grandidieri, Dwarf Blue Orchid Tree - a very rare exotic shrub, great for bonsai. Lavender to bluish small flowers and tiny leaves. The plant is very slow growing and naturally looks like a miniature tree. This is a collectible item, plants are very hard to find.
Learn more: Bauhinias: trees with Orchid Flowers and Butterfly Wings

Red Kapok tree is a remarkable tree with spectacular display of bright red flowers, which bloom during the spring season. The flowers are large, showy, and have a sweet fragrance, making them popular with birds and insects. The tree's blossoms are also used in traditional medicine for their medicinal properties.

Bougainvillea Sunvillea Rose (also called Dwarf Pixie) is deep pink, almost a magenta in color. It blooms the brightest of fuchsia-pink bracts contrasting with its bright green foliage. If you're looking for a pick-me-up for your container gardens, or a dull space in the landscape, here's your winner!
It is a dwarf form of thornless Bougainvillea with extremely slow growth rate. These showy evergreen dwarf beauties have numerous bright colorful bracts growing in an upright habit. This plant flowers in a small as a 4" pot and is great for landscapes and patio containers. It has a shape of natural bonsai, and leaves are smaller. Bright flowers are born in dense clusters. 3-4 y.o. plants can stay only 3-4 ft and look like natural bonsai trees. They stay compact, perfectly round and dense shape, don't require pruning, making a must-have for any garden, especially for the small spaces in your yard.
See picture of the mature tree in 7 gal pot

Calliandra tergemina (var. emarginata Nana) - Dwarf Powderpuff - dwarf everblooming variety. Drought tolerant, easy to grow plant. It stays very short 2-3 ft tall, gets dense and bushy, no pruning needed.

Pink Powderpuff, Shuttlecock. Spectacular bloomer! Attractive shrub with finely divided leaves and clusters of red powder-puff flowers. It is native to southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. One of the most beautiful of the Calliandra species, it is a medium- to large-sized shrub with a graceful growth habit. Silky, pink-white, powder-puff-like flowers appear during the summer months. The fine foliage is an attractive mid-green color.

The beautyberries are packed tightly together in clusters that encircle the stem. Spring flowers and beautiful fall fruit make this an attractive landscape plant. This Florida Native is easy to grow: pretty hardy and very drought tolerant.

Weeping red Bottlebrush. Callistemon citrinus (Melaleuca citrina). Medium size tree with arching or weeping stems and showy bright red flowers. Cold tolerant, drought resistant. Fast growing, great solution for privacy planting.
Learn more: How to grow Bottle brush trees.

Giant milkweed, Giant Calotrope - Lilac colored flowers can be seen all through the year, great butterfly attractor. A tough and hardy plant, drought tolerant, good for hot sites.

Cute yellow bell-like flowers! If you want yellow to get involved in the design, then you've got to add Bahama firebush. Similar in growth to the scarlet-flowered one, you can keep it trimmed below seven feet. Large leaves make it good for screening. Don't hedge it; trim it naturally, and it will flower much more. Pollinator-friendly flowers during the rainy season. Great butterfly attractor.

Coral Jatropha - small, miniature tree or medium size shrub. Red flowers look like corals, followed by curious yellow fruit. Exotic looking specimen plant, easy to grow, very tropical look. Drought tolerant. Can be grown in a pot, makes a nice palm-looking house plant.

Dwarf form of favorite Pandanus with large heads of cascading green and yellow thin leaves. You can have a nice exotic Screw Pine as a dwarf in a pot.

Pereskia zehntneri is an unusual and highly collectible leafy cactus that looks nothing like a typical cactus at first glance. It forms a vigorous tropical shrub with fleshy green leaves, thorny stems, and attractive flowers. Unlike desert cacti, it appreciates regular moisture and richer growing conditions while still requiring excellent drainage. A fascinating choice for collectors who enjoy rare, unusual plants with a story.

Eversweet, sweet even before fully ripe! Eversweet is one of the sweetest pomegranate varieties available and a favorite for fresh eating. Unlike most pomegranates, even immature fruit is pleasantly sweet with almost no tartness, making it an excellent choice for cooler or coastal climates where fruit may not always fully ripen.
The medium to large fruit has bright red skin and unique clear, non-staining juice. The arils are exceptionally sweet with soft, nearly seedless edible seeds, making them perfect for snacking, salads, desserts, and juicing without staining hands or clothing.
The tree grows into a graceful 8-10 ft shrub with arching branches but can easily be trained as a small tree or espalier. It produces an abundance of large orange-red flowers over an extended blooming season, often beginning to flower and fruit at a very young age. Self-fertile and highly productive, Eversweet performs best in full sun but tolerates light shade. Once established, it is very drought tolerant, adaptable to most well-drained soils, and suitable for both landscape planting and large containers.
According to Asian legend, the pomegranate was the "Tree of Life" in the Garden of Eden. The jewel-like arils, brilliant as drops of blood or rubies, have been treasured since ancient times. An old Hindi saying goes: "One pomegranate can serve one hundred sick people." Rich in antioxidants, pomegranates have long been valued for supporting heart health, circulation, and healthy red blood cells. The beautiful flowers bloom for several months. Cold hardy to 15°F, and tolerant of drought, salt, and poor soils, pomegranates make excellent landscape plants, container specimens, and even bonsai.
Learn more: Pomegranate: healing drops of blood...
See Article about Pomegranate.

Elephant's Food, Elephant Bush, Baby Jade. This interesting plant can be used as an indoor bonsai where sunlight or strong artificial light is sufficiently available. The common names derive from the succulent nature of the plant's leaves and stout trunk. The diameter of the trunk can grow to 9" or more.
In Africa, it is a favorite food for both Elephants and Rhinoceros, and is grown in farms for feeding both animals and people. The foliage when eaten raw, steamed, lightly boiled, or especially stir-fried, is not only delicious but actually very nutritious, containing more beneficial Beta 3 fatty acids than most fish.
Read interesting Article about this plant.