A Cup of Tea Plant

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

A: I live in Ave Maria, Florida. I want to try my hand at growing my own tea. Which plant do I need?

A: Most people do not realize they are actually enjoying camellias when they sip their cup of tea. True tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, an evergreen shrub or small tree.
In the fall and winter, the plant will produce small white flowers with a lovely fragrance. The foliage is shiny and dark green with a very nice informal and open look. Camellia sinensis (or tea plant, as it is commonly known) prefers a temperature between 65 and 86 degrees, which makes Florida an ideal area to grow them. However, if you live in colder zones, you can certainly succeed growing your own tea plants using a greenhouse. Alternatively, you can use containers which can be brought inside when temperatures start falling. Tea plants will usually survive a very slight freeze, though the leaves may be damaged or killed. It will not tolerate a hard freeze. They prefer full sun or light shade in the garden.
Tea plants will become small trees or large bushes if not pruned. Hardcore tea growers trim back the shoots repeatedly to a height of around 4 feet to encourage new growth and to contain the size.
Make sure to pick an area of your landscape where it does not flood or remain wet during our rainy season. Camellia sinensis does not like wet feet at all. They prefer well-drained, sandy and slightly acidic soil. If grown in a container, add some sphagnum moss to the potting mix. They will benefit from frequent applications of small amounts of fertilizer.
You will need some patience, too. Your plant should be around 3 years old before you start harvesting leaves.

Recommended fertilizers:

Tropical Greenhouse Plus - Plant Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster

Harvesting recipes

Now that you know how to grow the Tea, you need to check this out: the Harvesting recipes how to harvest and make different kinds of real tea: Green Tea, Japanese Style Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Black Tea, Orthodox Indian Tea... Continue reading...

Variegated Shell Ginger - Alpinia zerumbet

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

Q: I live in Deltona, Florida and hoping to find spreading ginger with interesting foliage to grow in a partially shaded area in my garden under a group of trees. Any suggestions?

A: Variegated ginger Alpinia zerumbet variegata is a clumping ginger valued for its beautiful variegated foliage. The dark, green leaves have striking yellow stripes. This ginger is sought-after, not only for the stunning foliage but also for its beautiful flowers. The flowers are different from other members of the ginger family and appear in drooping racemes from the ends of leafy stems rather than directly from the rhizomes. This ginger is also commonly known as Shell Ginger because the flowers resemble seashells! They are pink-tinged, fragrant and appear in summer. This evergreen perennial grows in upright clumps 3-5 feet tall. You may prune the plant to control size.
It does not tolerate drought or a hard freeze but can take a few hours or light frost (goes dormant in such case). In colder areas, rhizomes should be dug up and stored in a cool room during winter.
This ginger will love a shaded corner in your garden. Plant it in organically rich, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and spread a thick layer of organic mulch around the plant for moisture retention. There are no serious insect or disease problems to worry about!
This ginger can be also be grown as a house plant as long as it has bright light and humid conditions. It will grow to around 3-4 feet tall as a houseplant.

Recommended fertilizers:

Broad Leaf Plus - Ginger-Heliconia-Banana Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster

Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 off Variegated Ginger - Alpinia zerumbet

True love of Night Blooming Jasmine

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

Q: I live in New Cumberland, West Virginia. I love the smell of Night-Blooming jasmine. Is it possible to grow it in the northern panhandle of West Virginia? Do I have to plant it every year or do I keep it in a pot and take it inside during the winter months?

A: Technically, Night Blooming Jasmine is not a true jasmine (those plants belong to Oleaceae, or Olive family). Night Blooming Jasmine belongs to the Solanaceae family, also known as the Nightshade or "Potato" family of plants. Yes, this sweet fragrant flower called Jasmine for its perfume is related to potatoes and tomatoes!
Night Blooming Jasmine - Cestrum nocturnum - is loved by many gardeners for its beautiful fragrance at night. It is one of the most fragrant tropical evergreen shrubs available. Cascading clusters of tiny, tubular pale yellow to white flowers open at night and release a heavenly fragrance throughout the garden, especially on warm summer evenings. The fragrance is much lighter during the day. Night Blooming Jasmine is grown year-round in zones 9-11. It is at its happiest in a sunny to a partially sunny spot in your garden in well-drained soil but can be grown in cooler climates as a container or greenhouse plant.
You would absolutely be able to enjoy this plant during the warm months in West Virginia, but it will most certainly not survive outside during the winter. You will have to bring it inside. Take it outside again only once you are confident there is no more possibility of frost. When grown indoors, be sure to give it the sunniest, South facing window in your home. When grown in a container, you will need to re-pot it every two to three years so it doesn't become root-bound.
For those who are lucky to live in frost-free areas, in ideal growing conditions outside, it can easily reach 8 feet with a spread of 5 feet. It has a lovely informal look that can soften a more manicured garden. Add organic matter to the planting hole when you plant to enrich the soil around the root ball. Water well in the summer, but allow them to dry out a bit between watering in the winter. Plant this Jasmine near pools, porches, doors, windows, and walkways where its lovely fragrance can be enjoyed. The shrub is also an excellent plant for privacy hedges and screens. When grown as a hedge, plant 3 feet apart.
Trim lightly after a bloom cycle to shape and then do a hard pruning in fall or spring to control the size of this plant. Fertilize 3 times a year - in spring, summer, and autumn - with a good quality granular fertilizer.

Recommended fertilizers:

Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster

Interesting facts:

Night-blooming jasmine is an excellent mosquito repellent. The powerful scent of the flowers attracts moths and bats that feed on mosquitoes and other small insects.
The flowers of the Night Blooming jasmine are widely used in India and other countries of South Asia for perfumery, medicinal applications and in religious ceremonies.

Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 off Night Blooming Jasmine

The Flower of Gold

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

Q: I am concentrating on adding more fragrance to my garden. I've had great success growing gardenias and I have many different varieties, but their flowers are all white, and I would like to add some colors to my garden too. Are there any gardenias available in different colors? I live in Waipio Acres, Hawaii.

A: Meet the very rare and highly fragrant, tropical Gardenia tubifera Kula or Golden gardenia. Kula flowers change color as they mature, which is a unique feature! Kula flowers start out as cream, then change to yellow and finally to a beautiful gold. In addition to the spectacular flowers, this gardenia also has beautiful, leathery, deep green foliage.
This is a slow-growing and compact plant. Like all the other members in the Gardenia family, the Golden gardenia will do best in an acidic, well-drained, and fertile soil. It will appreciate a good deal of direct sunlight but will be very happy if provided with midday and afternoon shade. As with with gardenias, the more sunlight the more flowers.
It will eventually grow into a rounded shrub if left unpruned, but also can be trained into a small tree, maintainable to a height of under 7-8 feet. Blooms will appear from spring onward. Prune after flowering, this will encourage more flowers in a few months.
Gardeners living in colder areas, do not fret. Gardenias make perfect container plants and can be grown indoors in colder climates. Just be sure to provide high light when bringing them indoors.
The fragrance and changing colors of a Gardenia Kula is unforgettable. They are most fragrant near sunset and during early evening hours. Plant them near walks and patios where their lovely fragrance can be enjoyed.
This rare tropical Gardenia is sure to be a conversation piece in any garden. Great collector's plant!

Recommended fertilizers:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster

Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 OFF Golden Gardenia!