Looking for the rarest plant? This is the one!

Stifftia chrysantha - Pompom, Rabo-de-Cutia

Looking for the rarest plant? This is the one!
Stifftia chrysantha is an exotic, rare flowering small tree with spectacular flowers, endemic to the vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil called Cerrado. It grows into a bushy, attractive tree between 8 and 15 ft tall and starts flowering within 1.5 - 2.5 years from seed. It is a very rewarding plant that blooms 9 months out of the year, starting in Winter with great intensity during July-September, with each flower staying on the plant for several weeks. Seeds ripen from September through November.
The tree belongs to Aster family (Compositae) and has nothing to do with Powderpuffs which are from Bean (Fabaceae) family. The flower has 30 to 40 green, imbricated scales with short hairs, and actinomorphic corollas are orange below and darker above. After flowering, the inflorescence blows apart, which would scatter seeds. The dried center remaining is very attractive, like a small dried flower, and lasts for many months.
Stifftia can be grown in full sun to partial shade and is relatively cold tolerant, can take short cold spells.
The plant doesn't like wet feet and heavy/soggy soils; requires very well drained, acidic soil. We strongly recommend to use our professional soilless mix. Let soil slightly dry between waterings. It can be grown in full sun to partial shade and is relatively cold tolerant, can take short cold spells. If grown in a pot, try to keep the container shaded because roots don't like to be overheated. The plant needs monthly applications of slow release fertilizer as well as extra iron - use micro-nutrients to keep leaves green and healthy.
See more pictures of this beauty.

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Tip of the day: Growing Plumeria from seed

Q: I purchased a Plumeria from your company. It has done quite nicely and now has produced a seed pod. Please forward me information on how to care for it and use the seeds that may be inside to propagate another plant.

A: Wait until seeds are ripe (seed pod turns brownish). Soak seeds overnight. Use only well drained soil, or cactus mix. Insert heavy end of seed 1/4"into soil, leaving feathered end exposed. Place the pot in direct sunlight. Don't allow soil to completely dry out, but don't let it be soggy. Germination occurs usually within 3 weeks. Do not overwater. For more information on growing Plumerias, see our slideshow guide:

Carambola (Star Fruit) in winter

A word from our customer:
I just wanted to let you know that the Dwarf Carambola Kari has survived last winter and turned into a nice bushy tree this summer.I have been trying to grow this tree forever it never survived winters here. Then last year you suggested me to plant Carambola in wind protected corner, so I picked a place next to the house,South side very close to the wall. I covered it several times with a sheet on windy days like you said. The tree did lose leaves during winter but it survived and established well. I had my first crop this year nearly 20 fruit!Just thought your other customers wanted to know keep it protected from winds this is the secret,it works! (M., Avon Park, FL)

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Winter coming tips

As the weather gets cooler, many of you move your potted tropical plants indoors.

Please remember:
1. Leaf drop. Lower air humidity, lower light and short day may cause some leaf drop. This is normal for seasonal environment change. Learn more about leaf drop and deciduous plants from this info sheet (PDF).
2. Reduce watering as winter coming. Under lower light and in cooler temperature, plants won't need much water; some plants go dormant and only need minimum water. Excess water may damage roots and kill a plant in winter.
3. No fertilizer in winter. Active growth stops. Let the plant go into dormancy or simply have a rest.
4. Insects. Watch for insects by inspecting leaves regularly. They may attack plants more likely in the indoor conditions.

STAY WARM!

How much water?

Q: I have purchased many tropical plants from you throughout the summer and now I need to think about how not to kill them overwintering in my NY apartment. I was told that overwatering can be a big problem for house plants in winter. How much should I water, and how many times per week?

A: Overwatering in the number one cause of the houseplant death. But be sure not to underwater, either.
- Don't water on the fixed schedule, get to know your plant's needs instead. Most plants only need watering when the top 1/2"of potting mix is try. gently poke your finger into the soil to test it. Some experience gardeners go by weight of the pot - a very light pot will have a dry mix.
- Aim to make the potting mix moist, but not wet. Most plants hate sitting in soggy potting mix, so always let excess water drain away.
- Potting mix in terra cotta pots dries out more quickly than that in plastic or ceramic pots, because terra cotta is a porous material.
- Most plants need less water in winter because they are not actively growing and need this period of winter rest. However some plants are winter bloomers and they may need regular watering providing bright light to produce flowers, for example clerodendrums.