INEXPENSIVE PLANTS

Sweet Mimosa. One of the most useful tropical plants that is very cold tolerant, blooms all winter through spring with honey-fragrant flowers - canary yellow powder puffs, attracting bees and butterflies. This is a large size, multi-stem thorny shrub 15x15 ft that requires some space. It is very fast growing, can be used as a good screen plant. It will bring you joy with pretty flowers and sweet fragrance even during freeze snaps when other trees lose leaves and suffer. This one will continue blooming and stays evergreen - a real survivor! Tolerates poor soils and drought too. Provide regular water to establish quicker.

A unique FULL SHADE plant! Rugged houseplant for shady areas of the home. Once very popular, this plant was a common feature of many a Victorian hallway.
Best sited in bright indirect light, but tolerates full shade. This variety is not the commoner A. elatior 'Milkyway', but the much nicer and difficult to find Aspidistra vietnamensis 'Ginga'.
Species of Aspidistra are perennial herbaceous plants growing from rhizomes. The leaves are either solitary or are grouped in small "tufts" of two to four. The most common variety is the one with all green leaves, A. elatior (sometimes labeled as A. lurida). Aspidistra vietnamensis Ginga is quite rare and has green leaves variegated with white striping or spots.

The Vivid Red Cherry Miniature Azalea is a very cold hardy, compact, evergreen beauty that brings a burst of color to your garden throughout the year. With clusters of rich, cherry-red ruffled blooms, this azalea creates a stunning display in spring and fall. It thrives in partial shade, making it perfect for planting beneath oak or pine trees, or along shady walkways and driveways. This semi-dwarf variety grows to 2-3 feet tall and wide, maintaining a neat, upright form that requires minimal trimming.
Best planted in well-drained, acidic soil with high organic matter content, it appreciates regular watering, especially in extreme heat. Fertilize on regular basis to promote healthy growth and vibrant blooms. Vivid Azalea is ideal for use as a low-growing hedge, accent, or screen, and its shallow, non-aggressive root system makes it a great choice for tight spaces. Its glossy, dark green foliage remains evergreen, offering year-round interest even when it's not in bloom.
Prune back in late spring to maintain its shape and encourage branching, leading to more blooms. This variety, sometimes known as Azalea Amagasa Vivid Red Flowering Satsuki Azalea, is one of our favorites for adding vibrant, multi-season color to any garden.

Lady of the night. Medium size bush with large white or cream-colored flowers, which are very fragrant after dark. Shade tolerant plant, can be grown in container and as indoor plant. Can take some freeze for short time.

Many gardeners know Caesalpinia pulcherrima, the common Bird of Paradise, but Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise - is a rare treasure with a delightful twist - fragrant flowers! This hardy, drought-tolerant shrub thrives in intense heat and is perfect for small yards or patios.
During the warm months, it bursts with butter-yellow blooms that pop against feathery green foliage, attracting hummingbirds. As the flowers fade, woody pods form and snap open dramatically. It grows quickly to 10 feet and can be shaped into a small tree or kept as a compact shrub.
Native to northern Mexico, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil with very little water. If you're looking for a low-maintenance beauty that adds both fragrance and charm, this plant is a must-have!

Velvet Furry. A favorite of landscapers, this thin fuzzy rippled leaf Calathea is very attractive as well as durable. A purple leaf back adds to this plants rich color and texture.
The upper foliage of Calathea rufibarba is semi-glossy, and olive green in color. The under side of the foliage, along with the stems are rich burgundy in color. The stems are covered with fine purplish-brown hairs. Place your Calathea rufibarba in bright filtered or indirect light.
See Article - How to grow Calathea indoors.

Camphor Tree, Camphor Laurel. This is the aromatic tree from which camphor was derived (used in medicines and mothballs). Camphor trees are densely covered with shiny oval and elliptical leaves, up to 5 inches long.
Branches and leaves are used for aromatic medicinal sauna.

Kassod Tree, Siamese Senna. Leaves are yellowish green, pinnate and made up of elliptic leaflets. Panicles of yellow flowers bloom from spring to summer. Edible/Medicinal if used properly.

Maya Spinach Tree, Chaya Col, Kikilchay, Chaykeken - a little known leafy green vegetable. Younger leaves and a bit of the stems are cut and used much like spinach. Leaves are immersed and simmered for 20 minutes and then served with oil or butter. Chaya is a nutritious leafy green native to the Yucatan Peninsula, rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. It offers numerous health benefits, including aiding digestion, improving circulation, and supporting lactation. Chaya is also used in folk medicine for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Important: Always cook the leaves by boiling them for 5-15 minutes to neutralize toxins and make them safe to eat.
This fast-growing perennial thrives in full sun to partial shade, making it perfect for food forests or backyard gardens. Easily propagated from 6-12 inch stem cuttings, Chaya can reach 6-8 feet tall and can be continuously harvested with proper care. It's a beautiful addition to any garden, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds with its white flowers, and is resilient to drought and various soil types.

Coffee - the most popular fruit tree suitable for indoors. Shade loving plant, easy to grow, providing regular water.
See video about Coffee tree: GROW your own COFFEE plant - Free Coffee Everyday.

Red Button Ginger, French Kiss. Spectacular red ginger, with bright red button-like flower cones almost year-round. The yellow flowers that emerge from the red cones are edible. The plant can withstand a light frost for short periods of time but will stop blooming.

Anthonys Rick-Rack. This curious epiphyte is grown for the strange leaves which lend it the common name Ric-Rac Cactus, Zig-Zag or Fishbone Cactus. In the wild it attaches itself to trees, clinging by little aerial root filaments along the zigzagging succulent leaves, but is adaptable to terrestrial habits. It loves strong yet indirect lighting. It does not need a lot of water and should be permitted to dry out entirely between waterings. It is nightblooming and its flowers last only a single night in spring.

White African Iris is the perfect low-maintenance beauty for your landscape. This plant is a showstopper with its delicate, pale yellow flowers accented by bold maroon markings. These stunning blooms appear in cycles throughout the warm months, giving your garden a fresh, elegant look time and time again. And the best part? It thrives on neglect! Tough, drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant and super easy to grow, Dietes bicolor is the ultimate low-maintenance landscaping choice. It forms graceful, clumping, sword-like foliage that looks lush year-round, adding texture and movement to your garden. Perfect for borders, walkways, or mass plantings, this fantastic perennial handles heat, sun, and even partial shade like a champ. Suitable for xeriscaping.

Dietes - African Iris - is a stunning, exotic beauty! Bold white petals with striking golden streaks and a delicate lavender crest at the center. Dietes is hardy, drought-tolerant, and an unstoppable bloomer in warm climates. Once established, it practically takes care of itself, thriving in poor soils, full sun, and even partial shade. The tough, sword-like foliage adds a sleek, architectural touch to gardens, and the flowers? Oh, they keep coming! They bloom in cycles, each lasting just a day but quickly replaced by new ones - like a floral fireworks show that never stops. Perfect for landscaping, borders, or mass plantings, Dietes brings an effortless, low-maintenance elegance to your garden. If you want something tough, beautiful, and always blooming, this is the plant to have!

Dorstenia bahiensis is an interesting plant with strange looking receptacles. At maturity, seeds shoot ballistically from the mature flower/fruit heads, and they germinate readily whenever the land on soil or other moist substrate.
A quirky, shade-loving plant with glossy leaves and button-like flower discs. When ripe, those button heads pop their seeds like tiny popcorn, launching them across the yard. Compact at just 6-12 inches, it makes a playful groundcover or a fun conversation piece in a pot.

Marble queen pothos is a variety of pothos with beautiful white and cream variegation. It is a beauty crowned with long cascading variegated vines of yellow, creamy white, and green leaves that are heart-shaped, begging for your attention. This one needs no royal treatment and is very easy to maintain. Similar to other types of pothos, the marble queen pothos grows well indoors. It prefers bright, indirect light, moist but well-draining soil, and average household temperatures and humidity.
The plant is said to bring good luck and prosperity in the house. It is also called devil's vine or devil's ivy because it is almost impossible to kill and it stays green even when kept in the dark. It is sometimes mistakenly labeled as a Philodendron in plant stores. It is commonly known as money plant in many parts of the Indian subcontinent.
See Article about Philodendrons.

This is a shade loving Euphorbia. Grows to about 28" tall. It is shaped like a miniature palm tree. The leaves are covered with a milky white bloom that adds to the interest. It is very easy to grow the plant.
Grown often as a houseplant that is very ornamental and easy to grow even for beginners. Unlike many succulents, E. leuconeura is less susceptible to overwatering issues; it doesn't mind dry air and is very shade tolerant.
Euphorbia leuconeura is endemic to Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss. The natural habitat is rocky areas in the dark forests.

The plant gets its name from the furry rhizomes that grow on top of the soil and resemble a rabbit's foot. The rhizomes often grow over the side of the pot, adding an extra dimension to the plant. Functional as well as decorative, the rhizomes absorb moisture and nutrients as they crawl across the moist soil. Very exotic looking house plant or small specimen for your shade garden!

Tricolor variegated Bloodleaf hybrid, a great plant for both sun or shade. The variegated pink/crimson, green and white colored leaves compliment other plants. It needs to be pinched back often to keep from getting leggy. Tough, hardy and colorful, these showy plants with their brilliant leaves and soft stems can be a great addition to a planting. Brightest colors are generally obtained in stronger light. It makes a wonderful houseplant and a cute present.

Bloodleaf. Evergreen small perennial, up to 3 feet tall. Bright mauve, old fashioned puckered foliage popular among indoor gardeners. Great accent plant in warm climate gardens. Tolerates shade and can be grown as a perfect house plant.

Japanese Jasmine, Primrose Jasmine - very unusual jasmine with bright yellow double flowers. This is one of the most valuable plants in landscaping. It grows wonderfully in mass plantings, very fast growing, well-contollable by pruning. The more you cut it, the bushier it gets, forming a nice dense cloud of dark green foliage with yellow double flowers scattered like a bright cover. Use it mass plantings, as a small hedge or to trail over fences or walls, to cover unwanted views and ugly corners.

Arabian Tea jasmine. This variety is vining and fast growing; tolerates shade.
Called pikake in Hawaii, this is the plant used to flavor the jasmine tea and making perfumes. Perfect houseplant, takes both sun or shade, Jasminum Sambac is a beautiful fragrant everbloomer for your home and garden. Maid of Orleans has single flowers of rich fragrance on woody vining shrubs with wide oval dark green leaves; considered the the easiest to bloom indoors, since it can tolerate shady conditions. It is the famous "Jasminum sambac Multiplex" in French perfume; traditionally the Chinese use this form to make aromatic jasmine tea. This variety has vining habit, and unless trimmed, can shoot several feet long branches.Collect the flowers for your morning jasmine tea!

Giant kalanchoe, Donkey Ears; Life Plant; Miracle Leaf; Good Luck Leaf, Tree Of Life... This rare variety brought from Thailand has large fleshy leaves 1-2 ft in length. Leaves and stems are covered with silvery coating. Like other kalanchoes, leaflets form easily, they are fuzzy and silver. Easy to grow just from one leaf set on top of moist soil. Very fast growing, drought tolerant small shrub. Tolerates almost any conditions.