INEXPENSIVE PLANTS

Fast growing but rather compact shrub with velvety leaves and stems. Bright yellow flowers. Ethnomedical plant. Easy to grow and not picky about conditions. Full sun and regular water is all it needs.

Dwarf Cat Tails, Kitten's Tail, Trailing Acalypha. A spectacular plant for a hanging basket, container or ground cover. Foxtail-shaped bright red flowers year around!

Agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco, Mexico, due to its role as the base ingredient of tequila, a popular distilled beverage. The high production of sugars, mostly fructose, in the core of the plant is the main characteristic that makes it suitable for the preparation of alcoholic beverages. Great addition to cactus - rock gardens - ethno-botanical collections. Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping. Grows fairly fast in summer if provided with extra water.

A breathtaking beauty, this Alocasia hybrid is excellent for creating a lush tropical look to gardens. Resembling large Elephant ears, these plants are mainly valued for their gorgeous leaves, which are very large, heart-shaped, but they also produce small, calla-like fragrant flower spathes. Suitable for bogs and water gardens.

Variegated ginger - this species is valued for its variegated foliage, and beautiful flowers.

Voodoo lily, Devils tongue, Snake Palm, Corpse flower. Amorphophallus bulbifer is one of the prettiest of the Voodoo Lilies and the inflorescence doesn't smell that bad compared to others of the genus. Amorphophallus only blooms when mature and even so it doesn't bloom every year. The unpleasant smell that the flower omits is only present for a few hours after the flower opens. If the flower is pollinated (normally by flies if the plant is outside) it will take 1 year for the plant to mature its seeds. The seed stalk is very pretty with the seeds changing colors from green to red. During this time the tuber will not produce a leaf.

Yellow Butterfly weed - great butterfly attractor! Drought tolerant, tough plant.
This plant is very attractive to butterflies. Long bloom period from late spring throughout the summer. Flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars).

Purple Prince is a medium grower with glossy green leaves with deep purple tubular flowers. It's an excellent ground cover that can be pruned into a low hedge. Very suitable as a container plant, or on top of a low wall, where its foliage and flowers can spill down. Prune and fertilize at regular intervals and keep well watered. The plant does best in filtered sun or light shade. Hardy to 28F in a protected location. Height 1 to 2 feet. Native to South Africa.

Spiny Black Olive, Ming Tree. Exotic small tree that is valuable as unusual bonsai subject or specimen plant. This delicate tree grows into a bonsai almost by itself! Can be used as a potted indoor tree. It is very salt tolerant, making it a good choice for bonsai lovers by the sea. Bonsai shapes are awesome. They have small leaves and thorns and and grow out erratically in all directions, forming diamond-like lace.

Rattlesnake Plant. One of the best indoor ornamental house plants! Has long medium green leaves with dark decorative spots. The underside of the leaf is deep purple. Low shade landscape plant. Indoor house plant.
See Article - How to grow Calathea indoors.

Rare Tree Calliandra, Powderpuff - large size shrub or small tree, similar to calliandra calothyrsis, but flowers open fully. One of the biggest calliandra flower.

Night blooming jasmine. Garden favorite - the sweetest fragrance at night is intoxicating.
One of the most famous and desirable fragrant plants. Flowers are pale yellow to white, open at night and stay extremely fragrant until sunrise. Aroma is sweet, pleasant and intoxicating. These flowers are widely used in India and other countries of South Asia for perfumery, medicinal applications and in religious ceremonies. Best location will be near driveway, window or entrance, where the magic fragrance can be appreciated.
See video about this plant.

Veld grape - unusual succulent vine with tendrils, fleshy 3-lobed leaves and quandrangular 4-winged stem and grape-shaped leaves, used medicinally to help fractures heal faster. Good for hanging baskets.
This plant is anything but ordinary! With its thick, four-winged stems that look almost sculpted, Cissus quadrangularis stands out from the crowd. The stems are square in shape, giving the plant a distinctive geometric look that makes people stop and ask what it is.
Native to Africa and India, veld grape is a succulent vine both tough and unusual. It grows fast, loves full sun, and thrives even with minimal care. The fleshy, jointed stems store water, making it drought-tolerant and perfect for warm, dry gardens or bright patios. It can be grown as a hanging plant, groundcover, or trained up a small trellis.
Traditionally known as the bone setter plant, veld grape has been valued for centuries in Ayurvedic and African medicine for helping bones heal. It's also completely ornamental, with small tendrils, occasional clusters of tiny leaves, and a striking structure that looks great in containers or hanging baskets. A true show-stopper for collectors and anyone who loves the strange and beautiful side of nature.
Growing tips:
Sun to partial shade
Moderate watering, well-drained soil
Great for hanging baskets or groundcover
Easy and fast-growing succulent vine

Clerodendrum inerme, Volkameria inermis. Wild Jasmine, Sorcerers Bush.
If you need to cover large areas with a pretty fragrant ground cover just in one season - this is your plant! It is so undemanding, cold-, heat-, salt-, drought hardy. There is a reason it is called Seaside! It will grow absolutely anywhere, including sand and even over plastic ground cover, based on our experience.
A hardy, straggling shrub, with closely arranged, almost round, shiny, deep green leaves. The plant is always in flower. The flowers are white and very fragrant. The plant is not choosy about the soil and can even withstand droughts. Seaside clerodendrum, as its name suggests, grows well along the beach tolerating the salt spray of the ocean and the harsh rays of the sun. It is a versatile plant and can be grown as a topiary or as a bonsai. The plants is salt-, heat- and wind-tolerant.

Bleeding heart - one of the most spectacular blooming vines. Spectacular, dramatic flowers are slightly flat, they have white sepals on either side of bright crimson petals. The appearance may be liken to a line of dangling hearts, each emerging from the other. This plant is often seen in pots where it will abide in a continual state of flowering. As long as you provide lots of light to it, it'll bloom most of the time.

Illustris Colocasia is a classic beauty. The heart-shaped, large purple-and-green leaves of Illustris are huge, and their dark highlights are stunning. This elephant ear is a lover of moist shade, but does best with a little dappled sunlight. It will tolerate boggy conditions. Provide light shade to full shade and consistently moist or boggy soil. It is a strong fast growing variety that does great in container, landscapes, ponds and patios.

Introduced at the 2000 International Aroid Society meeting in Florida, this dazzling elephant ear became the most wanted plant at the meeting. Emerging solid green, the 25" wide light green leaves begin turning butter cream-yellow along the center. The color then pours down into the main vein creating a huge bold Y-pattern in the center of the leaf. Color then bursts into the lateral (side) veins and begins its march to the margins. Coloring starts in spring, shortly after the first leaves mature. It sends out lots of side stolons which will root into the soil where moisture is adequate. The more moisture the larger the plant will grow.
Colocasia White Lava is similar to Colocasia Nancys Revenge but White Lava produces glossy red petioles whereas Nancys Revenge has green petioles.

Mandevilla Summer Snow - rare variety with snow-white flowers. Very pretty vine with dark glossy leaves.

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.

David Bowie Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) - red skin, white flesh - is one of the most popular types of dragon fruit and produces some of the largest fruit among white-fleshed varieties. This highly sought-after, self-pollinating cultivar is a slender white variety that bears medium to large fruit, often weighing up to one pound. The vibrant red skin is accented by numerous green-tipped fins, giving the fruit a striking appearance.
Its flavor is mildly sweet and refreshing, often compared to a kiwi crossed with a pear, with a pleasant tangy character and a subtle lemony finish. The fruit is excellent eaten fresh and also works well for juicing, fruit salads, and garnishes.
The plant itself is a vigorous climbing cactus that produces large, fragrant white flowers that open at night, adding ornamental beauty to its edible harvest. Well suited to warm subtropical and tropical climates (USDA Zones 9a-11), David Bowie is a productive and rewarding dragon fruit variety prized by collectors and home gardeners alike.
Lean more:
Pitaya page
What to do with a Dragon fruit?

Eureka Red Dragon Fruit is a large, self-pollinating variety originally from Nicaragua. Its bright pink skin hides a stunning deep red flesh with rich, sweet flavor and berry-like notes. The fruit are large, juicy, and excellent for fresh eating, smoothies, and desserts. This vigorous climbing cactus produces spectacular night-blooming white flowers and thrives in warm climates with good drainage. A favorite among collectors, Eureka Red is prized for its beautiful color, dependable production, and outstanding flavor.
It is most similar to Natural Mystic.

Hana Dragon Fruit is a rare Hawaiian variety discovered along Maui's famous Hana Highway. Known for its rapid growth, Hana can grow more than six feet per year and may begin fruiting in as little as 14 months from a cutting. This self-fertile variety produces pink fruit with white flesh and a sweet flavor often described as melon-like with subtle floral and rosy notes. The plant features slender stems with distinctive long thorns and produces large, fragrant night-blooming flowers with a delicate pink blush. An excellent pollen producer and reliable fruiter, Hana is a favorite among dragon fruit collectors looking for something unique.

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Pitaya page
What to do with a Dragon fruit?

Purple Haze Dragon Fruit is a hybrid variety that comes from Hylocereus guatemalensis and Hylocereus polyrhizus. It is a variety with purple flesh and bright pink exterior having green fins. The fruit has a refreshing sweet grape type flavor with few small eatable seeds. Fruits are large and can range from 1.0 to 2.0 pounds. For even larger fruit bud thinning is recommended. This variety typically has three fruiting cycles per the calendar year. It is also a very high producer of fruit.
The purple color on the purple dragon fruit indicates that the pigment content level of betalain is so high that it is purple like a beetroot. It has the most health benefits of all pitayas.

Sweet Red Dragon Fruit is a vigorous, self-fruiting variety prized for its brilliant red skin, deep red flesh, and outstanding flavor. Often considered one of the best-tasting dragon fruits, it offers a sweet, juicy flavor with hints of kiwi and pear, balanced by subtle earthy notes. The flesh is refreshing and mildly crunchy from the tiny edible seeds. Fast-growing and highly productive, Sweet Red produces spectacular night-blooming flowers followed by colorful fruit that make a dramatic addition to any tropical garden. A favorite among collectors and home growers alike.
Lean more:
Pitaya page
What to do with a Dragon fruit?