Hibiscus Plant Care

Hibiscus Plant Care

Hibiscus Plant Care Instructions and Gardening Tips
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is in the Malvaceae family and all family names end with "aceae". For identification each plant species are placed into a family. To be categorized within a family, each plant species must have technical characteristics. Plants are classified into families based on several criteria, but mainly the flower is the main classifying feature. The scientific community has devised a naming system for plants, a latinized binomial system. The first word is the genus name, the second word is the specific epithet, and together the words form the species name. For example, the scientific name for the plant commonly called southern magnolia is Magnolia grandiflora; the genus is Magnolia, the specific epithet grandiflora. Scientific names are universal and there will be no confusion when one uses the names. Several plants have numerous common names and the one drawback to using common names is that they change from state to state and from county to county. Some common plant names even include part or the entire scientific name. Hibiscus rosa-senensis has more than a few common names: Chinese Hibiscus, Tropical Hibiscus, and Hibiscus. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is native to southern China and is only winter hardy in tropical regions of the world. Hibiscus' are hardy from USDA zones 9-11 and can be planted in the garden. For gardeners north of zone 9 you may grow Hibiscus' in containers and can winterize the plant in the fall. Following are care instructions and gardening tips to maintain your new Hibiscus.

The key to a plant's success is appropriate soil, light, water, and fertilizer. An appropriately watered and fertilized plant will tolerate more stress than a plant that is not properly cared for. When a plant is under stress that is when the plant is more susceptible to insect and/or disease infestations. The less stress a plant endures the healthier the plant is. Several stress factors that a plant endures can be prevented by proper care.

Immediate Hibiscus Care Upon Arrival For 4" Pots: First, remove the plant(s) from the box and plant sleeves from around the pot. Our Hibiscus plants are shipped on the dry side. Place the plant(s) in a saucer and water the plant until the water starts to collect in the saucer, while the plant is absorbing the water in the saucer, mist the plant(s) with water. This procedure helps the plant gain back some of the water it lost during the shipping process. Do not put your plant in direct sunlight for two weeks because your Hibiscus needs to acclimate to a new growing environment. After your plant is refreshed from their journey you may want to repot your Hibiscus to a larger container, it is recommended to go no larger than 4 inches from the original pot size; an 8-inch azalea type pot will be perfect. First, remove the plastic pot, and fill ¼ of the container with your potting soil. I have had good luck with Scotts Potting Soil or MiracleGro Potting Soil; both soils will provide the drainage that is perfect for growing your Hibiscus. Next, place the 4" root ball in the container, and while holding the root ball in an upright position, fill the container with soil. Water the soil. Hibiscuses are heavy feeders. A Hibiscus fertilizer should have a low phosphorous [P], which is the middle number and a higher analysis of potassium [K], which is the last number. The recommended fertilizers for the Hibiscus are 10-4-12, 9-3-12, or 12-4-18. Osmocote 17-6-10 + minors or Osmocote 18-6-12 is also recommended for Hibiscus and is a time-release fertilizer. Follow the application and frequency rates recommended by the fertilizer company.

Soil: For container-grown Hibiscus use a well-drained soil mixture containing compost and perlite. For Hibiscus to be planted in the landscape use this method: All plants should be evenly moist before planting. Position plants in the area to be planted. While placing the plants be sure the best side or front of the plant is in the area that is most viewed. After the plants are in position take a couple of steps back and view the area from a distance, at different angles of vision, and view the area from inside the house. These steps help to determine if the plant is in the proper place. Turn the pot back and forth several times to make an indentation in the soil with the container. This marks the ground and also helps indicate how wide to dig the planting hole.

The planting hole should be less than the height of the root ball and twice as wide. Use organic compost or soil conditioner and mix it 50-50 with the soil from the planting hole; soil amendments should always be thoroughly mixed with the soil from the planting hole. Apply at a rate of one part soil amendment(s) to two parts planting hole soil. This procedure will help the roots to eventually spread beyond the original planting hole. Do not make the original planting hole too rich with soil amendments because the roots of the plant will never spread out from the original planting hole to the existing soil. Use the container from the plant as a measure and a wheelbarrow to mix any soil amendments with the existing soil.

Place the plant in the hole. The top of the root ball should be 2 inches above normal ground. Fill the planting hole with the soil mixture and add mulch as a top dressing. Next, water the root ball of the plant, planting hole and a small area outside the planting hole thoroughly. After watering, apply a root stimulator on a weekly basis for two months. There are several on the market today to choose from.

Light: Correct light helps to ensure proper growth and health of the plant. Given too little light the plant grows spindly and leggy. When given too much light the plant gets sunburned. Hibiscus needs a minimum of 5 - 6 hours of full sun. When growing your plant indoors give a southern or western exposure. The more hours of sun your Hibiscus receives the happier and healthier it will be. During the warm spring and summer months it is recommended to enjoy your Hibiscus outdoors.

Water: Watering plants on a regular time schedule helps to keep your Hibiscus plant healthy. Keep your Hibiscus evenly moist, but not soggy wet. Let the water run out through the drainage holes at the bottom of the container. Avoid letting the water stand for longer than 24 hours in a saucer. While the Hibiscus is actively growing you may have to water more frequently.

Fertilizer: Fertilizers are the vitamins or the essential elements that a plant needs. The soil, atmosphere, and water usually provide the plant with these essential nutrients. There are times when the soil is generally nutrient deficient and in this case a fertilizer is essential. There are sixteen essential elements to plant nutrition. These elements are separated into two categories, macronutrients and micronutrients. The macronutrients are: oxygen [O], carbon [C], hydrogen [H], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P], potassium [K], Calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], sulfur [S] and are required by the plant in large amounts. Oxygen, carbon and hydrogen are provided to the plant by the atmosphere and water. Required by the plant in small amounts the micronutrients are: iron [Fe], manganese [Mn], zinc [Zn], baron [B], copper [Cu], molybdenum [Mo], and chlorine [Cl]. These elements are the building blocks to plant nutrition.

Using a complete fertilizer can prevent deficiency symptoms. Fertilizers are sold in a wide variety of types such as granular, spikes, cartridges, liquid, water-soluble, and slow-release. Each has advantages depending on what type of plant the gardener is fertilizing. Granular is generally used for lawns, shrubs, and trees. On lawn usage a spreader is required for even distribution. When applying a granular fertilizer, for shrubs, spread the fertilizer around the root zone, and for trees spread evenly under the tree's branch circumference. Apply at the rates recommended by the fertilizer manufacturer. Because granular fertilizer may cause burning, it should not come in contact with a plant's leaves or stems. After applying a granular fertilizer, water thoroughly. Spikes are inserted into the soil at specific locations recommended by the fertilizer manufacture and are usually used for large trees and shrubs. The fertilizer is slowly released when water is applied and will last for a specific amount of time. Cartridges require a cartridge holder that is attached to a garden hose where the water slowly dissolves the fertilizer. A depth of 6 to 10 inches is sufficient. Liquid and water-soluble fertilizers are quickly available to the plant. The liquid or water-soluble products are mixed with water and are applied to container plants or can be poured directly into the soil. Fertilizer companies have made hose-end sprayers to use with their products and can be used at every watering. Time-release is a fertilizer coated with a special material, which allows a small release of nutrients when it is exposed to water. These fertilizers are formulated to last from 3 to 12 months. Temperature is also a factor in the release of the nutrients. Hibiscuses are heavy feeders. A Hibiscus fertilizer should have a low phosphorous [P], which is the middle number and a higher analysis of potassium [K], which is the last number. The recommended fertilizers for the Hibiscus are 10-4-12, 9-3-12, or 12-4-18. Osmocote 17-6-10 + minors or Osmocote 18-6-12 is also recommended for Hibiscus and is a time-release fertilizer. Try our Nutri Star Hibiscus Food 10-4-12 on your Hibiscus that you purchase from Hibiscus and More.

Winterizing Your Hibiscus: Start getting your Hibiscus ready to bring indoors when Daylight Saving Time ends. The temperature slowly starts to drop in the evening leading to cooler nights. Place the Hibiscus in a shady location for two weeks to begin acclimatizing it for interior residence. During this time check your plant for any insects and spray with the appropriate insecticide. Place the Hibiscus in a southern or western exposure. Your Hibiscus may experience yellowing of the leaves and leaf drop. Your plant is just adjusting to their new surroundings. During the winter months it is recommended to use a humidity saucer for your Hibiscus. You can easily make this by getting a saucer and lining the bottom of the saucer with small gravel or pebbles and filling the saucer with water to the level of the stones.

Time to Go Outdoors: Once the weather warms up, to 40 - 50 degrees, you can start acclimatizing your Hibiscus by placing it in the shade outdoors and then slowly move the plant to partial shade and finally to full sun. Now would be a good time to fertilize and prune your Hibiscus. Follow the recommended fertilizer rates listed on the label. Pruning encourages a bushier plant.

Pruning: Is an art but it is also a science. Along the plant's stem are nodes, which are dormant until a cut is made just above that node. The nodes are growing points along the plant's stem. When the plant's stem is cut this stimulates chemical and/or hormonal reactions in the plant. It is these reactions that stimulate the dormant bud to grow. When pruning the dormant buds should face along the outside of the plant's stem, the buds will grow to the outside of the plant. Envision the path the future growing bud will take. This will help prevent future headaches, such as branches growing into each other and rubbing against each other. The best time to prune is in the spring or just before new growth begins to appear.

PRUNING GUIDE LINES:

• Remove branches that cross or rub one another, and dead or diseased wood on the Hibiscus.
• The pruning cut for all branches less than two inches in diameter should be made at a 45-degree angle from the growing bud.
• The growing bud should be pointing toward the outside of the plant. One wants the plant to grow outwards not inwards or on vertical lines.
• The cutting edge of the pruning shears should be on top of the part of the plant to be cut; the hook will be underneath. When done in reverse order a stub will result. The blade should be held as close to the plant as possible.
• All pruning tools should be kept sharp and clean. When pruning diseased plant material always sterilize the tools afterwards.

Pest and Disease Management: There are several ways to prevent insects and/or diseases in your interior plants or garden. Most important: start with healthy, disease free plants. Proper light, water, and soil requirements usually insure a happy, healthy plant. Incorrect light can either cause the plant to have sunburned leaves, or cause the plant to become leggy and spindly. Both these conditions will weaken the plant causing more susceptibility to insect and/or disease infestations. Incorrect watering will lead to disease infestations. In your garden, do not apply overhead irrigation in the evening hours; this sometimes can lead to diseases. For established gardens and newly transplanted gardens there are preventative measures that can be taken. Tour your garden on a weekly or daily basis looking for signs of ill health or insects, on new growth, on top and underneath the leaves, and for holes in the plant's leaf surface. Here are some clues or symptoms to look for. A caterpillar usually makes holes that start on the edge of the leaf and chews toward the center of the leaf. Some caterpillars work at night. If you suspect a caterpillar and can't see one check the soil underneath the plant; most likely he is hiding in the soil. Holes that start in the middle of the leaf are usually the work of a slug or snail and the plant can disappear quite rapidly. Brown circles on the leaf that enlarge in circumference are usually fungi.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is becoming more popular. The concept is to prevent chemical spraying or to cut down the use of chemical spraying, to monitor the plants for insects or disease, to use biological controls whenever possible, and to use alternative methods of controlling the pest at hand. Some alternative methods of controlling insects include using insecticidal soaps, dormant or summer oils, and biological controls. Some biological controls include: predators that consume other insects such as, Ladybugs just love aphids and the parasite Encarsia formosa, love whitefly that plague poinsettia. Scientists are researching more and more biological controls for the grower and the homeowner.

Prevention is the best cure. Tour the garden looking for signs of damage by insects or disease. Identify the problem, and choose the appropriate action. Spray only the plant or plants that have the problem. Several gardeners have reported good results with insecticidal soaps and the oils; it is better for you, the environment, and the plant.

Happy Gardening From Hibiscus...and More!!!
Cheryl Ann Meola Texas Certified Nursery Professional #1282
© 2005 Cheryl Ann Meola

August Gardening Calendar 2011

August Gardening Calendar

Prune Tropical Hibiscus you plan to bring indoors for the winter. Plan to place your plant in the sunniest window during the winter months. Trim back enough to fit your location indoors and bring your Hibiscus inside around December or before first frost. After pruning check your Hibiscus for insects and spray with appropriate insecticide. Now is a good time to fertilize your Hibiscus. Hibiscuses are heavy feeders and should be fertilized monthly with a Hibiscus Fertilizer. 

Remove faded blooms and seedpods on your Crepe Myrtles. You may be rewarded with more blooms before first frost. The recommended fertilizer formulation for Crepe Myrtles is 10-15-9 or a similar combination. Don’t forget to fertilize your Crepe Myrtles.

Roses prune out dead canes, and weak, bushy growth. Cut back tall, vigorous bushes by 1/3 the original plant height. Fertilize roses on a monthly basis until October. After pruning you should see new blooms coming in about 6 weeks.

Azaleas Lace bugs on your Azaleas increase rapidly in summer. Check your Azaleas for insects. The damaged caused by these sucking insects looks like tiny white dots and the entire leaf is almost completely white. Spray with appropriate insecticide labeled for Azalea Lace Bugs.

Lawns check your grass for insects, especially for chinch bugs and white grubs. These insects are most active in the summer months. The signs for chinch bugs are irregular circles, and the grass is thin, and then dies. For white grubs, the signs are irregular circles, and the grass is loosely rooted. Check the soil underneath the loosely rooted grass by digging up the soil, the grubs should be about an inch down in the soil, if you have them. Apply the appropriate insecticide and follow the package directions carefully. Lawn Mower Blades should be sharpened once each summer. A sharpened lawn mower blade prevents shredding the grass, and giving your lawn a nice, clean cut.

Mulch check all shrub beds and trees for mulch thickness. We are experiencing extreme heat this summer and shrubs and trees that have 2 to 3 inches of mulch keeps the roots cool and helps the soil retain moisture.

Fruits and Vegetables Start planning your fall vegetable garden this August. Till the soil and add Gypsum and Composted Cottonseed hull. The additives lowers the alkalinity and helps the soil stay loose. Tomatoes, Peppers, and Beans should planted by August 1^st. Starter plants usually are available by August 15^th. Pick the varieties of tomatoes that mature in 65-70 days. Cool season vegetables, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, swiss chard, collards, kale, and snow peas are planted in September. Blackberry and Raspberry plants at this time of year have a tendency to trail along the ground. Take the trailing canes or runners and tie them back to their arbor.

Seeds sow cool season seeds of snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, calendulas, and sweet alyssum to be planted in mid to late fall. Sow seeds of bluebonnets and other Texas spring wildflowers this month to be planted in the garden. The wildflowers will establish a root system during the fall for spring blooms.

Tropical Foliage Plants Check plants that are spending the summer outdoors for insects. Use an insecticidal soap, if needed. Your houseplants can be fertilized biweekly with a water soluble plant food. Hibiscus and More has a wonderful selection of houseplants. Click To Order Houseplants.

Need more gardening advice? Ask the Texas Certified Nursery Professional/Horticulturist. Email cheryl@hibiscusandmore.com 

Cheryl Ann Meola

Certified Texas Nursery Professional #1282

July Gardening Calendar

July Gardening Calendar

Watermelon – Choosing a summer watermelon for ripeness is as simple as slapping or knocking on it. The good ripe ones sound hollow, and the unripe ones sound like solid wood.

Flowering annuals and perennials – Such as Salvia, Zinnia, Coneflower, and Petunia, remove faded flowers to encourage business and more flower production.

Dahlias – The last week in July trim your plants back by half of their height to produce fall blooms. Fertilize with a flowering plant food.

Pink and Blue Hydrangeas – Remove faded flower stems. Trim shorten droopy, flowerless stems by 1/3. New growth that occurs now through winter will produce next summer’s blooms.

Herbs – Now is a good time to trim back Basil, Mint, and Oregano by half to prevent flowering and seed production. This will produce tastier leaves. With every Mint plant purchased at Hibiscus and More comes with an herbal ice mint tea recipe. Click To Order Herbs.

Summer Vegetables – Just one over ripe cucumber, squash, or okra left on the plant will stop flower production. Pick your summer vegetables on a regular basis to prevent this.

Houseplants – Check plants that are spending the summer outdoors for insects. Use an insecticidal soap, if needed. Your houseplants can be fertilized by weekly with a water-soluble plant food. Hibiscus and More has a wonderful selection of houseplants. Click To Order Houseplants.

Trees and Shrubs – Newly spring planted trees and shrubs should be watered 2 gallons of water per foot of plant height.

Figs – Remove the tallest shoots in the middle first, then prune the rest of the fig lightly. The horizontal branches produce the best fruit.

Hibiscus Plants – Should be fertilized monthly with a Hibiscus Fertilizer with a hibiscus fertilizer.

December Gardening Calendar

December Gardening Calendar

The Holiday Plants that you kept last year need to be placed in a dark room during the evening hours for the plants to bloom this holiday season. I remember this gardening ritual when it is time to turn back our clocks; it is time to give my holiday plants total darkness until I see buds or bracts forming. Christmas Cactus and Poinsettias are night dependant plants for them to bloom; these plants need so many hours of darkness to bloom. The cooler weather also helps in the blooming process. If you purchased new holiday plants, try to place them in the coolest area of your home.

Have you planted cool weather annuals? If not, there is still time to plant. Are your pansies already planted? Now is the time to fertilize your pansies, violas, snapdragons, ornamental cabbage and kale.

For Southern gardeners that are in zones 9 or 10 there is still time to plant your spring flowering bulbs.

Rake your leaves from your lawn by doing so; you will not have dead spots in the grass next spring. The leaves make excellent compost for the landscape beds in the spring. Need A Composter? Hibiscus and More has Hand Crafted Cedar Composter. Click To View.

Tis the season to harvest holiday decorations from your garden, Holly, Nandina, Pyracantha berries and foliage make an excellent red holiday accent for table centerpieces and hearth mantels.

Attract birds to your garden with different types of bird feeders. Bird experts recommend a selection of bird feeders that hold wild birdseed, thistle seed, and some that have suet cake holders. Bird experts recommend attracting wild birds to use black oil sunflower seed; this will attract a larger variety of wild birds. Hibiscus and More offers Thistle Bird Feeders, Bird Feeders with Suet Cake Holders, and Bird Feeders For Black Oil Sunflower Seed. View Thistle Bird Feeders. View Bird Feeders with Suet Cake(s) Holders. View Bird Feeders For Black Oil Sunflower Seed.

Need Horticulture Advice? Ask A Horticulturist. It’s Free.

Hibiscus and More now has a blog spot and we just started a new feature called the plant of the week. Click To View This Weeks Plant. It is one of our favorite plants because that it is very durable and easy to care for.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays From Hibiscus and More.

Hot Tropicals For The Summer

Hot Tropicals For The Summer

As the temperature slowly rises to the sizzling heat of summer I would like to recommend tropical plants that know how to beat the heat of summer and will 

Bougainvillea

bloom all summer long until 
the first frost of fall. 







Tropicals are the plants to purchase no matter how intensely hot the summers are in your area. These plants really know how to beat the heat of summer and can be planted in either a container or your favorite flowerbed.

With tropicals you can reinvent your patio for summer fun and barbeques. To reinvent your patio or outdoor living space for the summer activities, you’re thinking where do I begin? To start, take an inventory of your patio or outdoor living space you would like to reinvent. Do you have any empty pots or containers that you would like to use or would you like to start with a fresh new look this summer for your patio or outdoor living space? Let me mention that I would recommend saving any empty pots or containers to be recycled and used with your current vision. After taking an inventory of containers or places to

White Wing Caladium

revitalize near your patio.















I would like to suggest the placement of containers and plants, which can be used. When working with containers it is suggested to stay with the same shape container such as round, square, oval, etc. Personally, that is very boring to use the same shape container. My patio had all shapes and colors of containers and the design technique got rave reviews from my neighbors. With this in mind, I would suggest using any shape that you like and try to have a color scheme in mind, such as warm color or cool colors, or even neutral colors.

The placement of the containers should be taken into mind when setting up your patio for the summer season. Place the containers away from high traffic areas, but in an area where all can admire your prized plant. Grouping together the same shape containers, and having different container sizes of the same shape makes your patio more interesting, and gives an illusion of varying heights of plants.  

Firebush

These Hot Tropical Plants will beat the heat of summer and the plant list will include an array of plants that will beat the heat of summer, but will also attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and deter mosquitoes from your outdoor living space for 

Firecracker Plant

summer fun entertaining. I would recommend purchasing citronella candles to deter mosquitoes. Light the candles 30 minutes in advance before your outdoor fun begins. The plant heights and spacing mentioned in the article are for plants in the landscape, and container grown plants will grow considerably shorter than the same plant, which is planted in the landscape.   

Homestead Purple Verbena

Bougainvillea: Bougainvillea spectabilis - Type: Vine. Height: Variable, depends on variety. Spacing: 5 – 7 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Heat, drought, and salt tolerant. Can be grown in hanging baskets.

Fancy Leaved Caladium: Caladium X hortulanum ‘White Wing’ – Type: Tuberous annual. Height: 2 feet. Spacing: Tubers 6 – 12

Butterfly on Lantana

inches apart, 1 – 1.5 inches deep with pointed side up. Caladium plants 15 – 24 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to shade. The Lance-Leaf cultivars will grow in full sun.

Firebush: Hamelia patens - Type: Shrub. Height: To 15’. Spacing: 3 – 5’ apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly and Hummingbird attractant. There is a dwarf variety, which has become extremely popular.

Firecracker Plant: Russelia equisetiformis - Type: Perennial. Height: 36” – 48”. Spacing: 3 – 5’ apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly and Hummingbird attractant.    

Mandevilla

Hibiscus: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - Type: Shrub, annual outside USDA zone 9. Height: To 12 – 15’, pruning can control height. Spacing: 3 – 5’ apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, and heat tolerant.

Homestead Purple Verbena: Verbena canadensis 'Homestead Purple' - Type: Perennial ground cover. Height: 6 – 10”. Spacing: 12 – 24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, heat and drought tolerant.   

Lemon Grass

Hybrid Ixora: Ixora 'Nora Grant' – Type: Shrub. Height: 3 – 4 feet. Spacing: 3 – 5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, heat, and drought tolerant.

Lantana: Lantana camara 'Miss Huff' - Type: Perennial. Height: 4 – 5’. Spacing: 3 – 5’ apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, heat, and drought tolerant.

Lemon Grass: Cymbopogon citrates - Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, Mosquito repellent plant, leaves are used in cooking, in potpourris, and sachets.   

Mexican Marigold Mint

Mandevilla Vine: Mandevilla splendens – Type: Vine. Height: Variable, depends on the height of trellis. Spacing: 3 – 5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Drought tolerant and great to use in hanging baskets.

Mexican Marigold Mint: Tagetes lucida - Type: Perennial. Height: 24-30”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar and larval food plant, Mosquito repellent plant, fresh flowers are used in salads; leaves are used as a substitute for French tarragon.

Moss Rose: Portulaca grandiflora – Type: Ground cover. Height: 5 – 6 inches. Spacing: 12 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Salt and drought tolerant. Great to use in hanging baskets.

Pentas

Pentas: Pentas lanceolata - Type: Perennial. Height: To 3’, depends on variety. Spacing: 24 – 36” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, heat and drought tolerant.

Periwinkle: Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea) – Type: Perennial in zones 10 and 11. Height: 10 – 12 inches. Spacing: 10 – 12 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Heat, drought, and salt tolerant. Great to use in hanging baskets.

Pride-of-Barbados: Caesalpinia pulcherrima – Type: Shrub. Height: 12 – 15 feet. Spacing: 5 – 7 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Heat, drought, and salt tolerant. Fertilize with a low nitrogen fertilizer.

Trailing Lantana

Pride-of-Barbados: Caesalpinia pulcherrima var. flava - Type: Shrub. Height: 12 – 15 feet. Spacing: 5 – 7 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Heat, drought, and salt tolerant. Fertilize with a low nitrogen fertilizer.

Prostrate Rosemary: Salvia rosmarinus 'Prostratus' - Type: Perennial shrub or groundcover. Height: 12-18”. Spacing: 2 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, butterfly nectar plant, Mosquito repellent plant, and drought tolerant plant. 

Prostrate Rosemary

Purslane: Portulaca umbraticola – Type: Ground cover. Height: 6 – 8 inches. Spacing: 8 – 12 inches apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Can be planted in hanging baskets, a filler plant for containers, or a seasonal ground cover.

Rosemary: Rosmarinus officinalis - Type: Perennial shrub. Height: 4 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, drought tolerant plant, Mosquito repellent plant, and butterfly nectar plant.

Trailing Lantana: Lantana montevidensis - Type: Perennial, annual outside USDA zone 8. Height: 18 – 24”. Spacing: 3 – 4’ apart can spread to 5’. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, heat and drought tolerant.

Turk's Cap: Malvaviscus arboreus - Type: Shrub, annual outside USDA zone 9. Height: To 12 – 15’, pruning can control height. Spacing: 3 – 5’ apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, and heat tolerant.   

Turk's Cap

Wax Begonia: Begonia X semperflorens-cultorum - Type: Annual. Height: 6 – 12”. Spacing: 8 – 12” apart. Light Requirements: Partial shade to shade, the bronze-leaf varieties will tolerate more sun. Scarletta Begonia will take full sun even in the sizzling heat of Texas.

Wax Begoinia

Yellow Allamanda: Allamanda cathartica 'Hendersonii' – Type: Shrub or vine. Height: Variable. Spacing: 2 – 3 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: None.

Yellow Elder: Tecoma stans (Stenolobium stans) - Type: Shrub, annual outside USDA zone 7. Height: To 12 – 15’, pruning can control height. Spacing: 3 – 5’ apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly attractant, Hummingbird attractant, drought, and heat tolerant. There is an Apricot variety of this plant that will do exceptionally well in a container or planted in your flowerbeds.

Yellow Elder

Yellow Allamanda

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