Author: Leonard Goldstein

Rare & Unusual Tropical Trees & Plants, Flowering, Fruit, Native, Palm, Bamboo, Heliconia, Hummingbird, Butterfly

Ground Covers That You May Not Have Thought About, Part V

Richard Lyons’ Nursery today presents the fifth installment of its survey of plants that are sometimes overlooked for their potential as ground covers. Native Pineland Croton, Croton linearis: This evergreen shrub is native from St. Lucie County south through the Florida peninsula and into the Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica. Several butterfly species are attracted to…
Read more


July 18, 2014 0

Ground Covers You May Not Have Thought Of, Part IV

Carnation ‘Firewitch’, Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Firewitch’: If our weather forecast suddenly calls for a low of 35 below zero, you might not survive, but this plant will! Capable of growing in a vast range of temperatures, this Carnation cultivar produces bright purplish-pink flowers, as well as a clove-like fragrance. Even when not in flower, Firewitch’s blue-gray…
Read more


July 11, 2014 0

Ground Covers You May Not Have Thought About, Part III

Richard Lyons’ Nursery today continues its survey of plants that are sometimes overlooked in their capacity as ground covers. Beach Creeper, Ernodea littoralis: This beautiful Florida native is a long-lived perennial shrub that makes a very nice ground cover topping out at 3 ft. and under. It features reddish stems, pink to white flowers, and…
Read more


June 27, 2014 0

Ground Covers You May Not Have Thought About, Part II

Pentas, Pentas lanceolata:  If you want a ground cover that attracts both butterflies and hummingbirds, this species makes a great candidate. We here at Richard Lyons’ Nursery grow only the old-fashioned red, an important consideration in light of the fact that hybrid Pentas are not butterfly attractants. We prefer this species because it enhances our extensive…
Read more


June 20, 2014 0

Ground Covers You May Not Have Thought About

One of the fascinating aspects of growing plants, either as a vocation or an avocation, is the discovery that many are capable of serving multiple roles. Here at Richard Lyons’ Nursery, there are a number of species fitting that description, and some are surprising in their versatility. Starting today, we are undertaking a multi-part survey of…
Read more


June 13, 2014 0