There are many species of Cigar Flowers or Cuphea. Cuphea platycentra ‘Pink’ is one of the few that do not have orange flowers and is a little larger than most. The common name is Mexican Cigar Flower. It is a small shrub 2-4 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. It is an excellent plant for…
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The red shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana) is native to Mexico but it has naturalized in areas of South Florida. It grows to a height of 1-3 feet with spindly stems which gives it a sprawling mounding appearance. It also suckers along the stems spreading as it grows. This is an ideal plant for a shady…
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Mimosa strigillosa (Powderpuff or Sensitive Plant) is a wonderful groundcover which is relatively drought tolerant. It is native to Miami-Dade County and most of the counties north of Lake Okeechobee. The name ‘powderpuff’ is derived from the shape of its pink flowers resembling a powderpuff. The ‘sensitive plant’ comes from the fact its fern-like leaves…
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Two native Sennas to consider if you want to attract the Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly (Phoebis sennae) to your garden. The first naturally occurs in 19 Florida counties including Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys. This would be Senna ligustrina or the Privet Senna. It flowers periodically throughout the year and has an upright growth habit up…
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There is a native scarlet red morning glory (Ipomoea microdactyla), more commonly called Wild Potato Morning Glory or Man-in-the-Ground. It is endangered in Florida and only grows in the Pine Rockland habitat of Miami-Dade County. It has underground tubers to store energy when it goes dormant during the dry winter season. The flowers attract bees,…
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