Clerodendrum paniculatum, The Pagoda Flower is named for the shape of its flowers. This shrub spreads by means of root suckers to create a nice clump of stems, each producing a scarlet pagoda shaped inflorescence. It will flower all summer long and into the fall. As a bonus, Pagoda Flower is an excellent nectar source…
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The Curry Leaf Tree (Murraya koenigii) is a small tree 6-15′ from India and Sri Lanka. It tends to sucker from its surface roots giving it a shrubbier look than a single trunk tree. Most people don’t realize it is a member of the Citrus Family (Rutaceae). It produces small clusters of fragrant white flowers…
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Leucophyllum frutescens is a woody shrub native to the Chihuahuan Desert. It may be an arid growing shrub native to Texas, but it grows very well in South Florida. It thrives in well drained alkaline soils common to South Florida and can tolerate our humid rainy season as well as our drier winters. It flowers…
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Hamelia cuprea is a close relative to our native firebush (Hamelia patens). Bahama Firebush, is native to Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Cayman Islands. However, despite its common name, is not native to the Bahamas. Its leaves are larger and glossier than our native firebush, and its flowers are bell shaped and much showier than…
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The Black Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio polyxenes) may be the least observed butterfly in South Florida. One very easy way to attract it though, is to grow parsley and dill in the winter months in your herb garden or in pots on your patio. In the spring when the plants are flowering and going to seed…
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