It may not look like much in the store...

Purslane are just $3.50 in a gallon pot.

Sometimes a small, humble plant in the Center can be stunning when it matures in your garden.  In a couple of months these Purslane have provided a stunning groundcover and underplanting for Kathleen' ponytail palms.

Let us help you discover these gems for your garden.

What a couple of months do in south Florida!

Plant of the Month--Wild Coffee

We are introducing a new series called Plant of the Month. We will feature a plant that we deem excellent for one reason or another. This is meant to encourage you to try a plant with which you may be unfamiliar. This month we feature wild coffee.  

Psychotria nervosa - wild coffee - is an excellent evergreen multi-stem native shrub that likes shade or sun. It can be kept small (3') or left a bit untamed to use as a screening plant. The small white flowers are a nectar source for butterflies and the berries attract wildlife. It has medium water needs, and once established is appropriate for xeriscaping. Xeriscaping or xerogardening refers to landscaping/gardening without supplemental irrigation once the plants are established. Wild coffee is a great choice, and it's here at SmartyPlants.

Color Doesn't Have to be Flowers

Everyone loves color. Sometimes we rely too much on flowers to create that color in the garden.

Here's a Gold Dust Croton that adds sunshine to a flower bed that may not get a lot of sun. These are now available from Amelia's at $10 for a 3-gallon pot.

Ask us for more suggestions for creating color without flowers.

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs--Summer in Florida

Sri lankan weevil

Bugs - It seems that more bugs than ever are attacking our beloved plants. We've said it before - be extra vigilant of bugs when it's this hot and humid. Check under the leaves and on the trunk and stems of shrubs. Notice if the insects are damaging your plants by sucking or by chewing. Different pesticides are appropriate for each type of insect.  

Oil-Based Pesticides - If you are using an on-contact/suffocating type of pesticide like Neem Oil, apply in the early hours of the day. Oil-based sprays can burn your plant if temperatures are higher than 75 degrees F.  

Spiraling White Fly

 White Fly - What can we say about Spiraling White fly that hasn't been said? Yuk!!! They are not picky about what they eat. A systemic pesticide - one that is absorbed by the plant through the roots - is necessary. If you don't want to use chemicals, blast them with water on a regular basis to keep them at bay; they come off easily. It's working at our house, but we have to do it weekly at a minimum.  Here's an article from the U of Florida.

Thought About Topiary?

Sometimes our customers overlook the impact that a piece of topiary can provide in their garden. When you see a row of these carefully crafted plants in the Center, it's hard to envision how beautiful one of them might be in one of your planting beds.

Let us help you move them around to isolate your favorite from the display. Buy one, and if you don't like it, come back and swap it for one of a different size or shape. (Provided, of course it's still alive!)