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The Camphor tree is a large evergreen tree attaining heights up to 150' and width twice that size. The alternate, glossy oval shaped leaves dangle from long petioles and have a camphor smell when crushed. In spring the foliage is bright green with masses of tiny white flowers followed by clusters of black pea sized berries. The Camphor tree bark is rough and fissured and the trunk can attain up to 15' in diameter. Although it is said to be a good storm and fire resistant tree, it's a non-native invasive species in North America. Here in Florida it is listed as a Category 1 exotic invasive and is disrupting native plant habitats.

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Chrysothemis pulchella is a tender tropical perennial that makes a nice ornamental house plant. It blooms spring through summer and goes dormant when temperatures drop below 60ºF. The leaves and stems will die back but it can survive 30-40ºF temperatures for short periods.

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Celtis laevigata, commonly called "Sugarberry" is a deciduous North American native tree that can reach heights of 60' to 80'. Sugarberry has an elm-like shape with a broad open crown, drooping branches, and warty bark. The drupes (fruit) start out green, ripen to a purplish black color, and are a favorite of birds.

Here in my area the "Sugarberry" tree is the first to lose its leaves in autumn and also the first tree to leaf out with pretty light green foliage in spring, and it's a beautiful shade tree during the summer months. Mature trees have interesting, corky/warty looking bark.

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The Giant White Bird of Paradise tree is native to subtropical Africa and is a close cousin of Strelitzia regina but is much larger, forming huge clumps up to 30', and leaves of 6-8' in length that are arranged in fans atop the trunk. With optimal conditions the trunk can grow to 18' in width. The infloresence has a dark blue bract, white sepals and a bluish-purple tongue. This plant needs a sheltered location in the landscape, away from high winds which will shred the foliage.

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Leaves fragrant, used to make tea or jelly. Edible flowers attract bees & butterflies.
Semi-erect growth habit. Bag seed heads to collect seed. Seed doesn't store well.
Provenance: Mexico. Older name: S. rutilans. Family: Lamiaceae.
Grows as annual in Zone 6.
Other propagation method: softwood cuttings.
Height 36" to 48", prefers full sun.
Spacing: 24" to 36"

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The most common and widespread deciduous tree in North America, the Red Maple can attain heights of over 50'. It is used as a shade tree in landscapes and is adaptable to a wide range of conditions. This tree is known for its attractive foliage which turns a deep scarlet color in autumn.

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Acalypha wilkesiana is native to Fiji and nearby South Pacific Islands. In frost-free zones it can easily attain a height of 10'. Joseph's Coat is grown for its beautiful, colorful foliage. The small inconspicuous flowers hang from catkin-like racemes, usually hidden by the foliage. There are many cultivars of Acalypha with differing leaf forms and colors.

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Dioscorea bulbifera ("Air Potato") is a species of Yam with tubers beneath the soil that resemble oblong potatoes. It is a fast growing, broad leaved perennial vine that can attain heights to 150'. The vine forms bulbils in the leaf axils which then sprout, forming new vines that grow into a thick mass. This plant is an invasive here in Florida, taking over and displacing native plants. Although the foliage is rather attractive, the small white flowers are rarely seen. The uncultivated variety of this plant found in Florida is considered toxic, containing the steroid diosgenin.

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Tillandsia utriculata is native to Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela, and the United States. The Giant Air Plant is the largest in the Bromeliaceae family, with some specimens reaching 3 feet in height with a spread of almost 3 feet. The foliage is silver/gray in color and the small, inconspicuous pale-yellow blooms are borne on 3 to 4 foot long spikes. It is found in the U.S. from Central Florida southward through the Florida Keys. Like other Bromeliads, it is an epiphyte, using the tree as its host and receiving nutrition from leaf litter and moisture from rain. Tillandsia utriculata is a threatened species due to overcollecting as well as habitat destruction in central and south Florida. It is also listed on the Florida endangered species list due to destruction by the Mexican Bromeliad Weevil.

There was a very large specimen in an oak tree in my neighbor's backyard, but unfortunately the last two extremely cold winters killed it.

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"Spanish Moss" is a common sight in the deep south. It is an epiphyte that uses the Southern Live Oak, Bald Cypress, and other trees as its host. The plant has thin stems with alternate, curved, curling, heavily scaled leaves. It grows in a chainlike manner, seeming to "drip" from the trees. Being epiphytic, it does not take nutrients from its host tree but rather absorbs nutrients from air and rainfall. Tillandsia usneoides rarely kills the tree it is attached to, but it blocks light to the tree's leaves, reducing the growth rate of its host.

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"Ball Moss" is commonly seen attached to trees in the deep south. It is not parasitic as some believe, deriving only physical support from the host plant that it clings to. It can hinder tree growth by competing for light and nutrients and restricting surface area for new branch formation but doesn't usually affect a healthy host plant. Ball Moss photosynthesizes its own food, receiving water from rain and nitrogen from bacteria. The blooms are rather bland but interesting.

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KEYSTONE SUMMER SOLSTICE (Jesberger 2007)

(Mystical Rainbow x Spacecoast Double Edge)

Dormant tetraploid, 5” flower, 24” scape, 3 way branching, 18-22 buds, early/mid bloom. I knew I would probably be registering this one from its maiden bloom. The very first flower ever open took a full day of hard rain and wind and barely blinked. Picture below was taken 7/10/2007 at 1 p.m. in full sun during a 90* Pennsylvania heat wave. Opens wide on 46 degree mornings, but a little slower at lower temps. Petals are a cream yellow and pink blend with thin burgundy edging. Sepals are peach edged cream yellow. Eyezone is a fascinating burgundy purple washed with gray/blue. Midrib is white and “pulls” the eyezone out to a chevron point.. Throat is green extending out to yellow. Diamond dusted and slightly fragrant. Vigorous and northern hardy, this one is a rapid increaser.

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Fertile Both ways in my garden. Reblooms too.

Lavender w/grey tones and purple/black eye, and a nice green throat.

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Pod fertile for me this year. Did not try pollen.

Great near black color, Unusual form crispate. One of my favorites this year.

Early midseason w/Rebloom

Fast increase.

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HOT intense orange with a light orange halo & yellow Throat. Lights up the garden.

good increase

Pod & pollen fertile for me.

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Keystone Harvest Moon (2004)
KEYSTONE HARVEST MOON (Jesberger 2004)

(Prairie Fire X America’s Most Wanted)

Tetraploid, 4.75” flower, fragrant, 25” scape, 3 way branching with 18- 22+ buds, mid season bloom, diurnal bloom, semi-evergreen and hardy to at least cold zone 5. (This should probably not go any further north than Zone 5, but should be an EXCELLENT daylily in warmer zones.) I don’t mind telling you that I would have liked this one to have exhibited a little more Northern hardiness and been a little quicker to increase, but the color was so unique that I felt that it was worth registering. I have had a terrible time capturing the color of this daylily on film. The best I can describe it is a creamy marshmallow, Dreamsicle orange. It has green deep in the throat with pumpkin yellow extending out onto a raspberry
halo. Very ruffled, with darker veining on the petals. Reblooms in Western PA. Fertile both ways. Makes naturally small fans. I have sent this one a couple of times to Francois Verhaert of Belgium, and he has it for sale on his website Eurocallis with his description "enchanting color, impeccable form".

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Pennsylvania Bucktails (2002)

PENNSYLVANIA BUCKTAILS (Jesberger 2002)

(Driving Me Wild X Wisest of Wizards)

Tetraploid, 4.75” flower, 25”scape, four to five way branching, 21-26 buds, mid season bloom, semi-evergreen to dormant) I know it doesn’t have the really fancy face everyone seems to want, but Northern gardeners will appreciate this one anyway as it loves to grow and is extremely hardy. Put up three scapes as a first year double-fan seedling in 2001, and then put up a rebloom scape toward the end of July 2001! Large, vigorous dark green foliage, very good increase. Early morning opener and opens wide even on cool northern mornings. Color is a soft, buff peach pink with white midribs and a soft burgundy eye. Yellow green throat, ruffled metallic gold edge, and moderately diamond dusted. Extremely fertile both ways. Named in honor of a famous Civil War Regiment from north-western Pennsylvania commanded by General Thomas L. Kane.

I am getting reports from some Northern hybridizers that Pennsylvania Bucktails is giving them very vigorous seedlings.

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Heavy bloom with good rebloom.
Extremely pod fertile in my garden. Will make "bee pods" if you don't dead-head.
Very fast increaser.
Easy to find at most mass merchants.

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New to my garden and already a favorite.

Very small black/purple blooms. Adorable.

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Bright hot Orange blooms, with a red-orange eye.

Pod & pollen fertile for me. Although low number of seed in each pod.

Blooms midseason

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