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The Christmas Poinsettia is native to Mexico and has become one of the most popular plants on display during the Christmas holiday season. This shrub can attain heights of 10' when planted in the ground in tropical climates. It has dark green 3" to 6" pointed leaves. Tiny yellow flowers are grouped within the center of each cluster of leaves. This plant requires bright sun for most of the day but to produce the colorful bracts (which are actually modified leaves) it must receive approximately 10 to 12 hours of darkness for a 5 - 7 day period for the leaves to change color.

The Christmas Poinsettia was introduced to gardeners in the early 19th century and was named after Dr. J.R. Poinsett. The name pulcherrima translates to "Most Beautiful" and these plants are indeed most beautiful with their vivid cheerful color during the holiday season. We're all familiar with the red version that has been on the market for many years and now they come in colors of not only red, but white, pink, coral and even red and white stripes!

I don't know anything about Clematises, but I've planted a few over the years, and 'Nelly Moser' is the only one that has survived and does well here in my zone 9b garden. I've seen really beautiful "Clems" in northern gardens and was so happy to finally find one that will grow in hot, humid Florida! I'm sure 'Nelly Moser' probably performs better in cooler climates, but I'm just happy it's still growing and doing okay in my garden. It was originally planted in full shade beneath a large Schefflera tree, but the winter of 2009/2010 killed the tree, and this Clematis still seems to be happy in full sun. I keep a thick layer of mulch in the flower bed, which helps to keep the roots cool during the heat of summer, but I may end up transplanting it to another shady area because the sun seems to fade the blooms, and I think the blooms are more vivid and much prettier when the plant is grown in shade. I read that this particular Clematis blooms on old canes, so it's never been pruned. It blooms from mid-March through April here in my garden and I consider it an easy, low-maintenance plant.

Synonyms: Epiphyllum Strictum, Cereus Hookeri, Phyllocactus Hookeri, Epiphyllum Phyllanthus

Epiphyllum hookeri is a climbing cactus that can reach heights of six feet or more. This plant prefers a bright shady location and well draining soil. Bloom time is usually in the summer months. After the buds begin forming, they slowly swell and turn upward. On my plant, the flowers usually begin to slowly open in late evening and are fully opened by around 10:30 - 11:00 p.m. I've read that the flowers are fragrant but I have never detected a scent when my plant is in bloom.

Native to the rain forests of Mexico and Central America, the Cat palm is a slow growing, clump forming palm tree that prefers high humidity and bright light but no direct sun, which will burn the foliage.

Native to Eastern Mexico, the Pony Tail Palm is not a true palm but more closely related to Yucca. It is a slow growing palm-like succulent that can attain heights to 30 feet when grown outdoors in temperate climates, and it can reach heights of 6 to 8 feet when container grown as a houseplant. The Pony Tail Palm has a single trunk with a swollen caudex that stores water for use during drought conditions. The long straplike arching and drooping leaves give this plant the appearance of a palm tree. Mature plants produce racemes of pretty cream to whitish blooms that seem to shoot out from the top of the foliage. This plant prefers a sandy well draining soil, is extremely drought tolerant and does well in rock gardens.

The Pony Tail palm is an easy houseplant as long as it's given a lot of sun and isn't over-watered.

Ardisia elliptica is native to Southeast Asia but the plant has become naturalized in moist tropical regions like Hawaii and the southern part of Florida. Shoebutton Ardisia is a tropical, evergreen shrub or small tree that can reach heights of 20 feet. The plant has alternate leathery leaves, with new leaves that are pink to reddish in color that turn dark green with age. Shoebutton Ardisia blooms year round but the peak blooming period is during the summer months. The small star shaped pink flowers hang in clusters from the leaf axils and are followed by round button shaped drupes/fruits. The berries/fruits are consumed by birds and other animals and their dispersement causes rapid spread of this plant. The common name of "Shoebutton" comes from the little button shaped fruit, while the common name "Ink Berry" is due to the berries having a juice that stains like ink.

Alternanthera ficoidea is native to South America and Mexico. The plant bears small white inconspicuous flowers and is mainly grown for the lovely, brightly colored and patterned foliage. It is perennial in warm climates but is suitable as an annual in colder areas.

I've grown this plant as both a landscape plant and as a container plant. The plants in the ground survived for quite a few years but were killed by many nights of mid 20ºF temperatures last winter. The containerized plant survived because it was moved to a covered porch and covered with an old blanket during the cold nights.

Aloe maculata is native to Southern and Eastern Africa and was formerly known as Aloe saponaria ( the sap from the leaves makes a soapy lather.) This Aloe has become a popular landscape and house plant around the world. Like other Aloes, A. maculata has very sharp teeth along the leaf margins. Flowers are variable in color, ranging from bright red to yellow and are borne in clusters on top of tall, multi branching stems. Aloe maculata is salt tolerant, making it a good plant for seaside gardens. It produces many offsets and the plant can become invasive in warm climates.

Aloe hemmingii is a native of Somalia. This aloe grows in a rosette form, has thick, heavily patterned/spotted leaves that have sharp teeth along the leaf margins. If given proper care it blooms off and on most of the year with pretty pink tubular flowers. This Aloe can grow in sun or shade and like other succulents it prefers a well draining potting medium consisting of sand or gravel.

The Climbing Aloe is native to South Africa and is said to be the fastest growing of all Aloes. It can reach 8 to 12 feet in height and needs the support of another plant or a trellis for climbing. If no support is available, the plant will attain a scraggly growth habit as my little plant seems to be doing, and if the stem touches the ground, it will take root in the soil. The Climbing Aloe prefers full sun, and like most succulents is drought tolerant.

Native to Southeast Asia, the Aglaonema is a perennial plant often grown in offices and shopping malls and has become a popular house plant because of its easy care. This plant does well in low light situations as well as bright shade, but direct sun will scorch the leaves. The spathe (bloom) is whitish to green in color and not really showy. The sap from Aglaonema can cause skin irritation in some people.

Lily of the Nile/African Lily is a native of South Africa and has become a popular garden plant around the world. The plant grows from bulbs and has a short stem with long and narrow arching leaves. During the summer months clusters of flowers are borne atop 18" to 24" tall scapes. I've grown both the blue and white varieties in the garden in full sun and partial shade, and I've also had success growing them in containers.

Native primarily to Southeast Asia, Aeschynanthus longicaulis is a herbaceous perennial in the Gesneriaceae family. The blooms are greenish-yellow in color and not very showy, therefore this plant is primarily grown for its attractive mottled foliage. Like other "Lipstick Plants," its trailing habit makes it perfect for hanging baskets. It requires bright light but no direct sun, which will scorch and fade the leaves. This plant is often confused with and sometimes sold as A. longicaulis Black Pagoda, which is incorrect as the cultivar Black Pagoda has orange flowers.

Achimenes is native to Mexico and South America and is a rhizomatous perennial herb in the Gesneriaceae family of plants. Achimenes have much larger flowers than their cousin the African Violet, and with their trailing growth habit they make a wonderful hanging basket plant. The rhizomes have the appearance of little pine cones, and when the plant goes into dormancy the rhizomes can be dug and stored in a cool, dry place for replanting in spring.

Helianthus annuus is an annual that is native to the Americas. It grows 6 to 12 feet in height and has hairy oval or heart shaped leaves and hairy stems. This common sunflower requires full sun and is drought tolerant. I haven't grown sunflowers from seed in a long while, but there have always been a few sprouting in the yard for the past few years, compliments of the backyard birds! I don't know anyone who doesn't like the sunflower. If those big, beautiful heads of flowers don't make you smile, I don't know what will.

Vancouver Centennial, like other zonal Geraniums, is a popular annual bedding plant. It is a small to medium herbaceous perennial or annual with a spreading, mounding growth habit. It prefers to grow in full sun to partial shade. Spent flowers should be removed (deadheaded) to promote continuous blooming throughout the summer. This particular Pelargonium has beautiful dense variegated foliage of green and orange/bronze. I grow this plant in hanging baskets and I love the bold textured foliage even more than the flowers.

Yellowtop/Narrowleaf Yellowtop is a native evergreen perennial here in Florida, found in the southern part of the state as well as coastal central Florida. This plant grows to 3' tall and wide, and the flowers are attractive to butterflies and bees. It blooms all summer and fall and sometimes sporadically in spring and winter as well. Yellowtop prefers full sun and is drought tolerant once established.

Brazilian Pepper is native to Argentina but has become naturalized in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is an extremely invasive plant, choking out native plants and trees. Brazilian Pepper is a beautiful evergreen attaining heights and spread to 30 feet with arching, crossing branches that form dense thickets. The leaves have a peppery/turpentine scent when crushed. Tiny white flowers appear summer through fall, followed by bright red drupes/berries that last all winter. Birds and other animals are fond of the fruit and disperse the seeds, which leads to the spread of this plant.

Kalanchoe daigremontiana, native to Madagascar, is a succulent type plant that has been introduced to the U.S. and has become a common house plant. It has escaped cultivation in some areas of the south and has become invasive. The Mother of Thousands grows to about 3' in height with 6"- 8" long leaves. Little plantlets sprout all along the leaf edges of the mother plant, fall to the soil below, take root and spread. Here in my area this plant blooms in fall and early winter. All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and animals, so be cautious with this plant around children and pets.

Allamanda cathartica, native to Brazil, is a tropical twining vine that can also be pruned to shrub form. It has leathery bright green leaves and trumpet/funnel shaped bright yellow flowers. The blooms are followed by prickly seed pods with winged seeds. This plant prefers bright sun to dappled shade and regular watering during the warm months. During the winter rest period it should be kept on the dry side.