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The Ming Aralia is native from India to Polynesia and is a slow-growing shrub reaching heights to 8'. It has an upright, spreading growth habit with finely textured, tripinnate dark green leaves that have a shaggy appearance. Ming Aralia prefers a location of sun to partial shade, and medium humidity.

I grow my plant in a chunky, fast-draining potting medium and I water it approximately once a week during the summer months. I've read that Ming Aralia prefers temperatures of 60º to 85ºF, but mine hasn't seemed to be negatively affected by our hot, humid summer with many days in the mid 90s. It also survived our last two extremely cold winters on an unheated porch, but I wouldn't suggest that for areas that have extended winters. There was major leaf drop, but the plant perked right up when the warm weather returned.

Schefflera elegantissima is native to the Southwestern Pacific area of New Caledonia. It is a small tree with thin toothed, dark green to bronze leaves. It requires warmth, humidity and bright light to thrive. Many years ago I had a large Schefflera elegantissima planted in the ground. We had mild winters for many years and the tree did real well but it was eventually lost to an extended winter cold. My current plant is about two years old and is kept in a container so it can be moved to a protected porch in winter. It was situated in a shady corner of the deck for a couple of months this summer and began dropping foliage so I recently moved it to brighter light with a little morning sun and it's improving.

Marsdenia floribunda (formerly Stephanotis floribunda) is a fast growing tropical vine that can reach heights of 15 feet or more. It's a vigorous climber, so give it a trellis to twine and climb. This vine has tough stems and thick dark green leaves. The fragrant white, star shaped flowers are produced in clusters during the summer months and the bloom color fades to yellow after several days. Marsdenia floribunda prefers a full sun location along with warmth, humidity and regular watering during the summer months.

I no longer have this plant ... another lost to a winter freeze. I did love the cute little succulent like leaves on this one. I grew it in a chunky, fast draining mix as I do most of my houseplants.

Coin Leaf Peperomia has thick, waxy dark green coin shaped leaves. This plant prefers a warm and bright location but no direct sunlight which will scorch and fade the foliage. A well draining potting medium is required and you should let the plant dry slightly between watering as too much water will cause stem and root rot.

I lost my plant to severe cold last winter.

Peperomia obtusifolia (Blunt Leaf Peperomia) is native to the Caribbean Islands and Tropical America. It is a shrubby groundcover attaining heights of about 6" with thick, smooth, waxy foliage and stems. Peperomia obtusifolia is dark green in color in its native form and often variegated in cultivated forms. This plant prefers filtered light to light shade, but no direct sun, and it requires heat and high humidity to do well.

Pachira aquatica is a tropical tree native to Central and South America. Money Tree is a plant found in wetlands, where it grows along river banks and in flooded areas. In its native habitat, the Money Tree can attain heights to 60 feet. This tree is cultivated for its fruit/nuts, which are edible to both humans and animals and the foliage and flowers are edible as well.

Young trees have become popular houseplants in recent years and they prefer warmth, full sun to dappled shade and lots of water. When growing as a potted plant be sure to use a well draining potting medium; without proper drainage the plant will experience root rot and the eventual demise of the plant.

Many Zephyranthes are native to the Southeastern U.S. and Central and South America. They bloom in my sandy Florida garden off and on from late spring through summer. I always forget about these beauties until they magically appear after seasonal rains, and it's understandable how they got their common name of "Rain Lily".

My Climate:

USDA Zone 9b East Central Florida
Average Relative Humidity 75%

I received my original 'rubra' in a small 4" pot from elderly friends in 1976. I didn't know it was a Hoya, only a plant called "Wax Plant" because of the waxy looking flowers. The plant grew rapidly, to the point where I had two very large containers with trellises for the vines to climb. I lost one of the large plants last winter but the remaining one still grows strong and currently has a few buds. The plant originally had the variegated foliage but over the years has reverted back to the solid green color.

I live in East Central Florida, where it's hot in the summertime and humid year round. My plant stays outside on a screened deck, and in the winter when we have cold nights I move the container up against the side of the house and throw a blanket over it for warmth. I grow this plant in a fast draining, chunky potting medium (consisting of lots of orchid bark mix with a little potting soil incorporated). I grow the plant fairly dry, watering every couple of weeks.

Gardenia jasminoides is a common and popular shrub here in the south, and the fragrant blooms are a favorite of many. I have two Gardenia shrubs in my yard that I planted 30+ years ago. They've been pretty much neglected when it comes to fertilization and pruning as I rarely do either and they are both about 6 feet high and wide. I've read that Gardenia requires a location of mostly shade with dappled sunlight, yet one of mine grows in full sun, the other in full shade, and they both thrive, blooming during May and June each year.

The Snow Queen Hibiscus can reach heights of 8 to 10 feet and spread of up to 4 feet. This plant prefers a full sun location and regular watering but is drought tolerant once established. The beautiful variegated foliage is green with white splashes and large red flowers are produced from summer to fall.

My Snow Queen Hibiscus at one time reached about 8 1/2 feet in height but was knocked back by two extremely cold winters in a row. I thought it was totally dead after last winter's freezes but to my surprise it re-sprouted from the ground in late spring this year. It's now only about 4' tall and wide but has been blooming all summer.

Phalaenopsis or "Moth Orchid" prefers warmth and good humidity, preferably above 50%. An eastern light exposure is preferred. Direct sun will scorch the foliage, so if it is grown on a window sill, a sheer curtain should be used to deflect sunlight. Water well using rainwater, RO (reverse osmosis) water, or purified water and let dry between waterings.

Oncidesa Gower Ramsey (Goldiana X Guinea Gold)

This plant produces long spikes of 4 to 5 feet with many bright yellow blooms per spike. I love the bright color of this orchid!

Oncidium Nanboh Waltz 'Boso Sweet' (Onc. mackalii X Onc. ornithorhynchum)

I purchased this Orchid from Home Depot in 2008 and found the label buried in the sphagnum moss when I removed the orchid for re-potting. The blooms have a slight sweet fragrance.

Tecoma stans is found in desert shrublands and dry forests from Texas and Arizona south to Argentina. It has naturalized in the southern part of Florida and has become invasive in some areas of the Pacific Islands. Yellow Bells is a densely branched shrub or small tree that can reach heights of 8 to 10 feet. It prefers full sun and is drought tolerant once established. This plant has bright green, sharply toothed leaves and during the summer months it produces clusters of bright yellow trumpet shaped flowers.

I received a cutting of this plant a few years ago. It rooted quickly but has been a slow grower, possibly because I grow it as a container plant. It's one of my favorite bright yellow summer bloomers!

The Cabbage palmetto is native to the Southeastern U.S. from North Carolina through Florida, and also Cuba and the Bahamas. It is a popular landscape tree attaining heights to 65 feet or more and a trunk circumference up to 2 feet. This is a fan type palm with leaves reaching 6 to 8 feet in length. The Cabbage palmetto blooms in mid summer with the creamy yellowish white flowers produced in panicles extending out from the leaves. The blooms are followed in late fall or early winter by black drupe type fruits that contain a single seed, a favorite of both birds and squirrels. The Sabal Palm is very cold hardy and can survive short periods of temperatures around 10ºF with protection. Once established, this tree is very drought tolerant as well as wind resistant.

Dichondra carolinensis is native to the Southeastern U.S., a low growing creeping ground cover to approximately 3 inches tall with tiny white, almost inconspicuous blooms in the summer months.

Ficus lyrata is a broadleaf evergreen tree native to the tropical region of western Africa. In its natural habitat Ficus lyrata can attain heights of 40 - 50 feet, with a spread of 30 feet and a trunk that grows several feet thick. The common name Fiddle-leaf fig comes from the leaves, which grow up to 15 inches long and 12 inches wide and have the appearance or shape of a fiddle. Fiddle-leaf Fig prefers full sun to partial shade and is drought tolerant once established.

Mirabilis jalapa is native to tropical South America but has escaped cultivation and become naturalized in some parts of the U.S. Four o'Clocks are a fast-growing, shrublike perennial here in the south and reach heights of 4 feet. Four o'Clocks are proliferate self-seeders and have large, heavy, deep-rooted tubers that are difficult to eradicate. I have both the dark pink and the white variety growing in my yard and although the late afternoon blooms are beautiful I consider them pest plants because I can't seem to keep them under control.

Dotted Beebalm is native to the eastern part of North America and is a shrubby perennial reaching heights of three to four feet. Monarda punctata prefers a location of full sun but in the deep south enjoys a little shade from intense direct sunlight. This plant is a butterfly attractant and blooms from summer to frost.