false nettle

False Nettle is a clumping perennial that grows 2-3 ft. in height, but can grow to 4 – 5 feet in the south. It is native to Canada and grows throughout Eastern, central and Southwestern states in the United States and up into Eastern Canada. It has tiny greenish flowers that are in small, head-like…

buddleia (butterfly bush)

Buddleia – or “Butterfly Bush” – attracts hummingbirds and many different kinds of butterflies. Fragrant pink-purple flowers in conical clusters appear on and off all year (more during warmer weather) at the tips of arching branches. With regular trimming, it will reward you with its showy year-round flowers and butterfly-attracting qualities. By Michael West –…

canna lily

You’ve seen cannas around gardens in Florida, even if you don’t know it. They’re the giant orchid-looking things with great big colorful leaves and seed pods that look like fuzzy duck heads. They take some work to look their best and they prefer to stand alone, but they’re worth it. Probably. Cannas are heat-loving perennials…

candlestick senna

The first thing sustainability-minded people usually say about candlestick plant is, “Yay, it’s a host plant for sulphur butterflies to lay their eggs” (of which we in FL are blessed with species ranging from the tiniest sulphur species, the size of a fingernail, to a giant floating flower the size of a tiger swallowtail.) But…