New Seeds Selections Just Added

Sturts Desert Pea Swainsona formosa

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:07:15 GMT

The flowers are classic pea shaped, bright red with deep purple-black center spots, presented in clusters of 5-6, each flower is up to 3 inches long. Requires a full sun position, in cooler areas needs a warm dry winter position. Prefers good drainage, but is widely adaptable to most soil types. This fantastic plant is the floral emblem of South Australia and can be treated as an annual or tender perennial in cooler areas. Brilliant in large pots or mass plantings, suitable for large hanging baskets, mass plantings or in an annual or perennial border.
Zones 9-11 as a perennial, an annual in all other zones.

Blackbird Dierama

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:05:55 GMT

Also known as Angels Fishing Rods. Hardy perennial suited for pots. Exquisitely beautiful. Blackbird with arching wiry 'rod like' stems rising through tufts of grassy foliage. Numerous darkest burgundy flowers hang just like fish from the rod from June to August and nod, even on the calmest of days providing continual movement. Attractive to bees and butterflies and evergreen. Prefers sun in moist but well drained soil.

Ailsa Craig Giant Exhibition Onions

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:08:47 GMT

Giant show quality 2-5 pound onions! Globe Kelsae type, golden color skin, firm white flesh, sweet, 110 days. Grow them to impress your neighbors and win competitions, but also be sure to enjoy their wonderful flavor!

Fragrant False Indigo

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:37:21 GMT

A compact erect shrub with green foliage. Leaves are alternate, odd-pinnate up to 1-4 inches long. The fragrant pink flowers appear in May through July.
The pink flowers have a delightful honey fragrance. Excellent container plant and does well outside in almost all soils, drought tolerant.
Perennial. Hardy outside to zone 3.

Swamp White Oak

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:55:40 GMT

Good for zones 4-9. One of the fastest growing oaks, forms a large canopy and prefers moist sites. Transplants easily and offers wildlife food as well as bening an excellent landscape specimen. Mature tree can reach 70-100 ft tall and spread to 50-70 ft. wide. Native to North America.

Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Pepper

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:03:11 GMT

( Super Hot Pepper 1,460,000 SU)
Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper is a chili pepper that has been measured as the world's hottest. The pepper is a particular strain of the Trinidad Scorpion (which originated in Trinidad and Tobago). It is named after Butch Taylor, the owner of a hot sauce company who is responsible for propagating the pepper's seeds. The "scorpion" peppers are referred to as such because the pointed end of the pepper is said to resemble a scorpion's stinger.
The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper is the hottest pepper in the world, according to Guinness World Records. Prior to this, the world's hottest pepper was a specimen of the Naga Viper pepper. A laboratory test conducted in March, 2011 measured a specimen of Trinidad Scorpion Butch T at 1,463,700 Scoville heat units, making it hotter than the Naga Viper's 1,382,118 Scoville heat units.

Peter Pepper

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:35:00 GMT

It is absolutely the novelty of the garden. Special heirloom red 'anatomical' hot peppers. Thought to originate out of the Appalachian region. In addition to the novel shape, this is actually a fine tasting pepper with plenty of heat. Besides being a real conversation piece, it is a good cooking pepper that has a thick fleshy pod that is fairly hot with a unique spicy flavor.

Norfolk Island Pine

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:31:32 GMT

Norfolk Island Pine ( Araucaria heterophylla )
Norfolk Island pine is a tropical evergreen tree that is adaptable to indoor conditions and is a favorite of many indoor plant enthusiasts. In the landscape, it can grow up to 220 feet tall with a trunk as large as 10 feet across. Small trees grown indoors are uniform in appearance and have branches that are parallel to the ground. The Norfolk Island pine is a long-lasting houseplant that grows three to six inches annually.

Norfolk Island pines grow well in indirect sunlight. During the warm months of the year, you can move them outdoors and place them in partial sunlight. After being outdoors, placement in low-lighted areas of your home may result in whole branches suddenly falling from your plant. To avoid this problem, allow your pine to become accustomed to low-light conditions outdoors four to five weeks prior to bringing it back inside. Night-time temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and day-time temperatures of 68 to 72 degrees are best for Norfolk Island pines, but they can tolerate temperatures as low as 45 degrees and as high as 85 degrees.

Norfolk Island pines do not require as much water as other common houseplants. In fact, they do not tolerate saturated soil. Apply enough water to allow some to drain out of the bottom of the container, then discard the excess water.

Norfolk Island pines don't require frequent fertilization. You can use any complete, soluble fertilizer, but be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Fertilize older plants every three to four months, and repotted or newly purchased plants every four to six months. Norfolk Island pines need only be repotted every three to four years using a commercially available potting mixture.

Highbush Blueberry

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:36:27 GMT

Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
A deciduous medium to large multi-stemmed sized shrub that can grow to 10 feet tall, but normally in the 7-9 feet range. The flowers bloom from May to June. The blooms are typically numerous and somewhat showy. The highbush blueberry fruits are small (1/3 inch), dark blue and covered with a white film. The berry ripens in mid to late summer. The fruits are sweet and delicious. For this tree the ideal soil is moist, high in organic matter and well-drained. It prefers an acidic soil (4.5 to 5.5). The blueberry tree likes to have mulch around the roots and full sun to partial shade. More sun translates into more into more blooms, more fruit and enhanced fall foliage color. Hardiness zones: 3-9

Blackcap Raspberry

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:22:29 GMT

Blackcap Raspberry, Black Raspberry, or White bark Raspberry is a species of Rubus native to western North America, from British Columbia, Canada south to California, New Mexico and Mexico. It is closely related to the eastern Black Raspberry Rubus occidentalis. It is a deciduous perennial shrub growing to 2.5m(7ft) by 1m at a medium rate.
A native raspberry that tastes great! The fruit of Rubus leucodermis is 11.2 cm diameter, reddish-purple, and dark blue to nearly black when ripe, and can be confused with blackberries. The black raspberry is a very well flavored fruit that can also be dried for winter use.
The white arching canes are impressive with their powdery white coating. Great replacement if you desire an edible landscape where you are eliminating invasive blackberries. While the crown is perennial, the canes are biennial, growing vegetatively one year, flowering and fruiting the second and then dying. As with other black raspberries, the tips of the 1st year canes (primo canes) often grow downward to the soil in the fall, and take root and form tip layers which become new plants.
A refreshing tea can be made from the leaves. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen from July to August. Hardiness zones: 3-9. It requires moist soil. It is found in sunny edge; dappled shade. The plants should be fertilized in September. Irrigation should be gradually reduced in September and October to prepare them for winter.

Common Fig Tree

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:21:40 GMT

Common Fig Ficus carica
Ficus belongs to the Mulberry Family. The Common Fig is native to the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia region where it grows wild and has been in cultivation for centuries. The cultivated Fig forms a shrub or low-spreading tree.
The fig is a picturesque tropical looking tree or shrub with a dramatic spreading habit. The breadth is often wider than the height of 15 to 30 ft (4.6-9 m) with equal spread. This deciduous, low-branching tree is usually single trunked, with pale, silvery gray smooth bark. In colder regions, figs are grown as bushes with multiple stems and branches close to the ground that are laid down and buried before winter. The Ficus makes an especially attractive specimen in the landscape. Plant one on an expanse of lawn, where its graceful spreading shape and smooth twisting branches command attention in all seasons.
The alternate, long petioled, dark green leaves are broad-ovate to nearly orbicular in outline and may become 20cm(10 in) long and 10-20 cm (4-10 in) wide with 3-5 lobes. The upper surface is thick and ribbed while the underneath is finely haired .The leaves texture is rough and they can irritate skin.
The Genus Ficus is unique for bearing its flowers inside a nearly closed receptacle, or branch, which ripens into a fleshy fruit called a fig. The small flowers are produced twice in the season. The first ones (the breba crop) are produced near the ends of the shoots of the preceding flush of growth, whereas the second crop (the main crop) is produced in the axils of the leaves on the new growth.
The mature fruit is pear shaped and variable in size and range in color from a greenish-yellow to purple. The edible fruit is a hollow succulent receptacle with many ovaries on the inner surface, which may or may not produce seeds, depending on the variety.
Figs usually begin bearing fruit within two years and may bear twice per year. Figs grow nicely and will bear fruit when grown in containers where they can be artfully pruned to create a living sculpture to decorate deck or patio. This is convenient for two reasons: cold climate growers can move their figs indoors in winter and the plants can be removed from the patio when the fruit begins to (over)ripen. The edible fruit are extremely attractive to birds.
Hardy for zones 7-10. Note that with winter protection, it can be grown as far north as Zone 5. The Ficus Carica likes reflected sun, full sun, or part shade. Fig trees are tolerant of poorly drained soils and grow well in relatively infertile soils. When fully dormant, fig trees can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 to 15ºF (-9ºC). Even if frozen, figs often will restart from the roots and produce a crop the following summer. They are drought tolerant, once established. Figs responds well to pruning and can be espaliered or pruned heavily in the dormant season for size control and to increase the main crop. Water the tree every month or two while it is growing, and once or twice per year when fully grown. They grow much better with a monthly fertilizing program and deep watering twice a month in summer.

Blue Stem Palm

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:45:17 GMT

Blue Stem Fan Palm Sabal minor
Blue stem is a small fan palm with a trunk that remains below ground. Depending on age and growing conditions, the leaves can be anywhere from 1-5 ft in length and width. The smooth petiole (leaf stem) is a little longer than the leaf. The inflorescence (cluster of flowers) is erect, extending well above the leaves. The fruits are black, about 1/2 inch in diameter and their weight causes the flowering stalk to arch downward, sometimes to the ground. Also called dwarf or bush palmetto, the leaves of blue-stem differ from those of the similar-looking saw palmetto Serenoa repens in having a short midrib, an extension of the petiole and a smooth stem while the saw palmetto's is armed with small sharp spines that form the sawlike edges that give the plant its name.

Hardiness: Hardy in zones 8-10. Some varieties are hardy to Zone 7. Blue-stem palm is sometimes killed above ground by freezing weather, but re-sprouts the following spring.
Use blue stem palm as an underplanting or in front of a grove of tall palms. Blue stem is one of the hardiest palms in the world, and for many areas it is one of few palms that can be grown outdoors. Use it in mixed borders or hedges. Blue-stem palm is especially well suited for massing around the base of a large live oak.
Light: Prefers partial sun and can tolerate light shade
Moisture: Prefers moist soils but can tolerate drought

Asia Short Hybrid Bottle Gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria )

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:17:50 GMT

This hybrid variety is a vigorous plant with prolific bearing harbit, producing fruits continuously for a long time. Relatively short cylindrical fruits with 25-30 cm.in length and 300-350 grams in weight are very tender and delicious. Light green skin with white flesh fruits with slow seed maturity are excellent for soup and stir-fry cooking uses. Plants grow vigorously in warm climates, starting to set fruits in 45 days after the transplanting. Easy to grow.

Pink Cloud Grass

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:28:51 GMT

Pink Cloud ( Muhlenbergia capillaris "Pink Cloud" )
Dense clouds of vivid pink, long blooming, drought tolerant, Coated seed for easy sowing, for garden or cut, perennial, grows 18" tall, hardy to zone 5.

Hardy Hens and Chicks Succulent

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:21:17 GMT

Succulent rosettes, evergreen, multi colored foliage, for rockery in any soil growing five inches tall, hardy to zone 3.

Southern Giant Curled Mustard

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:55:40 GMT

Brassica juncea. Large, frilly light green leaves on sturdy, upright plants. Use young leaves in salads for a mild mustard flavor. A relatively long standing variety. Its flavor is best during cooler weather on less mature plants. Superb flavor. High in Vitamin A, B, and C. Excellent freezing and canning variety. A traditional Southern favorite. Approximately 40 days to maturity.

Prickly Caterpillars Plant

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:52:18 GMT

Prickly Caterpillars ( Scorpiurus muricatus)
Unusual legume native to southern Europe; listed by Vilmorin in the 1800s. Pods are narrow and twisted like a caterpillar rolled up on itself. Low growing plants with tiny yellow flowers make a beautiful ground cover. Caterpillars may be added to salads to surprise unexpected diners, but are generally not meant to be eaten because they are so spiky. Can be grown in containers if space is tight. Great historic novelty. Annual.

Amazing Puya Plant

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:40:25 GMT

An astonishingly beautiful plant, Puya berteroniana, also known as the Blue Puya, is one of the largest genera in the Pineapple Family, expect it to grow about 6-8 feet tall when mature, which usually takes about 5-8 years. Surprisingly, this plant does well in large containers. The large flower stalks of this plant rise from the masses of curling, silvery foliage, displaying deep turquoise blue flowers, 2" in diameter, and in the center of the flowers, beaming out, are the highly contrasting orange anthers attracting birds, bees and other insects.
Hardy outside to zone 8, best suited for zones 8-1l or grown inside in large containers, cold hardy to 20°F when mature.

Alma Fruit Tree

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:45:50 GMT

Alma Fruit Tree Phyllanthus emblica
Amla has been regarded as a sacred tree in India. The tree was worshipped as Mother Earth and is believed to nurture humankind because the fruit are very nourishing. Kartik Mahatma and Vrat Kaumudi order the worship of this tree. The leaves are offered to the Lord of Shri Satyanarayana Vrata, Samba on Shri Shanipradosha Vrata and Shiva and Gowri on Nitya Somvara Vrata. The fruit and flowers are also used in worship. In Himachal Pradesh the tree is worshipped in Kartik as propitious and chaste. Amla tree is commonly planted in compounds of domestic and office buildings, bunds of agricultural holdings, roadside avenues, etc. Now many farmers in Haryana have taken to planting Amla on their farms as a cash crop.

Short Spiral Ginger

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:41:06 GMT

Short Spiral Ginger ( Costus spiralis )
Native to South America its height is 4' to 6'. Its inflorescence has an orange pine cone shaped bract on the terminal end of the stalk, that blooms sporadically throughout the summer. Produces a beautiful tropical appearance! Makes a truly stunning houseplant and patio plant. Fast growing like other spiral gingers. An outstanding houseplant if raised in a large container in warm, bright area.

Crepe Spiral Ginger

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:40:03 GMT

Crepe Spiral Ginger ( Costus guaniensis )
Makes a truly stunning houseplant and patio plant. A refreshing drink is made from the edible stalk with addition of sugar. Fast growing like other spiral gingers to 9 ft. The red flower bract produce a dense mass of white and yellow flowers that are tinged pink. Its numerous spiraling stems and beautiful flowers make this a handsome houseplant specimen if raised in a large container.

Royal Purple Banana

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:23:26 GMT

Grows to 6 feet tall, but does great in a patio pot as well.. This ornamental banana produces the most beautiful purple flower bracts and small fruits that are laden with pea sised seeds. It can be grown in full sun or in half shade. Clumping habit. Very easy to care for.

Osage Orange

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:06:44 GMT

A fast growing shrub often grown as a hedge. Pretty foliage with greenish flowers. Good as a background or border plant.
Recent research suggests that elemol, another component extractable from the fruit, shows promise as a mosquito repellent with similar activity to DEET in contact and residual repellency. Notes:The Osage-orange is commonly used as a tree row windbreak in prairie states, which gives it one of its colloquial names, "hedge apple". It was one of the primary trees used in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Great Plains Shelterbelt" WPA project, which was launched in 1934 as an ambitious plan to modify weather and prevent soil erosion in the Great Plains states, and by 1942 resulted in the planting of 30,233 shelterbelts containing 220 million trees that stretched for 18,600 miles (29,900 km). The sharp-thorned trees were also planted as cattle-deterring hedges before the introduction of barbed wire and afterward became an important source of fence posts. The heavy, close-grained yellow-orange wood is very dense and is prized for tool handles, treenails, fence posts, electrical insulators, and other applications requiring a strong dimensionally stable wood that withstands rot. Straight-grained osage timber (most is knotty and twisted) makes very good bows. In Arkansas, in the early 19th century, a good Osage bow was worth a horse and a blanket. Additionally, a yellow-orange dye can be extracted from the wood, which can be used as a substitute for fustic and aniline dyes. When dried, the wood has the highest BTU content of any wood, and burns long and hot. Today, the fruit is sometimes used to deter spiders, cockroaches, boxelder bugs, crickets, fleas, and other arthropods.
Leaves turn bright yellow in fall, thorny branches, bears inedible round fruit 3-5" in diameter. The fruit is prized for it's ability to repel insects and spiders when scattered around home foundations. The crushed fruits of this plant are said to attract and kill cockroaches. Can be raised as container plant in northern states.
The wood is sought after for recurve bow making. Both male and female plants are needed to produce fruit. The ratio of male/female plants the seeds produce is up to mother nature, but a pack of 10 seeds always produces a mix of male/female plants in all of our previous field trials. Can be grown in zones 4-9.

Early Delicious 51 Melon

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:47:27 GMT

Early, large, almost round 6", thick salmon orange flesh, strongly ribbed, popular home garden variety, 80 days.

Hearts of Gold Melon

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:46:07 GMT

Heirloom, bright orange flesh, sweet, flavorful, ribbed gray skin, 3 lbs., 90 days.

Emerald Gem Melon

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:44:01 GMT

Heirloom, pale orange juicy flesh, ribbed, striped dark green skin, 3 lb fruits, heavy producer, 80 days.

Crenshaw White Melon

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:42:53 GMT

Oblong pear shape, green-tan, light salmon-white flesh, 10 lb, superb flavor, high yielding, 110 days.

Sakata's Sweet Melon

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:40:12 GMT

Softball size Asian type, gaining popularity here, smooth golden yellow rind, sweet flesh, good to trellis, 90 days

Red and White Egg Tree Tomato

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:37:31 GMT

The tree tomato is an unusual large shrub native to Peru. It is a tropical plant that only does well outside in zone 10 or higher, but is an excellent container plant as it has a very shallow root system and is easy to container grow for landscape purposes.
The trees grow ten to twelve feet in height and may be single-or multiple-stemmed depending on how they are trained. The large, somewhat oval leaves may be six to twelve inches long, and are softly pubescent. The small pinkish fragrant flowers are produced in the spring and early summer and the fruits mature during the fall and following winter.
Mature fruits are about the size of a normal chicken egg and also about the same shape. Fruits, at maturity, can be orange, red or purple, depending on the variety. Internally, they somewhat resemble a tomato. Like tomatoes, they can be be eaten as a vegetable and used in sauces, soups or other ways. The most popular way of consuming the tree tomato is as a conserve. It can be made into jams and jellies also, but unlike regular tomatoes, when being cooked the seeds and skin of the tree tomato should be removed.
The fruits, although they somewhat resemble tomatoes, do not have a tomato taste, but are pleasant for most people.

Council Tree Ficus

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:40:32 GMT

A good patio plant or houseplant if provided warmth and bright light, it is also grown as a bonsai plant. The Council Tree Ficus is a large leaf "fig" that is used as an indoor potted tree plant. It will grow outside in zones 10b and higher, but is best suited for use indoors in the US.
It is a close relative to the Rubber tree, the Fiddle Leaf Fig, the Ficus Benjamina, the Sacred Fig or the Edible Fig. The leaves of the Council tree are quite large measuring about 10-12 inches in length and 5-6 inches in width.

German Giant Radish

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:39:18 GMT

29 days. Immense roots actually grow to the size of a baseball. Great mild flavor, never gets hot or woody.

Pink Beauty Radish

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:38:14 GMT

Pastel pink, round radish. Uniform roots with medium tops. Nice, tender, crisp texture and taste. An eye-catching, top-quality radish. Resists pithiness. 25-30 days.

Purple Plum Radish

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:37:21 GMT

Unique deep purple round roots. Firm white flesh is sweet and mild all season long and never pithy. Hardy and adaptable. Exceptional variety for the novelty market and also for the home gardener. 25-30 days.

Sweet Honda Melon

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:23:13 GMT

Sweet Honda is an early maturity hybrid melon with excellent fruit setting. Short oblong fruit with smooth yellow skin, 2.5-3.2 Lb. in weight, is very sweet, with 14-16 brix in surgar content. Orange color flesh has aromatic flavor, very delicious and good texture. Plants are vigorous and fruits can be harvested in 60-65 days after sowing. An excellent melon for home gardening and fresh markets.

Takinogawa Burdock

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:25:11 GMT

Takinogawa Burdock ( Arctium lappa )
Edible Burdock is often called Gobo in Japanese supermarket. Plants are cultivated mainly for the slender roots, that can grow to 4 feet long and 1 inch across. Burdock root is very crispy and has a sweet, mild pungent flavor, which is used as a delicacy in Japanese food. Burdock is a hardy biennial plant, but grow as an annual. Seed are sown in spring for havest in late summer or in fall for harvest in the next spring.

Asian Birdhouse Gourd

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:12:30 GMT

Asian Birdhouse ( Lagenaria siceraria )
A popular gourd in Asia, it is a vigorous grower, producing a lot of gourds for birdhouses and crafting

Harvest Bowl Gourd

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:11:43 GMT

Harvest Bowl Gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria )
Similar to Tobacco Box Gourd and Basket Gourd, this plant produces good yields of round bowl shaped gourds that have unlimited crafting possibilities. 70 days.

Big Green Sausage Gourd

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:10:23 GMT

Big Green Sausage Gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria )
A new gourd that lives up to it's name, the fruits do indeed look like big green sausages. Plant produces good yields of large 20" long light green gourds. Best if grown on trellis or fence. 70 days.

Tomatoberry Garden

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:30:25 GMT

Unique strawberry-shaped fruits.
High yielding plants. Fruits have a beautiful, deep red color with broad shoulders tapering to a blunt point at the blossom end, giving them a heart-like appearance. Fruit on later sets will have more of a point at the tip end. Firm, chewy texture with excellent sweet flavor. Fruits avg. 1" x 1" and weigh approximately 10-15 gm. Indeterminate

Incense Cedar

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:03:10 GMT

A small pyramidal shaped cedar that is prized for its very fragrant leaves and wood. Easy to start from seeds. A very beautiful bonsai specimen. Incense cedar is an evergreen tree with a skinny, columnar shape in youth, becoming only a little more rounded at maturity. In its native habitat it can get as large as 150 ft (45.7 m) tall with a trunk diameter of 6 ft (1.8 m). In these very large trees, the long straight trunk is swollen and buttressed at the base and usually free of branches for half its length.
Incense cedar does best on well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loams in cool, mountainous areas. Outside its natural range it tends to stay smaller and bushier. Even under ideal conditions, incense cedar is a slow growing tree. But, it can live 1000 years or more. Grows in full sun or part shade. Incense cedar needs lots of moisture to realize its full potential as a large tree. If it gets less water than ideal it will survive, but remain as a smaller, bushy, but still attractive specimen. Hardiness: USDA Zones 6 - 8. Incense cedar does quite well in zones 7 and 8, but usually doesn't get as large as it does up north. Propagation: Incense cedar is difficult, but not impossible, to propagate from cuttings.
The generic name means "beautiful cedar", and that it is. The tall, columnar incense cedar is a handsome specimen for framing a formal landscape. A line of them, like soldiers at attention, adds a formal dimension to driveways and makes a great windbreak or tall screen.

Sugar Daddy Peas

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:35:11 GMT

Snap, compact edible pod, ideal for patio pot, dwarf 24" vine, stringless, thick flesh, double pods, easy picking, full season, 62 days.

Burgundy Swiss Chard

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:51:30 GMT

Gourmet rhubarb type, burgundy stems, dark green leaf with red veins, tender, great for patio container, 60 days.

White Cup and Saucer Vine

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:58:04 GMT

This large climbing vine produces large, white, bell-shaped flowers on vines up to 20'. Rare, white flowered variety. Multiple tendrils grasp easily to rough surfaces like stone walls or a trellis. Can also be grown in large pots. Plants prefer sunny areas and a nice light, rich soil. Hardy to zone 7 and easily grown as an annual in colder climates.

Fanfare Cucumber

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:26:47 GMT

AAS, F1, semi dwarf, excellent for small gardens or patio tub, disease resistant, monoecious, 63 days.

Parisian Carrot

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:58:30 GMT

French novelty, short and round, for any soil, ideal in patio pot, eat raw or steamed, 60 days.

Jackass Bitters Herb

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:13:14 GMT

W165 Jackass Bitters
Neurolaena lobata
Native to Belize but also found between Mexico and Peru. The plant has dark green leaves and makes a beautiful plant. Easy to grow from seeds. Can be used as container plant that is easily cared for. If you live in an area that has a year round warm climate, it may also be grown outdoors.
Jackass Bitters is a member of the Asteraceae family and a common Central American plant. It has yellow flowers and bitter-tasting leaves which contain a potent anti-parasitic agent (sesquiterpene dialdehyde) that is active against amoebas, candida, giardia and intestinal parasites. Traditionally, the herb is taken internally as a tea or a wine or used topically to bathe wounds and infections, or as a hair wash to get rid of lice.
There is some preliminary research that indicates Jackass Bitters helps regulate blood sugar levels, which can ultimately help diabetics manage their condition. A subsequent animal study showed that a tincture of this plant lowered blood glucose levels in animals. A tea made from the root is used to cleanse the blood and a leaf tea is used to treat intestinal parasites, malaria, fungus and ringworm. It is also used to prevent infection and to use as a hair wash for ridding the hair of head lice. Boiled and strained leaves have been used as an insecticide for house and garden plants.

Willow Oak

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 14:00:59 GMT

Good for zones 6-9. Spreading, deciduous tree with smooth gray bark and willow like dark green leaves. In autumn, foliage turns yellow, then brown. Good for zones 4-8. A rounded deciduous tree with gray, scaly bark and dark glossy green leaves. Mature tree can reach 70 ft tall and spread to 50 ft. wide. Native to E. US.

Golden Midget Watermelon

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 12:13:16 GMT

70 days. A beautiful miniature watermelon that weighs around 3 lbs. It's easy to tell when they are ripe as the rind turns a lovely golden yellow when ready for harvest, a very beautiful contrast with the salmon-pink colored flesh. The taste is sweet and refreshing. Very early, matures in just 70 days. Developed by the late Dr. Elwyn Meader, UNH in 1959. Unique.

Hardy Pink Lavatera

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:16:06 GMT

Erect, all summer bloomer, clear pink mallowlike blooms, hardiest Lavatera, grows 30 inches tall, hardy to zone 4.

Sunshine Mix Gazania

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:10:36 GMT

Tetraploid, all color mix, vigorous bedding plant, blooms right through the heat, grows 10" tall, blooms in 12 weeks, annual.

Summer Morning Delphinium

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:00:53 GMT

This is for the Delphinium lovers out there, delicate pink flowers, lacy green leaf, grows 18" tall, easy to care for, what's not to love. A hardy perennial to zone 2.

Fragrant White Passionflower

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:55:01 GMT

Fragrant white to purple flowers, large purple corona, strong climber.

Blue Passionflower

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:51:54 GMT

Blue passionflower is a twining vine that can grow to 30 ft (9.1 m). The shiny leaves are usually palmately lobed with five parts, but they can have as few as three lobes or as many as nine. They are evergreen in tropical climates, but deciduous where winters are cool. The white and purple-blue flowers which appear in summer may be as large as 4 in (10.2 cm) across. They are followed by egg-size deep orange fruits from late summer through fall.
Blue passionflower likes loose sandy or gravelly soils and does best planted in old brick rubble that retains heat during cold winter weather. Too much manure or compost will result in lush vegetative growth and poor flowering. This species will flower in a small pot, but it prefers plenty of root space and will do better in a roomy container. In Zone 8-9, the ideal location is against a warm south-facing old brick wall where an overhang prevents excessive drenching by heavy rains.
Go light on fertilizer and water deeply, but infrequently; passionflowers should be encouraged to reach deep into the earth for water. When motivated to do so, they are capable of developing amazing root systems to sustain them through droughts and freezes. Passionflowers love high humidity, but they are subject to fungal diseases if they don't get good air circulation in the greenhouse. Blue passionflower does better overwintered in a cool greenhouse where it can go semi-dormant as opposed to in a hothouse where it will be tempted to put too much energy into weak off-season growth. In either case, it is important to keep the soil on the dry side in the winter.
Blue passionflower may be wound around a hoop support to keep it within bounds so that it may be grown as a houseplant in a sunny south-facing window. Passifloras flower on new growth, so they may be pruned early in the growing season. It is best to cut some stems back nearly to the base, rather than just trim the tips. The terminal buds may be pinched out to encourage branching. Always keep some green foliage on the plant to keep the sap rising and encourage rapid regrowth. The roots may be weakened and become subject to fungal infection if too much top growth is removed at once. Don't try to train a passionflower to be too neat and compact; branches allowed to hang loose and droop a bit will be the ones most inclined to flower. Passionflowers are subject to a wide array of pests and diseases, but most of them have minimal impact on well grown plants. Butterfly larvae are the exception; caterpillars readily devour the foliage of healthy mature plants.
Passionflowers like full sun and will scramble over trees and shrubs to get it.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 8 - 11. Blue passionflowers will regrow from deep roots after even severe freezes. They have been known to survive temperatures as low as 5ºF (-15ºC) when the ground was frozen over two feet deep! It is nevertheless important to keep the soil as warm as possible, especially in the winter greenhouse.

Japanese Elm

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:36:39 GMT

Japanese Elm ( Zelkova serrata )
Also called Japanese Saw-Leaf. A beautiful tree that may reach 100 . Although it is an important timber tree it is a favorite bonsai subject. Its ovate leaves are 2" to 5" long and sharply toothed. Hardy to zone 5-9 outside.

Flowering Camellia

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:43:29 GMT

Flowering Camellia Camellia japonica
A beautiful flowering camellia with white, pink and sometimes red flowers. A beautiful evergreen plant. Can be grown in tubs inside, or in cool greenhouses, outdoors in warm climates. Prefers moist, well drained, humus rich, slightly acidic ( 5.5-6.5 )soil. We recommend maintaining a 2-3 inch deep mulch of shredded bark or leaves around base of plant.

Aquamarine Datura

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:41:29 GMT

Aquamarine Datura ( Datura Metel )
This is the first time we have ever been able to offer this gorgeous datura plant. It grows about 4 feet tall, and is loaded with delightfully colored blooms all season long. Very hard to pin this unique color pattern down, but aquamarine does come very close.

Hot Spell Tomato

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:44:44 GMT

RTP422 Hot Spell
If you have unusually hot conditions, this is your best bet for a good harvest. Super heat resistant, highly flavorful, round, 7 oz, compact plant, det, 68 days.

Purple Lady Iresine

Sun, 30 May 2010 22:17:44 GMT

JF123 Purple Lady ( Iresine )
Dark purple foliage accent plant for containers or beds, likes shade, withstands humidity. Grows to 9 inches in height.

Cheron Summer Gloxinia

Sun, 30 May 2010 22:16:51 GMT

JF122 Cheron Summer Gloxinia ( Incarvillea sinensis 'Cheron' )
Heart thumping large cream white trumpets above ferny foliage all summer, for patio pot or border, 10 weeks seed to bloom, sun to part shade. Incarvilleas are sometimes called "summer gloxinias" but are unrelated to true gloxinias. Something interesting and different for your borders or patio pots. Grows to 10-12" in height with flowers about 1-1/2 inches long.

Sweet Annie Herb

Sun, 23 May 2010 14:21:47 GMT

FB163 Sweet Annie Artemisa annua
An excellent multi use herb for all gardens. A graceful and sweetly fragrant annual Artemisia with tall stems 4'-6' tall, with fine bright green ferny foliage. Though most often grown for fresh and dried arrangements and wreath making (it holds color and fragrance very well) it also makes a graceful accent in the back of a flowerbed or a pretty quick screen, especially behind other container plantings. "Sweet Annie" has a wide variety of uses both medicinal and for handcrafting and makes a nice addition to potpourri and sachets.
This is a tall ferny green plant that grows to over seven feet high and four feet wide in one year! Excellent for back borders or any area that you want to give a tropical look and feel. Sweet Annie has thick strong woody stems and branches out like a shrub. The flowers are tiny and olive green and can't really be seen unless you look hard. However sweet Annie is grown for it's foliage and mostly for it's lovely aromatic scent which can fill the whole garden when the breeze rustles it branches. It has been used for centuries in it's dried form in wreaths and other aroma projects.
Sweet Annie is one of the best natural air fresheners around. Have a aroma you want to get rid of? Just wave a spring of Sweet Annie in the air and it freshens the whole area with a sweet appealing smell illuminating anything else. Don't use air fresheners with unknown chemical ingredients use a natural herb to do the work for you. The plant dries very well and the will last for years all you have to do is gently move a piece and the aroma bursts forth. It is excellent for use in wreaths and other aroma projects.

Rice Paper Plant

Thu, 20 May 2010 15:22:10 GMT

FB162 Rice Paper Plant Tetrapanax papyriferus
A tall evergreen shrub with a leaning trunk that grows 10-15 feet tall, but will retain a smaller size inside a tub or large container. Good lawn or patio plant. Cold hard to about 20-25° F. The deeply-lobed leaves cluster at the top of the trunk on long stems. The underside of the leaves is covered with white, fine hairs which can be an irritant to eyes or skin. Winter-blooming creamy white flowers form large clusters. Suckers freely. Plant in sun or shade and water moderately.
The pith of the Tetrapanax stem was used to make 'paper'. Tetrapanax 'paper' was cut by turning the pith against a blade; the way veneer is cut from a log. The thin sheet of pith was pressed and dried for use by painters and calligraphers.
The method of using Tetrapanax to produce rice paper stopped in the early 1900s. Modern rice paper is made from the paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera and other plant fibers.
Tetrapanax is very dramatic in the landscape; the leaves can grow to a meter (3 feet) across. But the plant will take over the garden if the underground runners are not contained.

Dutchman's Pipe

Thu, 20 May 2010 15:21:06 GMT

B161 Dutchman's Pipe Aristolochia ringens
Strange nepethes-like flowering vine. Flowers are large, ornate, and sometimes smelly. Description: Fairly fast growing vine, usually to 20-30ft, but it can also spread out in all directions. Cold hardy to around 30F.
t: It is quite adaptable and can be grown in subtropical areas, tropical areas, and any place where temperatures don't frequently drop below 30F. It also does well in low light conditions and can be grown indoors. Will tolerate high humidity or arid climates with little rain, although irrigation should be provided. Grow in full sun or shade. Pretty flowers will sometimes have a fragrance, which can be smelly, but the scent doesn't drift from the flower. Will also grow well in pots.

Variegated Coral Tree

Tue, 18 May 2010 15:54:52 GMT

FB160 Variegated Coral Tree Erythrina variegata
Variegated Coral tree is a picturesque, broad and spreading, deciduous tree that can get 60-80 ft (18.3-24.4 m) tall and spread 20-40 ft (6.1-12.2 m). It has many stout branches that are armed with black tiger's claw spines. There are curved spines (really more like prickles) on the long leaf stalks too. The leaves are variegated, compound, with three diamond shaped leaflets, each about 6 in (15.2 cm) long. Before the leaves come out in late winter or early spring, coral tree puts on a spectacular show with bright crimson flowers 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm) long in dense terminal clusters. It may flower a little during the summer, too. Coral tree's smooth gray bark provides a background for the brilliant flower cluster.
The beanlike pods that follow the flowers are cylindrical, about 15 in (38.1 cm) long, and constricted between the reddish brown seeds.
Coral tree is a fast growing tree that does best in frost free climates with a pronounced winter dry season. Needs full sun. Moisture: Coral tree is tolerant of drought, and needs almost no water at all in winter. Hardiness: USDA Zones 10 - 12 or inside as a tub plant.
Propagation: Coral tree is propagated by seed or from woody tip cuttings. Seeds should be nicked or scratched with a file to break the hard outer shell before planting. Seedlings may flower in as little as 3-4 years. Take softwood tip cuttings in spring or early summer and semiripe cuttings in late summer. Root with bottom heat. Coral tree also can be propagated by layering.

Wild Rose

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:56:33 GMT

1A333 Wild Rose Rosa woodsii
The Wild Rose has a beautiful, delicate, fragrant, large, and showy flower. The plant completely covers itself with blooms during the season. Rosa woodsii also forms deep, spreading thickets in open areas, especially along drainages.
The 2-4 inch flowers range from pale pink to deep, vibrant pink. They last just a day, followed by dark red fruits ("rose hips") that range from mealy to sweet depending on the amount of rain and sun the plant receives and the time they are picked. The fruits are usually best after several frosts. Best in zones 5-8.

Nutka Rose

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:55:52 GMT

1A332 Nutka Rose Rosa nutkana
Best for zones 4-9, and likes moist areas. Grows an amazing 10 feet tall when mature, this is the perfect plant to cover any unsightly object such as a stump, fence or make a living screenwall. Attractive pink blooms, and large red fruit (hips) that persist in the winter. Covered with prickles, aggressive spreader.
Nutka Rose tolerates sand, clay, no drainage and seasonal flooding, is great for a bird garden.
The foliage is deciduous, has fragrance and is edible. The flower color is pink, has a fragrance and is edible. The fruit has fragrance and is edible.

Virginia Rose

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:55:13 GMT

1A331 Virginia Rose Rosa virginica
Another rose that makes an excellent hedge plant or fence cover. Good for zones 2-9. Virginia Rose can grow up to six feet tall. It is easy to carefree and a free bloomer, giving loads of flowers througout the season. It has hairy stems with curved thorns. Leaves are split into smaller leaflets. Leaves turn purplish-red in the fall. Virginia Rose grows in thickets, meadows, clearings, shores, and roadsides.
The flowers of Virginia Rose are pink with yellow centers. Each flower has five petals and is 2 to 3 inches wide. This plant blooms from June to August. Virginia Rose hips are red, large and look a lot like a large berry. Rose hips are 1/2 inch wide and stay on the plant through the winter.
Rose hips are a great food source for many animals, including: American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Wild Turkey, Northern Bobwhite, Cedar Waxwig, Eastern Bluebird, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Brown Thrasher, Song Sparrow, and many more.
People can eat Virginia Rose hips and flower petals. Hips are very high in Vitamin C (one hip has more than an entire orange). Hips are also used to make tea and medicines.

Japanese Fragrant White Rose

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:54:19 GMT

1A330 Fragrant Japanese White Rose Rosa rugosa alba
This variety has single, papery white blossoms that open from light pink buds and have contrasting yellow stamens. The heavily-scented flowers are followed by reddish-orange hips. It grows up to 6 feet high.
This heirloom shrub has been gardened for centuries in Korea, China, Japan, and in Europe since at least 1870. It is extremely cold-hardy & can suceed even in USDA zone 2, having a natural range in Asia as far north as eastern Siberia.
Its large, edible, decorative hips are delicious raw, but they are usually cooked & strained for jellies due to the density of seeds. If the hips are not harvested, they will remain on the branches after leaf-fall and continue to provide bright spots of color until autumn's end, occasionally into the start of winter.
The fragrant flowers will fill the yard with a soft sweet smell during the flowering season.

Red Leaf Rose

Sun, 02 May 2010 15:53:06 GMT

1A329 Red Leaf Rose Rosa rubrifolia
Excellent hedg plant. New growth emerges purplish bronze. Single pink flowers in summer followed by red hips. Rosa rubrifolia is a dense spreading rose, 5 to 6 feet tall. The canes are reddish-green, with decurved prickles. Flowers are cerise-pink, over 1 inch wide with pale pink centers and distinct yellow stamens. Rosehips follow blooms and are 1/2 inch long, smooth and red. Nice in the shrub border, for the foliage color, or in mass plantings. Native to mountains of southern Europe.

Dead Man's Fingers

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 22:40:59 GMT

FB148 Dead Man's Fingers Decaisnea fargesii
A small multi-trunked tree, Decaisnea rarely exceeds 5-6 meters in height, with a similar spread. The bright green pinnate leaves, which can be as long as 90cm (3ft), emerge in mid-spring. The pendent panicles of blooms, up to 45cm (18in) long, have sparse bright green-yellow petalless flowers, up to 3cm (2in) in diameter. The fruit, up to 15cm (6in) in length and resembling fat been-pods, turn dull metallic blue in the autumn.
Decaisnea can make for a remarkable conversation piece in any garden. The common name 'Dead Man's Fingers' is a surprisingly apt description of what the over-ripe fruit looks, and dare we say, feels like. This is a beautiful plant in its own right, but it really shines as an annual source of excellent Hallowe'en decorations. Even better effects for halloween decorations is the fact that inside the ripe blue pods are several dozen black beans are suspended in a liquid that looks like clear phlegm, they are truely gross looking, but the "phlegm" is actually sweet and delicious.
Sow seed in containers in autumn or spring. Maintain even, but not excessive, moisture. Grow on in any good garden soil. Hardy to -15°C (5°F).

Autumn Crown Hybrid Pumpkin

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:32:14 GMT

Miniature Long Island Cheese type.
Fantastic squash with excellent eating quality. Avg. fruit yield is 3-5 fruits per plant. Medium-long vine. Extremely uniform, buff-colored fruit. Combines the attractive skin and flesh characteristics of a butternut with a superior shape and great flavor. Internal color is bright orange with a small seed cavity. Fruits have the aroma of sweet melon when cut. 2-4 lb fruits.

Truck Buster Watermelon

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:35:48 GMT

85-90 days. WOW! It's just what it says it is! A Truck Buster! This watermelon is a heavy yielder of large fruit with averages of over 50 lbs. When conditions are favorable, some fruit will weigh 80-90 lbs. If you want a big one that looks and tastes good, you should try Truck Buster. It has a long shape with a big girth, tri-striped rind with sweet, red, crispy flesh. Excellent for home gardens and to show off. Strong vigorous plants with tolerance to Fusarium Wilt.

Coontie Palm

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:48:47 GMT

Coontie is a small palmlike perennial plant that grows to a height of about 3 ft. Coontie forms a colony of suckers that slowly grow into mounds 5-6 ft wide. The glossy dark green pinnate leaves are 3 ft long with narrow pinnae (leaflets) 4-6 in long by 0.25 in wide. This species is dioecious, having male or female reproductive parts (called "cones") present on separate plants. In late winter the rusty-brown male and female cones emerge from the ground. Males produce pollen that fertilizes the female cones that mature in autumn when the shiny red seeds are released.

Its evergreen leaves are fine in texture and resemble those of a fern. They are produced from a thick underground storage root in one or more flushes each year. This cycad has a much softer appearance and is without the sharp edges of some of the other popular cycads used in the landscape such as Cycas revoluta.

Once this immature pistillate (female) coontie cone is fertilized by the male's pollen the seeds will develop and ripen by the following autumn.
Zamia pumila inhabits a variety of habitats with well drained sands or sandy loam soils throughout peninsular Florida.
Coontie will tolerate some salt drift from the sea and can be planted near, but not directly on the beach. It will grow in full sun or dense shade.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 8-10.

Coontie is perfect for woodland and shady gardens where it provides rich evergreen backdrop for flowering species all year long. It works well as a transition plant near larger specimens. Creates a tropical affect when planted by the trunks of pine trees in woodland settings. Coontie is perfect for xeriscapes and as a low maintenance ground cover. The coontie is one of the best ground covers as it evergreen and actually "consumes" trash which sifts down beneath its arching leaves where it is hidden from view to decompose, rust or otherwise degrade inoffensively.

The coontie is very happy growing in pots, urns and containers both indoors and out. It is a popular species for bonsai where it is grown in sand, often with its fleshy underground storage root artfully exposed.

In recent years the native coontie has become a favorite groundcover that is so tough and reliable it is is often planted on traffic islands like this one in Seminole County, Florida.
This is a rugged but subtle accent plant that boasts a deep green color and unique form. Although a slow grower, coontie is very tough, drought resistant and easy to maintain.

Florida's indigenous peoples and later European settlers processed the coontie's large storage root to extract an edible starch. For this reason the coontie was often commonly called Seminole bread during the late 1800s.

Cayenne Ornamental Pepper Blend Mix

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:10:46 GMT

( Hot Pepper 15000 - 30000 Scoville Units )
Add some dramatic flair to your garden with this well-balanced blend of Cayenne varieties in a rainbow of colors - red, orange, yellow, purple and green. All peppers are similar in shape and texture, with firm, tapered, 3 inch fruits that keep their color when dried. Very ornamental but edible as well, requiring only average soil and occasional watering to produce prolific yields.

Brazen Brass Ornamental Mustard

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:14:51 GMT

Glossy purple red foliage for desirable contrast in container or garden, grows 12" tall.

Walking Stick Cabbage

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:18:43 GMT

Brassica oleracea longata. 180-300 days to a walking stick. Huge edible cabbage leaves top a vertical stem strong enough to use as a cane. These unique plants have produced walking sticks for centuries. Plant 40 inches apart early in the spring. With good growing practices, the slender stem grows straight and strong. Allow it to harden in the garden. In late January or February pull the plants, cut off the roots and crown, and hang indoors to dry. When it feels solid like a baseball bat it is ready.

Bhut Jolokia ( World's Hottest Pepper? )

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:47:27 GMT

BM23 Bhut Jolokia ( World's Hottest? ) ( Very, Very Hot Pepper! 1,000,000 Plus Scoville Units? )
"Ghost" pepper, alleged to be the world's hottest , use with caution, orange-red, Asian origin,1½", 95 days, said to have been tested out at over one million scoville unit, we recommend using extreme caution handling this one.

Cosmic Purple Carrots

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:20:38 GMT

BM75 Cosmic Purple
Wow - a purple carrot, orange inside, tapered 7", very sweet, these have extra healthy anti-oxidants, 60 days.

Pot n Patio Tomato

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:15:39 GMT

RTP416 Pot n Patio
Compact bush for patio pots, 1" cherry, super tender and tasty, crack resistant, det, 69 days.

Texas Tree Yucca

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:22:25 GMT

Does well anywhere in zones 5-10. Grows almost 20' tall and spreads about 8' wide. This giant of the genus is native to western Texas and northern Mexico. Its massive stems tower over the desert with 3 long, stiff, dagger-like leaves and huge spikes of ivory flowers. It takes many years to grow to specimen size.

Cork Oak Tree

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:31:49 GMT

Q32 Cork Oak Quercus Suber
Good for zones 7-9. Rounded evergreen tree with thick, corky bark that is deeply ridged. Dark glossy green 7" long leaves. Mature tree can reach 70 ft tall and spread to 50 ft. wide. Native to W. Mediterranean and N. Africa.
The tree forms a thick, rugged and corky bark. Over time this bark can develop considerable thickness and this can be harvested every 10 to 12 years as cork. The harvesting of cork does not harm the tree and a new layer of cork regrows, making it a renewable resource.
Cork Oaks live about 150 to 250 years. Virgin cork is the first cork cut from generally 25 year old trees. Another 10 to 12 years is required for the second harvest, and a tree can be harvested twelve times in its lifetime. Cork harvesting is done entirely without machinery.
Wine corks represent 15% of cork usage by weight but 66% of revenues.
Cork Oaks are sometimes planted as individual trees, providing a minor income to their owners. The tree is also cultivated for it's ornamental appeal.

Striped Toga Eggplant

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:26:20 GMT

Stunning 3 x 1" oval, orange with green stripes, strong mild flavor, holds well as excellent ornamental, 75 days.

Holly Oak Tree

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:44:49 GMT

Q15 Holly Oak Quercus Ilex Good for zones 7-9. Rounded evergreen tree with smooth dark gray bark and lanced shaped, dark glossy green leaves. Mature tree can reach 80 ft tall and spread to 70 ft. wide. Native to SW Europe.
It is a medium-size tree 20–27 m tall with finely square-fissured blackish bark and leathery evergreen leaves. The old leaves fall 1–2 years after new leaves emerge. The leaves are dark green above and pale whitish-grey with dense short hairs below. The leaf shape is variable, the adult leaves are entire, 4–8 cm long and 1–3 cm broad, while those on the lower branches of young trees are often larger (to 10 cm long), and are toothed or somewhat spiny. This is presumed to be for protection from grazing animals. In this, the foliage resembles that of the common European Holly Ilex aquifolium, and this resemblance has led to its common and botanic names. The name ilex is originally the classical Latin name for the Holm Oak, but was later also used as a botanical genus name for the hollies.
The wood is hard and tough, used since ancient times for general construction purposes as pillars, tools, wagons, vessels, and wine casks. Used as well as firewood, or in charcoal manufacture.
The Holly Oak is one of the top three trees used in the establishment of truffle orchards, or truffieres. Truffles grow in an ectomycorrhizal association with the tree's roots.
The acorns, like those of the Cork Oak, are edible (toasted or as a flour), and are an important food for free-range pigs reared for serrano ham production. Boiled in water, the acorns can also be used as a medicinal treatment for injury dis-infections.
It can be clipped to form a tall hedge, and it is suitable for coastal windbreaks, in any well drained soil. It forms a picturesque rounded head, with pendulous low-hanging branches. Its size and solid evergreen character gives it an imposing architectural presence that makes it valuable in many urban and garden settings.

Pik-A-Pie Pumpkin

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:53:32 GMT

1A328 Pik-A-Pie Pumpkin
A wonderful new hybrid pie pumpkin with a dark green, large handle that yields an abundance of excellent quality pie pumpkins measuring aobut 6 x 5 inches and weighing 5-6 pounds each. Pik-A-Pie could well be the number 1 selling pie size hybrid, and they also make excellent fall decorations.

Giant Spanish Dagger Yucca carnerosana

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:15:09 GMT

RHM141 Giant Spanish Dagger Yucca carnerosana
Very adaptable yucca, hardy to zone 5, good pot plant when young. Giant Spanish Dagger is one of the tree species of yucca, sometimes reaching 20 feet tall with a massive trunk about 1 foot in diameter. It flowers only once every three to four years, producing flower clusters up to 7 feet tall and weighing 70 pounds. Yuccas are very drought tolerant and adaptable to different soils as long as they are well drained.

Aristotle Basil

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:49:24 GMT

FB121 Aristotle Basil
A wonderful herb that you can grow for it's beautiful appearance and for it's delightful basil flavor. Forms perfect basketball-size mound, small green leaf, for large patio pot or basket. Use in any recipe you would normally use green basil. Annual.

Miniature Button Cacti

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:22:02 GMT

Tiny little, buttonlike cacti that are actually as small as a button. Loves to grow in cracks and crevices, and can withstand severe drying out. A challenge to grow, but well worth the effort.

Blackberry Lily

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:30:43 GMT

A beautiful, hardy perennial for almost any garden. Blackberry Lily derives its name from the clusters of shiny black seeds exposed when seed capsules split open. Even though it is called a lily it is actually in the Iris family. Fan-shaped leaves will reach 2 to 3 feet. They are hardy from zones 5 -10 in the U.S. Blackberry Lilies are native to China and Japan. Seeds need cold stratification.

Myanmar Morning Glory

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:29:32 GMT

RHM139 Myanmar Morning Glory Argyreia Wallichii
Very similar to the familiar Baby Woodrose. From the region formerly known as Burma. A vigorous thick vine developing large leaves from heart shape to nearly orbicular with some white in the underside. Produces numerous tubular funnel form flowers with the corolla whitish turning to pink or near purple.

Candle Stick Tree

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:53:29 GMT

RHM138 Candle Stick Tree Parmentiera Cerifera
This is a most unusual tree grown in warm areas for it's striking, waxy skinned green-yellow fruit that is popular in parts of Mexico. Fruits grow to 12" long and hang in clusters, thus the name. A Medium sized tree that does well in pots when young.
Grows well in tropical regions but will survive frosts, best suited for zones 9-11 outside. The Candle Stick Tree is fairly adaptable to a range of soils and climate conditions. Fruits and seeds are edible. It is native to Central and South America.

Canyon Oak

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:58:41 GMT

Q44 Canyon Oak Quercus Chrysolepis
Spreading, evergreen tree with whitish gray or red tinted bark and spiny-toothed, leathery, shining, dark green leaves to 3" long. Bears solitary acorns in spiny cups. Grows 70 ft. tall and spreads to 30 ft. Hardy to zones 7-9.
Canyon live oak is tolerant of a variety of soil types, including very rocky or cobbly environments. It is hardy to cold temperatures down to - 11 °F, and will grow in neutral to moderately acidic soils with pH ranges of 4.5 to 7.5. Canyon live oak grows at elevations of about 500 to 1500 meters in southwestern Oregon; in Northern California, from 100 to 1400 meters; and in Southern California, up to approximately 2700 meters. Quercus chrysolepis can be the dominant tree on steep canyon walls, especially in locations of shallow rocky soils.
Many species forage on Canyon live oak foliage including black-tailed jackrabbit, beaver, brush rabbit, red-backed vole, Sonoma chipmunk, cactus mouse, deer mouse, and porcupine.

Valley Oak

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:07:37 GMT

20 Valley Oak Quercus Lobata
Good for zones 6-8. Slow growing, spreading, deciduous tree with deeply furrowed, gray to brown bark. Ovate, dark green leaves to 3 inches long. Sweet, edible acorns. Mature tree can reach 50 ft tall and spread to 45 ft. wide. Native to California.
The Valley oak (Quercus lobata) is the largest of North American oaks. It ranges over the hot interior valleys of California. Mature specimens may attain an age of up to 600 years. This deciduous oak requires year-round access to groundwater.
Its grand stature was noted by early pioneers. Today it is an attractive addition to the California landscape.
Its thick, ridged bark is characteristic and evokes alligator hide. The Valley oak's felt-like deeply lobed leaves assist in rapid identification.

Amethyst Hibiscus

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:02:00 GMT

BM59 Amethyst
Huge 4" glowing white disks with deep purple eye, glossy green leaf. 36" tall, hardy to zone 5.

Jamaica Scotch Bonnet Red

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:40:52 GMT

PEP355 Jamaica Scotch Bonnet Red ( Very Hot Pepper! 100000-350000 SU)
Super hot, oblong 2" bonnet shape, for hot Caribbean dishes, tastes like Habanero, 90 days.

Sugar Daddy Petunia

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:13:13 GMT

PET185 Sugar Daddy Petunia ( Pelleted Seeds )
New! Light orchid with deep purple veins, early to flower, grows about 8" tall, blooms in 11 weeks from seed.

Peacock Flower

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:06:20 GMT

NB81 Peacock Flower Caesalpinia pulcherrima
The most popularly planted species of Caesalpinia is Caesalpinia pulcherrima. Common names for this species include Poinciana, Pride of Barbados , Red Bird of Paradise, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, and flamboyan-de-jardin. It is a shrub growing to 3 m tall, native to tropical America.
It is a striking ornamental plant, widely grown in tropical gardens. It is also the national flower of the Caribbean island of Barbados, and is depicted on the Queen's personal Barbadian flag.
Peacock flower is an evergreen shrub or small tree in frost free climates, a deciduous shrub in zone 9, and a returning perennial in zone 8. In the tropics it gets 15-20' tall and its ungainly, wide spreading branches can cover about the same width. In cultivation peacock flower is usually 8-12' tall, growing that large even after freezing to the ground the previous winter. The stem, branches and petioles are armed with sharp spines and the leaves are fernlike and twice compound, with many small, oval leaflets.
Peacock flower lives up to its name with incredibly showy blossoms of orange and red. The flowers are bowl shaped, 2-3" across, with five crinkled, unequal red and orange petals, and ten prominent bright red stamens that extend way beyond the corolla. The flowers are borne in terminal clusters 8-10" tall throughout most of the year in tropical climates and in late summer and fall where frosts occur. There also are forms with yellow and forms with dark red flowers. The fruits, typical legumes, are flat, 3-4" long, and when ripe they split open noisily to expose the little brown beans.

Texas Wild Olive

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:05:00 GMT

1A319 Texas Wild Olive Cordia boissieri
A good lawn or park tree for warm states. The flowers of the Texas Wild Olive are spectacular and gorgeous. Each individual flower is 12 - 2 inches or more across. The attractive blooms continue aggressively from late winter through mid to late summer. The rest of the year, the Texas Wild Olive flowers sporadically.
This is a great hummingbird plant. The yellow-throated, tubular/funnel-like white flowers attract hummingbirds, who ardently claim an individual tree as their own. Butterflies also love the nectar the flowers produce.
Fruit of the Texas Wild Olive is also useful in many ways. Many wild animals, birds and domestic cattle eat the fruit. The leaves are also consumed as forage. The fruit is edible to humans, though not very tasty and should only be consumed with great moderation. In certain parts of Mexico, leaves are used as a medicinal tea to treat rheumatism and bronchial congestion. Some people find this a soothing remedy for the misery associated with the common cold. The Texas Wild Olive is a drought-tolerant and frost-resistant plant, tolerating temperatures in the high 20's. In a severe frost, Texas Wild Olives may loose their leaves. Suggested zones are 8b-10.

River She Oak

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:48:25 GMT

NB80 River She Oak Casuarina cunninghamiana
Best suited for zones 9-11. A fast growing evergreen tree, the largest of the Casuarina, very fast growing to 65 feet tall, 40 feet spread; with gray bark with small platelets and needle-like foliage
Trees are usually found in sunny locations along stream banks and swampy areas. It’s widely recognised as an important tree for stabilising riverbanks and for soil erosion prevention accepting wet and dry soils. The foliage is quite palatable to stock. Casuarina cunninghamiana is frost tolerant down to around -7 °C and is widely used effectively as a screening plant. It is useful on windy sites and is also suited to coastal areas. C. cunninghamiana has been introduced into several other countries for the purpose of soil stabilisation.
Superficially resembling pines because of their needles, the casuarinas also bear small cones and form beds of dry needles resembling the mat under a pine tree. Their dark-red tough wood is responsible for the occasional name beefwood, while the wide medullary rays suggested the name oak. Though the timber was shipped to Britain, it was not equal to oak imported from Britain; hence the prefix 'she-' (sorry ladies, but we are talking about 1800).
The wood was used in the past for making boomerangs and clubs. Small red flowers on female trees make it clear that something unusual is going on and examination of the needles with a lens reveals tiny leaves in the form of teeth surrounding the needles at junctions that are clearly visible to the naked eye. The cones are barrel shaped and formed of rings of bivalves, the number in each ring being about the same as the number of leaf teeth. The arrangement does not follow the spiral plan of the conifers. Each bivalve opens meridionally to release one winged seed.

Lilac Bush

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:20:20 GMT

The Common Lilac is also known as 'Old-fashioned French Lilac'. Extremely fragrant with a broad, rounded habit makes it a wonderful lawn plant. Native to southeastern Europe.
Lilac is a deciduous shrub that will grow almost anywhere in zones 3-9, up to 15 feet tall with simple, dark green, opposite, heart shaped leaves 2 to 4 inches long and 1.5 to 3 inches wide, and of course the delightful flowers.
The fragrant lilac flowers bloom on the previous year's wood. Showy, fragrant, light purple, pink or even white flowers, in mid-spring, in large terminal clusters, 4 to 8 inches long. Pruning should be done after the blooming is finished. They transplant easily. We often wonder why this wonderful shrub is not more common in yards, gardens and parks as it is easily maintained, makes a nice hedge and features beautiful fragrant flowers in spring.
Seeds will need to cold stratified for about 90 days before planting, or can be late fall planted in outside temperatures for spring germination.

Red Oak Tree

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:09:58 GMT

Q35 Red Oak Quercus Rubra
Good for zones 5-9. Fast growing, spreading deciduous tree with attractive gray to grayish brown bark. Dark green leaves. Mature tree can reach 80 ft tall and spread to 70 ft. wide. Native to E. US.
The northern red oak is one of the most important oaks for timber production in North America. The wood is of high value. Other related oaks are also cut and marketed as Red Oak, although their wood is not always of as high a quality. These include black oak, scarlet oak, pin oak, shumard oak, southern red oak and other species in the red oak group. The northern red oak is widely planted and naturalized also in Central Europe.
Red oak wood grain is so open that smoke can be blown through it from end-grain to end-grain on a flatsawn board.
A 10-year-old tree will be about 5 m (15 ft) tall.
Northern red oak is easy to recognize by its bark, which feature bark ridges that appear to have shiny stripes down the center. A few other oaks have bark with this kind of appearance in the upper tree, but the northern red oak is the only tree with the striping all the way down the trunk.

Swamp White Oak

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:08:59 GMT

Q4 Swamp White Oak Quercus BicolorGood for zones 4-9. One of the fastest growing oaks, forms a large canopy and prefers moist sites. Transplants easily and offers wildlife food as well as being an excellent landscape specimen. Mature tree can reach 70-100 ft tall and spread to 50-70 ft. wide. Native to North America.
It is one of the more important white oaks for lumber production. In recent years, the swamp white oak has become a popular landscaping tree, partly due to its relative ease of transplanting.

Coast Live Oak

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:07:57 GMT

Q2 Coast Live Oak Quercus Agrifolia
Good for zones 9-10. Spreading, Evergreen tree with reddish brown to gray colored bark and dark green spiny toothed leaves. Mature tree can reach 70 ft tall and spread to 50 ft. wide. Native to California.

American Chestnut Tree

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:58:57 GMT

FDR75 American Chestnut Castanea dentata
The American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a large, deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. Before the species was devastated by the chestnut blight, a fungal disease, it was one of the most important forest trees throughout its range.
The American Chestnut is a prolific bearer of nuts, usually with three nuts enclosed in each spiny green burr, and lined in tan velvet. The nuts develop through late summer, the burrs opening and falling to the ground near the first fall frost.
The American Chestnut was a very important tree for wildlife, providing much of the fall mast for species such as White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkey and, formerly, the Passenger Pigeon. Black Bears were also known to eat the nuts to fatten up for the winter.
Best suited for zones 5-8.

Alexandria Strawberry Seed

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:24:14 GMT

NB76 Alexandria (Fragaria vesca)
Alpine strawberries from seed.
Day-neutral. These decorative little plants produce delicious, aromatic red strawberries, about twice the size of wild berries but much smaller than the standard type. Perennials, Alpine strawberries stay compact and produce few runners, making them suitable for rock gardens, path edgings, pots, and window boxes. They begin producing the second spring, sometimes the first fall. Grows best in zones 5-8. 100-120 days to bear fruit.

Black Cardamom Spice Plant

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:16:39 GMT

NB75 Black Cardamom Amomum subulatum
This is a wonderful spice plant that may be grown in tubs in shady areas in warm climates. A clustering ginger with stems growing up to 5ft tall. Leaves are found on the upper portion of the stem. This is an evergreen plant with the old stems dying down after a few years. The rhizomes are a dull red in color. Flower buds appear in spring from the base of the rhizome. The peduncle is short and the buds encased in tight red bracts. Flowers appear from spring through mid summer. Individual flowers stay open for three days and more and new ones open successively.
Black cardamom has a fresh and aromatic aroma. Camphor is easily discernible in its odor. By virtue of the traditional drying procedure over open flames, the spice also acquires a strong smoky flavor. Not sure that this could be grown for it's spice properties in cooler climates, but well worth the effort to grow this plant for it's ornamental appearance.

Dwarf Elephant Ears

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:15:34 GMT

NB74 Dwarf Elephant Ears Colocasia Fallax
One of the hardiest elephant ear varieties, and the only one we have found that can be grown from seed. Boasts a silver splash highlighting the center vein of matt-green, with smaller silver veins radiating from the center to the leaf edge. Leaves are rounded and have a velvety-texture.
The plants are adorned all summer with small yellow spathe and spadix flowers. The 18" tall plants make 2' wide clumps in 3 years, but should spread faster in very wet soils by means of short above ground stolons, quite unique and very beautiful.
Elephant Ear varieties are hardy in zones 7-10 as perennials, suitable in zones 4-6 as annuals.

Frangipani Vine

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:11:29 GMT

NB73 Frangipani vine Chonemorpha macrophylla
This large-leafed, coarse vine from India featurs large clusters of blooms with a subtle fragrance, best in full sun and acid soil. Large shiny leaves, prominent veins, superb white similar to Frangipani, propellor shaped, delicious rich scent. Flowers are pure white with yellow center. Use it on larger structures (trellises, columns), or allow it to ramble over tall trees. This is a stunning vine, flowering profusely from May - July; one of the powerful lianas of the Indian and Malayan forests, climbing to the tops of the tallest trees. This plant goes dormant in subtropical climate and usually loses leaves if temperature gets below 60F, but it is somewhat cold tolerant (30-40F) and can survive mild frost for a short period.

Lace Veil Fern

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:03:10 GMT

NB71 Lace Veil Fern Asparagus pseudoscaber
This is a very ornamental plant that has many uses, especially in flower arrangements. The leaves are lacy and finely cut, with light dainty foliage. Late in the season bright red berries adorn the female plants. In the fall the plants turn from yellow to gold. Will grow to 4 ft,, the foliage is not upright, but arches outward, a single plant will produce loads of arrangement material, but it can also be grown in the garden for it's ornamental appeal. Said to be hardy to zone 5 outside, will die off in winter, but come back the following spring.

Himalayan Lily

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:59:33 GMT

NB72 Himalayan Lily Lilium Wallichianum
This is a true species lily with stiff green stems that are ringed purple and bear linear to lance-shaped, deep green leaves. Has umbels of up to 4 large, very fragrant, trumpet-shaped, white or cream flowers, tinged yellow or green. Prefers moist, acidic soil. Deadhead spent flowers, but wait until stems and leaves turn yellow to cut back to within a few inches of the ground. Spring and fall are the best time to transplant, even though they can be transplanted any time. Provide ample moisture while flowering, but can take periods of drought otherwise. A perennial best suited for zones 7-9, but can be grown in a couple of cooler zones if protected or dug up in winter. Easy to start from seeds, but seeds do need a period of cold stratification in the fridge before sowing.

Colville Glory Tree

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:27:58 GMT

1A326 Colville Glory Tree ( Colvillea racemosa)
This is a rare, beautiful, flowering tree. Grown outside in zone 10 and higher, but a good tub specimen when young, provides flowers in fall and winter. It grows up right. It has fine leaves like a fern. It is related to the Royal Poinciana. Beautiful cluster of orange flowers!

New Seeds Selections Just Added

Sturts Desert Pea Swainsona formosa

Blackbird Dierama

Ailsa Craig Giant Exhibition Onions

Fragrant False Indigo

Swamp White Oak

Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Pepper

Peter Pepper

Norfolk Island Pine

Highbush Blueberry

Blackcap Raspberry

Common Fig Tree

Blue Stem Palm

Asia Short Hybrid Bottle Gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria )

Pink Cloud Grass

Hardy Hens and Chicks Succulent

Southern Giant Curled Mustard

Prickly Caterpillars Plant

Amazing Puya Plant

Alma Fruit Tree

Short Spiral Ginger

Crepe Spiral Ginger

Royal Purple Banana

Osage Orange

Early Delicious 51 Melon

Hearts of Gold Melon

Emerald Gem Melon

Crenshaw White Melon

Sakata's Sweet Melon

Red and White Egg Tree Tomato

Council Tree Ficus

German Giant Radish

Pink Beauty Radish

Purple Plum Radish

Sweet Honda Melon

Takinogawa Burdock

Asian Birdhouse Gourd

Harvest Bowl Gourd

Big Green Sausage Gourd

Tomatoberry Garden

Incense Cedar

Sugar Daddy Peas

Burgundy Swiss Chard

White Cup and Saucer Vine

Fanfare Cucumber

Parisian Carrot

Jackass Bitters Herb

Willow Oak

Golden Midget Watermelon

Hardy Pink Lavatera

Sunshine Mix Gazania

Summer Morning Delphinium

Fragrant White Passionflower

Blue Passionflower

Japanese Elm

Flowering Camellia

Aquamarine Datura

Hot Spell Tomato

Purple Lady Iresine

Cheron Summer Gloxinia

Sweet Annie Herb

Rice Paper Plant

Dutchman's Pipe

Variegated Coral Tree

Wild Rose

Nutka Rose

Virginia Rose

Japanese Fragrant White Rose

Red Leaf Rose

Dead Man's Fingers

Autumn Crown Hybrid Pumpkin

Truck Buster Watermelon

Coontie Palm

Cayenne Ornamental Pepper Blend Mix

Brazen Brass Ornamental Mustard

Walking Stick Cabbage

Bhut Jolokia ( World's Hottest Pepper? )

Cosmic Purple Carrots

Pot n Patio Tomato

Texas Tree Yucca

Sturts Desert Pea Swainsona formosa