Seeds for growing patio and tub plants

The plants listed on this page are suited for growing in containers for displaying on a patio, balcony or pool deck.

TWT064 Heather ( Calluna vulgaris )

Also known as Scotch heather, an evergreen ground cover or low shrub for sun, blooms during late summer in various shades of red or pink. Heather thrives in USDA zones 3 to 9. This low-growing shrub definitely demonstrates year-round beauty, whether from its abundant summer blooms or its ever-changing foliage. Heather works great for use in sun-soaked garden spots from the border to along the driveway.
Heathers grow in nutrient poor, well-draining, acidic soils, in a bright sunny location. Calluna vulgaris will do very poorly in alkaline soils. When planting in the ground, space out the plants about 24 inches apart. Plant out in early fall or spring.
At spring, pruning of the dead dry stems produces fresher looking plants, cut the old stems off close to the ground. It is recommended to mulch before the onset of winter to protect from damage caused by the cold temperatures and wind.
Heather seeds are very small and should be surface sown and the soil needs to remain moist, with watering best done from below if possible.
Grows to about 24-36 inches tall. Normally takes about 28-35 days to germinate in 50-72 degree soil.

LET607 Cotton Plant ( Gossypium hirsutum )

Also known as upland cotton or Mexican cotton, is the most widely planted species of cotton in the world. Globally, about 90% of all cotton production is of cultivars derived from this species. In the United States, the world's largest exporter of cotton, it constitutes approximately 95% of all cotton production.It is native to Mexico, the West Indies, northern South America, Central America and possibly tropical Florida.
It makes an attract tub plant with beautiful blossoms that attracts bees and butterflies, it is widely used in dry arrangements. Cotton is easily grown in a tub, it makes a very attractive patio plant.
Cannot ship to GA, SC, CA, TX, LA, MS, VA or FL. Some other southeastern states require a waiver or permit; contact your extension agency for more information.

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TRZ208 Dwarf Oriental Arborvitae ( Platycladus orientalis 'Compacta' )

A great container plant for patios and for decorating along driveways and sidewalks.
Discover the unique beauty and versatility of Platycladus orientalis 'Compacta', Dwarf Oriental Arborvitae, a stunning evergreen that enhances any landscape with its dense, pyramidal form. This cultivar is celebrated for its compact structure and adaptability, making it the perfect choice for a variety of garden applications, from hedges to standalone specimens. Native to the diverse regions of China, Korea, and the Russian Far East, this hardy evergreen thrives in USDA Zones 6 to 9, reaching an impressive height of 8-12 ft with a spread of 5-8 feet.
Optimally grown in fertile, well-drained soil with medium moisture, Dwarf Oriental Arborvitae flourishes in full sun to part shade. It appreciates good air circulation and withstands a range of conditions, except for wet, boggy sites. Notably, its scale-like leaves release a distinctive aroma when bruised, offering an additional sensory dimension to your garden space. Over time, the foliage transitions to a darker green and may bronze in winter, adding seasonal interest. Despite its rugged nature, this shrub is susceptible to common pests like bagworms and spider mites but can remain healthy with proper care. Ideal for creating living privacy screens, accentuating foundations, or enhancing garden designs, Dwarf Oriental Arborvitae promises lasting beauty and utility for your outdoor sanctuary.
Seeds need 60 days cold stratification before sowing.

TRZ139 Tauerii Monstera

This is a more dwarf version of Monstera that is better suited for use as a houseplant. Tauerii is a stunning, tropical foliage plant, with large, heart-shaped leaves with lots of perforations. Tauerii is a dwarf-type Monstera and particularly develops its leaf perforations early. This plant tends to set earlier than other Monsteras. Monstera deliciosa Tauerii is well-suited as a decorative houseplant. Monstera deliciosa Tauerii is commonly known as Swiss cheese plant. Prefers full to partial sun.
Seed Germination: Plant at least 2-3 seeds per pot. Bottom heat is helpful. Takes 14-28 days to germinate.

JB220 Bronze Spike ( Cordyline atropurpurea )

Also known as Purple Dragon Tree. This is a great houseplant, or patio tub plant with a unique look. A good container plant when young, and makes an architectural tree when mature.
Sun loving drought tolerant plant for patio, container or outside. Ornamental bark and striking foliage for all year round color and screening. Will stay smaller in container, will grow to about 12 feet outside when mature. This palm-like sub-tropical tree makes a striking focal plant with its fountain of arching bright burgundy and reddish-bronze sword-like leaves. For a more graceful plant, cut back when young to force multiple trunks. Mature plants bear clusters of small, starry, fragrant white flowers in late spring.
Also recognized as Cordyline australis 'Atropurpurea', this is a popular, naturally occurring cultivar which is purple leaved and slightly shorter than the original species.
Great inside or patio plant, or can be grown full time outdoors in zones 9-10.

JB264 Ruffled Fan Palm ( Licuala grandis )

Produces a beautiful tropical palm plant that is most commonly found grown as houseplants. This green palm is not only beautiful but also helps clean the air indoors. Botanical name is Licuala grandis but more commonly known as Ruffled fan palm.
This elegant palm is great for small yards and can also grow indoors in containers in cooler climates, makes a wonderful patio plant. This is a very attractive, slow growing palm that can get up to 6-8 feet tall outdoors in warm climates, with a spread of 4 feet wide. It has a single slender trunk, 4-5 inches in diameter that takes years to develop.
The Ruffled Fan Palm is known for its unique palmate, or fan-shape leaves, with attractive splitting patterns that make it stand out in any environment. Leaves are circular, luscious green, glossy, ruffled, hence the name Ruffled Fan Palm, about 22 inches in diameter, with notched tips.
It grows best in partial shade and should not be exposed to full sun. Also, make sure to protect it from high winds to avoid frond damage. It needs a lot of water with good drainage. It can tolerate cold down to 30F when mature.
Seed Germination: These seeds inherently have a low germination rate, expect 30-40 percent in most cases.

D9918 Large Leaf Dragon Tree ( Dracaena aletriformis )

This relatively fast-growing, beautiful plant requires deep, rich soil and shade. So plant it in fertile, well-drained, compost-enriched soil and keep out of direct sunlight, or the leaves will burn. It requires consistent watering during the growing season and less during winter. It is frost and drought sensitive therefore in colder gardens it will need a very protected position. Due to its tolerance for fairly poor light conditions it makes an exceptional container plant for indoors or for a shady patio providing a bold and attractive focal point.
In South Africa an extract is prepared from its roots to drive away evil spirits, a real bonus feature for an ornamental plant!

JB299 Blue Stem Yucca ( Yucca spp. )

Blue-Stem Yucca is a super popular houseplant that is easy to grow and needs very little care. They do best in long-lasting, direct light.
Seed Germination: Can take 4-8 weeks to germinate so patience is needed. Plant 1/2" below soil and keep soil 60-70F.

FB139 Selloum Philodendron

This has magnificent foliage with deeply lobed leaves up to 20 inches long and 28 inches wide. Does well in partial shade and is a good container plant. Eventually forms palm-like trunk.
Incredible indoor or outdoor plant that can fill about any unused space in your home, including patios, gardens, shrubs, and so much more.
Outdoors, this large-leaved, easily grown philodendron makes a dramatic, tropical statement wherever it is used in the landscape, eventually developing a 3- to 4-foot-long, tree-like trunk and a spread of 8 to 10 feet. The deeply divided, usually drooping, medium green leaves grow up to three feet long and 12 to 18 inches wide, appearing on long, smooth petioles.
Indoors, this is a very popular plant used for modern interior design for homes. You will find it in many places like hotels lobbies, main entrances, corporate lobbies and offices. As a houseplant, it is very low maintenance, offers a tropical appearance, helps filter indoor air pollution and helps decorate any type interior.
Can be grown in hanging baskets when young, then transferred to pots as it matures. Can be used on patios during warm seasons, then brought inside as a house plant during the winter.
And since it thrives in high humidity and low light, you can even grow it in your bathroom, one of the few plants that can be used for this.

Image: KENPEI [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

IP302 Seifriz's Bamboo Palm ( Chamaedorea seifrizii )

This is a small graceful palm that is commonly used in landscapes and indoor decoration. It is very popular and can be found at most nurseries. It is very easy to grow and maintain.
A shade loving palm particularly suited to growing in pots either indoors or on patios and verandas. Named 'Bamboo Palm' due to its multi-stemmed growth habit, resembling that of bamboo. A great air-purifying plant for indoor spaces and offices.
It can be grown outside in zone 9 and higher, but is most commonly found as houseplant or patio plant.

IP190 New Zealand Flax New Hybrids ( Phormium Tenax )

A native New Zealander, this is pretty new on the scene here in the U.S. It has long been grown for its strong, upright and fast growth habit and is sometimes called an ornamental grass on steroids which makes a great accent plant.
Many gardeners know New Zealand Flax as a large and often colorful spiky plant that makes an arresting focal point in the garden or in containers.
Phormium Tenax has sword-like leaves that shoot up from the base of the plant and new hybrids are now available in shades of yellow, pink, red and bronze.
Hummingbirds love to feed on these nectar-rich blossoms. Phormiums are salt tolerant making them ideal for planting in coastal areas.
Can be raised as a patio or container plant about anywhere, or outside in the garden in zones 7-10.

JB306 Mazeppa Asparagus Fern ( Asparagus spp. )

Mazeppa is a low-growing decorative foliage plant, with a compact habit. This robust Asparagus has arching woody stems with fine fern-like leaves. Mazeppa adjusts well to different climates and does great as a houseplant. Helps purify indoor air. a.k.a. Mazeppa emerald fern, Asparagus fern, Emerald fern or Basket asparagus.
Seed Germination: Plant at least 2-3 seeds per pot. Bottom heat is helpful. Takes 14-30 days to germinate.

2044 Ming Fern ( Asparagus myriocladus )

The Ming fern is a beautiful plant with bright green puffy clusters of soft green needles. One of the favorite Asparagus ferns for cutting and growing as a houseplant. A wonderful acccent plant.
A finely textured subtropical foliage plant, with a bushy, compact habit. This Asparagus had strong woody stems and fluffy green tufts. It has tiny, bright green, needle-like foliage. Can be used as an ornamental houseplant or as filler foliage in cut flower bouquets. Great at cleaning air within the home. It is commonly known as Ming fern, Dill fern or Asparagus fern.

LET764 Fuzzyfern Frizz Asparagus Fern ( Asparagus densiflorus )

This new Asparagus Fern features long graceful needle-like sprays for baskets. Frizz brings a fun texture to mixed containers, hanging baskets, indoor applications, and landscapes. This trailing foliage item can handle both sun and shade plus indoor and outdoor use for more versatility.
In zones 9 to 11 (very tropical areas) it can be used in the landscape year around. In zones 7 to 8, it may be root hardy and come back the following year. In all other zones, it will have to be used as a summer annual, similar to Petunias and Impatiens.

TCB040 Parlour Palm ( Chamaedorea elegans )

The parlour palm is species of small palm tree native to the rainforests in Southern Mexico and Guatemala. The parlor palm is one of the most heavily sold houseplant palms in the world. It is one of several species with leaves that are harvested as xate.
It is used in gardens in sub-tropical climates, such as the Southeastern United States, and in tropical areas, growing to 6-7 feet tall inside, ( may reach about 12 feet outside in zones 9 and higher ) with slender, cane-like stems.
It is often cultivated in temperate regions as a houseplant, where it grows to 6 feet tall with very slow growth, tolerating low levels of humidity and light, though it prefers medium to high humidity and bright indirect light.
It is a versatile and almost no-maintenance plant that is able to grow in most indoor and outdoor conditions. These plants are not tolerant of frost and must be kept indoors in winter in non-tropical climates.

Image: DaffaHapidzK [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

D9608 Sealing Wax Palm ( Cyrtostachys lakka )

A stunning feather palm with a bright red trunk. Cyrtostachys renda, commonly called lipstick palm or sealing wax palm, is a tropical palm that is native to swampy rain forest areas of the Malaysian peninsula, Indonesia and Borneo. It is perhaps best known for its glossy scarlet red crown shafts and leaf stalks which bring stunning accent and contrast to landscapes or indoor areas. Common names are in reference to the red coloration. In the wild, this palm will grow to 12-15’ tall. Pinnate leaves to 4-5’ long are deep green above and gray-green underneath. Small greenish white flowers in panicles bloom in summer.
It makes a good houseplant if grown in small tubs and a great patio plant if brought in during cold weather, it does not like tempeatures below 50 degrees. Zones 10b and higher outside, most commonly grown as houseplant or patio plant in cooler zones.

Image:Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

JB266 Japanese Arailia ( Fatsia japonica )

A very versatile plant for indoor and outdoor use. Large, exotic, rich green foliage adds an exciting and bold tropical look to landscapes and patios. Great in a shaded entryway or patio, or in a sheltered spot near a water garden or dipping pool. Perfect for outdoor containers or as a houseplant. Ideal for low light, urban settings. Winter flowers are followed by black ornamental berries. Evergreen. One of the most familiar house plants around. Its huge star shaped leaves will decorate any patio or hallway. It also makes a good yard plant if given lots of light. Zones 8A-11 outside.

2258 Toothache Plant ( Spilanthes oleracea )

A must have plant for all of it's wonderful qualities. Bright, solid-yellow flower heads the shape of lemon drops, often having the common name of "Lemon Drops".
It has edible flowers, which have a spicy and citrus-like flavor, can be used as a garnish on ice cream and drinks.
Commonly known as toothache plant. Contains a natural analgesic which numbs the tongue and gums, relieving toothache pain. This numbing sensation arises from chewing either the flowers or leaves.
The full, mounding habit is perfect for containers and bed plantings. Heat tolerant.
A fast growing annual plant reaching 12-15 inches tall in about 90-100 days.

SF335 Crocosmia ( Crocosmia Paniculata Hybrida )

Crocosmia are a popular and attractive flowering plant. Native to South Africa, Crocosmia are members of the Iris family and are easy to grow from flower seeds. Crocosmia plants grow two feet tall in a season. Tube shaped flower colors include red, yellow, orange-yellow, and orange with splotches. Crocosmia flowers bloom from July through October.
Crocosmia grow well in the flower garden and in containers on patios or decks. You should experience few problems with your Crocosmia. Use insecticide or fungicide, only if a problem occurs. Crocosmia are tough when it come to winter temperatures tolerating temperatures down to USDA Zone 5.

Please check out our Complete Patio and Sundeck Plants Growing Guide

All seed packets listed on this page are in stock and ready to ship.