(Oceanblue Morning Glory)

The tropical perennial morning glory Ipomoea indica is a fantastic rambling climber for warm regions. It originates from Hawaii and tropical regions in the New World but has spread elsewhere and is now considered Pantropical. Its vigor and natural spread has placed it on invasive lists in many countries to include Australia and New Zealand.

The evergreen leaves of oceanblue morning glory are heart-shaped or three-lobed and densely cover the plants. When conditions are warm and favorable,...

(Bush Moonflower, Man-of-the-Earth)

The large, edible tuberous root system of the bush moonflower allows this perennial to survive in dry, seemingly barren landscapes. It is one of the prettiest, pink-flowering wildflowers native to the American Great Plains from Montana to New Mexico. Dry prairies, roadside shoulders and gravelly sites support this upright to sprawling herbaceous perennial.

When not in bloom, bush moonflower looks wispy and mundane. Narrow, linear green leaves alternate along the wiry, arching, branching stems...

(Man-of-the-Earth, Wild Sweet Potato)

Heart-like foliage and large white flowers with fuchsia-violet throats are the ornamental fortes of wild sweet potato. This herbaceous perennial vine is native to the eastern third of the United States, and a small southern reach of Canada's Ontario. Here it is naturally climbing or sprawling its stems at woodland edges or in gravelly nooks of prairies. Native Americans cooked the large tuberous root as a food starch, and is reason it is called man-of-the-earth.

The leaves are certainly heart-shaped...

(Ira Nelson Iris, Louisiana Hybrid Iris)

The Louisiana iris 'Ira S. Nelson' bears beautiful lilac-rose flowers in spring and early summer. Its blooms have three oval, up-angled inner segments ("standards") and three broad, rounded, arching outer segments ("falls"). The base of each segment has a triangular yellow blotch ("signal"), which attracts pollinating bees. Three small, rose-pink, petal-like style arms adorn the flower's center.

Louisiana irises are complex hybrids of several species, most native to the Gulf Coast region of...

(Isolatocereus)

This is a very unusual genus bearing just one species native to Mexico. In the 1990s, this newly formed genus contains the single species that has been previously reclassified many times in the 20th century. With recent DNA sequencing it was finally proven to be a unique individual. The plants are large candelabra forms that are found in such small isolated groupings that this would inspire the new genus name. They are exclusive to rocky hills and cliffs of central and southern Mexico.

Like...

(Candelabra)

This is a very unusual tree-sized branching cactus native to Mexico. They are exclusive to rocky hills and cliffs of central and southern regions with Oaxaca being the primary homeland. The plants are large candelabra forms that are found in small isolated groupings. Stems are inward curving and blue green with areoles concentrated on the sharp edges of the 5 to 8 ribs. Each areole contains 1 to 4 central spines and 6 to 9 radials, which grow darker with age.

This is a night blooming cactus...

(Blue Starcreeper)

This delightful little mat-like groundcover looks delicate, but it is surprisingly resilient and very fast-growing. Blue starcreeper originates from Australia and New Zealand, which explains its popularity in California where the climate is quite similar. It is a true creeper that has fine stems covered with small, flat, green leaves. The stems root as they travel and are quite tolerant of foot traffic, which makes it a perfect compliment to walkways lined with stepping stones.

Blue starcreeper...

(Cancer Tree, Caribbean Jacaranda, Green Ebony)

Few small tropical trees offer the exquisite lavender to medium violet-blue flowers of Caribbean jacaranda. In spring, before summertime rains hit, it bears showy, sparse clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers on its branch tips. These bloom before or as the new leaves emerge. This species is native to the coasts of the Bahamas, Cuba and the northern Dominican Republic. It is a small deciduous tree that develops an open, rounded, sometimes irregular canopy when mature.

Ferny foliage of medium...

(Coroba, Jacaranda)

The extra large, violet-blue flowers of this jacaranda are exquisite! During the warmth of spring and summer, when soils remain dry, it bears large airy clusters of trumpet-shaped blooms. Flowers often appear before the leaves have fully emerged. This native of the hills of southern Brazil and northern Argentina is a large, deciduous tree that develops an open, rounded, sometimes irregular canopy when mature.

Ferny foliage of medium to dark green cover its branches throughout the growing season....

(Guarupa, Jacaranda)

Few trees are as beautiful as this glorious, subtropical jacaranda. In spring, it bears magnificent large clusters of lavender-blue flowers. These often bloom before the leaves have fully emerged, which gives the vibrant blooms center stage for attention. This native of the forests of Paraguay, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina is a medium-size, deciduous tree that develops an open, rounded, sometimes irregular canopy when mature.

Ferny foliage of medium to dark green cover its branches throughout...