(Banana, Hybrid Banana, Siam Ruby Banana)

Truly an extravagant foliage plant, 'Siam Ruby' boasts large leaves of dark red marked with irregular flecks of light green. Reputed to be a mutant sport of the cultivar 'Tapo' and first seen growing in Papua New Guinea, this highly ornamental red-leaved banana entered the international market in 2005.

The newly emerging leaves look pale green initially but quickly turn deep ruby red with flecks or horizontal streaks of light green. The more heat, humidity and direct sun, the more intense the...

(Hardy Banana)

Of all the bananas, this is the most hardy and amenable to colder climates. Hardy banana or Japanese fiber banana is an evergreen, tree-like perennial native to Japan. Its immense, arching, paddle-shaped leaves have horizontal ribbed veins and lend a tropical look to the landscape. They remain evergreen year round in subtropical to tropical areas but are deciduous in more temperate regions. In summer, it bears pendent spikes of flowers in the axils of large, brown floral bracts. The flowers sometimes...

(Banana, Hairy Banana, Pink Banana)

The hairy banana’s upright clumps of big, bold green leaves are upstaged by its showy white and lavender-pink flowers and the velvety, pink fruits. This clumping, tender herbaceous perennial comes from northeastern India. Its leaves are long, oval, waxy, glossy and green with possible yellow or purple tones on their stalks. During the warm growing season, the upright flowerhead arises from the top of the stem, with bright, violet-pink bracts (petal-like leaves) around the many small, yellow and white...

(Bayberry, Southern Waxmyrtle, Waxmyrtle)

Southern wax myrtle is an evergreen large shrub to small tree native to moist location in the United States, New Jersey to southern Florida and west to Texas. It has an upright, open form, multiple trunks and twisting branches. The leaves are aromatic when crushed, dark, olive green and linear to lance-shaped, occasionally toothed above the middle. Wax myrtle is dioecious, the male and female flowers on different plants. The flowers are small, yellow-green and inconspicuous. The small, but abundant...

(Bayberry, Southern Waxmyrtle)

Southern wax myrtle is a large evergreen shrub or small tree native to moist location in the United States from New Jersey to southern Florida and west to Texas. The cultivar ‘Don’s Dwarf’ is compact, spreading and has small dark green leaves. It has an open form, multiple trunks and twisting branches. The leaves are aromatic when crushed and linear to lance-shaped, occasionally toothed above the middle. Wax myrtle is dioecious, having the male and female flowers on different plants. The flowers...

(Bayberry, Southern Waxmyrtle)

Dwarf wax myrtle is a moderately-sized evergreen shrub native to moist location in the United States from New Jersey to southern Florida and west to Texas. It has an spreading open form, multiple trunks and twisting branches. The leaves are aromatic when crushed, dark olive-green and linear to lance-shaped, occasionally toothed above the middle. Wax myrtle is dioecious, having the male and female flowers on different plants. The flowers are small, yellow-green and inconspicuous. The small, but abundant...

(Bayberry)

Renowned as the source of bayberry wax, this aromatic medium-sized deciduous shrub from eastern North America makes a serviceable and attractive garden subject. Handsome, shiny, oval leaves are densely borne on rounded, suckering plants, and often remain attached well into winter. Male plants bear interesting gray-green catkins in spring; female plants have inconspicuous flowers that give rise to terminal clusters of small waxy gray berries which contain the fragrant waxy tallow used in bayberry...

(African Boxwood)

Boasting glossy dark green leaves, tiny white blossoms that yield purplish-plum colored fruits, African boxwood or cape myrtle is a tough plant suitable for urban landscapes as well as more ornamental applications in refined gardens. A slow growing, rounded to upright boradleaf evergreen shrub, it has a wide natural distribution: Azores and Sub-Saharan Africa and the Himalayan region of India and China.

The glossy, dark green leaves are oval and release an aroma once crushed. Emergent leaves...

(Common Myrtle)

This beautiful evergreen shrub or small tree offers beauty, fragrance and drought resistance for mild-climate gardens. It is a true Mediterranean species that is native to Europe. It has been cultivated since Biblical times both as a commercial source of perfume oil and as a garden plant. In the wild it can be found on poor soils in protected locations. This makes it a fine choice for difficult sites in climates with prolonged dry spells. Myrtle is a fine-branching evergreen plant. Small, pointed,glossy...

(Baetica Common Myrtle)

This beautiful evergreen shrub or small tree offers beauty, fragrance and drought resistance for hot climate gardens. It is a true Mediterranean species that is native to Europe. It has been cultivated since Biblical times both as a commercial source of myrtle perfume oil and as a garden plant. In the wild they can be found on poor soils in protected locations. This selection, 'Boetica,' is a more twisted form that is proving highly valuable in the extreme climates of inland deserts. The small, pointed...