(Prayer Plant)

The prayer plants, prized for its beautiful leaves, is native to the warm, moist, forested regions of Brazil. It is among the most popular of tropical houseplants. A tender, herbaceous perennial, Maranta leuconeura forms clumps and slowly spreads from stems or rhizomes (lateral underground stems). The leaves arise close together from sheaths. They are large, elliptical to oval, and often marked with blotches, streaks or stripes of color. They are also waxy, light to dark green and often...

(Gold Markhamia, Siala)

One of tropical East Africa's most beautiful flowering trees, the siala boasts erect clusters of trumpet-shaped golden yellow flowers. This fairly fast-growing deciduous tree grows on forest edges and along river banks. It develops a slender, upright trunk and distinctive oblong canopy that doesn't cast a broad shadow. The trunk may also slightly curve and displays grayish sienna bark that flakes away in strips.

The compound leaves are rich bright green and comprise 7 to 11 leaflets with deep...

(Common Nardoo, Pepperwort, Water Clover)

An interesting fern with clover-like fronds, common water clover forms soft-looking mats of foliage at the water's edge and beyond. A frost tender tropical perennial fern, it grows from upright rhizomes (underground stems) in wetlands naturally across interior Australia.

The submerged rhizomes send up thin stems above the water surface. Each frond is fan-shaped, with two leaflets that are each divided into two lobes. Crush a leaf and it smells of peppery mint. As this is a fern it does not flower...

(Banded Nardoo, Banded Water Clover, Pepperwort)

An interesting fern with clover-like fronds, banded water clover forms soft-looking mats of foliage at the water's edge and beyond. A semi-hardy tropical perennial fern, it grows from rhizomes (underground stems) in wetlands in Australia.

The submerged rhizomes send up thin stems above the water surface. Each frond is fan-shaped with four leaflets that are light green with a central attractive band of red-green. Crush a leaf and a scent of peppery mint is released. As this is a fern it does not...

(Variegated Nardoo, Variegated Pepperwort, Variegated Water Clover)

An interesting fern with clover-like fronds, variegated water clover forms soft-looking mats of light and dark green foliage at the water's edge and beyond. A semi-hardy tropical perennial fern, it grows from rhizomes (underground stems) in wetlands in Australia.

The submerged rhizomes send up thin stems above the water surface. Each frond is fan-shaped with four leaflets that are emerald green with a central attractive band of red-green and central core of light green. Crush a leaf and a scent...

(European Water Fern, Pepperwort, Water Clover)

An interesting fern with clover-like fronds, European water fern forms soft-looking mats of foliage at the water's edge and beyond. A perennial creeping fern native to Europe and northern Asia, it will form an indefinitely broad mat of foliage and rhizomes.

The submerged rhizomes send up thin stems above the water surface, or floating on the surface if water is deep. Each frond is fan-shaped with four leaflets that are triangular and emerald green, although in low light two- or one-leaflet leaves...

(Yellow Butterfly Vine, Yellow Orchid Vine)

Producing fairy-like, airy groupings of yellow flowers in the warmth of summer, yellow butterfly vine gets its name from the large keeled seedpods that resemble plump butterflies. Native to the tropical forests of northern Mexico, it is an evergreen climber with lance-shaped green leaves. During the warm months from spring to fall, there are loose clusters of the yellow, five-petalled flowers among the leaves. They are not likely pollinated by butterflies, but by various species of bees that favor...

(Mayten)

The mayten tree is an exquisite small evergreen accent tree with a habit quite similar to that of a weeping willow. It is a small, slow-growing tree, well-suited for small spaces. This is a native of regions in Chile where conditions are warm and dry, so it is grown warmer regions where its natural drought resistance is appreciated. The tree bears beautiful,dark bark and a straight trunk that supports a strong network of branches. The twigs are long and pendulous, lined with abundant small dark-green...

(Cajeput Tree, Paperbark Tree, Punk Tree)

Perhaps the most famous tropical paperbark tree, punk tree's whitish tan bark peels and flakes in large sheets. A broadleaf evergreen tree from the eastern coast of Australia and eastern New Guinea, it typically attains an upright, open-branching form although specimens can become beautifully billowing and rounded.

The flat, oval, leathery leaves are deep green and may blush purple in the frosts of winter. Newly emerging leaves are shiny and pale green with soft hairs. In late summer but primarily...

(Chinaberry Tree)

Thousands of tiny, lilac-pink, star-shaped flowers followed by golden yellow fruits make Chinaberry tree a showy ornamental. However, it has proven to be invasive and should be planted only after consulting local experts. A rounded, deciduous tree with grayish brown bark, it is native to China and northern India.

The foliage is beautiful. Leaves are doubly pinnate: a large petiole (leaf stem) branches into secondary stems that bear the many, glossy dark-green leaflets. In mid-spring the tips of...