(Longan)

Casting dense shade from its glossy, dark green leaves, longan produces clusters of sweet, spicy, edible fruits with shiny, dark seeds inside called “dragon’s eyes”. The tan fruits are often compared to lychees in taste and appearance. This tree naturally inhabits the forests of southern Asia, from India eastward to China. When mature, it becomes quite tall and develops a broad, spreading canopy. The dense, richly colored wood of longan is also valuable and typically used for furniture making and...

(Venus flytrap)

Renowned for its insect-trapping leaves, Venus flytrap is a small, insectivorous perennial native to moist sandy habitats near the Carolina coast.

Each plant forms a neat rosette of leaves with broad winged stems and folding clam-like blades. The traps are yellowish to medium green on the outside and have reddish nectar glands on the inside edged with slender, hair-like snares. When disturbed by visiting insects, the traps snap shut and hairs fold over one another like bars. Trapped insects...

Named for its sawtooth-edged, insect-trapping leaves, 'Jaws' is a cultivar of Venus flytrap, a small, insectivorous perennial from moist sandy habitats near the Carolina coast.

Each plant forms a neat rosette of leaves with broad winged stems and folding clam-like blades. The jagged edges of the traps resemble shark jaws. The traps are yellowish to medium green with pale- to deep-red staining on their interiors. When disturbed by visiting insects, the traps snap shut. Trapped insects are slowly...

(Cycad, Virgin Palm)

Virgin palm is a very slow-growing cycad with stiff, fern-like leaves radiating outward from a central, trunk-like stem. A native of southeastern Mexico, this cone-bearing plant is not a real palm, but is more ancient: growing around the time of the dinosaurs. Its fronds are covered with stiff, haired or smooth bluish green or dark green leaflets held perpendicularly to the leaf stem, which is lighter green. As the plant gets older and grows a clump of taller trunk-stems, the leaf fronds are held...

(Purple Sweet Potato, Purple Yam, Ubi, Uhi, Water Yam, White Yam, Winged Yam)

Of all the cultivated yams, this is one of the most extensively grown. The water yam is a large, vigorous tender perennial vine that produces starchy, edible, bulbous tubers that may be white or purple fleshed. It is a major crop in the tropics and has become naturalized in many parts of the world, including the southern United States. This species is thought to have originated from Eastern Asia. Hundreds of cultivated varieties exist that vary in tuber consistency, color and size.

Water yam...

(Wild Yam)

Wild yam is a herbaceous perennial vine found over much of eastern and central north America. This highly variable twiner occurs in many forms and inhabits a diversity of open and forested habitats including wetland and watercourse edges, rocky slopes, and roadsides.

The slender, smooth, green or purplish stems of this hardy perennial arise in spring from brownish underground rhizomes. Stem length ranges from 1 to 7 meters, depending on the individual plant and its habitat. Handsome, glossy,...

(Asian Persimmon, Japanese Persimmon, Kaki, Sharon Fruit)

The Asian persimmon is a deciduous tree widely grown for its flavorful peach-sized fruits. Native to China, this long cultivated plant has been much improved by selection and breeding.

The beautiful small tree has large, glossy, elliptical green leaves that turn lovely shades of orange, yellow and red in fall. The flowers appear in spring. Persimmons are commonly dioecious, which means that some trees only have male flowers while others only have female flowers, though some cultivars like...

(Asian Persimmon, Fuyu Persimmon, Japanese Persimmon, Kaki )

The large fruits of ‘Fuyu’ are sweet, non-astringent, deep orange and keep well. This relatively compact persimmon is the most popular sweet-fleshed cultivar in Japan.

The beautiful small tree has large, glossy, elliptical green leaves that turn lovely shades of orange, yellow and red in fall. The flowers appear in spring. Persimmons are commonly dioecious, which means that some trees only have male flowers while others only have female flowers, though some cultivars like have both. This is...

(Asian Persimmon, Hachiya Persimmon, Japanese Persimmon, Kaki )

The oblong fruits of ‘Hachiya' are sweet and astringent, glossy, deep orange and ripen late. This vigorous persimmon tree has an upright, spreading habit and is a very popular cultivar in California.

The beautiful small tree has large, glossy, elliptical green leaves that turn lovely shades of orange, yellow and red in fall. The flowers appear in spring. Persimmons are commonly dioecious, which means that some trees only have male flowers while others only have female flowers, though some cultivars...

(Asian Persimmon, Hongsi Persimmon, Japanese Persimmon, Kaki)

The glossy orange oblong fruits of ‘Hongsi' are mellow, sweet, non-astringent and ripen late. This vigorous persimmon tree has an upright, spreading habit and is a very popular cultivar in Korea.

The beautiful small tree has large, glossy, elliptical green leaves that turn lovely shades of orange, yellow and red in fall. The flowers appear in spring. Persimmons are commonly dioecious, which means that some trees only have male flowers while others only have female flowers, though some cultivars...