Viewing comments posted by Danita

The leaves on Begonia 'Bonita Shea' are curled, dark green and reddish, and grow into a compact mound that looks great in a hanging basket. It has small white flowers that are cute, but the foliage is the main interest here. It can take Sun to Part Shade. This is a heat tolerant begonia and has endured 3 months of temperatures over 90 degrees F this summer. It is part of the Athens Select™collection. I got cuttings this spring and found them very easy to root in a mix of even parts of peat/perlite/vermiculite. I planted three rooted cuttings into a hanging basket and it has grown full and lush in a few months time.

My Climate: USDA Zone 7b, AHS Heat Zone 7/8, Humid

This is my favorite sweet pepper that I've grown so far because of the taste and its dependable performance every year that I've grown it. When harvested red the flavor is very sweet and more complex than a common bell pepper. It is a "bull's horn" or "corno di toro" type pepper and averages 6" long x 2 1/2" wide. It may have slightly thinner flesh than a bell pepper, but is still thick enough to have a good crunch and the flavor is superior. It is wonderful fresh, sauteed or roasted. The plant is vigorous and produces early and often on medium sized plant. Maturity averages from transplant: 60 days to green, 80 days to red ripe. This is a F1 Hybrid so plants must be grown from commercial seeds.

My Climate: USDA Zone 7b, AHS Heat Zone 7/8, Humid

This is a hardy, perennial mum that blooms in the fall with single, daisy-form flowers. The buds and newly opened flowers are a lovely shade of apricot pink. As the flowers age, they lighten and become a warm cream color. It spreads easily, so give it some room. It is easy to grow from cuttings or divisions. It is drought tolerant.

My Climate: USDA Zone 7b, AHS Heat Zone 7/8, Humid

Salvia azurea is a lovely, easy-to-grow plant here. It blooms in late summer and fall with long wispy stems topped with sky blue flowers. The hummingbirds and butterflies use this plant some, but it's more of a bee plant. It's been very drought tolerant and has survived severe drought and watering bans.

My Climate: USDA Zone 7b, AHS Heat Zone 7/8, Humid

This is a beautiful Salvia from Bolivia that hasn't been in cultivation very long. It has showy, hot pink, fuzzy flowers with bright green calyces and bracts. The leaves are attractive, large, glossy and deep green. I got this plant as a small starter plant this spring. I grew it in a container in part sun/part shade and a well draining medium (pine fines/peat/perlite) with frequent waterings. It has bloomed all summer and is still blooming. The hummingbirds like this plant. The only annoying thing about this plant is that the ants find the nectar irresistible. From what I've read, it can take full sun up north but needs more shade as you go south. It is supposed to be easy to grow from cuttings. As far as I know, minimum cold hardiness zone is still uncertain.

My Climate:
USDA Zone 7b
AHS Heat Zone 7/8
Humid

This Salvia greggii cultivar has performed very well for me. The color is an unusual pinkish, coral red. It starts blooming well in late spring and continues blooming some throughout the summer, then explodes into bloom again in the fall. The hummingbirds love it and butterflies like to visit it too. Unlike some greggii cultivars, it has overwintered easily even though the soil probably contains more clay than it would prefer.

My Climate:
USDA Zone 7b
AHS Heat Zone 7/8
Humid

This has been a wonderful plant for me. It blooms throughout the summer in morning sun and bright shade areas. The orange calyces and yellow flowers against the almost-black leaves really brighten up a shady area. The hummingbirds like to visit the flowers too. It isn't hardy here in Zone 7b, but it goes dormant when temperatures get low in the fall and the tuber is easy to overwinter inside. I just tried water rooting a cutting from a broken stem and it developed roots easily. I also just noticed tiny tubers developing at the base of the leaf petioles on the mother plant.

My Climate:
USDA Zone 7b
AHS Heat Zone 7/8
Humid