Bougainvillia is everyone's favorite big block of color. Heat hardy, water thrifty and available in many colors, from pastels to vibrant hues. Now what you may not know is it is available in the standard big size (which you can keep trimmed, and should) but also in a ground cover size. The ground cover size is still a big plant but it does want to stay lower than the standard. Bougies can be grown as a shrub, as a vine, in a container, but beware, they all have thorns.
Hibiscus are plants we can grow in the ground in our area. Oh, an occasional freeze may do them in but from the size of plants around town it doesn't happen too often. I grow mine in pots just because I don't have much room. They need lots, tons, of water in the summer so I position my double ruffly apricot one under a drip line of my gutter. On humid (we know what they feel like, right?) mornings the drip waters the tub enough for the whole day.
Esperanza, Texas Golden Bells, Tecoma are all local names for this large shrub. You see it everywhere. It loves the sun, the heat. What people don't do is keep it pruned. If you do that it becomes a well mannered shrub just covered in bloom. I have a couple in big tubs, but I would put them in the ground if I had room.
Pentas, also called Egyptian Star Flower by some, attracts butterflies and Hummingbirds. It comes in pinks, reds and white and in the ground can grow to small shrub size. Great in pots or in the ground, it doesn't want full sun in our climate. Gorgeous plant even though you may lose some leaves to hungry caterpillars.
Sunflowers...they are everywhere! But aren't they charming?
There are several kinds growing in the front fountain garden, all either volunteers (a weed by any other name) or from a pack of wildflower seed donated by Lisette.
If you want to grow petunias plant them early. With luck they will grow thru the winter. If you put them in when the weather gets warm go for the Wave varieties, especially the purple. It is very heat resistant. This is a pink wave I have in a container.
Here is an interesting variety of common rubber plant. This one has lovely green and cream coloring with splashes of maroon on it's leaves. I never see others around the area, just the common green kind.
Plumbago. I can't tell you how many people ask me about this plant. We can't grow hydrangeas here so this is a great substitute. Loves heat, loves sun, drought tolerant, and if you keep it pruned it can become a mass of blue. It also comes in white. It needs control, however. if you don't keep it pruned you will soon have a twiggy mass.
Plumeria, Frangipani. It grows in Hawaii as a small tree and is used to make flower leis. Lovely, sweet smelling flowers. Can grow in a tub or in the ground. It is very tropical which means if not protected you will lose it in a freeze, but I've seen some big ones around town, and Bob & Bev have a nice sized one by their house. There is also one growing right by the front gate. However! It loses it's leaves in the winter, which gives it a nice architectural form, but some people don't appreciate that. It is extremely easy to root and I have a bunch so if you want one, let me know. Marianna is on the trail of a white one. All mine are this pretty pink.
I hope you enjoyed this quick view of some of the plants that grow here at Sandpiper's in South Texas.
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