68033 AGAVE VICTORIA-REGINAE ORNATA AGA HP TGH PRICE: $ 8.50 "Miniature Agave" Very attractive dwarf with tiny papery white & tan edges; forms clump of rosettes eventually forming a fabulous jewel like hemisphere. Tolerates lower light than most of this genus.

54354 MANDEVILLEA AMABILIS ALICE DUPONT [HYB] APO HP TGH PRICE: $ 6.50 Very showy woody climber w/ lustrous quilted thick waxy leaves of rich green perfect with the dramatic clusters of up to twenty trumpet-shaped pink fls with rich deep rose throats. Easily trained like a Hoya or Jasmine.

54366 MANDEVILLA [DIPLADENIA] RED RIDING HOOD APO HP TGH PRICE: $ 20.00 Stout woody vining stems with small, shiny leathery leaves and showy willingly produced clusters of "Brazilian Trumpet Jasmine" flowers a rich salmon rose brushed lipstick red with golden throats. Easy house or patio plant with a considerably smaller habit than its kin--can be sheared yearly to train into a shrub if you wish. Sometimes listed as Mandevilla amabilis x sanderi, easily bloomed all winter in a bright warm greenhouse.

68444 MANDEVILLEA RED VELVET PPAF APO TGH HP PRICE: $ 5.00 Mandevilla 'Red Velvet' is a tropical vining plant that produces large 5-6" flowers that are "red when it's hot (85F) and pink when its cool." In the heat of the late spring and summer the blooms turn a beautiful bright red color. As the name implies, the blooms look like red velvet. In the early spring, with cooler temperatures the blooms are various shades of pink, then as temperatures warm to the mid 80's the flowers began to turn bright red. The flowers last for about 5 days. They open pink and turn red as they mature. Since flower color is affected by temperature, light and humidity it is not known for sure that the bright red color will appear in all areas that the plant is grown. The color in Florida is bright red under Florida conditions when temperatures are in the 80's F. Each flower stem will last months and may produce as many as 60 blooms with 3-5 blooms open at one time. Once in flower the plant will flower constantly, producing many flower stems. Its peak flowering season is March through November but may bloom year round if grown in evenly warm temperatures. It grows best in full sun conditions with moist soil and a medium rate of fertilizer. Blooms appear approximately 10-12 weeks after pinching. Mandevilla 'Red Velvet' is ideal for trellised containers or hanging baskets. 'Red Velvet' is very vigorous and grows faster and stronger than most other Mandevilla.

57496 MUSA BASJOO MUS HH CGH PRICE: $ 12.75 Prefering cooler climes, this "Northern Novelty Banana" from the Ryuku Islands sends up large pale green draping tropical foliage from rootstocks needing winter protection (with mulch this is quite winter hardy in our Zone 6 gardens); odd inflorescence; white pulp fruit insipid; Japanese use 10' plant for fiber. In cooler climates such as ours the head of foliage is more compact and decorative than photos of clumps grown further south where leaves are longer and thus usually torn & shredded. Note the photo in the accompanying images taken just after the first hard freeze--still a dramatic creature, of considerable bulk after its third season! Soon after the next frost, we suggest you cut the succulent trunks off even with groundlevel and mulch with a very coarse material which will not soak up and hold a lot of moisture over the giant roots below.

57498 MUSA [MUSAELLA] LASIOCARPUS MUS HH CGH PRICE: $ 18.00 The extremely rare "Chinese Yellow Banana" pictured with snow on its gray green tropical leaves where native (but the root clump will not survive sub-terranian frost in our experience); small statured (good in pots to display the very distinctive swollen leaf bases); striking artichoke shaped inflorescence of butter yellow flowers on a separate spike arising from the ground level if this is given chill (but do not freeze the roots) winter cycles. Yunnan native of considerable architectural beauty; very easy to grow as a container subject as long as kept somewhat dry during its winter rest (best to remove dried foliage at this point), then resuming watering and fertilizing once sunlight is strong once more.

40650 MUSA [ENSETE] MAURELII MUS TGH CGH PRICE: $ 28.00 "Abyssinian Black Banana" While having the thick heavy substance of M. ventricosa, the blackish red leaves flaunt mahogany midribs and margins; purple-carmine underleaf is revealed as leaf unfurls; red-bracted inflorescence. This is the astounding giant we keep at the patio-pond area here every summer. Come fall the foliage is removed and the tub is carted off into the unheated (but never freezing) porch for the winter where it always unfurls several dramatic bronze leaves for tropical drama while the snow falls outside. If you watch PBS's series on Africa, note stands of this banana around the Eritrean villages where the natives use every part of this plant in their economy. In our experience, this never offsets--the most ordered ornamental form currently as its photo seems to (quite deservedly) crop up in magazines everywhere. Certainly the most easily grown of all the tribe as a container plant--but be sure not to pot in a deep container as the roots grow more outward than directly down.

54575 MUSA ZEBRINA ROJO MUS TGH HP PRICE: $ 15.00 "Red Blood Banana" Very ornamental "Sumnatrana" specimen with gorgeous reddish maroon underleaf accented with dark red trunks. Remarkable urn plan for your deck or for your estate as the long exotic leaves develop even more pronounced reddish chocolate toned splashes on them in full sunlight. Just cut back trunk to one foot and bring the tub into your basement for the winter if you don't have a greenhouse in the north--it will resprout come spring! Remains the most rewarding for those who have limited space but still want the exotic tone given by an ornamental red splashed banana to any group of tropical plants.

55538 NICOTIANA LANGSDORFII VARIEGATED SOL CGH [HH] PRICE: $ 8.00 "Variegated Tobacco" from Lance Reiners; ochre & cream splashes on the soft foliage; bunches of bright Snot green flowers with dark majenta blue eyes (anthers)--and famous for producing blue pollen! This fabulous creature eeds hight light / full sun to flourish; variegation will disappear in hot climates.