Not many plants can stand the heat and humidity in Florida, but the Dwarf Penta loves it! This sun and heat loving flower that has been bred to bloom all summer. These attractive plants produce red, pink, or white flowers which makes them a great addition to a sunny, hot, flower garden throughout the summer and are a great source of food for hummingbirds and butterflies. This variety of Penta will stay compact and top out around 12 – 15 inches.

When to plant Dwarf Pentas:
Grow pentas in a full sun location after all danger of frost has passed. Pentas love warm temperatures and will stall and not grow well if planted too early. It’s easiest to purchase penta plants from a garden center in spring.

Where to plant Dwarf Pentas:
Grow pentas in full/part sun. Plant transplants in well-drained, compost-amended soil. Pentas don’t like cold, wet feet. Grow pentas 1 to 2 feet apart and grow them in groups for a more dramatic effect.

Watering Dwarf Pentas:
Although they are somewhat drought tolerant, keep young plants well watered. Add a layer of mulch around the established plants to help conserve soil water and prevent weed growth.

Pro Tips:
Since many pentas have bright colored flowers, it’s best to grow groups of them in beds where that can be viewed from a distance such as from a walkway or road. The bright colors will make the bed pop. When viewed up close, the bright colors can be visually overwhelming. Grow pastel colored selections for containers and beds viewed up close

Pentas are fairly easy to grow, but do require regular deadheading to look their best and flower well. Pinch the tops of young plants after planting to encourage branching and more flower formation. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more blooms to form until fall.

Using Dwarf Penta is an excellent way to add color to your landscape!
Are you looking for more options to brighten up your landscape?
Watch our video: What can I use to add color to my Gainesville Landscape?

Pentas are low maintenance plants. Provided they get plenty of water, sunshine, and heat, they will perform beautifully and reward you with an abundance of blooms.

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

Milkweed is the poster plant for pollinator-friendly landscape designs. Not only is it attractive, it's an important nectar source for bees and other insects. Milkweed is also well known for attracting butterflies and serving as a host plant for their caterpillars.

Most famously, milkweed serves as the only host plant for the monarch butterfly.

Milkweed generally grows quickly, reaching a final height up to four feet tall, depending on the species. You can plant them closely, about 18-24 inches apart in most North Florida lawns. And whether or not the milkweed is being installed as part of a butterfly garden, plant multiple plants. Too few and you will be left with leafless milkweed and hungry caterpillars! Planting multiple species can also increase the attractiveness to butterflies and other pollinators in your yard.

Avoid Pesticides

As a host plant for a number of pollinators, use of pesticides on milkweed is discouraged. As a result, expect some aesthetic damage throughout the growing season. Install milkweed behind ground covers or mounding plants to hide the stems but show off the blooms. Monarch caterpillars can consume a plant's leaves quickly, but this usually doesn't cause long-term damage. Aphids also pose a problem. Instead of applying pesticides, keep this pest in check with a blast of water from the hose.

Pruning

It is recommended to prune the milkweed stalks to about 6 inches in height during the fall and winter months to discourage monarchs from establishing winter-breeding colonies. Cutting back the milkweed will also help to eliminate OE spores that may be present on the plant. (OE is a debilitating protozoan parasite that infects monarchs)

Best Growing Conditions:

Most milkweed prefers full sun. They tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions, from clay to sand. Many species used in Gainesville landscaping prefer dry, sandy soil and are moderately drought tolerant.

Water Needs:

With the exception of droughts, you can skip watering. During droughts, keep the flowers blooming with weekly watering. Avoid overhead watering.

Blooming:

Milkweed blooms in summer and early fall, providing a nectar source after the spring blooming flowers are done. In winter it will disappear but will grow back in late spring.

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

The Gerbing is a larger, more full-sized Azalea variety with large, pure white blooms that average about 3" in diameter. Blooms are very numerous in spring, with an occasional re-bloom period in early to mid-fall. Gerbing is an evergreen Azalea variety that generally is one of the few Azalea cultivars that are capable of thriving in planting areas with higher light exposure.

Foliage is a slightly lighter medium green color, with leaves being quite large and slightly elongated. This Azalea variety makes a very good foundation planting with medium size, and also does very well when mass planted or used as a hedge. Has a slightly more upright growth habit than most of the other Azalea varieties.

Like all Azaleas, Gerbing prefers semi-shade, and will even do well in planting locations with mostly shade, but is rare in that it is one of the few varieties that will also handle higher amounts of sun exposure.

These Azaleas have shallow, non-aggressive root systems that make them a great foundation planting choice and can even be planted closely together for use as a colorful hedge.

This fairly shallow root system, however, also requires that Azaleas be given regular waterings - be sure that your Azaleas receive water equivalent to about 1" of rainfall each & every week throughout the growing season.

Azaleas need to be pruned in order to maintain the full bushy shrub or they may get "leggy".  The best time to prune an Azalea is right after it finishes flowering in the spring. Light pruning during the growing season is tolerated, but Azaleas should never be pruned after August, as this will prevent the shrub from flowering the following spring. 

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

Enable GingerBlack Diamonds are a revolutionary new series of crape myrtles that provide unique beauty to your landscape and instant yard envy for your neighbors. Flawless black foliage emerges in early spring followed by masses of brilliant jewel-toned blooms that last until the first frost.

How Fast do Black Diamond Crape Myrtles Grow?

A Black Diamond Crape Myrtle tree can grow 2 to 4 feet in a single year. Once they get to mature height the trunks and branches grow thicker, but the trees stay around 12 feet tall.

How to care for Black Diamond Crape Myrtles

Crepe myrtles need full sun to perform well. They will grow in shade, but blooms will be sparse, and plants will get leggy. For best growth and production, crape myrtle should receive at least one inch of water a week. During dry spells, water is mandatory. If not properly watered during dry spells, flowers may be mitigated. Keep at least 4 feet around the shrub clear of grass and weeds, for less competition for water.
Once your tree reaches maturity, it will be naturally drought-resistant.

When do Black Diamond Crape Myrtles Bloom?

Black Diamond Crape Myrtle trees have a very long bloom period. They flower from summer to fall, generally from July through October.

When should you prune Crape Myrtles?

Crepe myrtles need minimal pruning. Some gardeners top them annually, but this ruins their natural shape and beauty. Remove the sucker growth that sometimes appears around the base. Only prune to shape trees or to take out any cross branching. In the winter, you can remove old seed pods by clipping the tips of branches.

We have a video to help you perfectly prune your crape myrtle!
3 Tips for Pruning Crape Myrtles in Gainesville, Florida

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

Dwarf Ruellia' is an improved variety and able to bloom beautiful pink or purple flowers almost all year long. We like this dwarf variety because they feature low, spreading mounds of narrow, dark green foliage. The combination of the flowers, grass-like texture, and green foliage make it a perfect filler to add color and interest to barren, dry areas in the yard. We also like to plant them in borders or on a sunny slope. Thanks to their compact form, these Ruellias are an excellent choice for use as a groundcover in tighter, narrower spaces and they also look great when planted in pots or planters!

Dwarf Ruellia is a low water use plant and is drought tolerant with little to moderate watering needs once established. This Ruellia variety thrives in full sun or partial shade exposures and is durable and easy to care for plants. These are a favorite for anyone that does not have a green thumb and still wants to have a thriving, colorful plant in their yard! They have a moderate growth rate, and with regular watering and care, they will have the best development.

This tough, heat-loving perennial is insect, and deer-resistant. It is perfect for dry, neglected spots in your landscape. Their long bloom season and showy flowers make Dwarf Ruellia a welcome addition to any landscape.

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

Well-branched and very free-flowering, 'Mystic Spires' produces masses of sturdy, colorful flower stalks that are of great aesthetic appeal in beds, borders or containers and attract scores of butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects

This plant produces masses of colorful flowers that mix nicely with other annuals and perennials, is tolerant of heat and humidity (low and high), and is not bothered by pests or diseases or deer!

Exposure: full sun

Planting Time: spring to summer from containers

Soil type: adapts to most soils, but needs good drainage

This low-maintenance plant is perfect for Florida’s hot summers and keeps on blooming when other flowering plants have begun to decline.

How to Care for your Salvia:
Be sure to water every day during the establishment period after planting in the garden from a container, then, once plants have established into the landscape, you can begin to taper watering back to semi-weekly watering if local rainfall levels are low.

Leave foliage and roots in place for next year's growth. Trim off any winter damage from colder months for the fastest regrowth in the spring.

Trim back both foliage and blooms in spring regardless of whether your planting has kept its leaves or died back. This will allow the plant to regrow new lush foliage for the new season.

Fertilize each spring, and again when trimming in late summer

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

Coreopsis may be just what you need if you’re looking for lasting summer color after most perennial flowers fade from the garden. It is easy to learn how to care for coreopsis flowers, commonly called tickseed or pot of gold. When you’ve learned how to grow coreopsis, you’ll appreciate their sunny blooms throughout the gardening season. Coreopsis flowers may be annual or perennial and come in a variety of heights. A member of the Asteraceae family, blooms of growing coreopsis are similar to those of the daisy. Colors of petals include red, pink, white, and yellow, many with dark brown or maroon centers, which makes an interesting contrast to the petals.

Coreopsis are sun-loving, low-maintenance perennials with daisy-like flowers. They are drought-tolerant, long-blooming, and happy to grow in poor, sandy, or rocky soil.

New coreopsis plants need regular water to keep the soil evenly moist (but not soggy) until they are established. After their first year, these plants have good drought tolerance, but they'll bloom most prolifically with regular watering. Water deeply whenever the soil is dry about an inch down.

Regardless of the type you're growing, coreopsis need full sun, so plant them where they will receive at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day. Coreopsis grows best in well-drained, moderately moist soils. These are not good plants for a poorly drained, low spot in the yard.

These colorful flowers attract butterflies, beneficial insects, and birds IF you let plants form for the seeds. The only problems are, that by doing so, you’ll get fewer flowers and they may self-sow throughout your garden where you don’t want them. One compromise is to keep them cut back during the season, for more flowers, but let them go to seed in the fall for the birds. You may, then, have to easily weed out some seedlings next spring if they self-sow.

If you’re looking to add this Gainesville Landscape Plant into your yard, please fill out the form above or contact us at (352) 378-5296.

The Gainesville Landscape Plant of the Month for September is the Cordyline 'Red Sister', also known as Red Ti Plant, but is technically classified as Cordyline terminalis.  The Ti plant is native to east Asia and is profoundly robust on the leeward side of the Hawaiian Islands.

Red Sister grows 4 - 6 feet tall and should be spaced 3 feet apart.  The foliage is colored with burgundy to pink color with no need to flower because of it's tropical foliage color, although there is an occasional flower spike.

While often kept as a container plant for the house or patio, there are some landscape uses to consider as well.  When foliage shape and color is needed for that tropical look, the ti plant may be your answer. Just make sure in Gainesville lawn or landscapes that it is kept protected when the cold weather snaps down toward freezing.

Ti plants are very versatile in their growing conditions as they are happy in full sun to deep shade.  Just remember, as with all plants, not to suddenly plunge one that has been a shady environment out into the full sun.   Sunburn will occur – make a gradual shift over several days to weeks to help the plant acclimate to the new sun exposure. While cool weather brings out the best color (November through May), the ti plant is a bit cold-sensitive and is marginally perennial in our area.  We cover our Ti in the landscape on chilly nights.

If you intend to install Ti plants in your Gainesville landscape, consider mass planting individual specimens about three-feet apart for the best visual effect.  Make sure that the soil is well-drained and water as needed.   While Gainesville lawn pests such as nematodes, mealy bugs, and mites can be problematic, one particularly common problem experienced by gardeners may be linked to fluoride damage manifested as tip and marginal leaf burn.

If you are interested in plating these in your Gainesville Landscape design, give us a call at (352) 378-5296.

Instant impact! That's what you'll get when you put a generous helping of chrysanthemums (commonly just called "mums") in your entryway, flower border, or containers. Generally sold in ready-to-bloom form, mums add a fall finale of color to any setting. They come in a wide variety of flower colors and shapes, from small button-sized blooms to giant corsage-worthy flowers. Mum colors include white, yellow, pink, orange, red, burgundy, cream, salmon, and bi-color - which are all also great fall colors to go with Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations. There are also dwarf forms that grow just 8 to 10 inches tall and standards that can reach a couple feet in height. Mums are very popular with bees and butterflies, too. 

They're only downside? They aren't this colorful year-round. As beautiful as they are for fall, they typically don't last through winter without special care and maintenance. A cold winter will freeze them down completely, but it depends on how they're protected. 

Mum Growing Instructions
Be sure to select plants that are labeled "garden mums." Varieties sold indoors at florists are generally not cold hardy and should be treated as short-lived seasonal gift plants for interior design only. Mums prefer a sunny spot in the garden with well-drained soil. Avoid locations where water stands after a heavy rain or flower planters without good drainage as they will get root rot. To get the best bloom on large-flowering types, pinch off all the buds in late May. If your mums grow too large, divide them in the early spring every two to three years. After a few years some mums may begin to weaken or die out. Add new plants every year or two to keep the fall color show going. Deer and rabbits generally avoid dining on mums, so this is a safe plant for those Millhopper Rd and other deer feasted landscapes.

Light
Sun

Colors
Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow

Water
Moist, well-drained soil

Special Features:
Attracts butterflies
Attracts hummingbirds
Deer/rabbit resistant