Blue is an important color in the landscape that is not provided by many flowers in our plant palette. One plant that has been around for decades and is still popular supplies blue flowers in abundance – the genus Evolvulus or Brazilian ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
It is the time of year to start implementing cool-season forages in your pastures. Our perennial warm season pasture grasses in Florida become dormant in the fall and winter months because of the shorter days, cooler temperatures, and frosts. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Livestock
A common, but often underutilized plant, crossandra is an ideal companion for any landscape that offers part-sun and part-shade conditions. This native to India and Sri Lanka is a perennial evergreen shrub that provides a stunning combination ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
The firecracker plant is a weeping shrub with a very unique look. The lanky, multi-stemmed, three- to four-foot-long branches are often covered in bright red tubular flowers from spring through early winter. Maybe you have a firecracker ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Riddle me this – when is an ornamental plant associated with a flavoring? When it is society garlic! This common perennial ornamental has a garlic scent when touched, but its main landscape feature is as an ornamental as it sports ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes,
Winter months can be tricky when it comes to feeding your pregnant or lactating beef cows in Florida. The changing day length, and weather patterns limit grazing options in farms that rely on summer perennial grasses. In Florida summer grasses ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
By Ralph E. Mitchell I visited Bok Tower Gardens late last year and spotted a patch of exotic-looking flowering plants in a shady nook. These plants were about six-feet tall and formed clumps of similar size. Atop many of the stem tips ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes
If you are looking for an attractive, low growing perennial with plenty of varieties to choose from it is hard to go wrong with the daylily (Hemerocallis spp.). A mainstay of gardens around much of the country, they can be a great addition ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes
Many gardeners shy away from exotic -looking plants with a mistaken fear related to their personal lack of horticultural skill. One such plant in bloom now is the scarlet ginger also known as Hedychium coccineum. This beautifully delicate ornamental ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
By Ralph E. Mitchell I wrote an article awhile back about canna lilies. These perennial plants are so well-adapted to our area and their floral display is orchid-like and abundant. While the blooms are fantastic and come in shades of pink, ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes