Mike Malloy
mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

Datura Devils Trumpet

From late spring until early winter, we are blessed with a dazzling tropical plant known as Angel’s Trumpet or Brugmansia spp. A member of the Solanaceae family and originally native to tropical South America, Angel’s Trumpet has since become naturalized in North America. Its name refers to the giant pendulous flowers that this plant produces. Its large, lavish flowers are very fragrant, even more so at night in order to attract moths for pollinating. One variety in particular, the Super Nova, is so big it can be worn as a hat. Angel’s Trumpet are available in many different colors including white, pink, yellow, orange, red and a beautiful peach.

Brugmansia are easy to grow and cultivate, even as container plants. They prefer acidic soil, but will tolerate our alkaline soil. Angel’s Trumpet are not drought or salt-tolerant, and require lots of fertilizer. This plant will grow best in full sun to partial shade, and can be trained as a shrub or tree. Angel’s Trumpet will grow as tall as 20 feet, although the majority grow to approximately 12 feet high and span 6 to 12 feet wide. Its substantial leaves grow 8 to 12 inches long and 6 to 10 inches wide. Angel’s Trumpet has relatively few pest problems. However, if snails, mealy bugs or whiteflies bother your plant, Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub will take care of them.

The best time to take cuttings is during the summer when night temperatures are above 60 degrees. When taking cuttings, go for the upper branches, as they will bloom at any height. The lower branches need to be at least the same size as the mother plant they were taken from in order to bloom.

The relative to the Angel’s Trumpet is the Devil’s Trumpet (Datura). The primary difference between them is that Angel’s Trumpet flowers tilt downward, while Devil’s Trumpet flowers, which are usually doubled, tilt upward. Wait, shouldn’t that be the other way around?

Interestingly, there is a South American butterfly called Placidula euryanassa that utilizes Angel’s Trumpet as one of its main host plants and as larval food (a plant that female butterflies lay their eggs on and caterpillars subsequently eat). This particular butterfly stores the plant’s tropane alkaloids while in the pupa stage and then passes them along to the adult butterfly. These alkaloids are a defense mechanism against predators, as they render the butterfly extremely distasteful to its enemies. Actually, a very similar process also occurs with butterflies here in the United States.

Inca Sun Flower. PHOTOS BY MIKE MALLOY

Remember, every part of the Angel’s Trumpet plant is poisonous, so be careful. However, I’ve personally never had a problem with them, nor have my two dogs, and I have been handling these plants for years. Angel’s Trumpet is categorized as a hallucinogenic and supposedly has terrifying side effects. That’s one trip you should definitely pass on. I prefer to sit back in my garden and admire this ethereal beauty from a distance. I always have company, too, because butterflies and hummingbirds are big fans.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

Migrating Monarchs SUBMITTED photoS

May is here and what does that mean? Summer time in Florida is upon us. But it is also the start of the full blown butterfly season. In Southwest Florida we have a year-round butterfly season, while numbers of butterflies like Monarchs and Yellow Sulfurs will migrate, many of the same and others stay in South Florida and prosper year round, much to the delight of all those crazed butterfly enthusiasts living here.

In spring, summer and fall the numbers of these little flying flowers rise dramatically because the temperatures are warm – just like they like it – and all their host plants (plants that female butterflies lay their eggs on) and nectar plants (plants they feed on sipping nectar) are in full bloom. They need at least sixty degrees to become active and fly. They are cold blooded insects that use the sun to warm their bodies which, in turn enables them to fly. When the weather is cool and cloudy I’ve seen butterflies remain motionless for days not moving a muscle, hiding on the underside of leaves going almost undetected. In my opinion, the numbers of butterflies are already quite numerous, maybe because this past winter was not as cold as it had been in the two previous winters making them more active – if you know what I mean!

Red penta nectar plant

Much of the butterfly’s natural habitat here in Southwest Florida has been destroyed by what some call progress. To me building more strip malls that just lay empty is (insert expletive here). We all need to help replace what has been lost. Butterfly gardening is not only a great way to observe these beautiful creatures; it will also contribute to their conservation and increase their numbers.

When finding a location for your garden, it should receive at least four hours of sunlight a day. It doesn’t necessarily have to be direct sun, but still a bright light. I think that can easily be found almost anywhere here in Southwest Florida. I have found full sun is almost too much for most plants especially in the summer. There are some butterflies that prefer shady areas, so providing varying light situations will attract a larger variety of winged flying flowers making ideal conditions for maximum numbers. A good irrigation system is important to any garden but particular in a butterfly garden. Pop-up irrigation sprinkler heads used for watering lawns are too forceful, and can blow larvae off their host plants, possibly killing them, never mind shredding the plants and flowers. Drip irrigation systems, soaker and micro-irrigation are the best, putting water where it belongs, at the root systems of the plants. We don’t want to waste water particularly because of the cost, but also because it is one of Florida’s precious natural resources. All the systems mentioned above are low pressure with none or little waste through evaporation.

Underside of Giant Swallowtail

Remember to include a viewing area (a place with a bench where you can sit) in your garden to watch the butterflies unique and various unusual habits. For example, the Monarch butterfly is very territorial and will chase off any unwanted intruders, usually other males looking for mates. I have actually seen a monarch chase birds out of “their” self-designated areas. Another example is the male and female sulfur butterflies will spiral skyward in their unusual mating ritual. These viewing areas are also a great place to relax and have your evening cocktails!!

A big bonus in butterflying gardening is attracting hummingbirds to your yard. Many of the plants adult butterflies use to nectar on are also some of hummingbird’s favorite plants. Two of the most popular with hummingbirds are Fire bush (Hamelia patens) and Fire spike (Odontonema strictum) this is the red one, it also comes in pink and purple. Red is the favorite color of both butterflies and hummingbirds.

To attract butterflies to your garden, first you need host plants. These are the plants female butterflies deposit their eggs on and they also feed the new larvae (caterpillars). Some butterflies have one single host plant, while others have several plants they will use to rear their caterpillars.

Some of Southwest Florida’s most common and abundant butterflies and their host plants are:

Monarch: Milkweeds (many different varieties).

Queen: Milkweeds

Orange barred Sulfur: Sennas (cassias

Cloudless sulfur: Sennas (cassias)

Black Swallowtail: Parsley, fennel and dill

Polydamas (Gold Rim): Dutchman’s pipe

Zebra Longwing: Passion Vines

Gulf Fritillary: Passion Vine

Julia: Passion Vine

Giant swallowtail: Any citrus or Wild Lime

The second group of plants you’ll need in your butterfly garden are nectar plants (Plants adult butterflies feed on).

Zebra caterpillar

Some of the best are:

Ruby Red Penta (Penta spp)

Beach sunflower (Helianthus debilis)

Golden Dewdrop Duranta (repens)

Fire Bush (Hamelia Patens)

Salvias (Salvias spp)

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia puchella)

Porter weed (Stachytarphaeta urticifolia)

Lantana (Latana ssp)

Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea)

Shrimp Plants (Justicia spp)

African Bush Daisy (Euryops spp.)

These are only a few of the many nectar plants and host plants that are out there.

Passifloria incense host plant

Remember, butterfly gardening is guaranteed! Plant the right host plant for the right butterfly and they will come to your garden. Plant nectar plants and they will stay in your garden; you have everything they need why would they leave!! Always make sure you have enough host plants to sustain your caterpillars because most will not eat any other plant other than their specific host plant. One more thing that’s very important ……NO PESTICIDES!!!!!! Remember to follow our videos on YouTube under the South Florida Plant Pickers and on Facebook under Mike Malloy.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

During the past couple of fall seasons, I’ve been seeing numerous hummingbirds competing for nectar with our year-round friends, the butterflies. This is such a great thrill! It started a few years ago, with one or two hummingbirds arriving every once in a while. Today, there are many more.

These rare sightings used to take place in the morning or at dusk. Now it is an all-day occurrence. We sit and watch them go back and forth, from their two favorite nectar plants (Fire Bush and Fire Spike) to a perch on a nearby branch of a Jatropha tree, where they seem to be admiring or even guarding their favorite plants.

Most hummingbirds migrate to Mexico, but because of deforestation, they have been moving further southeast each year. This accounts for the increasing number of hummingbirds in our Florida gardens.

Gardeners tell me they’ve planted the right plants, but still never see hummingbirds. More often than not, because the plantings are located outside a room in their house or in an area where they don’t spend much time, if any. Hummingbirds do not ring the doorbell when they arrive in your garden, so be sure to place your plants where they will be most visible to you. That’s preferably outside a window or doorway in your home where you spend a considerable amount of time, because you don’t want to miss any visual encounters with these little jewels.

Did you know that hummingbirds only weigh as much as a penny? And that they are attracted to plants by color. Their favorite color, like butterflies, is red, but they’re also partial to blue, yellow, orange, pink and probably many others. Tubular flowers are a plus for attracting hummingbirds but not a necessity.

Grouping your nectar plants together is also preferable, because hummingbirds flying high overhead can spot them more easily and possibly be prompted to zoom in to take a closer look. Better yet, take up residence in your garden.

If you plant hummingbird favorites, (again, Firebush and Firespike) they just may hang around until it’s time for them to migrate back up the east coast. Like Monarch butterflies many stay in South Florida year-round. If you’re lucky, they’ll remember where they vacationed and will return next year, maybe with some friends. I think that’s exactly what happened in my garden.

Another way to attract hummingbirds to your garden is to install hummingbird feeders in addition to the plants. Feeders containing sugar water are great in some cases, and can be purchased at most nurseries and box stores. To make your own nectar, mix one part granulated sugar to four parts water and boil the water so they blend into watery syrup.

Keep in mind; however, this is only a supplemental food source. Real nectar from plants cannot be replaced. Also, maintaining clean water in your hummingbird feeder is very important. You should change the sugar water every couple of days to reduce the bacterial buildup in the feeder, which might have a harmful effect on hummingbirds. One more thing: beware of ants in your feeders. Ants apparently think these feeders are hung in trees to feed them and their little buddies.

Most people I have talked to don’t think hummingbirds exist in Southwest Florida, and are surprised when I tell them of my experiences in the garden. Even though the number of hummingbirds here are growing, they’re still not as abundant as they are up north. My youngest daughter who lives in Ohio, always rubs it in that she has so many hummingbirds in her yard, she has to put out another feeder, because the four she already has are not enough. I just tell her it’s a sunny 85 degrees here in Naples, and then I ask her when they’re expecting the first snowfall.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!! Or should I say KEEP HUMMINGBIRDING!!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

Bougainvilleas begin blooming after the rainy season; when the length of days and nights are almost equal. Once established, Bougainvillea require little to no water. In addition to being drought tolerant, it is also highly salt tolerant, which makes it a perfect plant for our many homes and communities on our many waterways. It’s shown to be a real winner on Marco Island. I have one in a sheltered spot that has been blooming continuously for three years – and with very little water.

It’s common in Naples to see Bougainvillea trained to hang above garages. Don’t get me wrong, I love this look. I just love it more when it’s allowed to grow and really spread up and out engulfing turf grass as it goes. For maximum Bougainvillea color, plant in wide open areas and allow it to spread naturally. Remember, less grass means less mowing and less watering.

Bougainvillea need minimal pruning. If a shoot goes wayward, go ahead and trim it. Just don’t turn your Bougainvillea into topiary. And please, don’t prune it into geometric balls or boxes. Bougainvillea should never resemble mushrooms, lollipops, or any assorted cartoon characters. Also, don’t plant Bougainvillea in confined spaces, because it will require constant trimming and will attack anything that gets within striking distance (walkways, etc.). To ensure maximum color, hand prune or skip pruning altogether. If a hard cut back is absolutely necessary, do it in spring.

Bougainvillea is practically pest free. However, there is a nocturnal caterpillar out there that can defoliate this shrub in no time. I recommend treating an infestation with Thuricide, a bacterial-based spray. When ingested by caterpillars, it causes loss of appetite and death soon after. Thankfully, it is harmless to butterflies, birds and humans.

Bougainvilleas do very well as container plants. As far as the container is concerned, the bigger the better. However, even root-bound Bougainvillea will thrive. Make sure there are plenty of drainage holes. Use a potting soil that drains fast, because these plants seriously hate sitting in water. Place your container in full sun, or at minimum half day of sun, water sparingly and fertilize once a month. Bougainvilleas prefer harsh conditions and will bloom profusely under stress. If your Bougainvillea is not blooming, it’s probably not getting enough sun.

If you’re looking for lots of color without lots of yard work, plant Bougainvillea and sit back and enjoy the show. Hummingbirds and butterflies are also big fans.  KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

A Zen garden would be a huge departure from the rest of my yard, which resembles a backyard wildlife habitat, as specified by the National Wildlife Federation – or in my mind, controlled chaos bordering on a code violation. Five hundred different species of plants, flowers, shrubs and trees make their home on my pie-shaped lot (no grass, of course) in a typical Naples community. So, wouldn’t the clean lines and tidy organization of a Zen garden perfectly complement the rest of my yard? I thought so, too. Unfortunately, I quickly came to the realization that I’m not a Zen-like person and certainly don’t live a Zen-like life.

The idea of a White garden came to me while watching the Weather Channel’s footage of another humungous snowstorm hitting those poor folks in the Northeast. A garden with all white flowers would be spectacular! There would be White Pentas, White Hibiscus, White Shrimp plants, Giant White Begonias, a beautiful White Mandnilla on a trellis. My White garden quickly began taking shape.

A Spanish Sword with its bell-shaped white flowers stands tall over my courtyard.  I planted a White Spirea just like we had up north, and it’s still blooming after two years. White flowering Arctic Snow, which is very slow growing and almost always blooming, was another great addition to my White garden. One of my best finds was White Candle (Whitfelida elongota), which blooms continuously in total shade! To achieve a dramatic walkway, I planted Pudica along the sides. The trellis in my garden looks awesome and resembles a work of art with Pudica trimmed over it. This winter, the crowning glory was my Florida Flame Vine with its bright orange flowers cascading down from a Queen palm in the middle of my new garden.

Searching for that perfect plant for your themed garden is half the fun. Two good choices for your new White garden are Sweet Almond and Alyssum, which are both extremely fragrant. A search of local nurseries came up with Frangipani (Pudica). It blooms most of the year and isn’t deciduous like other Frangipanis.  Of course, there’s always white impatiens … but only if you must. Remember, when planting a new garden, take your time.  You want to do it right the first time.

Take a walk through your White garden at dawn and dusk, and you’ll think FPL is behind all those spectacularly glowing white flowers.  And for a striking contrast to your White garden, consider planting a Chocolate garden nearby.

Additional white plants

• White Plumbago (Scandens)
• Fiddle wood (Citarexylum fruticosum)
• Walter’s viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)
• Scorpion Tail (Heliotropum angiospermum)
• White Wild Sage (Lantana involucrate)
• White Salvia (Coccinea spp.)
• White Phlox (Phlox spp.)
• White Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii spp.)
• White Lantana (Lantana spp.)
• Water Hayssop (Bacopa monnieri)
• White Passion Vine (Passifloria spp.)
• Snow Bush (Euphorbia leucocephala)
• Bridal Wreath (Stephanotis floribunda)
• Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
• Plumeria (Plumeria stenopetala)
• Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa)
• Daisy Bush (Montanoa guatemalensis)

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

I don’t think we will ever run out of water, but it may get so expensive that many people will not be able to afford to irrigate their landscape at all. I suggest we all consider moving towards Florida Friendly Landscaping. Developed by the University of Florida and implemented by county extension offices, Florida Friendly is designed to help reduce water use and pollution, but will also save you time and money.

At the same time, when using natives in your landscape that does not mean you just plant and walk away. All plants need a period of time for a little extra care when first planted until they get established and are thriving. New growth on a plant usually alerts the gardener that the new planting has settled in and is happy in its new spot.

Let’s dispel the myth that just because you use native plants you don’t have to water or prune. Native plants will need to be trimmed back from time to time, depending on their location. In general, they do use less water, but some actually may need more water because they are waterside plants. For instance, swamp hibiscus likes to sit in or near water.

In the future let’s all try to be a little kinder to our beautiful Florida environment, not to mention our vast diversity of wildlife, by planting more native plants that provide food and shelter for them.

Yellow elder (tacoma stans)

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The Florida-Friendly Landscaping program encourages homeowners to water efficiently, mulch, recycle and select the most environmentally friendly way to control pests and protect our water bodies.

Florida Senate Bill SB2080

In July 2009, Governor Crist signed into law a bill that has changed the way homeowners can landscape their homes in order to save water and become more Florida Friendly. It requires Water Management Districts to provide a model of Florida Friendly landscaping ordinances to local governments; each district shall use the materials developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the University of Florida/IFAS. Some highlights in the bill are a deed restriction, or covenant, that allows any property owner to implement FFL despite what local government ordinances or community developments may have written into their governing statutes.

You can find out more information by looking on your computer and typing in Senate bill 2080.

Remember we all moved to south Florida because we thought it was so beautiful.

Well let’s stop trying to change it. KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

PLANTS AND TREES

Planting a small tree in your courtyard can really bring the outdoors in. Depending on your preference, it can give you shade, color with flowers and even fragrance. Watch the height of your tree because many courtyards have a screened roof. Planted in a pot or designated flower beds, a small tree is certainly worth the time and effort. Filling the area underneath your tree with many different sizes, shapes, textures and colors of flowers and plants will round out your little piece of paradise. Remember not to over-plant; this will keep the area open and airy.

WATER FEATURE

Fountains, whether permanent or portable, provide running water which can bring a soothing and relaxing sound to your courtyard garden. Fountains come in thousands of shapes, colors and sizes. Be sure to choose one that is suitable in size to fit your special area and not to place it where it becomes overwhelming and creates an annoyance. You can create your own Niagara Falls by making the water flow too heavy creating a loud and annoying sound, or too slow creating a dripping effect like water torture. Depending on your mood, adjust water flow carefully.

PLANTS IN CONTAINERS

Another way of introducing plants to your courtyard or lanai is by using pots and planters that are on the larger side, which will make the area seem bigger than it is. Try to use pots with the same or similar color to create a serene atmosphere rather than a lot of different colors which might seem confusing and circus-like. For instance, when using Mexican Talavera pottery, which uses many colors on each piece, planting different colored flowers would make a very confusing effect. Pick out a primary color and go with it. When you are selecting flowers for your pots use colors that blend with the pots, your outdoor furniture and any garden art that you may have. As always, planting in mass is the way to go. This will create an organized and calming retreat.

Some of my favorite plants for small areas or courtyards are Crotons, Bromeliads, Alocasias and Calocasias. Vines grown on a trellis can be kept in check with a little selective clipping. Bamboo in containers also makes great accent plants. White candles (Whitfielda elongata) and giant white Begonias (Odarata) grow extremely well in containers. Large leaf Philodendrons and Anthuriums, especially the giant leaf Anthuriums, are another good choice and give a very tropical look. All these plants will grow well in shade or partial shade.

In sunnier locations, cactus, succulents and euphorbia will thrive with very little care. Remember that if your planting area is under screening that will cut out about thirty percent of the sun’s rays.

Enjoy your courtyard garden and KEEP BUTTERFLING!!!!!

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

In Florida, Ornamental Grass is a category of grass that is very eye catching that does not have to be mowed. It is not turf grass. With its large number of species it’s easy to find ground covers, shrub plants and also tall plants to fit almost any landscape need. Grasses usually can make any landscape more interesting and give it a very tropical look. There are many varieties to choose: from low growing to shrubs to very tall. Ornamental grasses include true grasses but also bamboos, flax and sedges.

Like most plants here in Florida the grasses go through flushes of growth all year long. Ornamental grass should be pruned down in late winter or early spring to ensure beautiful foliage almost all year long. The warm weather here in Florida help these plants germinate quickly, so keep an eye out so that you can control their spread, just like you do for most plants in Florida. Bamboo species that grown here in Florida are of tropical nature, that are clumping varieties. Avoid bamboos that are running in nature for they will take over the world in a blink of an eye.

Some of the most popular Ornamental Grasses in south Florida are:

Fakahatchee Grass

Fakahatchee Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) is one of the most tropical looking grasses we have, growingsix feet tall and wide. It grows in full sun to partial sun and has dark green leaves with tall arching tan spikes. It is drought tolerant but not salt tolerant, so if planted as a littoral plant, the body of water needs to be fresh. In the past couple of years they have come out with a dwarf variety that will get three to four feet tall.

Sea oats (Uniola paniculata) are seen up and down our beautiful beaches, its primary function is to hold the sand in place for erosion control. Wheat seed heads can get up to six feet tall. Being where these are usually planted, it can take the harshest conditions such as salt, high winds, bad soil, drought and full Florida sun.

Muhley Grass

Muhley Grass (Muhlenbergi capillaris) is one of my personnel favorites. Planted in mass, the purple haze their plumes give off in the fall and winter is mesmerizing, especially when the sun highlights them. This native grass can get about three feet tall and tolerates salt, cold, drought and cold weather. Some great examples here in Naples are on the center medians of Golden Gate Parkway and many others. This one is a winner.

Red Fountain Grass

Red Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) Red to burgundy leaves and plumes reach heights of six feet with this grass. There is a Rubrum compact species which only grows one to two feet in height. It is drought tolerant and will even take a frost. Planted in masses or as a container plant works.

Bamboo Muhley (Muhlenbergia dumosa) is my favorite. It resembles a bamboo having multiple shoots. It can reach seven feet but has a weeping habit with a very fine and feathery nature. Even with its fine lacy over all look, it is a tough plant. It loves the heat and looks great in raised beds. The Naples Botanical gardens has some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is fast growing with sharp, long green leaves growing up to six feet. It has a lemon scent and is even used in tea and Asian cooking. Even though this grass is clumping, it will seed itself everywhere. Keep on top of this one or else it will be on top of you. This one needs open areas.

Pampas Grass

Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) – One of the largest of all ornamental grasses, Pampas grass grows quickly, reaching heights and widths of up to seven feet. One of the showiest plumes of all ornamental grasses, its large and pure white. This grass makes a specimen plant for any garden. It does have razor sharp leaves like the lemon grass. I have only seen a few here in Naples with its beautiful white plume and they say there is a pink species. In Bermuda, Pampas grass is everywhere. Maybe it’s time for a vacation in search of the pink variety. Last time I was in Bermuda was 32 years ago on my honeymoon.

Blue Love Grass (Eragrostis elliotii) Leaf blades are blue in color and slightly weeping. Love grass will get maybe two feet high and wide. The color is amazing in this clumping variety. One of the low growing varieties requiring full sun and is drought tolerant.

Blue Love Grass

Sand Cordgrass (Spartina bakeri) is at its best when planted in mass on margins of retention and detention ponds, It grows fast and is great for filtration. The native cordgrass is an aggressive spreading plant that will accept wet feet but it is also drought tolerant and has good salt tolerance.

Remember, all ornamental grass plantings provide rest, food and nesting areas for Florida’s bird populations, especially around retention and detention ponds – wet or dry. Also, when planted on the margins or littoral plantings, they filter the runoff from our lawns and acts as a buffer and filter before it infiltrates the pond water. In my opinion, it would make our retention ponds a little more eye appealing than the lunar landscapes we are used to looking at. These are just some of the many ornamental grasses we have in south Florida but I am sick of typing so do a little investigating on your own. The hunt can be best part of the find.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

False agave

Succulents and agaves are water-retaining plants that are well adapted to arid (dry), hot, sunny locations with poor soil conditions. This is because they store water in their leaves, stems or roots and require little or no water. The interest in these plants has been on the rise in the past few years as the cost of water for irrigation has risen and more water restrictions have been implemented.

Don’t let our average yearly rainfall of 60 inches, which occurs mostly during the rainy season from June through September, deter you from creating your own succulent garden right here in Southwest Florida.

Pachypodium lamerei

My wife started planting succulents, agaves and yuccas a few years ago in a part of our garden that slopes downward toward the lake. The downward slope allows excess water to run off quickly during the rainy season, helping to keep the roots from sitting in water and developing rot. As with every garden in Florida, a little luck and having Mother Nature on your side always helps. I think the downward slope or building a berm (an area raised above normal ground height) is the main key here in Florida to allow water to run off quickly. Our soil, and I use that term loosely, is also ideal because it contains sand, rocks and minimal nutrition – typical desert planting material. Today, our succulent garden is not only thriving and growing but flowering its little heart out.

Succulents are very hardy; they are able to survive drought, extreme heat, strong winds, poor soil and occasional cold weather. Sound familiar? They also have few pests and disease problems. In addition to their hardiness, succulents and agaves provide architectural appeal to gardens with their myriad shapes, sizes and textures. For this reason alone, I feel they’re worth a try.

One of the most impressive succulent gardens in Southwest Florida is located at our very own Naples Botanical Garden. The desert-like landscape built on a berm and creatively placed amongst lush tropical foliage, is the newest addition to the Garden and makes a very bold statement.

Agave attenuta

Hopefully, I’ve piqued your interest and you’re ready to get your feet wet with succulent gardening. Using larger, more mature plants will help with the success of your garden because larger plants of any species tend to establish themselves faster, leaving less time for a problem to arise. Most of these plants are armed with barbs, spines or downright deadly spikes, so gardening gloves are essential!  Immediately after planting your new succulent garden, add a little water and fertilizer to help it become established. After that, most succulent gardens require no fertilizer, pruning or spraying of any kind. Maintenance free, NO! There is no such thing. Weeds are everywhere

During the winter in Florida, it is very important not to overwater and to provide good drainage. Because of our cool, humid mornings, root rot and fungus are always big concerns with succulents as well as our lawns. Of course, once your garden takes over your lawn, like mine, you won’t have to worry about winter lawn fungus anymore.

Blue Agave

Don’t be discouraged if Mother Nature fails to cooperative with your best efforts at arid gardening because most succulents can be grown as specimen plants in containers. This makes succulents a great option for seasonal residents. I’ve found that larger plants often lead to better success rates. Just provide sandy potting soil and minimal water.

As water prices and restrictions continue to rise in South Florida, interest in arid gardening is growing. In addition to conserving precious water, your new succulent garden will also attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The flowers on the agave and yucca plants are particularly appetizing.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

Sea Lavender (Limonium perezii)

Non-thirsty companion plants you can add to your succulent garden:
Coreopsis (tickseed)
Gaura lindheimeri (Whirling Butterflies)
Leonotis leonurus (Lion’s Tail)
Callistemon (Bottlebrush)
Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Bush)
Erythrina (Coral Bean)
Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
Lantana montevidensis (Gold Mound)
Euryops pectinatus (California Bush Daisy)
Tagetes lemmonii (Copper Canyon Daisy)

About The Author

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

Mike Malloy
mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

Florida Flame Vine. Photos by Mike Malloy

South Florida gardens are ablaze with color during winter months by two particularly spectacular vines. First, the Florida flame vine (Pyrostegia venusta) which is native to Brazil. This vine is well known in Naples for its brilliant show of color in the winter months along about a one mile stretch of Goodlette Frank Road in front of the Wilderness community just north of Golden Gate Parkway. To have a vine known by so many people, not so much by its name but by put its presence along the road, speaks to its showiness.

The Florida flame vine requires full sun to partial shade and is fast growing – climbing 50 to 60 feet it uses its tendrils to cling to anything it can reach. Once established it requires little water or fertilizer. In the winter, when landscape color is at a minimum, its clusters of up to 30 tubular bright orange flowers will light up an evening sky. Flowers have a tendency to hang downward because of their weight and volume.

This vine is best for covering a fence, wall or trellis. I have mine growing up in my tamarind tree which then gracefully cascades downward. Pruning after blooming will help keep this vine in check and also help to make it branch out, producing more flowers the next year.

Mexican Flame Vine.

The second is the Mexican flame vine (Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides).This was called “Senecio confuses” which means confused old man, which may explain why they keep changing its name. A native of Mexico, these vines with their glowing daisy-like flowers which appear in clusters, are bright orange when they first come out and change as they age to a fiery red. This very dense evergreen vine is great for trellises or fences and can put on one of the showiest floral displays you have ever seen. If allowed, they will climb palm and pine trees. The flower clusters will drape down like ornaments out of the top of the tree.

Very fast growing and drought tolerant, once established it has few or no pest problems. It requires full sun (the best) but will grow in light shade. Any soil will do. Again, like almost all our plants here in south Florida, if affected by a frost it will quickly rebound and flush back out. Both vines can be propagated by cuttings and air layering.

Both these great winter blooming vines are very special to hummingbirds, butterflies and me. KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

Mike Malloy
mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

Dwarf Poinciana (Caesalpinina pulcherrima)

For all of us who want to have one of the showiest trees in town in our gardens (Royal Poinciana) and just don’t have the room because of their size, here are some of my favorite small trees that can be grown in courtyards, containers and small yards here in southwest Florida that can also be as special as the big boys.

Dwarf Poinciana (Caesalpinina pulcherrima) is the little brother to the Royal Poinciana but a much smaller size. This evergreen shrub that can be pruned and trained into a specimen small tree, usually about 10 to 12 feet in height can grow up to 15 feet. This tree also can be called Peacock Flower and the Pride of Barbados.

The foliage is similar to that of mimosa and comes in a range of colors from all yellow to the red, yellow and orange variety, which is most common, to a rosy red flower combination. It blooms on and off several times a year and tolerates sun to partial shade.

Hibiscus Tree (Fijii) – Photos by Mike Malloy

Hibiscus Tree (Hibiscus fijii) This group of small trees is probably the most used here in southwest Florida. The flowers range in size from dinner plates to small lanterns on weeping branches, exploding in every color of the rainbow and almost any combination. Hibiscus starts out as shrubs that are then trained into standards (shrubs trained into a single trunk). They can be used for color and height in gardens, flower beds, or as a single specimen plant. Hibiscus trees make a strong statement when planted singly rather than in mass.

Dwarf Ylang – Ylang (Cananga odorata) First things first, used to make Channel NO.5 perfume, these flowers are very fragrant. I mean total garden fragrant – it will permeate through the entire yard. It grows only to about six to eight feet tall and blooms all year. My large Ylang-Ylang tree in my garden has been blooming for over two years straight and at night we have a ritual of standing in the driveway gasping for air. It likes dappled light to partial sun with average water needs. For very little work you receive big benefits from this little beauty and it will also grow well as a container plant.

Tibouchina (Glory Tree)Tibouchina (Glory Tree)

Glory tree (Tibouchina) has showy purple, long-lasting flowers that bloom from early summer to fall. Planted in a protected area (from winds) helps with its happiness as a small Florida flowering tree. Partial sun, lots of fertilizer and average water will make this a focal point of anyone’s garden. Heavy pruning in the spring also keeps this tree happy and shapely.

Jatropha Peregrina (jatropha integerrima) blooms all year round with fiddle and oval shaped leaves. It used to be that you could only get this plant with red flowers, not that that’s bad, but now it comes in a pink and coral color. This is a major nectar plant for all butterflies – particularly the Florida state butterfly, the Zebra Longwing. They have been used in the medians in town with great success and give our roadways color. They can reach up to 15 feet high and 10 feet wide but can be held at any size with a little trimming. They have also come out with a ’Compacta’ which grows smaller and more compact only with red flowers. Full sun to partial shade and drought tolerant rounds out some of the bonuses of this small tree. This has been one of my long-time favorites. Not only as a focal point in your garden, Jatropha makes a great hedge and also makes a great container plant.

Desert cassia (Senna polyphylla) grows to about 10 feet. This is the slowest growing plant I have ever come in contact with. My tree has only grown three feet in 10 years, not kidding. It also happens to be the host plant (plant that butterflies lay their eggs on) for the sulfur or yellow butterflies here in Florida. It makes a great focal point for any butterfly garden and for that matter, any garden. Bright yellow flowers appear a couple times a year but bloom a long time, making it seem like it blooms all year. Desert cassia likes full to partial sun and is drought tolerant. Its leaves are tiny and feather like.

Crape Myrtle (Crape myrtle spp.) blooms in the summer until fall. Flowers come in shades of white, pink, red, purple and more. If dead headed right after blooming, the crape myrtles will most likely bloom again. Leaves give fall colors of purple, red, orange and rust, just before they drop for the winter. In the winter the bark of crape myrtle peals and takes on shades of brown, cream, white and gray. In my opinion that makes the crape myrtle one of the showiest trees in south Florida. Trimming in spring will produce lots of blooms because flowers appear on the new growth.

Orange Geiger Tree (Cordia sebestena) is used in south Florida as a container plant, street tree and small shade tree, growing to about 20 feet. The Geiger produces brilliant orange flowers all year especially in June and July. The salt tolerance is high so it does well by the beach. The Orange Geiger is also drought tolerant which makes it perfect for the Naples area. The trees do well in full sun and are used in the medians here in south Florida. With a little pruning they produce a beautiful full canopy. The Geiger’s small fruit have a pleasing fragrance. Geiger trees are also thought of as native trees. They are not.

These are just some of the trees available to us in south Florida. Just ask your favorite nursery and they can get it for you if they don’t already have it on hand.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com

Mike Malloy
mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

The next step is to start enjoying all the cassias, or sennas, that begin to bloom this time of the year.

Apple blossom (Casia javanica).

Cassias are generally known for their fast growth. Let me get this over with now before we all get confused: Cassias and sennas are the same group of plants, but some people with too much time on their hands decided to change the name from cassia to senna. I prefer cassia, probably because I’m old and I hate change.

These trees and shrubs are some of the showiest plants we have in the fall in Southwest Florida. Their bloom time is usually late summer or early fall and can bloom continually throughout the winter months. In fact, I have actually seen them bloom for more than a year straight on the same tree. I think, like everything else, they bloom whenever they feel like it and for as long as they feel like it. The longer they bloom the better, as far as I’m concerned.

Cassias can grow on a balcony or lanai, as well as in the landscape. They can be kept as a container plant with judicious pruning. They are all members of the pea family (Fabaceae).

Apple blossom (Casia javanica).

Cassia bicapsularis, also known as Galbrata cassia, is a noxious weed but is still for sale here in Florida. I would suggest planting a native cassia like Privet cassia (Cassia ligustrina) or Bahama cassia (Cassia bahamensis) in place of the more invasive one.

One of my favorites is the popcorn cassia (Cassia didymobotyra) and another is desert cassia (Cassia polyphylla). The desert cassia can be kept as a small tree or shrub which, by the way, is the slowest growing plant I have ever encountered that will bloom on and off all year. Another little known cassia in Florida is the canyon cassia (Cassia wisilizenii), which makes a beautiful small shade tree. It has feathery leaves making it as nice when in bloom as out of bloom. It has your typical yellow blooms that most cassias have and the root system is not a problem as those of other trees can be. There are also a few red and pink cassias. Cassias are a great alternative to trying to stuff live oaks in where they do not belong.

Sunshine tree (Cassia surrentensis).

Some other favorites are:

Candle Bush (Cassia alata): A large cassia, also known as candelabra cassia because the flowers shoot upward just like a candelabra full of yellow candles. It makes an attractive specimen shrub and is one of the most spectacular. Alata will also do well as a container plant but must be controlled; it prefers, like most cassias, a lot of sun and should be trimmed back once a year.

Popcorn Cassia (cassia didymobotrya): Popcorn cassia is very similar to alata cassia and can also be used as a specimen plant. Likes full sun and gets ten feet in height. When rubbed in one’s hand it smells just like buttered popcorn. I’m not kidding; it’s made quite a few people crave popcorn.

Sunshine Tree (Cassia surrattensis): This cassia makes a great small tree. In case you did not notice there are hundreds planted around Naples. It matures at about 15 feet and is almost the same in canopy spread. It will take full sun to partial shade. The sunshine will bloom on and off all year but looks it’s best in fall and winter. They do; however tend to go down in strong winds if their canopies are not thinned out from time to time. On the good side they can be put back up easily. Let’s face it there is not much that won’t blow over in strong winds in Florida.

Coffee cassia (Cassia occidentalis).

Bahama cassia (Cassia bahamensis): Bahama cassia, also known as cassia chapmanii, is a large shrub that is covered with yellow flowers all fall. Bahama cassias are great in the landscape when planted in mass. This one is native to Florida.

Privet cassia (Cassia ligustrina): Privet cassia is a shrub that grows to ten feet and can be six to eight feet in width. Like most cassias it will bear yellow flowers. They do well in full sun to partial shade and bloom on and off all year and have average water needs. They are also native to Florida and will reseed themselves- maybe more then we like.

Coffee cassia (Cassia occidental): This is a wild growing cassia growing in woods everywhere in southwest Florida. I have never seen it for sale as a cultivated plant. This cassia sometimes called stink weed because when the leaves are crushed it has an unpleasant odor. These are no reasons to count this cassia out, keep your eyes open. I know the dainty sulfur and the barred sulfur love this one.

Alata cassia (Candlelabra Cassia) PHOTOS BY MIKE MALLOY/COASTAL BREEZE NEWS

Apple blossom tree (Cassia javanica): Most cassias bloom brilliant yellow flowers, but this one has pink flowers, and most spectacular ones, I might add. This tree gets quite large – a little larger than most cassias actually the size of a northern apple tree – so give them room. It requires full sun. In Hawaii the streets are lined with this cassia.

Remember, one of the best reasons to have cassias or sennas in the garden is that they are the host plant (plants the female butterfly lays her eggs on) to the many sulfur butterflies (yellow butterflies) we have in abundance here in southwest Florida. Orange barred sulfur, large orange sulfur, cloudless sulfur, and the dainty sulfur just to name a few of the many butterflies that are attracted to cassias. KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com 

Mike Malloy

mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

Neoregelia. PHOTOS BY MIKE MALLOY/COASTAL BREEZE NEWS

Bromeliads are finally getting the attention they deserve. Until recently, they were only popular with a small segment of house-plant enthusiasts. Today, bromeliads are prized tropical treasures in many Southwest Florida landscapes and public and private gardens. Featuring a wide range of color, leaf shapes and textures, bromeliads are as beautiful as they are hardy. If you’re looking for beautiful, exotic-looking tropical plants that are easy to care for and drought tolerant, look no further than bromeliads.

Bromeliads are in the Bromeliaceae family, which is native to the tropical Americas. The pineapple plant is the most popular bromeliad and is a major food crop industry. Bromeliads range in size from minuscule Spanish moss to the 30- ft. – tall Puya raimondii. There are thousands of varieties of bromeliads, making them an ideal fit for any spot in your garden. Some produce upright flower spikes, while others produce tiny flowers inside their water well (cup). Similarly, some have a faint scent, while others are heavily fragrant.

Billbergia.

Bromeliads only bloom once. After blooming the mother plant dies, sometimes taking two years. But don’t despair, because bromeliads continually reproduce new plants (called pups) on the outer perimeter at their bases year after year. The pups can be removed when they are about one-third the size of the mother plant.

This is a big bonus with bromeliads. You may end up having too many pups, which occasionally you will have to thin them out for better air circulation to maintain healthy plants. This is not something I would call a problem: It’s time to party. Throw a bromeliad party and swap pups with your fellow bromeliad enthusiasts or just give them to friends.

Bromeliads are extremely diverse in their tolerance of sunlight. Some can withstand the full brunt of the South Florida sun, while others require full shade. They are also highly adaptable to indoor and outdoor environments.

Tomasito.

Another bonus is that bromeliads have few insect problems. However, keep an eye out for scale and ever present snails. They like to take up residence in the water cups of your bromeliads or hide at the base where there are sturdy leaves. Also, wasps like to build combs on the underside of these sturdy leaves, so look before you leap, it could be a nasty surprise.

Bromeliads are not heavy feeders and, personally, I don’t think fertilizing is necessary. But, if you must, use a liquid fertilizer at half strength or a granular mixed with the potting soil, or fill the cup with water and add one pellet of slow release fertilizer, hardly worth the effort.

Gusmania.

Bromeliads can be planted in mass, singularly in pots, or even attached to tree limbs. For an instant garden showpiece use an old cypress stump and flip it over, it makes a perfect planter for many bromeliads. This also makes for perfect a growing medium. They also look great attached to pieces of driftwood and the bare trunks of palm trees.

For even more visual impact, try hanging your bromeliads. Here’s a trick I use: Place bromeliads in the larger ends of old palm seed pods (attach plants with floral wire) then hang them on your lanai walls or in the garden. It’s a great way to add to your plant collection, when you have run out of planting room.

Simbella.

Bromeliads also work well in pots on the lanai because they add a lot of color without dropping old flowers or leaves and staining the surface of your deck.

Many bromeliads have such striking leaves; they needn’t be in bloom to attract attention. But when the flower spikes emerge, they become a work of art.

And more good news: That flower spike should last for months. Your local hummingbirds and butterflies will be doubly attracted, because they can feed on the flowers and drink from the water cup. Enjoy bromeliads and KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!

Neo Seduction.

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com 

Mike Malloy 

mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com 

Plant vines on trellises to take your garden vertical. PHOTOS BY MIKE MALLOY/COASTAL BREEZE NEWS

Leave it up to the mad gardener to find new ways and places to display more of his collection of plants. This is the ultimate in my horticulture addiction.

In the past years, like most people with a plant “problem,” I have run out of room to plant one more plant in my garden. Most of us live in communities where the building lots are not that big (or they can never be big enough).

I have been finding less and less open ground to install new plants I find on expeditions to the east coast, where I am searching nurseries for new plants that I have never seen before and I MUST have. I’ve spent countless hours in my garden walking around with a newfound three-gallon treasure in my arms, searching for just a little spot where it will fit in and not finding one. So I have taken my garden upward in many different ways, hence vertical gardening.

Some traditional ways of vertical gardening are using a trellis or hanging pots. Trellises are a great way to show off your collection of vines. Using two different vines on each trellis gives you- if it’s planned right- different blooms all year long and also enables you to have more vines and different varieties.

Sometimes I will put three different vines on one trellis, especially if they are not aggressive- but that’s just me; it doesn’t have to be you. Remember when starting vines on a new trellis, start the vines counterclockwise otherwise they will unwind themselves because of the Earth’s rotation. There are hundreds of vines that do well here in Southwest Florida. This is also the topic of my third book in progress as we speak.

Hanging pots also will give you an opportunity to show off plants almost any-where. You can hang them from tree branches, on brackets off your house, garage or any structure you have.

One new way I have found to vertical garden is by using the old seed pods from palm trees. At the base which is the pointed end, there is a cup-shaped area just right for planting bromeliads or just about any small plant you decide to showcase. The opposite small end is also a perfect fit for a plant. These can be attached with twist ties or a soft wire or even old panty hose. Spanish moss or sphagnum moss is a perfect planting medium and also hides the wires you have attached the plants with. The pods can be hung on lanai walls, in trees or where ever your imagination takes you.

Give your garden height.

Another way to expand garden is by using concrete pillars that are used for balcony railings on homes. They are about three to four feet tall. The bottom is square and sits perfectly in the garden soil and the weight is just right to hold them upright in our afternoon thunderstorms. The top of the pillar generally has a four-inch spike, which is perfect to anchor any type of pot which has a hole in the bottom for drainage. The spike holds the pot firmly in place, almost as if it were made just for that. They are pretty sturdy and I have never had one fall over. These pillars give you an opportunity to add more color and plants to your garden with very little space needed. It will also give you a great three-dimensional look. You can purchase these at a concrete cast form company.

Recently I was doing some cleaning and was throwing out a metal shelf about three feet by three feet. As I was on the way to discard it I decided that if cleaned up, I could attach bromeliads all over it and add some hanging Spanish moss to cover the twist ties used to attach the plants and to cover the remaining metal parts of the shelf. Now a large area of my lanai wall has become a living wall of plants. It can be watered with a spray bottle. Using old picture frames as living walls has become an addiction with me lately! WHATS NEXT!! Can’t get any easier than that! If bromeliads are not your thing, small potted plants can be used, even succulents and agaves for instance, but you will need a potting medium like sphagnum moss or shredded coconut fiber.

Bromeliads on grape vine wreath.

After Hurricane Wilma, we were fortunate to be given three Cypress tree stumps from trees that went down in the storm. We flipped them over and planted bromeliads in them; the stumps can hold a lot of plants in a small area, be sure not to over plant. They easily became major focal points in the garden using very little space. Again, other plants can be substituted.

Obelisks can also be used throughout the garden to secure vines without taking up much room. You can attach plants on fences, on tree limbs, use pots where surfaces cannot be planted, like concrete, or if there is an area in the garden that has too many roots, which make it impossible to dig. You can use metal or grapevine wreaths and attach plants and hang them anywhere.

These are just a few ways you can increase the number of plants in your garden collection, not to mention the beauty and interest. Also, never forget garden art or hardscape. Use your imagination and go upwards.

The ultimate in vertical gardening.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!! 

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or vis 

Mike Malloy

mikemalloy@naplesbutterfly.com

Queen Crape Myrtle. Photos by Mike Malloy

I’d like to introduce you to one of South Florida’s most magnificent landscape plants… Crape Myrtle. Originally grown in Japan, China and parts of Southeast Asia, it’s the supermodel of the plant world. It’s beautiful and a real head turner, of course, but crape myrtle is versatile, too. You can have it in either shrub or tree form and in myriad colors, including purple, white, pink, red, or a combination of colors. Even the bark on this plant is attractive!

The lovely crape myrtle blooms all summer long and into the fall, with long-lasting, crepe-like textured flowers that form large clusters of one to two-inch flowers at the tip of each branch. The blooms on the crape myrtle are so large and profuse, its branches appear to be weeping toward the ground.

The crape myrtle is deciduous. Still stunning in Florida landscapes during the winter months, its bark takes on a striking, exfoliated appearance that ranges from tan, white to coffee brown. And, for us Northerners who miss fall color, crape myrtle amazes during the autumn months in hues of red, burgundy, yellow and orange. It’s almost like being back in New England … almost.

Even the crape myrtle’s bark is beautiful.

Amazingly, this “supermodel” is not high maintenance. Crape myrtle thrives in full sun and high humidity, and is drought tolerant. And, it’s not the least bit finicky. It even flourishes in poor soil, which makes it perfect for South Florida landscapes. My personal favorite is the raspberry-colored cultivar, which is drop-dead gorgeous!

In order to maintain your crape myrtle’s pretty appearance, you’ll want to prune it in winter or early spring. Trim off all suckers and branches up to about four feet. Proper pruning will expose its beautiful bark and improve air circulation, which is very important for maintaining a healthy appearance Never chop your crape myrtle down to a stump. This will ruin its natural shape and weaken its branches. Strong branches are vital during the summer months, because they support the massive flower clusters growing on the tips of the limbs. I recommend using hand pruners and trimming two to three feet off the top of your crape myrtle. During flowering season, you can promote a second light flush of flowers by deadheading old blooms.

Crape myrtles offer brilliant blooms.

If you’re looking for a large evergreen specimen, choose the Queen crape myrtle (lagerstroemia speciosa), known as one of the most spectacular flowering trees in the world! Originating in tropical India, this majestic tree blooms in June and July. The Queen crape myrtle’s leaves will turn red before falling in the winter, but soon recover. It’s fittingly named Queen crape myrtle because it produces massive profusions of pinkish blooms on foot-long panicles, and can reach 40 feet in height. Of course, you can maintain a smaller height by regular trimming.

The Queen crape myrtle is not just beautiful on the outside, it’s strong on the inside, too. The weather here in South Florida can get downright ugly at times. Queen crape myrtle is able to withstand high winds better than most trees due to its hard wood. Several gorgeous Queen crape myrtles can be admired right now in the medians on most of our major roads.

Queen Myrtles can grow to forty feet high.

KEEP BUTTERFLYING!!!!

Mike Malloy, local author and artist known as “The Butterfly Man” has been a Naples resident since 1991. A Collier County Master Gardener, he has written two books entitled “Butterfly Gardening Made Easy for Southwest Florida,” and “Tropical Color – A Guide to Colorful Plants for the Southwest Florida Garden”, and currently writes articles on various gardening topics for several local publications. Mike has planted and designed numerous butterfly gardens around Naples including many schools, the City of Naples, Rookery Bay, the Conservancy and Big Cypress. Bring your gardening questions to the Third Street Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings or on Thursdays at the Naples Botanical Garden where he does a Plant Clinic or visit his website, www.naplesbutterfly.com