PLANT ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Jerusalem artichoke
Helianthus tuberosus
A tall, herbaceous perennial reaching 2.5m tall or more, with coarse hairy foliage and small, yellow sunflower-like flowers in summer. It is cultivated for its knobbly, elongated pale-cream or sometimes purple-tinted tubers
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umbrella tree
Heptapleurum arboricola
A tender, evergreen shrub with long-stalked, leathery leaves composed of 7-9 glossy leaflets. It makes an undemanding houseplant
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Amaryllis
Hippeastrum hybrid
Hippeastrum hybrids, commonly known as Amaryllis, produce large, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white, orange, and bicolors atop sturdy hollow stems. The strap-shaped, dark green leaves emerge after flowering or simultaneously in some cultivars. Each bulb typically sends up one or two flowering stalks, each bearing 2-6 blooms. The plant has a bold, upright habit and makes a dramatic display indoors during winter and early spring.
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tall-cluster plantain lily
Hosta fortunei
A vigorous, herbaceous perennial, forming a clump of broadly-ovate, boldly-veined green leaves, to 20cm long and 15cm wide. Pale purple flowers on erect stems, to 75cm tall, appear in summer
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ice plant
Hylotelephium spectabile
H. spectabile is an herbaceous perennial to 45cm, with thick erect stems bearing shallowly scalloped, broadly elliptic, grey-green leaves and starry pink flowers in flat terminal clusters to 15cm across in late summer
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sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas
A variable species of twining perennial climber, often grown as an annual, with some cultivars valued for their edible roots. Leaves are usually ovate to heart-shaped, sometimes lobed and sometimes flushed with purple. Funnel-shaped flowers, often purple or occasionally white, are produced in summer
Learn moreDusty Miller
Jacobaea maritima
Jacobaea maritima, commonly known as Dusty Miller, is a short-lived perennial often grown as an annual for its striking silvery-white foliage. The deeply lobed, felted leaves form a compact, clump-forming mound, providing excellent textural contrast in borders and containers. In summer, small daisy-like yellow flowers appear on upright stems, but the plant is primarily valued for its ornamental leaves. It thrives in hot, dry conditions and is ideal for adding brightness to sunny beds.
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Chinese juniper
Juniperus chinensis
A variable conifer species forming either a tall, conical or columnar tree to 18m in height or a spreading shrub. Two types of aromatic leaves are usually found on the same tree; juvenile, awl-shaped leaves that are sharply and stiffly pointed and arranged either in threes or pairs and scale-like adult leaves, usually in pairs and closely flattened to the branchlet. Rounded fruits, 5-7mm across, ripen in their second year to a glaucous white
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Mother of Thousands
Kalanchoe laetivirens
Kalanchoe laetivirens is a succulent perennial with upright, fleshy stems and thick, glossy green leaves. The leaf margins produce numerous tiny plantlets (bulbils) that drop and root easily, giving the plant its common name 'Mother of Thousands'. Under warm conditions it may produce small, pendulous tubular flowers in shades of pink or reddish-purple, though flowering is rare indoors. Its unique reproductive habit makes it a fascinating houseplant for collectors.
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yellow sage
Lantana camara
L. camara is an evergreen shrub with sometimes prickly stems bearing wrinkled, ovate leaves and terminal clusters of salver-shaped flowers 1cm across, opening yellow and ageing to red, from late spring to autumn
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Mandevilla
Mandevilla sanderi
Mandevilla sanderi is an evergreen climbing shrub with opposite, leathery, elliptical leaves. It produces showy, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of pink or red with a yellow throat, blooming profusely from summer to autumn. The plant can reach 1.5–3 meters in height with support, making it a popular choice for trellises, containers, or indoor displays.
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Wild Mint
Mentha haplocalyx
Wild mint is a perennial herb with upright or creeping stems, opposite leaves that are ovate to lanceolate with serrated margins, and a strong minty aroma. Small lilac or white flowers appear in whorls in summer. It is widely used for culinary purposes and as an ornamental ground cover, known for its vigorous spreading habit.
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spearmint
Mentha spicata
A vigorous rhizomatous perennial forming an extensive colony of upright, four-ribbed stems, up to 100 cm tall and wide. Typically sweet-scented leaves are oval shaped, with pointed tips and serrated edge. Leaves are bright green, 5-9cm long and 1-3cm wide. Light purple flowers 2-3mm small are produced in interrupted, slender terminal spikes in summer
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Orange Jasmine
Murraya paniculata
Murraya paniculata, commonly known as Orange Jasmine, is a dense, evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy, dark green, pinnate leaves composed of 5-7 ovate leaflets. From spring to summer, it produces clusters of small, white, star-shaped flowers that are highly fragrant, resembling the scent of jasmine. The flowers are followed by small, red-orange berries. It has an upright, bushy growth habit and can reach 2-4 m in height if left unpruned. Its glossy foliage and long flowering season make it a popular ornamental plant.
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wild daffodil
Narcissus pseudonarcissus
N. pseudonarcissus is a small trumpet daffodil up to 35cm in height, with usually glaucous foliage and flowers 4-6cm in width, with deep yellow trumpet and pale yellow perianth segments
Learn moreCatmint
Nepeta faassenii
Nepeta faassenii is a compact, clump-forming perennial with aromatic, grey-green leaves and terminal spikes of small, tubular, lavender-blue flowers. It typically grows 30–50 cm tall and 60–90 cm wide, creating a soft, billowing mound in the garden. The long blooming period from early summer to autumn attracts bees and butterflies.
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holy basil
Ocimum tenuiflorum
A small, upright, bushy variety with highly aromatic, purple-green, serrated leaves that are used in culinary dishes, as well as medicinally. Attractive spikes of pink flowers appear in summer.
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bunny ears cactus
Opuntia microdasys
O. microdasys is a bushy, perennial cactus with flattened, segmented, oval to round, light to mid-green stems; densely spotted with white areoles, each bearing minute white, yellow or reddish-brown bristle-like spines. Yellow, bowl-shaped flowers to 4-5cm across are borne in summer
Learn moreLittle Pickle
Othonna capensis
Othonna capensis is a low, sprawling succulent perennial with slender, fleshy, cylindrical leaves that resemble little pickles. The green to blue-green leaves often flush purple in strong sunlight, and the thin stems root as they trail along the soil. In spring and summer it produces masses of daisy-like, bright yellow flowers. It is a popular choice for hanging baskets, containers and as a frost-free ground cover.
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Chinese peony
Paeonia lactiflora
P. lactiflora is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial to about 60cm with large, dark green leaves with nine leaflets. Scented, white or pale pink flowers up to 10cm across, with pale yellow stamens,are produced in early summer
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ivy geranium
Pelargonium peltatum
A bushy evergreen trailing perennial, ivy-leaved pelargonium, with single pink flowers. Foliage is light green, fleshy with pointed lobes.
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Egyptian star
Pentas lanceolata
A tropical evergreen woody-based perennial or sub-shrub, to 2m high, with glossy, hairy, lance-shaped green leaves with deeply impressed veins. Dome-shaped clusters of flowers, with long tubes and spreading, star-shaped petals in shades of pink, purple and white, are produced from spring to autumn
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parsley
Petroselinum crispum
A hairless, clump-forming, bushy biennial herb with rich-green, crisped, triangular, 2- to 3-pinnate, aromatic leaves. The leaves are divided into segments, each to 3cm long. In summer of the second year, bears small yellow-green, star-shaped flowers in umbels 4cm across. Parsley is a popular culinary herb
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Petunia hybrida
Petunia hybrida is a bushy or trailing tender perennial, usually grown as a half-hardy annual. The soft oval leaves are shortly hairy and sometimes sticky. Trumpet-shaped, often ruffled flowers are produced from early summer to the first autumn frosts in a wide range of colours, including white, pink, red, purple, blue and bicolours. Its non-stop flowering habit makes it one of the most popular summer bedding and container plants.
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