Panicum Excurrens

Panicum Excurrens is a grand, broad-leaved grass whose foliage resembles the first leaves of some of the palms.

Pedilanthus Tithymaloides

Pedilanthus Tithymaloides has bright red shoe-shaped flowers and will grow without attention in lower Florida.

Pelargonium

This includes all the so-called Geraniums, few of which really do well out of doors in Florida. The scented species, however, grow better than those in the zonale section.

Peperomia

These charming plants do well in pots or damp, shaded spots, such as the banks of fern pools. I once grew a fine plant on a live oak in the hammock. It is probable that the species are epiphytic.

Phlox

The perennial species succeed in some places in northern Florida and fail in others.

Phormium, New Zealand Flax

I have tried several species repeatedly in different locations and they have invariably failed. Schnabel reports that they are tender at Gainesville.

Phytelephas, Ivory Nut Palm

Not a true palm but much resembling one. I have had several of these which are at home in pots but not in the open.

Pilea

Pretty little plants with watery stems and neat foliage. Good in a damp, shady place.

Pleroma

This plant has magnificent purple flowers, is from Brazil and is probably tender. It does not do well on the limestone soil but flourishes with Reasoner at Oneco.

Ravenald Madagascariensis, Traveller's Tree

A glorious plant which forms a stem often twenty feet high, but constantly throws up suckers so that, unless they are cut out, it becomes a great clump of immense foliage. It is related to the banana and probably has the largest entire leaves of any plant grown. Many of those here are three feet wide and nine feet long and with the great stem reach a height of twenty feet. A time-honored story has it that this tree grows in the desert and that the perishing traveller may pierce the bases of its leaves and obtain water. Ellis states that it grows in damp places where water is abundant so there is no need to get water from it. Thus perishes another cherished legend. R. guianensis from tropical South America is a smaller plant. It is doing finely for me. They are among the most striking plant productions of the world.

Rhoeo Discolor

A hothouse herb from Central America with rather large, long, sheathing leaves which are crowded on the short stem. They are deep, metallic green above, bright purple below, are fine for rockeries, and may be grown in sunshine or partial shade. It is tender.

Richardia, Calla Lilies

These are cultivated more or less throughout the state, often as pot plants and occasionally in the open as far south as Little River.

Ruellia

R. formosa is an old favorite at the north, and here it would probably flourish out of doors in a partly shaded place in good soil. I have long grown it here in pots for its pretty scarlet, funnel-shaped blossoms. R. makoyana has prettily variegated leaves and carmine flowers, - give it a moist, shaded place.

Russelia Juncea

Russelia Juncea is so perfectly at home in this vicinity that it is running wild in places. It bears quantities of bright scarlet, tubular flowers all the year. It is a native of Mexico and is tender but if cut down with frost would spring up again.

Sanchezia Nobilis

Sanchezia Nobilis is a noble plant from Ecuador, with large, shining leaves. The variety glaucophylla has pale yellow margins along the veins and midrib. The flowers are attractive enough to make it one of our most showy plants but it is very tender.

Sanseviera

Attractive plants with thick and long radical leaves which are variegated with white or yellowish. They all increase by underground suckers with such rapidity that if once turned loose they soon take possession. It is better to grow them in pots.

Saxifraga Sarmentosa

Who among the old time cultivators of house plants does not remember the dear "Strawberry Geranium" which was grown as a basket plant? It is somewhat hardy but has invariably failed with me. I presume it dislikes the lime in the soil.

Schismatoglottts

Handsome Aroids which prosper with me, either in a slat house or fern pool. The only thing to do is to give shade and moisture and keep them from frost.

Selaginellas

Selaginellas are delicate plants requiring shade and moisture. They are fine for ferneries.

Sericographis

Plants of what are probably S. pauciflora, grow about here occasionally; they have opposite, lanceolate leaves and orange scarlet, deeply cleft flowers. It is a tender plant which likes moist, rich ground.

Strelitzia, Bird Of Paradise Flower

A small genus of noble and striking plants from South Africa. They have long leaves arranged distichously and very curious, bird-like flowers developed from a spathe. S. reginae grows to a height of five feet and has orange and blue flowers, 5. nicolai is very much larger and has immense leaves while it bears bluish and whitish blossoms. Both are doing well for me in the edge of the hammock and no doubt they would do even better on rich, moist soil.

Strobilanthus

S. anisophyllus and S. isophyllus have attractive purplish blue flowers; S. dyerianus has elliptical leaves gorgeously variegated with iridescent purple, blue, lilac and rose. It likes best a partial shade. All are tender.

Talinum Patens

The variegated variety of this is sometimes cultivated in lower Florida. It is a pretty little plant which Reasoner says prospers at Oneco, but is here subject to root knot.

Torenias

Torenias are lovely little plants which bear a profusion of yellow or blue flowers with yellow and black throats. They are from the Old World Tropics and are tender. They do best in rich, moist soil, though sometimes they succeed in dry land. In northern and middle Florida they make good annuals and here they might be sown in the fall for winter blooming.

Tropaeolum

The Nasturtiums are everywhere well known and succeed nicely in this state. Like the Torenias they might be grown in the colder part of the state as annuals. Here they grow also in summer if partly shaded. Give them plenty of water and rich soil.

Vallota Purpurea

Vallota Purpurea requires the same treatment as Hippeastrum. I have had this plant several years and it has shown a disposition to flourish but the lubber grasshoppers have cultivated it so assiduously that it has never succeeded.

Victoria

I do not know that these grand aquatics have been cultivated in the state but see no reason why they should not succeed.

Verbena

From what I can learn Verbenas are satisfactory in the northern part of the state though in the more tropical region they do not go through the summer very well. They are good as annuals here. At Rita I saw fine Verbenas in October which had grown beautifully all summer.

Vincas

Vincas might almost be called beautiful weeds in South Florida. The Madagascar Periwinkles are certainly as much at home here as in Madagascar.

Violets

These do best in rich, well-drained soil in partial shade with a considerable amount of moisture and should succeed over the cooler part of the state. In the lower portion they may be grown in slat houses or in a cool, shaded situation out of doors.

Xanthosoma Undent

Xanthosoma Undent is a superb plant with sagittate leaves whose veins and midrib are white. X. javanica has immense sagittate foliage tinted purple. The great Elephant's Ear (Col-ocasia esculenta) is nearly related. The literature of these groups of Aroids is badly mixed and most of these plants have been sold under a variety of names. A plant called Colocasia illustris has dark green leaves shaded and blotched with black. All of these need the richest of soil, plenty of moisture, heat and some shade for their best development.

Yucca Filamentosa

Yucca Filamentosa is a hardy, attractive plant, native of the state and will flourish in sandy soil. It is widely grown in the north.