Ask the Experts

commonly known as the Granite Honey Myrtle, is Native to Australia.  This medium shrub is known for its blue/green elliptic leaves and red bottlebrush like flowers.  Loves full sun and is drought tolerant once established.  Makes a fantastic bonsai.  If you mix in a little granite in the soil it will be so happy. H 4-6’x W 3-4’. Hardy to 25 degrees 

4inch available 

•Tetrastigma voinieranum

•Originated from Indochina

•Habit-Full to Part sun

•Height x width-Climbing 30+; Spreading

•Description-Tough fast growing evergreen vine loves heavy trellises or makes excellent ground cover. Large leaves are great accent to any tropical garden. Zone 9-11 (comes back from roots; strong)

• •Botany-Species of this genus Tetrastigmaare the host plants for the parasitic plant family Rafflesiaceae

8 inch available

•Myrcianthes fragrans 

•Native to Florida

•Habit-Full sun to shade, prefers slightly alkaline and good drainage, salt tolerant

•Height x width-12’ x 10’

•Description-Large shrub to small tree, evergreen with small leaves and fragrant white flowers. Displays beautiful smooth red-brown bark if grown in shade. Zone 9-11

•Ethnobotany-Small edible fruit has the flavor of nutmeg with the consistency of a grape. Provides food for birds and hungry staff. Called a stopper, because it was used for treatment of diarrhea

4" pots available

•Melaleuca alternifolia 

•Endemic to Australia

•Habit-Streams and swampy regions

•Height x width -20’ x15’

•Description-Small tree with delicate looking foliage blooms white or cream-colored masses of spikes (1–2in) long over a short period, mostly spring to early summer. Beautiful papery bark provides year round interest. Zone 8a-11

•Ethnobotany-The crushed leaves were originally used by Aborigines to treat skin infections, later on tea tree oil made from the leaves was found to have amazing antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

1 gallon and 5 gallon available

•Gynura pseudochina

•Originated from Asia

•Habit-Full sun to shade, sandy slopes or roadsides

•Height x width -1-2’ x2’

•Description-semi-succulent, herbaceous perennial. Grown for its dark purple foliage and contrasting greens veins, constantly blooms bright orange flowers with peculiar smell that attracts monarchs. Woody tubers ensure it’s a returning perennial. Zone 9-10

•Ethnobotany-Leaves are cooked in soups and sauces as a high protein and mineral rich food and to reduce fevers, also a common vulnerary used to reduce skin irritation caused by insect stings, pimples and bruises.

The plant has a strong smell of musk, and it is said to have the same property as garlic in protecting against crocodiles

4" pots and 1 gallons available

•Pavonia missonum

•Native to northern Argentina and southern Brazil

•Habit-Full to part sun; upright, found near rivers

•Height x width -4-5’ x 4’

•Description-This evergreen perennial has slightly aromatic leaves covered in delicate hairs producing red-orange hibiscus like flowers, is excellent nectar source and likes a good hair cut from time to time. Zone 8-11

1 gallons available

•Calotropis gigantea 

•Origin from India

•Habit-Full to part sun; upright, found near rivers

•Height x width -4-5’ x 4’

•Description-This evergreen perennial has slightly aromatic leaves covered in delicate hairs producing red-orange hibiscus like flowers, is excellent nectar source and likes a good hair cut from time to time. Zone 8-11

•Ethnobotany-The root bark is febrifuge, anthelmintic, expectorant, and laxative. Calotropisyields a durable fiber useful for ropes, carpets, fishing nets, and sewing thread

1 gallons available

•Woodwardia orientalis 

•Origin from China and Japan

•Habit-Part sun to shade; upright, found on moist hill sides

•Height x width -4’ x 6’

•Description-Large hardy fern, cascading fronds come out with a beautiful tint of red. Excellent choice for woodland garden, but be sure to give plenty of room to this self propagating specimen. Deer and rabbit resistant. Zone 8a-10

•Botany-Makes small plantlets on fronds. These bulbils make vegetative propagation easy for anyone

1 gallons available

•Cupressus lusitanica

4inch available

•Araucaria biwillii 

•Native to Australia

•Habit-Full to part sun, Pyramidal when young

•Height x width -100’ x 40+’

•Description-Distinct evergreen conifer with spiny whorled branches. Has beautiful pyramidal shape, flaky bark, and up to 18lb seed cones. Extremely drought and cold tolerant. Zone 8b-11

•Ethnobotany-Extremely important to the Aboriginalswithin its range.Considered a sacred tree often used for tribal ceremonies, hunting, feasting, and corroborees( The bunya feasts) cryptogealseeds

-The owner is very fond on his Bunya Bunya trees so they are very pricey to let go.  We only have 2 currently available

1-5gallon ($1000) and 1-95 gallon ($9000)

(we are always looking for more)

 Aloysia citrodora 

•Originated in South America

•Habit-Full to part sun; upright open

•Height x width -5-8’ x 5-6’

•Description- Aromatic leaves provide a delicate look as well as a incomparable sweet lemon scent. Likes to be pruned, and would prefer to be near a warm border. Zone 9-11

•Ethnobotany- leaves have a gentle sedative action and a reputation for soothing abdominal discomfort. Has been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-candida potential.

 1 gallons available

 Ebenopsis ebano    

Native to Southern Texas and Mexico Habit- Full to part sun, upright tree Height x width- 15-30’ x 15-20’ This is a desert-like ornamental evergreen blooms usually mid-summer, its frilly white flowers are reminiscent of a bottle brush tree. Woody fruits follow and grow to several inches long,. Its scraggly growth, yet uniform canopy and toleration of tough environments make this a popular choice for arid landscape gardeners. This tree grows very well in hot, dry climates. Water occasionally during summer and when young. Once established, it needs minimal care. Drought and cold tolerant. Zone 9-11 Ethnobotany- Texas Ebony fruit is edible when green and is an alternative to coffee when the seeds red/brown, in Mexico. The seeds are also made into jewelry.  

4" pots and 1 gallons available

Hemigraphis alternta  

Native to India, Java, Malaysia Habit- part sun-shade, spreading herbaceous perennial  Height x width- ½-1’ x 1-2’ Description- Sometimes called red ivy purple and pink leaves followed by unusual waffle patterns on the leaves make this a sought after ground cover. Prefers to stay moist and can even be used indoors. Zone 9b-11 Ethnobotany-Plants in the genus are known to contain a Methanolic extract that has natural wound healing properties.   

4 inch available

 Pseudobombax Ellipticum  

Origin Mexico (North America) Habit- Full sun succulent like tree shrub Height x width- 15-20’ x 15’ Description- Deciduous tropical tree with unusual swollen green trunk followed by heart shaped leaves. Zone 9-11 Ethnobotany-The small fibers inside the seed pod are supposedly a preventive of ulcers if ingested.  

1 gallons available

 Cinnamomum parthenoxylon 

•Native to south and east Asia

•Habit-Full to part sun

•Height x width -30-60’ x 30-40’

•Description- Compact perennial sage, Aromatic foliage emerges purple-bronze followed by intense true blue flowers, a must have in every southern garden . Don’t over water in winter. Zone 8-10

•Ethnobotany- Considered critically endangered in Vietnam. Families scatter flowers on graves of family remembers to help connect with the dead. Tree contains safrole, precursor to some pesticides as well as to MDMA.

1 gallon and 5 gallon  available 

Yellow necklace pod or yellow sophora is an evergreen shrub with a delicate, multi-stemmed shape and chartreuse branches. Silvery-green foliage provides a backdrop for the 4-16 in spikes of yellow flowers. Seedpods hang on the shrub for a year or more. This plant grows 3-6 feet in height.  Very drought tolerant and is root hardy to 20 degrees.  One of our most underutilized NATIVE plants.  Full to part sun

4inch available

Echeandia texensis

•Native Habitat: Open, clay ground on dunes and arroyos.

•Height x width: 2-3 ft. x 1 ft. 

•Description: Looks like a delicate flower is actually tough and are a rich shade of gold. It has the ability to tolerate clays soils, heat, a moderate amount of winter cold and drought. Sometimes referred to as Mexican Hate Lily because it looks like an upside down, floppy sombrero. This flower is also know for attracting butterflies but at the same time discourages deer. 

•Ethnobotany: Still looking...

4 inch and 1 gallons available

Vachella cornigera  

•Native from Mexico to Costa Rica. 

•Habit- wet sites in lowlands

•Height x width- 15ft x 8ft

•Description- Small tree to shrub, leaves bipinnate, pairs of large, semi-hollow spines inhabited by ants which protect the plant from herbivores.  When bullhorn acacia is wounded it releases chemicals into the air as an alarm signal that the ants detect and respond to rapidly. As the plant matures, the mated acacia queen ant looks for the thorns and digs a hole at the base. It digs until it reaches the hollow center and then begins to lay its eggs. And the worker ants are born, they get out of the thorny nest and patrol the stem and leaves. These ants will hunt down anything that tries to eat the leaves. The ants will even attack any animal or human that touches or harms the tree. 

•Ethnobotany-The bark extract has been shown to have anti - inflammatory effects.

4" pots available  

AKA Red Wing, is a tropical perennial that is make yellow flowers followed by pretty red wing looking seed pods, similar to samaras.  get 4'x6'

4" pots available 

 A rarely seen cuphea that get 3x3 and makes bright orange tubular flowers in spring and fall.  It is root hardy to 25 degrees.  Also makes sticky glandular stems and leaves.

4" pots available 

This Texas Native pine is not planted as often as it should.  This tree goes through an interesting grass looking stage for the first couple years of its life.  Eventually becomes a full grown large 80+ ft pine.  One of our favorites plants at OSP.  

4" pots available 

Originated from Australia
•Habit-Hot ;Full sun to light shade
•Height x width 10-15’ x12-18’
•Description-pink melaleuca or pink bottlebrush, This rarely offered bottlebrush is endemic a small area in western Australia.  This fast growing evergreen large shrub to small tree has interesting pink puffball flowers and an interesting branching pattern. It likes when a little gravel or sand is added to the soil. Seedlings have been hardy to 30 

•Botany-  nesophila – island-loving

 4" pots available 

mouse thorn,  Native from Italy to Austria.  This small evergreen clumping perennial actually blooms small flowers on the leaves(cladodes) followed by red berries.  The stiff evergreen leaves provide year round interest and is one of the most underutilized plants in our area.   Tolerates sun or shade, grows 18” tall and clumps 2-3’ Cold hardy to 10 degrees 

4" pots available

Striped Bengal Lily,  Native to tropical Africa and Asia.  This interesting bulbs is actually in the amaryllis family.  This variegated form is usually not seen in the trade and is surprisingly cold hardy and flood tolerant.  Plants large showy white and green leaves provide year round interest, followed by large fragrant white lily like flowers.  Prefers any well drained soil and grows up to 3ft high and wide

Tall 4" available