Aesculus x carnea
The showy red horsechestnut Aesculus x carnea is a natural hybrid between horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) and red bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus pavia) that was discovered in Germany in the 1800's. It was a very lucky accident! The tree blooms a this time of year and and makes a memorable sight if you're lucky enough to see one in bloom. Read more about the red chestnut, a slow-growing ornamental shade tree that grows in USDA Zones4-8.

Sweetbay Magnolia
Although the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is not quite as fantastically fabulous as its more famous relative, the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) it is still quite a treat to see this beauty in bloom at this time of year. Download large versions of this and other images from the Sweetbay Wallpaper Gallery

Visit the Wallpaper Browser page to see more than 1,400 larger format (800x600px) plant images. Links to these images are also present in the title area of each Plant Profile.

Part 65
This is the final posting of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii series. We thank Bruce for allowing Floridata to publish this extensive survey of flowering plant species found in the Hawaiian Islands. Bruce will be be updating this series periodically and the pages will be enhanced and re-formatted when we launch Floridata v.3 (sometime in May I hope!). Click to read Part 65 or here for the menu and series introduction.

Butterfly Gallery

Visit Floridata's Resource and Articles page.

Cucumis sativus 'Lemon'
Some vegetables grow best in cool weather, others like it hot. Many of our favorite edibles are grown in summer like tomatoes and cucumbers.

More summer (hot weather) edible species:
butterbean (Phaseolus lunatus)
common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
eggplant (Solanum melongena)
okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
peppers (Capsicum spp.)
soybean, edamame (Glycine max)
tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa)

Magnolia macrophylla subsp. ashei
This beautiful magnolia species with the huge leaves blooms at this time of year. They are very popular landscape items where I live in North Florida. Last year I was lucky to see large stands of bigleaf magnolia in bloom along US 25 through the Cumberland Mountains in Kentucky and Tennessee. I plan to make the drive again in a few weeks so I hope I can catch them in bloom again.

More woody native species of the southeastern United States that you might like to try:
leatherwood (Dirca palustris)
Carolina silverbells (Halesia spp.)
Chapmans's azalea (Rhododendron chapmanii)
dwarf fothergilla(Fothergilla gardenii)
Florida flame azalea (Rhododendron austrinum)
fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
honeycups (Zenobia pulverulenta)
pinxter azalea (Rhododendron canescens)
pipestem ( Agarista populifolia)
red buckeye(Aesculus pavia)
soapberry (Sapindus saponaria)
southern arrow-wood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Virginia willow (Itea virginica)

Convallaria majalis
The charming little lily-of-the-valley, a long time garden favorite, was one of the first plants that I grew when I was a kid (a neighbor gave me some plants). This pretty little perennial forms lush ground hugging colonies that thrive in shady places - even under dense tree canopies. The are blooming now - if you see any, take a sniff because they are fabulously fragrant. Click here for more Zones 4-8.

More shade-loving species to consider for your garden:
carpet bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
bear's breeches (Acanthus mollis)
caladium (Caladium bicolor)
cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)
common periwinkle (Vinca minor)
dancing girl ginger (Globba winitii)
holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)
hosta (Hosta spp.)
impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)
Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica)
leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum)
nun's orchid (Phaius tankervilliae)
orchid cactus (Epiphyllum spp.)
queen's tears bromeliad (Billbergia nutans )
sanchezia (Sanchezia speciosa)
surprise lily (Lycoris squamigera)
wood oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

The Daylily - A Perfect Perennial