Senegal Date (Phoenix reclinata)
$24.95
Graceful, Hardy, and Edible Palm
Common Names: Senegal Date Palm, African Wild Date Palm, Reclinata PalmFamily: ArecaceaeOrigin: Tropical and Subtropical Africa, Madagascar
Senegal Date Palm (Phoenix reclinata) is a beautiful, multi-trunked palm tree native to tropical and subtropical Africa, known for its elegant, arching fronds and edible fruit. This hardy palm is highly versatile, growing in a wide range of soils and climates, making it a popular choice for landscaping in both tropical and subtropical regions. The fruit, while smaller and less fleshy than the cultivated date (Phoenix dactylifera), is still edible and enjoyed by both people and wildlife. With its graceful, feathery leaves and attractive, clumping growth habit, Senegal Date Palm adds an exotic and lush element to any garden or landscape.
Distinctive Features, Uses, and Edible Value
Fruits: Senegal Date Palm produces small, oval, orange-brown fruits that resemble dates. While not as sweet or fleshy as commercial dates, they are edible and often used by local populations in their native regions. The fruit is a good source of fiber and nutrients and is often consumed fresh or dried.
Foliage: The palm’s long, feathery fronds are made up of narrow leaflets, creating an elegant, arching canopy. The leaves can grow up to 10-15 feet in length, giving the tree a tropical, lush appearance.
Growth Habit: Senegal Date Palm has a clumping, multi-trunked growth habit, often forming a dense cluster of slender trunks. The tree can grow up to 20-40 feet tall with a spread of 15-25 feet, making it a striking feature in landscapes.
Ornamental and Practical Uses
Senegal Date Palm is commonly used in landscaping for its aesthetic appeal, providing shade and an exotic look to gardens, parks, and urban settings. The palm’s multi-trunked form and graceful leaves make it an excellent focal point in tropical and subtropical gardens. In its native regions, the palm is also valued for its edible fruit and is used in agroforestry for its ability to thrive in difficult conditions.
Siberian Motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus)
$19.95
Siberian Motherwort, also known as Marihuanilla or Honeyweed, is a perennial or annual medicinal herb. It grows tall, erect, and full of vibrant purple flower spikes. The flowers produced in whorls around the upper half of the stems and it's toothed foliage are highly ornamental and unique. It makes a showstopping hedge and is beloved by pollinators.
Siberian Motherwort grows wild along the coastal regions of Brazil and Mexico, but is native to China, Mongolia, and (surprise!) Siberia. Medicinally, this plant was traditionally used in Chinese medicine to help alleviate some symptoms of menstruation or for ritual smoking purposes. It's purported effects are comparable to cannabis in that they provide a mellow and relaxed sensation.
This plant does not tolerate frost and can be overwintered indoors. Siberian Motherwort is of the Leonurus (mint) family of plants and very closely related to two other Sow Exotic favorites; Klip Dagga and Wild Dagga.
Simpson's Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans)
$19.95
Fragrant, Hardy Florida Native
Common Names: Simpson's Stopper, Twinberry, NakedwoodFamily: MyrtaceaeOrigin: Southeastern United States, Caribbean
Simpson's Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans) is a versatile, evergreen shrub or small tree native to Florida and the Caribbean. It is highly valued for its fragrant flowers, attractive foliage, and ability to thrive in a variety of soil types and climates. Known for its dense, glossy green leaves and small white flowers that bloom in spring and summer, Simpson’s Stopper is a favorite among native plant enthusiasts, pollinators, and wildlife. It produces small, bright orange to red berries that attract birds and other wildlife. This low-maintenance, hardy plant is often used for hedges, privacy screens, or as an ornamental feature in landscapes.
Distinctive Features, Uses, and Ornamental Value
Flowers: Simpson’s Stopper produces small, fragrant white flowers in clusters during the spring and summer months. These flowers are highly attractive to pollinators, including bees and butterflies.
Fruits: The plant produces small, round, orange to red berries that are edible and enjoyed by birds and other wildlife. These berries can be used to make jellies and preserves but are more commonly left for wildlife to enjoy.
Foliage: The glossy, dark green leaves are aromatic when crushed, releasing a pleasant fragrance that adds to the plant’s ornamental appeal. The dense foliage makes it an excellent choice for hedging or screening.
Growth Habit: Simpson's Stopper grows as a dense, compact shrub or small tree, typically reaching 10-20 feet in height. It is slow-growing but very long-lived, making it ideal for low-maintenance landscapes.
Ornamental and Environmental Uses
Simpson's Stopper is widely used in Florida and other warm climates as an ornamental plant in native gardens, hedges, and privacy screens. Its dense growth and fragrant foliage make it a popular choice for garden borders and formal landscapes. In addition to its ornamental uses, Simpson’s Stopper provides important environmental benefits, such as attracting pollinators with its fragrant flowers and providing food for birds with its berries.
The plant is highly drought-tolerant once established and is salt-tolerant, making it suitable for coastal gardens. It is also resistant to most pests and diseases, making it an easy-care choice for gardeners looking to create a natural, wildlife-friendly environment.
Simpson's Stopper is a fruiting shrub or small tree native to Florida, among other exotic locales like the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, all the way south through Colombia and Venezuela. It is a member of the Eucalyptus family and produces springtime flowers, colorful berries, and fragrant evergreen leaves.
The leaves have a warm nostalgic fall-like aroma when crushed - think spicey cinnamon and citrus. The showy white flowers are also very fragrant and are followed by red-orange berries in mid-summer and early fall. While these berries are edible and the fast-growing shrub is heavily utilized as a popular landscaping hedge, the plants are not often grown for the citrusy flavored berry - yet. I'll admit that the flavor and texture won't absolutely knock your socks off, but it's not unpalatable by any means and it really is a beautiful and useful native shrub. We love the look, texture, fragrance, and pop of color that growing Simpon's Stopper adds to our edible landscape!
Soapberry (Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii)
$49.95
$59.95
Native Tree with Natural Cleaning Power and Wildlife Value
The Western Soapberry (Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii), also known as Soap Tree Soapnut, is a remarkable North American native tree with a long tradition of use as a natural soap source. Its round, golden berries are packed with saponins—plant-based compounds that lather in water and clean naturally, making this tree a sustainable alternative for eco-friendly laundry and household use.
Beyond its soap-producing fruit, Soapberry is a beautiful, fast-growing deciduous tree that thrives in warm, dry, and rocky soils, making it an excellent choice for low-water landscapes and rewilding projects. In spring, it produces fragrant creamy-white flowers that attract pollinators, followed by clusters of shiny, translucent orange berries in fall.
Native to the southern United States, including parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida, Soapberry provides excellent wildlife habitat and is highly adaptable to a range of environments. Its airy canopy and rugged resilience make it ideal for food forests, pollinator gardens, or as a functional ornamental shade tree.
Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea)
$19.95
Society Garlic, or Tulbaghia violacea, is a versatile perennial herb native to southern Africa. Known for its delicate, star-shaped lavender flowers and grassy, fragrant leaves, this plant is as beautiful as it is useful. Perfect for zones 7-10, it thrives in sunny gardens, containers, and borders, offering a unique combination of ornamental appeal and culinary utility.
The plant's leaves and flowers have a mild garlic flavor, making them an excellent addition to soups, salads, stir-fries, and pestos. Despite its garlic-like scent, it’s a member of the lily family and not a true garlic. Society Garlic is also drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, making it ideal for water-wise landscapes.
Plant Society Garlic in well-draining soil with full sun exposure. It is highly drought-tolerant once established and thrives with occasional watering. Deadhead flowers to encourage blooming, and divide clumps every few years to maintain vigor.
Spanish Needle (Bidens Alba)
$19.95
A Pollinator Magnet and Resilient Wildflower
Bidens alba, commonly known as Shepherd's Needle, Spanish Needles, Beggarticks, or Butterfly Needles, is a hardy, fast-growing wildflower native to Florida and much of the Americas. Beloved by pollinators, its bright white daisy-like flowers with yellow centers bloom nearly year-round in warm climates, providing nectar for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
This versatile perennial or self-seeding annual thrives in full sun and a range of soil types, from poor sandy soils to fertile garden beds. It typically grows 1-4 feet tall and spreads quickly, making it ideal for naturalizing, erosion control, or wildflower gardens. The plant is drought-tolerant once established and can be easily propagated from seeds, which cling to clothing and fur for easy dispersal. It also has edible and medicinal uses—its young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and it has traditional applications in herbal remedies.
Bidens alba is an essential plant for supporting biodiversity while adding charm to your garden or landscape. Let its cheerful blooms and ecological benefits inspire your next gardening project!
Star Fruit 'Sri Kembangan' (Averrhoa carambola)
from $59.95
Sweet, Nutrient-Rich Grafted Variety
Common Names: Star Fruit 'Sri Kembangan', CarambolaFamily: OxalidaceaeOrigin: Southeast Asia
Star Fruit 'Sri Kembangan' (Averrhoa carambola) is a highly productive and sweet variety of this exotic tropical fruit. Grafted for faster growth and earlier fruiting, our 'Sri Kembangan' trees are capable of fruiting now, providing a bounty of delicious star-shaped fruit. This variety is known for its exceptionally sweet flavor with minimal tartness, making it ideal for fresh eating, juicing, or adding to salads and desserts. Star fruit is not only tasty but also packed with nutritional benefits. It is low in calories and rich in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, supporting immune health and digestion. The tree itself is compact, making it suitable for home gardens or container growing in tropical and subtropical climates.
Distinctive Features, Uses, and Nutritional Value
Fruits: The 'Sri Kembangan' variety produces large, golden-yellow star fruits with a sweet, juicy flavor. Each fruit has a unique star-shaped cross-section and a crisp texture. Star fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, which supports the immune system, skin health, and overall wellness. It is also rich in dietary fiber, which aids digestion, and antioxidants that help combat free radicals. Additionally, the fruit is low in calories and fat, making it a healthy, refreshing snack.
Foliage: The tree has attractive, glossy, green pinnate leaves that fold up at night, adding a dynamic and tropical look to the garden.
Growth Habit: 'Sri Kembangan' is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree that can reach heights of 15-25 feet but can be pruned to maintain a smaller size, making it perfect for home gardens or container growing.
Culinary and Ornamental Uses
Star fruit is highly versatile in the kitchen. Its sweet, slightly tangy flavor makes it perfect for fresh eating, juicing, or adding to fruit salads, smoothies, and desserts. It can also be used as a garnish for drinks or as a decorative addition to meals due to its beautiful star-shaped slices. In addition to its culinary value, the tree itself is highly ornamental, with dense green foliage and clusters of star-shaped fruit that add beauty and an exotic touch to tropical gardens.
Star Fruit Seedling (Averrhoa carambola)
from $19.95
Star Fruit is an evergreen tropical fruit tree with woody, drooping branches. It makes a great ornamental addition to a home landscape, ticking all of the boxes for a plant that’s useful and good looking. Star Fruit is easy to grow and produces an over abundance of delicious and unique-shaped fruit.
In a tropical to subtropical climate, you can reap the bountiful rewards of growing Star Fruit trees that fruit nearly year-round, when exotic purple flowers give way to the 5-sided star fruits. Carambola fruits are in their prime when they ripen on the tree to a yellow-orange color. Enjoy this sweet star fruit variety fresh, in tea, or combination with other fruits and desserts, or as a garnish for tropical-themed dishes.
Star Fruit seedlings are capable of producing fruit within 2-3 years.
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
$19.95
Stevia, scientifically known as Stevia rebaudiana, is a remarkable plant highly esteemed for its sweet leaves, which are a natural, zero-calorie alternative to sugar. Originating from South America, stevia has been used for centuries by the Guarani peoples of Brazil and Paraguay, primarily for sweetening beverages and as a herbal remedy. This hardy perennial is easy to grow in well-drained soils and thrives in warm, sunny environments, making it a fantastic addition to your herb garden.
Helpful Hint: as a sweetener, 1/4 of ground leaves is equal to 1 tsp of sugar.
Our stevia plants are naturally grown and carefully selected to ensure the highest quality. Each plant comes in a 4-inch biodegradable pot, ready to be transplanted into your garden or container. The leaves can be harvested as soon as they are fully developed, typically within a few months of planting. Enjoy natural sweetness in your beverages and desserts, or dry the leaves to create your own stevia powder. With our robust plants, you can sustainably produce your sweetener year after year.
Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis)
$19.95
A tall perennial herb native to Europe and Asia that produces clusters of aromatic pale-pink or white flowers which are great for attracting pollinators. The scent of the flowers is sweet and similar to vanilla. The plant can grow very tall, up to 4 feet and requires a full sun to partial shade. It's important to know that if you're growing Valerian for it's medicinal qualities make sure you grow it in an easy to access part of your garden because the root is what you'll be harvesting. The soil conditions need to be moist, well-drained loamy soil or compost-rich soil.
Valerian root is known to have many medical benefits. It's an excellent remedy for stress, anxiety, or insomnia, and great for healing the nervous and digestive systems.
Vietnamese Coriander (Persicaria odorata)
$19.95
Bold, Aromatic Herb for Asian Cuisine
Common Names: Vietnamese Coriander, Rau Răm, Vietnamese Mint, Laksa LeafFamily: PolygonaceaeOrigin: Southeast Asia
Vietnamese Coriander (Persicaria odorata), also known as Rau Răm, is a perennial herb native to Southeast Asia, widely used in Vietnamese, Thai, and other Southeast Asian cuisines. With its bold, peppery, and slightly citrusy flavor, this herb is often compared to cilantro (coriander) but has a more pungent taste. Its attractive, lance-shaped leaves make it both a culinary staple and an ornamental addition to herb gardens. Unlike traditional cilantro, Vietnamese Coriander thrives in warm, humid environments and can be harvested year-round in tropical and subtropical climates.
Distinctive Features, Uses, and Nutritional Value
Leaves: Vietnamese Coriander has narrow, lance-shaped leaves with dark green coloring and purple or burgundy markings. The leaves are highly aromatic, with a bold, peppery flavor often used in salads, soups, and as a garnish.
Foliage: The plant has a creeping growth habit, producing dense foliage that spreads horizontally, making it an excellent ground cover or container plant.
Growth Habit: Vietnamese Coriander grows as a low-growing, creeping perennial, reaching about 12-24 inches in height and spreading outwards. It thrives in warm, moist environments.
Culinary and Medicinal Uses
Culinary Uses: Vietnamese Coriander is a key ingredient in many Southeast Asian dishes. It is commonly used fresh in salads (especially in Vietnamese salads like gỏi), soups (such as the popular Laksa in Malaysia and Singapore), and as a garnish for grilled meats, fish, and fresh spring rolls. The herb’s strong flavor complements spicy, savory, and sour dishes. It is often used as a substitute for cilantro, especially in warm climates where cilantro does not thrive.
Medicinal Uses: In traditional medicine, Vietnamese Coriander has been used to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and treat stomach ailments. The leaves contain antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, which can promote overall health and wellness.
White Berry Stopper (Eugenia axillaris)
from $19.95
Hardy, Native Florida Shrub
Common Names: White Berry Stopper, Spanish Stopper, TwinberryFamily: MyrtaceaeOrigin: Florida, the Caribbean, Central America
White Berry Stopper (Eugenia axillaris) is a versatile, evergreen shrub or small tree native to Florida and the Caribbean, known for its attractive, fragrant leaves and small white berries. This drought-tolerant, hardy plant is ideal for use in coastal and subtropical gardens. The tree provides excellent wildlife value, as its fruits attract birds and other wildlife, and its dense, multi-stemmed growth habit offers good cover. White Berry Stopper is also prized for its ornamental appeal, with its glossy, dark green leaves, delicate white flowers, and small white berries, making it a popular choice for native landscaping and privacy hedges.
Distinctive Features, Uses, and Ecological Value
Fruits: The tree produces small, white to pale yellow berries, each about the size of a pea. Though the berries are edible, they are mildly sweet and more commonly consumed by birds and other wildlife rather than humans. The berries play an important role in supporting local ecosystems by providing food for a variety of native animals.
Foliage: White Berry Stopper has small, glossy, dark green leaves that are aromatic when crushed. The foliage is dense, creating an attractive, lush appearance year-round.
Growth Habit: This hardy shrub typically grows 10-15 feet tall but can reach up to 20 feet when left unpruned. Its dense growth makes it ideal for use as a hedge or privacy screen. It can also be shaped into a small tree.
Ornamental and Practical Uses
White Berry Stopper is often used as an ornamental plant in native landscaping, coastal gardens, or for creating hedges and windbreaks. Its fragrant leaves and small, white flowers add beauty and texture to garden spaces. Additionally, the plant’s berries attract a wide variety of birds, making it a great choice for wildlife-friendly gardens. It is also salt-tolerant, making it a reliable choice for coastal areas.
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa)
$19.95
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa), also known as Opium Lettuce, is a biennial herb plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and Asia. This distinctive plant can grow to heights of up to 6 feet under optimal conditions, and it features a central stem that is thick, fibrous, and often tinged with a reddish-purple color.One of the most notable and sought-after characteristics of Wild Lettuce is its sap. When the stems or leaves are cut or broken, they exude a milky latex that has been historically used for its sedative and analgesic properties. This latex contains compounds such as lactucin and lactucopicrin, which contribute to its medicinal uses.
In herbal medicine, extracts from Lactuca virosa have been used to treat various ailments such as insomnia, anxiety, and pain. It is also used in some cultures for its psychoactive effects, though it is important to note that the potency and safety can vary widely.
The plant has long, green leaves that can appear bluish-green and have toothed or wavy edges with a waxy feel. As it grows, the lower leaves drop off, leaving the top ones more visible. Its small, yellow flowers resemble dandelions and cluster on branching stems, blooming from late spring to early fall. The plant produces small, dry fruits called achenes, featuring a fluffy structure that helps them spread on the wind.
Wild Lettuce thrives in well-drained soil, often found in full sun to partial shade. It typically grows in waste areas, along roadsides, and in fields. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the lettuces commonly grown in gardens for consumption but shares some visual similarities.
Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
from $24.95
Yerba Mate is an evergreen tree in the Holly family (Aquifoliaceae), native to the steamy subtropics of South America. Indigenous people of Paraguay first brewed the dried leaves into a delicious beverage that is high in caffeine, antioxidants, and micronutrients. It is a commonly used beverage in South America, and now it is gaining popularity worldwide as an alternative to coffee that boosts energy, burns fat, and reduces cholesterol.
Fragrant white flowers bloom on the tree during the late fall and early winter and develop into bright red ornamental berries in the spring. The thick, leathery leaves can be harvested and dried at any time of the year when the foliage has become full on the tree. It will grow to 50 feet high outdoors and can also be grown as a container plant indoors or outdoors.
Yerba Mate will grow in full sun to partial shade in rich, loamy, well-draining soil that is never allowed to dry out. It prefers warm, humid conditions and is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11.
