Patio Plants - Southern California
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- Written by Pat Welsh
Begonia 'Irene Nusse'
A cane-type begonia that will live in the same tub for 30 years or more if you cut it back in mid February and fertilize with a handful of balanced fertilizer once in a while during spring and summer. Has the largest flowers of any begonia. Their pink color against the dark green leaves make for a highly attractive patio plant blooming from June through December. Easy care and only needs water once a week in part shade along the coast. Face east or west with midday shade.
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Pink Cestrum - Cestrum elegans 'Smithii'
Fountain-shaped shrub, shaped like butterfly bush, well adapted to a narrow bed facing east or west in a patio and providing waves of cascading pink blooms almost year round in a sheltered spot. One of the best and most floriforous of the cestrums. Tropical look, good near swimming pools where it likes the reflected heat. Fertilize and pinch back often.
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Lisa Fuchsia - Fuchsia sp 'Lisa'
Easy-to-grow, elegant basket plant if you install drip system to water daily and also feed monthly with slow-release 14-14-14. For year-round flowers, provide 50% sun, remove seed pods weekly, replace the plant annually, cut back lightly in August.
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Brazilian Plume Flower - Justicia carnea
Tropical looking plant with pink, plume-like flowers that are eye-catching combined with other plants and next to patios. Grows in full sun or part shade in the ground or a large tub. Feed and water through warm months. Snap off faded flowers.
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Alice du Pont Mandevilla - Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont'
Why do you like it? Climber with clean foliage and elegant pink flowers blooms from spring to winter. Very good small climber facing east in a warm patio, but hates wind, needs constant moisture and fertilizer. Cut a foot off the top in spring, feed water and it bounces into bloom.
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Bridal Wreath - Stephanotis floribunda
One of the best, small, very fragrant climbers for use in warm, sunny patios. In coastal zone, give it a southern exposure, moist soil, and full sun next to patio paving.
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