60213 AEONIUM ARBOREUM SCHWARTZKOPF CRA CGH $ 4.50 "Black Tree" Wide lvs tipped purple in flat rosettes topping thick erect trunks; golden blossoms in impressive pyramidal clusters often appear midwinter. This form has very deep maroon "Black Tree" leaves with shiny flat leaved rosettes reaching their most beatiful level mid winter--tends to rest in the heat of mid summer as its Canary Islands origins dictate. Very popular currently for combining with other "black" plants in contained avant gardening.

65055 ALOE WALMSLEY'S BRONZE [HYB] LIL HP TGH $4.00 Tightly clustered clumps of succulent leaves tinted copper; perfect in any dishgarden; even works successfully as part of a succulent wreath.

40650 MUSA [ENSETE] MAURELII MUS TGH CGH $ 28.00 "Abyssinian Black Banana" While having the thick heavy substance of M. ventricosa, the blackish red lvs flaunt mahogany midribs and margins; purple-carmine underleaf is revealed as leaf unfurls; red-bracted infl. This is the astounding giant we keep at the patio-pond area here every summer. Come fall the foliage is removed and the tub is carted off into the unheated (but never freezing) porch for the winter where it always unfurls several dramatic bronze lvs for tropical drama while the snow falls outside. If you watch PBS's series on Africa, note stands of this banana around the Eritrean villages where the natives use every part of this plant in their economy. In our experience, this never offsets--the most ordered ornamental form currently as its photo seems to (quite deservedly) crop up in magazines everywhere. Certainly the most easily grown of all the tribe as a container plant--but be sure not to pot in a deep container as the roots grow more outward than directly down.

70607 HYPERICUM MOSERIANUM TRICOLOR HYP HT $ 6.00 Available again now. A tufted short sport of "Moser's St. Johnswort" (patulum x calycinum) with 2" lvs variegated white rose-pink and green on reddish shoots; overlapping golden petals with central tuft of pinkish stamens. Very beautiful root hardy plant.

60411 KALANCHOE PUMILA CRA CGH HP $ 4.00 "Flour Dust Plant" Purple-hued notched flat leaves are dusted in silvery-white; modest small Madagascar native with violet urn-shaped pink hued flowers in refined panicles. Compact small habit--must have very high light to maintain the bright silvery tones; needs good air movement to encourage the flour dustings so admired by its fans. Indeed, this startling yet modestly proportioned charmer is easier to grow on a sunny windowsill than in the more humid greenhouse.

a href=# onClick="OpenNewWindow('/images16/Ledebouria_soc2.jpg',550,450,'Image Gallery--Ledebouria socialis');return false;"> 65827 LEDEBOURIA SOCIALIS LIL HP TGH $ 2.50 Formerly Scilla violacea. "Silver Squill" Rich purple swollen bulblets in thick clusters support small violet- backed lvs whose surfaces are dotted silver. Easy houseplant with small wands of tiny white flowers produced seasonally. If allowed to become a many-headed specimen, the winter blooms can be quite impressive en mass.

NEOREGELIA SCHULTSIANA FIREBALL BRO HP TGH $ 3.75 Tinker-toy stolons support colonies of brilliant red- purple small open vases; famous "Fireball Plant.' A great start to any collection of Bromeliads, or indeed, a grouping of houseplants.

66161 RHIPSALIS RIVERO'S RED [SPECIES] CAC HP TG $ 4.00Arched then completely pendant flat tapeworm stems turn deep violet red in high light; tiny blossoms are followed by ornamental shell pink berries lining both edges of the ribbon stems most attractively. This unsegmented stemmed Caribbean now considered to possibly be Discocactus ramulosus--a more dramatic cascading member of the epiphytic Cacti cannot be imagined. Equally effective in a modest plant grouping or in a serious visual presentation in a conservatory. Very successfully combined with Bromeliad baskets and pots.