Myrtle (Myrtus) has been grown as a decorative plant for thousands of years, and yet it is still a rarity indoors. The small oval leaves are shiny and aromatic – the white flowers appear in large numbers in summer. In the fall, purple berries appear. In midwinter, many of the shoots are crowned by a series of radiating pink stems that
The Croton (Codiaeum) is a popular house plant and its attraction is obvious – vivid foliage colors and varied leaf shapes. Stiff leaves are borne on an upright plant – the usual pattern is large and lobed foliage on which there are distinctly colored veins. A tough-looking plant in the shop or garden center, but before you buy one of
The Jacobinia genus is a large one that includes about 400 species of plants throughout the tropical world. The main species of Jacobinia grown indoors are the J. carnea and the much less common J. pauciflora. Both plants are grown primarily for their foliage, especially the J. carnea, which is sometimes called the King’s Crown
