Gisele Annual Phlox

Bred from Texas-native annual phlox, the Gisele collection offers stellar heat tolerance, even when it doesn’t rain. The low-growing plants begin blooming in spring and go through summer, practically covering themselves in blooms. Use them in mass plantings, along walkways, in the front of the border, and in containers including window boxes. No matter where you plant them, you’ll love how easy they are! Gisele annual phlox varieties were standouts in our Miami, Florida, Trial Garden.
There are five colors in the Gisele collection: Gisele Hot Pink, Gisele Light Pink, Gisele Light Violet, Gisele Pink (shown here), and Gisele White.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide
Hardiness: Unlike more common phlox varieties, Gisele phlox are annuals that don’t survive freezing temperatures.

Soiree Kawaii Annual Vinca

Annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus) is a favorite around here because it’s such a reliable plant, even in our hot, humid summers. We’ve grown many different varieties and Soiree Kawaii varieties stood out in our trials because of their excellent performance and profusion of small flowers. Though the blooms are significantly smaller than other varieties, they more than for it in sheer number. The result is a plant that’s easy to grow and has a charming, cottage-garden look.  
There are five colors in this collection: Soiree Kawaii Coral (shown here), Soiree Kawaii Lavender, Soiree Kawaii Pink, Soiree Kawaii Pink Peppermint; and Soiree Kawaii Pure White. 
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide
Hardiness: Soiree Kawaii vinca is as annual in most areas; in Zones 10-11 where there’s no frost, it can be treated as an evergreen, perennial that flowers all year long.

Falling Star Pentas

The Falling Star pentas collection represents a real breakthrough! While most pentas are upright growers, Falling Star mounding/trailing, which makes them perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes, and other container gardens. Like their cousins, tolerant, so you can count on them to thrive all summer long. And bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds adore them, making Falling Star Pentas perfect for pollinator gardens. You can also plant them as low, mounding plants for the front of the border or as an annual groundcover.
There are three colors in the Falling Star pentas series: Falling Star Pink Bicolor (shown here), Falling Star Rose, and Falling Star White.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 12 inches tall and 36 inches wide
Hardiness: An annual in most areas, Fall Star pentas acts as an evergreen perennial that flowers year-round in Zones 10-11.

Archangel Blue Bicolor Angelonia

A top notch plant for anyone who gardens in an area with hot summers, Archangel Blue Bicolor angelonia is easy to grow and lovely to look at. The plant sends up wands of lavender-and-purple flowers that are loved by pollinators. The big blooms put on a fabulous show, while the plant is deer- and rabbit-resistant, and holds up to drought. It’s a winner for garden beds and borders, as well as landscapes. 
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 14 inches tall and wide
Hardiness: Because it doesn’t survive frosty temperatures, Archangel Blue Bicolor angelonia is an annual in most areas, but can be treated as year-round-flowering perennial in Zones 10-11.

Ping Pong Globe Amaranth

An outstanding performer in our Miami, Florida, Trial Garden, we trust it will do as well in yours. It produces a ton of charming, flowers atop wiry stems. It makes an outstanding cut flower, and dries well, too, so Ping Pong globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) is perfect for craft projects. Once it gets going, you’ll find it’s delightfully and easy to grow. You’ll love the quirky personality it adds to your yard, patio, deck, or balcony.
There are three colors in this collection: Ping Pong Lavender, Ping Pong Purple (shown here), and Ping Pong White.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 24 inches tall and 12 inches wide
Hardiness: Ping Pong globe amaranth is an annual that doesn’t tolerate frost.

Floriglory Mexican Heather

We love Mexican heather (Cuphea ) because we can count on it to look good all summer long, no matter what kind of weather we experience. The Floriglory Mexican heather collection has all the best characteristics of the traditional varieties we’re used to -- drought tolerance, no pruning needed, etc. -- but shows off more and larger flowers. The result is a beefy plant that’s practically covered in pink, or white blooms. It’s a fabulous filler plant in garden beds and borders, as well as containers.  
There are three colors in this collection: Floriglory Diana (shown here), Floriglory Maria, and Floriglory Alonso.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide
Hardiness: An annual in most areas, Floriglory Mexican heather behaves as an evergreen, perennial that flowers all year in Zones 10-11.

Cottage Strawflowers

Strawflowers (Bracteantha ) may be a little old school, but the brand new Cottage collection is making this vintage plant hip all over again. Loved for their attractive blooms that dry right on the plant (making them perfect for dried floral crafts), strawflowers are easy-care plants for hot, dry spots. The Cottage series were top performers in our Miami, Florida, Trial Garden.
There are three colors in the collection: Cottage Bronze (shown here), Cottage Rose, and Cottage White.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 12 inches tall and wide
Hardiness: Cottage strawflowers are annuals that don’t survive freezing temperatures

Proud Mari Marigold

Think there’s nothing new to be seen in the world of marigolds (Tagetes)? You’ll want to check out the Proud Mari collection! They bear huge double flowers in rich colors on tidy plants. The stems are thicker and stronger than older types, so you don’t have to worry about snapping their heads off as you brush past or run into them with the water hose. Good heat tolerance means they’ll look good later in the season in the South, too.
There are three colors in the Proud Mari collection: Proud Mari Gold (shown here), Proud Mari Orange, and Proud Mari Yellow. 
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 12 inches tall and wide
Hardiness: Proud Mari marigolds are annuals that don’t survive freezing temperatures.

SolarPower Sweet Potato Vine

A number of new sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) have hit the market in the last few years. The SolarPower collection has stood out in our trials holding up and holding their color better than older varieties even during the hottest part of summer. The plants are dense and well-branched, creating even mounds. It’s as effective in container gardens, hanging baskets, and window boxes as it is landscape beds and borders.
There are three colors in the SolarPower sweet potato vine collection: SolarPower Black, SolarPower Lime (shown here), and SolarPower Red.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 12 inches tall and 36 inches wide
Hardiness: An annual in most areas, Solar Power sweet potato vine acts as an evergreen perennial in Zones 10-11.

SolarTower Sweet Potato Vine

You might be used to sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) as a plant to spill or trail out of your container gardens (or as a groundcover in beds and borders). But the SolarTower sweet potato vine collection turns that impression on its head. These vines grow up and are perfect for climbing trellises and other structures. Their boldly colored leaves add plenty of interest from spring to fall. 
There are two colors in the SolarTower sweet potato vine collection: SolarTower Black (shown here) and SolarTower Lime.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 84 inches, depending on how it’s trained.
Hardiness: An annual in most areas, SolarTower sweet potato vine acts as an evergreen perennial in Zones 10-11.

Mint Julep Annual Geranium

Every year plant breeders come out with new geraniums (Pelargonium). A lot of them are being bred to benefit growers like us more than home gardeners like you. But Mint Julep is an exception. This beauty boasts beautiful variegated foliage that immediately catches the eye. Each of its green leaves is smartly edged with a broad border of pure white. Its clusters of scarlet-red blooms make a nice accent for its fine foliage. It held up well in our Trial Garden, earning high marks through the season. 
Light: Full sun or part shade
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 12 inches tall and wide
Hardiness: Mint Julep geranium doesn’t survive freezing temperatures, but like other annual geraniums, it can be brought indoors for the winter if you have a bright spot.

Calliope Medium Dark Red Geranium

Calliope geraniums (Pelargonium) have helped raise the bar for the geranium world, so we’re excited to see the new collection of Calliope Medium varieties. A bit smaller than others in the Calliope collection, they’re outstanding in container gardens, window boxes, and the front of garden beds and borders. Plant them around your mailbox for easy-care color or add dramatic flair by lining a walkway with them. They keep flowering all summer and you don’t need to deadhead them to keep them in bloom.
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 12 inches tall and wide
Hardiness: Calliope Medium Dark Red geranium doesn’t survive freezing temperatures, but like other annual geraniums, it can be brought indoors for the winter if you have a bright spot.

Uptick Gold and Bronze Coreopsis

Here at Costa Farms, we’re big fans of coreopsis. A tough-as-nails group of North American native plants, we know we can count on coreopsis to hold up all summer -- and attract scores of bees and butterflies, as well. We trialed this variety and were thoroughly impressed by how well it did and how long it bloomed. It crowns its tidy mound of foliage with scores of golden-yellow blooms decorated with bronzy-red centers. Drought tolerant, it’s as beautiful as it is carefree!
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 14 inches tall and wide
Hardiness: Coreopsis UpTick Gold and Bronze is a perennial in Zones 5-9, but makes a fabulous annual in subtropical Zones 10-11.

Endurascape Pink Bicolor Verbena

Winner of the prestigious All-America Sections Award for 2017, Endurascape Pink Bicolor verbena was also a champ in our South Carolina Trial Garden. A no-fuss plant, it holds up well to hot, dry spots when other verbenas flag. It stays beautiful thanks to its large clusters of pink flowers. You’ll love how beautiful it looks paired with practically anything. Try it with Gisele annual phlox for a stunning combo in containers or garden beds. 
Light: Full sun
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries, but drought tolerant once established.
Size: To 12 inches tall and 24 inches wide
Hardiness: Endurascape Pink Bicolor verbena is a perennial in Zones 7-9, but can be grown as an easy-care, long-flowering annual in colder Zones.

Vernique Shining Sea Veronica

A stunning perennial that adds easy-care cottage-garden charm to any sunny planting, Shining Sea veronica blooms for weeks. You’ll love how the of lavender-blue flowers add vertical interest and texture to your garden beds and borders. Like other veronicas, it has good deer- and rabbit and the flowers are fun additions to bouquets. 
Light: Full sun or part shade
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: To 18 inches tall and 16 inches wide
Hardiness: Shining Sea veronica is a perennial in Zones 4-8.

Two Tone Moonstone Colorful Aglaonema

Wonderfully colorful and delightfully durable, Two Tone Moonstone Colorful Aglaonema will shine like a precious gem in your home or office. pink leaves are artfully spattered in green, with no two exactly the same. The soft colors work with virtually any color scheme and help brighten drab corners. Like the rest of our collection of Colorful Aglaonemas, this plant is an excellent first houseplant -- or to add to your collection if you’re busy and have a hard time with houseplants. 
Light: Low, medium, or bright light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Very slow growing, but to 18 inches tall
Hardiness: Two Tone Moonstone Colorful Aglaonema is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C). 

Georgi’s Ruby Colorful Aglaonema

At first glance, you might not think Georgi’s Ruby Colorful Aglaonema is a real plant. Its shiny leaves and bold color combinations give it the look of a high-end artificial plant. And it practically needs the same care, too! Just give it water once a week or two and enjoy how the rich green leaves are veined in bold red and bright chartreuse. Like our other Colorful Aglaonemas, it grows nearly everywhere and forgives you if you neglect it just a bit. Take care not to overwater it. Like most houseplants, Georgi’s Ruby Colorful Aglaonema does better too dry than too wet. 
Light: Low, medium, or bright light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Very slow growing, but to 18 inches tall
Hardiness: Georgi’s Ruby Colorful Aglaonema is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C). 

Golden Fluorite Colorful Aglaonema

Our Colorful Aglaonema family is growing! Golden Fluorite is a particularly striking variety that shows off chartreuse leaves variegated with reddish-pink veins. It helps light up a room, which is particularly helpful because it grows in low-light spots. One of the most durable houseplants, it’s ideal for practically any room of your home or office. 
Light: Low, medium, or bright light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Very slow growing, but to 18 inches tall
Hardiness: Golden Fluorite Colorful Aglaonema is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C). 

Golden Heart Corn Plant

We’ve been working with this update to good old-fashioned corn plant (AKA mass cane AKA Dracaena ) and are happy to have propagated enough to be able to share with you. Golden Heart corn plant has variegated foliage like old-school varieties, but the leaves on this variety are much thicker and more durable. They’re less likely to develop browning or yellowing and stay on the plant longer, giving you a fuller look.  
Light: Medium to high light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Slow growing, but to 6 feet tall or more inside over the years
Hardiness: Golden Heart corn plant is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C). 

Ficus Vaccinoides

Ficus is a relative of regular creeping ficus (Ficus ). It’s just as easy to enjoy indoors as its more common cousin, but offers foliage that’s darker green and have a rougher texture. Ficus also holds up to dry soil a little better, making it a little more forgiving as a houseplant. Enjoy it in hanging baskets or as a tabletop plant where it will spread out. Or give it a wall to climb up! It's an addition to our Exotic Angel® Plants collection of hanging baskets.
Light: Medium or bright light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Slow growing; can spread to 30 inches or more
Hardiness: Ficus is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C).

Manjula Pothos

A new variety for our Exotic Angel® Plants collection, Manjula pothos (Epipremnum ‘Manjula’), is a little slower growing than its cousins and delightfully variegated. Each heart-shaped leaf is liberally splashed in white, especially toward the middle, making many leaves appear like they’re edged in green. It stays a little tighter, too, making it a fun choice if you like the look of a nice mound instead of a plant with a lot of long, trailing stems. Give it a spot in medium or bright light for best variegation, but it can tolerate a low-light spot.
Light: Low, medium, or bright light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Very slow growing, but to 36 inches or more
Hardiness: Manjula pothos is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C).

Cebu Blue Pothos

Cebu Blue pothos (Epipremnum ‘Cebu Blue’) stands apart from other pothos varieties because the leaves are a silvery blue-green color, giving the vine an almost metallic sheen. It’s easy to grow in medium to bright light in your home, but also tolerates low light (though it grows much more slowly). Like other pothos varieties, the leaves will grow larger if the plant climbs a support and is given warm conditions and lots of light. It's new to our Exotic Angel® Plants collection.
Light: Medium or bright light
Water: Water when the top inch of the soil dries.
Size: Slow growing; can spread to 30 inches or more
Hardiness: Cebu Blue pothos is a tropical houseplant and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures under 50F (10C).