October Free Plant List
Oct. 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
602 Ronele Drive
Brandon, FL 33511
Join our friendly garden group for Open Greenhouse and Plant Swap at Neem Tree Farms, held most first Saturdays of the month. This list is what we have — but you never know what other people will bring to swap! (If you don’t have anything, don’t worry. We all started with empty gardens too.)
They’re not exactly plants, but they’re great in gardens. We have two rain barrels, a limited number of used wooden pallets and lots of empty five-gallon buckets. The buckets need cleaning but they held neem oil or skincare products, so they’re totally non-toxic for use in your own garden. We also have giant piles of mulch and topsoil to share, thanks to the tree-trimmers who drop it in the yard for us.
And not free, but close: we overplanted red and purple firebush, an amazing dark purple saliva and passionflower. They’re root-bound in small pots but ready to go into the ground to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. We also have a few potted moringa plants. They’re $3 or two for $5. And for neem fans, we have thousands of amazing seedlings from both the Senegal seeds and the trees that set fruit here after a warm winter.
After the warm wet summer, our pollinator plants are pretty overgrown and definitely read to share!
Native elderberry — yes, it’s what you use to make jams, wine and gummy bears. Please two cuttings per family!
Sweet almond (not native but covered in bees)
Native firebush, the ultimate bee, butterfly and hummingbird attractor
Ever-bearing mulberry, covered in flowers and fresh fruit
Moringa: cuttings, you-dig plants or seeds
Chinese hat, another hummingbird favorite
White or pink crepe myrtle cuttings (and three white seedlings)
Native Porterweed, which is actually a low-growing plant with spectacular purple flowers that attract all kinds of butterflies and bees
You dig:
Native yellow canna
Native beautyberry, just a few seedlings that popped up in bad spots
Lemongrass (also seeds)
Cranberry hibiscus, which has been spectacular this summer
Candlestick senna
Barbados cherry
Papalo, a heat-loving alternative to cilantro
Callisia fragrans, aka headache plant or basket plant
Sansevieria (full-sized, please plant in pots not the ground!)
Lady palms
Crinum lily (some already dug from a plant swap in August)
Clerodendron (pagoda and bleeding heart)
Naturalized periwinkles (aka vinca)
Chenille plants
Hot pink Four O’Clocks, another hummingbird attractor
Shampoo ginger
Cuttings:
Plumeria
Tunera (Cuban buttercup)
Beautyberry
Native wild coffee, provides gorgeous color even in deep shade
Katuk (plus a couple of volunteer seedlings!)
John Starne’s favorite red pants
Bush morning glory (plus two you-dig seedlings)
Cranberry hibiscus
Golden dewdrop
Devil’s backbone, no wildlife value but a cool looking plant
Seeds:
Daikon radish – it’s time to plant in Florida now!
Tropical milkweed
Blanketflower (gaillardia)
Scorpion tail — a low-growing native that attracts all kinds of bees and small butterflies, also cuttings and you-dig
Dwarf Poinciana, now in full bloom
Featured photo courtesy University of Florida IFAS, https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2018/11/08/firespike-a-tender-perennial/
