My last plant order for the year arrived from these folks yesterday, and they are excellent. I got the Cuphea micropetala, cuphea ignea, blue porterweed, firecracker vine and a dwarf hamelia patens, which already has blooms. I'm very pleased with the order, and they were so well packed, not a leaf was out of place.It is late, but I hope they will grow fast.Another good nursery to add to the list.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Geez Pryia, You need to post your needs here. You quick to help others out!

I grew Cuphea micropetala outdoors from Penny's seeds and they are doing great! I also have some Ignea that I overwintered and have cuttings that are just starting to bloom. Maybe we should start a plant trading thread??

BTW, the cannas are about 2 ft high. Can't wait for them to bloom!! I'm dying to see what they look like. That's the fun thing about growing from seed, the anticipation of the unknown. Thanks again. If your looking for anything else, email me, I have quite a "collection" this year.

Pam,
A trading list sounds like a great idea. Maybe we should put one up later in the season. I plan to be diligent about taking cuttings this time, so if they grow, I should have a fair number of cupheas to give away.
I hope you like the cannas. Mine are just putting up flower spikes (overwintered in the ground).

priya
Zone 7, Maryland

I've been ordering from them for about 6 years and agree. They are excellent!

Judy
West Tennessee
USDA Zone 7

Almost Eden is a favorite of mine too. I have never been disappointed with my orders.

Priya-- Thanks for posting that, Next year I may need to be reminded of that name, but it does give up another nursery for our list.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

I tried Almost Eden for the first time this year.
They had some nice exotic selections and an easily used website. I especially liked the 'search for hummingbird plants' feature. The staff was very quick with responding with emails. The plants were packed with care and came thru shipping just fine. A definate do-over.
LindaV
CTz6b

P.,
What does a firecracker vine look like? I was walking in a new neighborhood tonight and saw the neatest looking vine, low growing, covered with fire engine red cylinder shaped flowers. Funny how just tonight I saw it and wondered what it was. I should have knocked on the door and asked for a cutting. Suzanne

I think I also got my Cuphea micropetala from Almost Eden. I ordered from several places so it's hard to remember for sure. It's blooming now, so it only took about 2 months to double in size and come into bloom. Maybe it will bloom for you, too, before frost--September, maybe?

I think we're all agreed that this is definitely a good mail order nursery.

Suzanne,
There is Mina lobata (called Spanish Flag or firecracker vine) which is a vigorous annual, and has long, tubular bracts of reddish flowers. Mine have not flowered yet, but the pictures I have seen look lovely. The one I got from Almost Eden is Mannettia cordifolia (aka candy corn vine), which has small, individual cuphea-like flowers. I am going to try to overwinter it indoors.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

I had a different Manettia last season--Manettia bicolor (also called Manettia luteorubra). I had so many distractions last winter that as the winter went on, I kept forgetting to water it. I thought it was dead for sure--all dried up and barely a spot of green on it, and I pretty much gave up on it. Amazingly, it survived my profound neglect, and although it was set back, it did begin to grow vigorously when I put it outside. I can only imagine how nicely it might have done if I'd just paid reasonable attention to it. I think my experience bodes well for you, unless M. cordifolia is somehow more difficult.

Manettia cordifolia is easy to winter over indoors. I kept one for years, but lost it this past winter because I forgot to bring it in. The person who passed it along to me used to winter it by throwing into the crawl space under his house. He is in Cape May where the weather is a least a 1/2 zone warmer.

My plants this year were again fantastic. I got the cuphea micropetala, hamelia patens, russelia (equisetiformis and sarmentosa), bay leaf and two varieties of Thunbergia. Very happy here.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

I overwintered Manettia cordifolia this past winter. Left it in the basement, threw it a drink once or twice and it is growing outdoors already. Hasn't bloomed yet, but I THINK you need a little something called SUN for that to happen! I also over wintered a huge pot of Hamelia Patens and its been leafing for a few weeks. I'm earning thanks to you forum guys!

My local nursery is selling Mina Labota this year. Thanks to Diana I started a few vines by seed and hope to get them outdoors soon.

Pam NJ 6B

I have always been pleased with the plants I have ordered from Almost Eden.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

Pam
I can't believe a nursery is selling mina lombata. It is so easy to grow from seed! It was one of the first hummer plants that I grew from seed. Another no brainer is Nasturtiums. Tow of our local nurseries are selling 3 inch pot for 2.99 with one or two seedlings it them and people were buying them. I wanted to tell them they could grow the same thing from seed and have it be the same size as these little plants in a couple of weeks. I just sowed my nasturtiums over the week end and they are already up. I decided to do a second batch by soaking the seed first to see if they germinated any faster but the only thing faster will be 2 days from now.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

I planted some nasturtiums this year too. I love them so much I don't know why I don't have them every year.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31