SUNSHINE STATE RECIPE
Bask in the glow of these fruity mango, gold and purple blooms while you sip some ice cold lemonade on your patio this summer! An extra helping of sun and heat tolerance will keep the color coming as you enjoy our Sunshine State recipe in your deck pots, hanging baskets and window boxes. And since each of the individual varieties is self-cleaning, they’ll take care of shedding their spent blooms so you won’t have to.
*Best in full sun (6+ hours of sun), tolerates part sun (4-6 hours of afternoon sun).
Whirlwind® Blue Scaevola
Start by planting a single pot of this blue-purple fan flower in the center of your container. Its long branches will mostly point skyward early in the season but will relax as they grow longer, weaving their way in and among the stems of lantana and calibrachoa so that you’ll end up with a pop of blue all over. This Western Australia native thrives in heat and humidity and likes the soil to dry out a bit between waterings, just like its companions in this recipe.
Luscious® Goldengate™ Lantana
Hummingbirds will seek out the fragrant, glowing golden yellow flowers of this stunning lantana that brings a sunny glow to the recipe. Since the plant’s shape is mounded, you’ll find that most of its blooms occupy the upper and middle parts of the container, leaving its companions to trail below. Like all Luscious lantana, Goldengate sets little to no seed, so you won’t have to worry about it going out of bloom by midsummer.
Superbells® Coral Sun Calibrachoa
Echoing the lantana’s golden blooms, the throat of this coral orange calibrachoa exudes a sunny glow that makes the two a match made in flower heaven. Its stems will find their way in and about the branches of its companions, eventually trailing as much as 30 inches down the sides of the container. Though many kinds of calibrachoa require constant deadheading to stay in bloom, you’ll never have to fuss over these Superbells since they shed their spent blooms cleanly.
Suggested Thriller: Graceful Grasses® Queen Tut Cyperus
Learn more about how to grow this recipe with a thriller option below.
option 1:
plant your own combo
2x superbells® coral sun
2x luscious® goldengate™
1x whirlwind® blue
Tip For Success:
The plants included in the Sunshine State recipe all prefer to have the soil dry down a bit between waterings and should be grown in well-drained potting soil. They are perfectly suited for hanging baskets and non-glazed containers which both tend to dry out a little faster than non-porous pots. If the soil feels dry when you stick your finger in about an inch, or when the container feels light for its size, it is time to water again. It’s best to water in the morning and to direct the water towards the roots rather than wetting the foliage.
*This recipe assumes that 4.5″ plants are being used. To make the recipe work using larger plants, you will need to choose a pot that is larger than our suggested size or use fewer plants of each variety in the recipe.
option 2:
purchase a combo to go
The Sunshine State recipe is widely available at retailers across North America. Look for it in hanging baskets and upright patio pots at your favorite local garden center. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Request it by name next time you shop.
option 3:
purchase plants online
If your local retailers aren’t carrying the varieties in the Sunshine State recipe, you can always purchase them online.
Shop for individual plants.
Shop for the Sunshine State recipe.
