For more than 120 years, Logee’s has been the go-to source for fruiting, rare and tropical plants. For 2013, the family-owned company has introduced 75 new plants that are sure to delight both experienced and novice growers. The new plants for 2013 include a “condo mango” tree that is small enough to grow in a pot, and an striking flowering houseplant called a lifesaver plant because its flowers boast a dark red lifesaver rim.
“Fruiting plants that can be grown in containers and flowering tropical plants are easy to grow both indoors and in outdoor living areas such as patios, balconies and porches,” says Byron Martin, a third-generation owner of Logee’s. “We are proud that Logee’s has become America’s favorite source for tropical and fruiting plants from all over the world.”
Logee’s catalog and website is known for its vast selection of tropical container plants, dwarf citrus trees, vines and climbing plants, flowering houseplants and other exotic plants. The company also operates Logee’s Greenhouses in Danielson, Connecticut, a destination greenhouse for thousands of gardeners throughout the Eastern United States.
Condo Mango (Mangifera indica ‘Cogshall’)
Mangos are prized worldwide for their sweet, delicious fruit. Unfortunately, full-sized mango trees grow too large for small yards and containers. A new variety of mango called ‘Cogshall’ is nicknamed “Condo Mango” because of its dwarf growth habit and ease of growing in a pot. Known by the botanical name Mangifera indica, the tree matures to about 8 feet tall and will bear a crop of mangos every year once it reaches fruiting age (in 3 to 4 years). The sweet, fiberless fruit has a yellowish-orange skin with a red blush and ripens in mid-to-late summer. Mangos are self-fertile, so a single plant will bear fruit. Allow the fruit to fully ripen on the tree for maximum sweetness. Grow in full sun in well-drained but evenly moist potting soil. This variety is cold hardy to USDA Zone 10, so bring it inside when the nighttime temperatures drop to the low 40s. Available in a 6-inch pot for $39.95.
Life Saver Plant (Huernia zebrina)
Take one look at the exotic flowers on this plant and you’ll know why it got the nickname lifesaver Plant. The amazing five-pointed, yellow, star-shaped flowers are banded in coppery brown with a dark red lifesaver rim — giving the plant an appearance that is part Dr. Seuss and part candy store! This low-growing succulent has four-sided stems with soft teeth at the edges, and the flowers emerge intermittently. The easy-to-grow lifesaver plant is perfect for a sunny windowsill and will tolerate neglectful watering. This compact plant only grows to about 3-inches tall in a container, and it needs a minimum temperature of 45°F. Each plant sells for $14.95.
Mulberry ‘Issai’ (Morus alba ‘Issai’)
Rare and hard-to-find, ‘Issai’ mulberry is a dwarf tree that performs admirably as a container plant. The fruit is larger than most dwarf mulberries, and the plant flowers and fruits most of the year in repeating cycles. When grown as a container plant, its plump, sweet fruit is easily picked and can be easily protected from birds with lightweight netting. ‘Issai’ is hardy as a garden plant in zones 5 to 9. When grown outdoors, it is deciduous. When grown inside in a container, it reaches 2- to 4-feet tall and will hold its leaves and continue to flower and fruit as long as the light level is high enough. One plant in a 4-inch pot sells for $19.95.
Begonia ‘Raspberry Torte’ (Begonia rex hybrid)
‘Raspberry Torte’ is a new Logee’s exclusive begonia with spiraled leaves that show off bands of silver and raspberry. The serrated leaf edges undulate with color, and the black-to-green veining gives the plant dimension and texture. The short leaf stems make this compact grower a prized begonia for any partially sunlit windowsill. ‘Raspberry Torte’ reaches to about 12 inches tall and grows best when temperatures are 60°F and warmer. One plant in a 2.5-inch pot sells for $10.95.
Babaco Papaya (Vasconcellea xheilbornii)
A superb container plant from Ecuador, Babaco papaya has long slender fruit with an amazing bouquet of flavor and an intensely juicy pulp. Also known as the mountain papaya, it can take winter temperatures just above freezing — unlike the standard papaya that suffers when temperatures are kept below 60°F. The fruit is seedless and can reach 8 to 10 inches long. Mature container-grown plants produce 7 to 10 fruits annually, and the container-grown tree will reach 4 to 8 feet tall. The plant grows quickly during the sunny warmth of summer and will begin fruiting at about 2 feet in height. One small tree in a 4-inch pot sells for $29.95
To receive a free Spring 2013 catalog or place an order, call Logee’s at 1-888-330-8038 or visit Logees.com.