Lychee trees are a wonderful tropical addition to gardens in warm climates. Their sweet fruits are the perfect summer treat and the lush green leaves add ornamental value for the rest of the year. Gardening expert Madison Moulton explains everything you need to know to grow and care for lychees in this guide. I have a long list of fruit and nut trees in my garden. Macadamias, avocados, bananas, mangoes—I could go on. But one of my favorite trees (and certainly the favorite of anyone who visits my garden) is the lychee. Where I’m from, lychees (or litchis) are a summer staple. There’s nothing better than grabbing a bowl of them and peeling the red skin to reveal the tasty fruit underneath. And since they can be quite pricey, growing my own has saved me a lot of money over the years. As tropical fruits, lychees are largely reserved for gardeners in zones 10 to 11 (or 9 at a push). As they can be quite particular about their environment, it’s best to stick to their requirements as best as you can if you want masses of fruits. In the right location, lychees aren’t too difficult to care for. Follow the tips in this guide, and you’ll have a tropical fruit paradise in no time (or, more accurately, in three to five years). What Are Lychee Trees? Lychees are delicious tropical fruits from the tree Litchi chinensis. Although they aren’t as widely grown as some other tropical fruits (mangoes come to mind), their unique flavor makes them worth growing. They also aren’t the most common fruit to find fresh in stores, so if you love lychees, it’s easier (and far more budget-friendly) to grow your own. Lychee trees produce small, round fruits with rough red skin. Once you peel the skin back, you’ll find the delicious white or translucent flesh surrounded by a large seed in the center. The flavor is hard to describe, but it’s a kind of combination of sweet and floral, the perfect treat for summer. The fruits are only around for a short period, so what is there to enjoy for the rest of the year? Lychees have a lush and evergreen canopy with a tropical look that adds impressive ornamental value. The flowers may not look like much, but the glossy green leaves are a feature on their own. There are a few varieties to choose from, but ‘Mauritius’ and ‘Brewster’ are the most common. Characteristics Lychee trees can reach impressive heights of 40 feet or more in the right conditions. Thankfully, they respond well to pruning if you’re short on space or want to keep the tree at a more manageable size. You only need one to produce fruit too, so you don’t have to worry about finding space for two large trees. These trees, like many other fruit trees, unfortunately, do take their time to produce fruit. If you purchase one from a nursery, you’ll be waiting around 3 to 5 years for your first fruits. Starting from seed may require a decade (or more) of patience. In late spring, lychee trees produce clusters of greenish-white flowers that attract masses of pollinators like bees. In spring, my lychee tree is the most popular plant in my garden for bees, drawing so many that you can hear their buzz from inside the house. They are considered self-fertile—I only have one tree and enjoy more fruit than I know what to do with each year. But having more than one can potentially boost the fruit set and quality. Native Area These tropical fruit trees are native to southern China. They’re happiest in warm, humid climates with mild, dry winters and hot, rainy summers. They don’t perform well in coastal areas close to sea level. Lychees thrive in USDA zones 10 and 11, but those in zone 9 can still grow them paying a little more attention to cold snaps. If you live in an area where frost is common, consider planting in containers so you can move your tree indoors or to a sheltered spot like a greenhouse when temperatures drop. Planting Early spring is typically the best time to plant lychee trees. In warmer regions with mild winters, you can get away with planting a bit earlier to help them establish faster, but it’s always a good idea to keep a close eye on the forecast. You won’t be getting fruit in the first year anyway, so focus on a strong start instead. Find a location with at least six hours of sunlight daily. The soil should be well-draining, so avoid low-lying spots where water tends to pool. If your soil is heavy, work in plenty of organic matter before planting to improve drainage. If you’re planting from a nursery-grown tree, dig a hole that’s a little larger than the current bag or container. Gently remove the tree and place it in the hole so that it sits at the same level as in the container. Fill in the gaps with soil, firm it down gently, and water thoroughly to help the roots settle in. A layer of organic mulch around the base will also help keep moisture in (just don’t let it sit directly against the trunk). Starting from seed takes a little extra effort and a lot more patience. You also won’t get the same type of tree you planted from, so it’s fun for experimentation, but not reliability. Plant your seeds as soon as possible after removing them from the fruit. Soak overnight and sow the seeds about an inch deep in a well-draining soil mix and keep the soil moist. Apply consistent warmth and plenty of bright light. You’ll hopefully see a sprout in a few weeks. But if a quicker harvest and reliability is your goal, I recommend choosing a nursery-grown tree instead.

Coneflowers are a beautiful addition to the garden and are excellent for attracting wildlife. Add some PowWow 'Wild Berry' coneflowers to your garden for an extra bright pop of purple that lasts all summer! Gardening expert Melissa Strauss goes over how to grow and care for this fun hybrid. Coneflowers, or Echinacea, are sturdy and beautiful perennials with daisy-like flowers. Their spiky cones provide an ample supply of nectar for pollinators, and their seed heads make excellent food for overwintering birds and other small animals. Their attractive flowers, paired with their long blooming season and pollinator appeal, make these a staple for many gardeners. While the most common color for these flowers is purple, some cultivars bloom in shades of yellow, pink, white, and orange. What Is PowWow® ‘Wild Berry’ Coneflower? PowWow® ‘Wild Berry’ is a hybrid coneflower known for its extra intense color, compact size, and reliable blooming habit. Developed by PanAm Seed Co., this variety is a hybrid, but it’s bred from the Echinacea purpurea species. It’s still considered a hybrid, as it has been bred for specific traits, such as vivid color and vigorous growth. Characteristics PowWow® ‘Wild Berry’ is a flowering perennial with vibrant magenta flowers that are brighter and more saturated than those of its parent species, Echinacea purpurea. The flowers are three to four inches across and begin blooming in early summer in most climates, but they may start to bloom earlier in warm climates. The lovely purple petals surround a spiky cone at the center. The cone of this cultivar is bold, coppery-orange. It’s shorter than most standard varieties, reaching a height of around 20 inches, making it a great border option. It also works well in containers. The foliage is standard for the genus. Lance-shaped leaves are deep green with a rough texture. The leaves are evenly spaced along strong, slender stems. They make fabulous cut flowers. When it comes to attracting pollinators, these will do the job splendidly. Native Area Echinacea purpurea, the parent species, is native to most of the Eastern and Central United States, and north into Canada. It grows in meadows, prairies, and open wooded areas. It’s a versatile and adaptable plant that can grow in most soil types and climates. Planting Because this variety is compact, it makes a great container plant. It’s also lovely in borders or mixed beds, and in pollinator gardens. You can plant seedlings in spring or fall. Wait until after the last frost in spring, or plant at least six weeks before the first frost in fall.

Agertum’s easy-going nature and unique blooms make it an excellent addition to cut flower gardens, flower boxes, and planters. If you want to grow it at home, join flower farmer Briana Yablonski to learn planting and care tips. If you’re looking for a flower that serves a supporting role in the garden and floral studio, ageratum is one of your best choices. These easy-to-care-for annuals produce clusters of blooms topped with tufts of silk-like ray flowers that give a unique and soft look. While they won’t steal the spotlight in the garden, they add a soft texture and subtle pop of color. Most of the flowers are blue, but you can also find varieties in shades of pink, purple, and white. The plants continue to pump out new blooms for multiple months, providing long-lasting color. Plus, the blooms hold up well when cut and attract pollinators of all kinds. What Is It? Ageratum goes by several names, including floss flower, blue mist flower, and bluemink. It’s an annual plant that’s native to Central America but widely grown throughout the world as an ornamental. In some locations, it’s escaped cultivation and become a nuisance plant. You can find multiple varieties of Ageratum houstonianum that vary in height and flower color. Some of these cultivars work well as short bedding plants, and others produce long stems that make them suitable options for filler flowers in arrangements. Characteristics Ageratum is a flowering annual that grows best in summer. It has a mounding growth habit with densely packed, branching stems covered with slightly fuzzy, ovate leaves. Some varieties rarely grow more than six inches tall, while others send out two-foot-long stems. Clusters of small, round flowers appear on the top of the stems. Blue is the most common flower color, but you can also find varieties with white, purple, or pink blooms. All of the flowers have elongated ray florets that look like tufts of silky floss. Some people confuse ageratum with blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). While both of these plants produce similar flowers, the latter is a cold-tolerant perennial that’s native to the eastern half of the United States. Native Range Ageratum is native to portions of Central America and Mexico. Although it can complete its life cycle in a few months, it often remains living for multiple years in these frost-free areas. Planting Whether you want to tuck a few ageratum plants into a planter or front yard garden bed, or add taller varieties to your cutting garden, starting with healthy plants is key. Since ageratum is an annual, you’ll need to replant these flowers each year. Starting with seeds or transplants are both viable options, so choose the one that works best for you.