Tropical lookalikes. Top photo features the stately Allamanda. Bottom photo: The irrepressible Mandevilla. So what's the confusion? Allamanda and Mandevilla are basically the same plant, right? No way, and they can't believe you would even say that. If you look past your first immediate impressions -- bright yellow blooms, viney…
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This Arikury palm claims a small corner of a Sarasota courtyard. Photo source: South Florida Plant Guide. Arikury palms aren’t that well-known, so chances are you’ll ask “What’s that?” when you see one. Their punky, spike-like leaf bases or “boots” are purposely left long to form a distinctive spiral pattern.…
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ArtisTree Lawn & Ornamental Manager Carl Sikkema's extensive experience includes turf management, identifying pest/health issues, and customer education. Carl is BMP-certified and bi-lingual in Spanish. Virginia Creeper vine often treats SW Florida residents to a brilliant color show when temperatures drop. But it's almost always misidentified, so every fall and…
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Dipladenia, a lovely flowering vine belonging to the Mandevilla genus, adorns countless Sarasota landscapes with colorful, trumpet-like flowers and rich green foliage. But if you mention it to ArtisTree’s Plantopinons experts, prepare to step back because petals might fly. Welcome to our Dipladenia Debate. Dipladenia is a bit "shrubbier" than…
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