7 Amazing Plants for Spring That Delight the 5 Senses!
7 Amazing Plants for Spring That Delight the 5 Senses!
By Laurelynn Martin and Byron Martin
 |
| Easter Cactus Collection |
When I think of favorite plants I have in my collection, I like to choose plants that delight the five senses. Whether it’s the flower, form, fragrance, fruit or uniqueness of the plants — all of them appeal to my five senses.
The Easter Cactus collection rewards my sight with a blast of color: Orange Easter Cactus (‘Colomba’), Red Easter Cactus (‘Scorpius’) and White Easter Cactus (‘Sirius’) from their early spring flowers. Blooming from March until May, every morning the flowers open at sunrise and close at sundown. Their iridescent star-shaped blooms are like Christmas cactus in their growth habit of forming buds at the ends of the stems.
 |
| Angel’s Trumpet ‘Audrey Lea’ |
Remember these are epiphytic in nature and only require filtered light and do not like direct sunlight. And, although the word cactus is in the name, these are not desert plants. They need to be watered regularly and fertilized throughout the active growing season.
Another spectacular bloom is Angel’s Trumpet ‘Audrey Lea’ which not only has a magnificent flower-within-a-flower form but also a nighttime fragrance that has a mysterious evening scent that tantalizes the sense of smell. The flower color ranges from watermelon to salmon to pink. And, as the flower matures the ends roll up giving way to the double skirt and fancy tails of the 12” flower.
Give plenty of sun and fertilizer to enhance ‘Audrey Lea’s’ flower producing capacity. I love growing ‘Audrey Lea’ in 12-14” pots and then placing them in prominent places on either side of a doorway entrance or as a focal point in a garden.
 |
| Joy Perfume Tree |
Another fragrant delight and a must have for my collection is the Joy Perfume Tree. The intensely fragrant Michelia champaca is the major ingredient in the perfume called “Joy” found throughout the world. Other ingredients are ylang ylang, rose, tuberose and jasmine.
 |
| Medinilla ‘Gregori Hambali’ |
 |
| Tango Mandarin |
Its yellow flowers emit the highly fragrant floral scent, and Joy Perfume Tree blooms from spring into summer. In its native Southeast Asia, Michelia champaca can grow up to 20’ tall so when grown in a pot, regular pruning is needed to contain the tree. Related to the Magnolia, Joy Perfume Tree is one of the most fragrant flowers in the world and thrills and delights the sense of smell.
Medinilla ‘Gregori Hambali’ has textured leaves with purple undersides and vibrant pink flowers that appear along the stems:
This beautiful plant appeals to the visual sense and even the sense of hearing since visitors will exclaim their delight when they gaze upon this rare plant from Papau, New Guinea. Medinilla makes a wonderful container plant that reaches the height of 2-3’ tall.
And finally, ‘Tango’ Mandarin stimulates the senses of taste, smell and touch. Like other citrus, ‘Tango’ flowers have a heady sweet orange scent. The juicy, seedless fruit are some of the sweetest citrus fruits we grow.
And the personal satisfaction of harvesting your own home grown fruit and peeling and eating it rounds out the sensual journey of these five amazing plants.
Learn more about the plants mentioned in this article: