This week’s selection is the Genus Portlandia and two relatives of Portlandia, Cubanola and Catesbaea. These small trees have very fragrant flowers which are pollinated by moths. All three are members of the Rubiaceae family which is home to coffee and gardenias. Portlandia grandiflora (Tree Lily or Bell Flower) has fragrant flowers like its relative,…
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Mussaenda is a genus of shrubs in the Rubiaceae Family (the Coffee Family) with very showy enlarged floral sepals which surround the true flower. Mussaendas are commonly planted in the South Florida landscape, although they are native to the African and Asian tropics. Richard Lyons Nursery carries 6 different varieties as shown below.
This week’s featured plant is Hamelia cuprea (Bahama Firebush). Despite its common name of Bahama Firebush, this shrub is native to Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Cayman Islands, but NOT the Bahamas. A close relative to Hamelia patans, our native Firebush, its leaves are larger and glossier, and the flowers are bell shaped and much…
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The Tree Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea arborea) is in all its splendor now in S. Florida. A true species Bougainvillea that grows in tree form usually with multiple trunks. It can attain a height of 20 feet or more and only has light purple to lavender bracts. Unlike its hybrid cousins, which have many different colors and…
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Today’s post features 3 palms in the Genus Dypsis. Dypsis cabadae, (Cabada Palm), Dypsis lanceolata (Ivovowo Palm), and Dypsis leptocheilos (Teddy Bear Palm). Dypsis cabadae is a water-loving species that was almost unknown here 35 years ago. Its dark green stems with white rings marking where leaves once were gives this palm a bamboo-like appearance. …
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