Rain Forest Gardener

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THIS IS THE WHITE VARIETY

From Anthurium andraeanum -Exotic 'WHITE'

Scientific Name: Anthurium andraeanum. Common name: Flamingo Flower, Flamingo Lily, Oilcloth Flower. This is the popular florist Anthurium with its artificial, plastic-looking flower that has almost become a symbol of Hawaii.

From Anthurium andraeanum -Exotic 'WHITE'

Beautiful plant that has attractive dark green heart-shaped leaves, a straight, yellow flower spike and a glossy waxed-looking WHITE flower spathe. Many different cultivars exist, with the most common ones being the red, white or pink spathes.

Native to Central and South America but widely cultivated around the world as a house plant. Easy to grow from seeds but the seeds are rarely available commercially. It likes partial shade or light shade, is basically epiphytic and will grow best in a mix of bark, perlite and fern fiber such as that used in orchids or bromeliads. They can be grown in soil but rarely perform well in that medium. Looks great in a hanging basket. Excellent as cut flowers and will last a long time without any special preparation, often up to two or three weeks. It makes an excellent container plant that is easily cared for and makes.a nice focal point for a tropical or subtropical patio or courtyard.

Also called Cheese Shrub, Mouse Pineapple.

From Morinda royoc "Vine Noni"

From Morinda royoc "Vine Noni"

Scientific Name: Morinda royoc. Common name: ‘wart vine’, ‘wild noni’. This is a rare and unusual wild relative of the famed Polynesian medicine plant Morinda citrifolia ‘Noni”. A vine, it produces fruit that are minature versions of the noni fruit.

From Morinda royoc "Vine Noni"

It’s native range includes both Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Florida. Identical in taste, flavor and unpleasant smell but praised for its healing properties in traditional medicine. The plant has shiny dark green leaves and is attractive as an ornamental with bright yellow fruits. Easy to grow from seeds and makes an excellent container plant that is easily cared for.

From Noni

Scientific Name: Morinda citrifolia. Common name: Noni but is also known as the Indian Mulberry. It is a small shrub or tree that can grow up to 20 feet and produces many white flowers.

Used in the Pacific Islands for medicinal purposes since ancient times, young tender leaves were used to treat boils, cuts, inflammations and many other remedies to treat many other ailments.

From Noni

We must add that the Noni fruit when ripe is foul smelling and unpleasant. The plant would do okay in containers, preferably 5 gallons or larger (small containers would only make for small plants).

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F). Southern Florida and Hawaii seasons will allow Noni. Below 40 degrees Fahrenheit it will die.

From Noni

Can be propagated from cuttings and seeds. For a stronger plant always start from seed.
Seed germination would take about 30-60 days or more, and fruiting could be attained at around 6 months.
Seeds need to be germinated in a very warm and wet environment.
Scoring or nicked with a knife to aid germination.

From Averrhoa bilimbi

Scientific Name: Averrhoa bilimbi. Common name: ‘bilimbi’.

A pretty little fruit tree that is a close relative of the carambola but quite different in appearance, manner of fruiting, flavor and uses. Native to Indonesia.

From Averrhoa bilimbi

The tree is upright and decorative and will usually grow to be 15 to 20 feet high and bear lots of multi-lobed, oblong fruit with a pale green waxy skin. The fruit turns yellow when ripe and has a crunchy but watery textured flesh. The taste is very similar to the starfruit, although the flesh is more acidic.

Easy to grow from seed; the seeds will germinate in 30 to 60 days and the plants will bloom and produce fruit in about three years. Can be used as a container plant.

The plant can be grown in full sun or light shade.

Temperature zones.
USDA: 11-12

Will grow in Southern Florida and Hawaii as long as it has some protection from the wind and cold.

From Sabal mauritiiformis

Grown as a landscape Palm and for it’s foliage. It is commonly used for thatch roofs in Central America. It is popular for Cabana roofing on beach resorts.

Can be grown in Southern California and Florida. Zone 10a and above.

Sensitive to frost. Temperatures less than 30 degrees fahrenheit will damage leaves.

Grows well in full sun and will tolerate some shade.

Height in tropical regions can reach over 40 feet.

Seeds take 2 to 4 months or more to germinate. Do not let seeds get dry they need consistantly moist soil.

From Sabal mauritiiformis

From Mamey sapote

Scientific Name: Pouteria sapota. Common name: ‘Mamey sapote, mamey apple’. This is a very popular fruit in Florida, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America. Native to the seasonally dry forests of Mexico (including Yucatan), Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador.

It has been cultivated by the native people of Central America for hundreds of years. The tree forms a large spreading canopy and the fruits are borne directly on the thick twigs and branches of the canopy and have an oval or football shape. The fruit are brown in color, and its flesh is red to salmon in color.

From Mamey sapote

From Mamey sapote

Widely grown in the tropical regions and the fruit can be eaten fresh, used in cooking, pies, excellent in ice cream. This tree is easy to grow from seeds and can be used as a landscape tree urban environments.

Like most fruit trees, it is mainly propagated by grafting, which ensures that the new plant has the same characteristics as the parent, especially its fruit. It is also considerably faster than growing trees by seed

From Mamey sapote

This is a grafted tree on the farm.

From Mamey sapote

The trees range from 50-150 feet. Usually takes seedlings 10 years or so to fruit. A popular saying in Belize is “You plant a mamey apple tree for your grandchild to enjoy.”

Germination of Sapote seeds usually happens within 2 to 4 weeks after planting. The seeds need to be planted within a month after harvesting. After that time they will not germinate.

Seedlings need to be spaced about 25 to 35 feet apart.

Grafted trees will produce fruit in 1 to 3 years.

A long dry period will result in leaf loss.

Grows in Southern Florida in the USA. It is sensitive to frost.