Coleus- I Planted Roots in Mexico

By Tommy Clarkson on the May 2020 Edition Solenostemon scutellarioides Family Lamiaceae Also known as Painted Nettle or Variegated Coleus (Ladies and gentleman, meet the veritable poster child for wildly multi-colored, variegated tropical plant leaves!) The subtitle for Nellie Neal’s book, Gardener’s Guide to Tropical Plants, is “Cool ways to add hot, bold foliage and striking textures.” […]

Continue reading

Ivy-Leaf Peperomia- I Planted Roots in Mexico

By Tommy Clarkson on the May 2020 Edition Peperomia griseoargentea Family Piperaceae Also known as Radiator Plant or Ivy Leaf Pepper Or is it? I’ve always admired the array of interesting characters in the Peperomia genus what with some 1,000 of them, we’ve no few from which to choose! In fact, I wrote about the Pepperface […]

Continue reading

Scarlet Spiral Flag-I Planted Roots in Mexico

By Tommy Clarkson on the April 2020 Edition Scarlet Spiral Flag Costus woodsonii Family Zingiberaceae Also known as Indian Head Ginger, French Kiss, Red Button Ginger, Red Cane Dwarf, Panama Candle Plant, Panamanian Candle Ginger or Cone Ginger Born with the appellation of Thomas one derived from the Aramaic personal name meaning “twin” I actually […]

Continue reading

Blushing Spiral Ginger – I Planted Roots in Mexico

By Tommy Clarkson on the April 2020 Edition Family Zingiberaceae Also known as None known Few are the folks who don’t like the assorted flowers of Ginger! In Volume I of “The Civilized Jungle”, I wrote about the Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet). In Volume II, it was the Red Ginger (Alpinia puepirata), Torch Ginger (Etlingera […]

Continue reading