By Tommy Clarkson from the July 2014 Edition Syagrus romanzoffiana Family: Arecaceae Also known as: Cocos Palm (A “newbie” to palm inquired, “So Tommy, what are your thoughts on the Queen Palm?” The curmudgeony, highly opinionated, rather grey headed grump, with dirt encrusted fingernails and torn shorts, fast responded. ”Well, right off the top of my head, tawdry, […]
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By Tommy Clarkson from the July 2014 Edition Indian Comb, Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum Family: Pachycereus Also known as: Aborigine’s Comb, Chik, Etcho, Hairbrush Cactus and Hecho With limited space in Ola Brisa Gardens, we’ve made difficult decisions about what plants to showcase. Early on we decided to have only a few (and those for accent) cacti. Hence, this huge […]
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By Manzanillo Sun Writer from the June 2014 Edition Bougainvillea glabra Family: Nyctaginaceae (Same type and size as Paper Flower.) It’s said that the highlight of French Navy Admiral Louis de Bougainvillea’s 1768 odyssey was his discovery of the Brazilian flowering vine that now bears his name. And, what a great and colorful one it is! In […]
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By Tommy Clarkson from the June 2014 Edition Air Root Bromeliads (Tillandsia) Family: Bromeliaceae Also known as: Air plants While in 4-H as a youth in western Kansas, I learned in entomology studies that technically speaking all bugs are insects but all insects are not bugs. In the plant world a comparable corollary is that while all Tillandsias […]
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By Tommy Clarkson from the May 2014 Edition Cycads A very basic overview “Cycas” comes from the Greek word for palm tree . . . but it ain’t! Cycad is the common name for approximately 100 species that comprise the plant division of Cycadophyta. Many do resemble palm trees in their leaf and stem structure and some […]
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By Manzanillo Sun Writer from the May 2014 Edition “Cycas” comes from the Greek word for palm tree . . .but it ain’t! Cycad is the common name for approximately 100 species that comprise the plant division of Cycadophyta. Many do resemble palm trees in their leaf and stem structure and some species were incorrectly identified as […]
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By Tommy Clarkson from the April 2014 Edition Cleome hassleriana (Possibly, C. spinosa, C. houtteana, or maybe even C. sesquiorygalis they’re all quite similar!) Family: Cleomaceae Also known as: Spider Plant, Spider Legs, Grandpa’s Whiskers, Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, or Stinking Clover As a rule, I don’t generally write about annuals particularly when I’m not sure of the […]
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By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2014 Edition (No Common Name) (Begonia deliciosa – Found in Borneo, named in 1851) Kidney Begonia (Begonia dichotoma Found in Venezuela/Colombia, named in 1790) Family: Begoniaceae These species are but two of 1,500, worldwide, which comprise the Begonia family but are a couple growing in Ola Brisa Gardens that I enjoy. From […]
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By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2014 Edition Philodendros Family: Araceae Also known as: (Dependent upon species, a diverse array of names are used.) Native to the West Indies and the tropical rain forests of Central and South America, Philodendrons are a large family of approximately 900 species. As some of the most beautiful foliage plants in the […]
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By Manzanillo Sun Writer from the February 2014 Edition Terminalia catappa Family: Combretum Also known as: Sea Almond, Indian Almond, Malabar Almond, Barbados Almond, Bastard Almond, Bengal Almond, Country Almond, Demarara Almond, Fijian Almond and False Kamani. Originally from Madagascar, Malaysia and the East Indies, the Tropical Almond Tree is now ubiquitous throughout the world’s tropics. Some […]
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