By Tommy Clarkson on the June 2019 Edition Indian Rubber Plant Ficus elastic Family Moraceae Also known as Indian Rubber Tree, Rubber Fig, Rubber Bush, Asssam Tree or Snake Tree From a genus of no less than 800 species and a rather substantive group thought to be double that number by some botanists the strange growth […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson the June 2019 Edition Aphelandra Squarrosa Aphelandra squarrosa Family Acanthaceae Also known as Saffron Spike (This beauty, most probably, originated in Brazil. But why/how I recall something else, most convolutedly related, is clearly yet another example of my particular thinking process of quirkiness! You see, before I completed US Army Officer Candidate School […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson on the May 2019 Edition Red Latan Latania lontaroides Family Arecaceae Also known as Latanier (I feel in the smallest of childish, self-satisfied ways a bit vindicated from my sometimes emergent feelings of botanical inadequacy! You see, my specimen of Latania lontaroides is but a small though beautiful and healthy -youngster palm. […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson on the May 2019 Edition Chile Petin Capsicum annuum Family Solanaceae Also known as Chile Piquin, Bird Pepper, Turkey Pepper or Cayenne Peppe Often asked of me is “OK Tommy, how hot are these to eat?” Endeavoring to keep it all in perspective on the Scoville scale […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson the April 2019 Edition Amazon Lily Eucharis Amazonica Family Amaryllidaceae Also known as Eucharist Lily The Eucharis Amazonica comes from the South American Andes of Columbia and Peru –not, as the names implies, the Amazon. But the confounding, plant identification monster has, again, reared its ugly head with some botanists, stating there […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson the April 2019 Edition Cyclamen Colchicum Cyclamen Colchicum Family Primulaceae Also known as Sowbread or Swinebread (Steven, our close pal who, for a number of years, owned and operated a couple of funeral homes outside of Kansas City, shared that, as a result of their lovely flowers and delightful leaves no few […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2019 Edition Zebra Plant Cryptanthus zonatus Family Bromeliaceae Also known as Earth Star, Zebra Star or Guinea Wing “Now hold on just a moment, Tommy. Earlier, I know for an absolute fact that you told me that the Aphelandra squarrosa a smallish, flowering bush from Brazil was a Zebra […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2019 Edition American Water Lily Nymphaea odorata Family Nymphaeaceae Also known as Fragrant White Waterlily, Fragrant Waterlily, White Water lily, Sweet scented White Water lily, Sweet scented Water lily or Beaver Root (Lacking a PhD in tropical botany is sometimes frustrating. This, exacerbated by not being but self taught, […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clakson from the February 2019 Edition Garlic Chives -Allium tuberosum Family Amaryllidaceae Also known as Oriental Garlic, Asian Chives, Chinese Chives or Chinese Leek (The same morning, recently, that I came upon some forgotten parsley which I’d planted a while back, I also found, nearby, this wonderful, new pot of Garlic Chives. A’hhhh, […]
Continue reading
By Tommy Clarkson from the February 2019 Edition Family Turneracea Also known as Mexican Holly, Damiana, Damiana Aphrodisiaca, Damiana Herb, Damiana Leaf, Mexican Damiana, Mizibcoc, Old Woman’s Broom and Oreganillo (I encourage you to be seated and holding onto something secure as you read the following – quite possibly – most shocking of surprises. But […]
Continue reading
You must be logged in to post a comment.