July 8, 2006

Cycad

Cycad

Cycad

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is a native of South Africa and one of the most unusual and attractive members of the banana family (Musaceae). This popular plant bears a unique flower that resembles a brightly colored bird in flight, giving it the common name, bird-of-paradise. In contrast to the banana, the bird-of-paradise is trunkless.

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is a native of South Africa and one of the most unusual and attractive members of the banana family (Musaceae). This popular plant bears a unique flower that resembles a brightly colored bird in flight, giving it the common name, bird-of-paradise. In contrast to the banana, the bird-of-paradise is trunkless.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Marjory Stoneman Douglas, champion of the Florida Everglades and founder of Florida's environmental movement, passed away on May 14, 1998, at the age of 108. Her lifetime achievements include work as a civil rights activist, a crusader for women's rights, a journalist and playwright, and the first Florida woman in the U.S. Naval Reserves. Her greatest legacy, however, is the profound impact she had on the environment, notably in South Florida. Her book entitled "The Everglades: River of Grass," published in 1947, served to bring public attention to the Everglades at a time when people looked upon the Everglades as little more than a swamp. The book took five years to research, but as she later wrote, it was "an idea that would consume me for the rest of my life." Ms. Douglas was one of America's greatest conservationists and the first editor of Fairchild's magazine. The existence of the Everglades National Park is largely due to her efforts. She also lobbied extensively for the formation of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. This life-size sculpture of Ms. Douglas took over a year to create by sculptor and Fairchild volunteer Freda Tschumy and was unveiled at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Key Biscayne Nation Center in April 2005. Tschumy says that her idea was to "create a teaching device to show that even if you're not big and strong, even if you're not young, if you have devotion to an idea, you can make a wonderful difference in the world."

Resurrection Fern

Resurrection Fern (Polypodium polypodioides) is an epiphyte that grows attached to branches of forest trees and sometimes upon rocks or dry ground. This fern's long thin rhizomes grow creeping along narrow cracks or in the furrows of the host tree's bark. Along the length of the rhizome the fronds are arranged in a linear fashion. The Resurrection Fern gets its name because it can survive long periods of drought by curling up and appearing dead. When just a little water is present, the fern will uncurl and reopen, appearing to resurrect. This tiny plant has even been taken on a space shuttle mission to watch it resurrect itself in space!

Cycad

Blackberry Lily

Blackberry Lily (Iris Domestica)

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Baobab

The Baobab Tree (Adansonia digitata) is a massive tree that stores large quantities of water in its trunk tissues. During droughts, elephants obtain moisture by chewing on the wood. Baobabs produce large pendulous white flowers that are pollinated by bats. The velvety fruits that follow are filled with an edible acidic pulp sought by both monkeys and people. Although a characteristic tree of African savannas, this specimen has thrived at Fairchild since 1939.

Flower of the Baobab

The Baobab Tree (Adansonia digitata) is a massive tree that stores large quantities of water in its trunk tissues. During droughts, elephants obtain moisture by chewing on the wood. Baobabs produce large pendulous white flowers that are pollinated by bats. The velvety fruits that follow are filled with an edible acidic pulp sought by both monkeys and people. Although a characteristic tree of African savannas, this specimen has thrived at Fairchild since 1939.

Flower of the Baobab

The Baobab Tree (Adansonia digitata) is a massive tree that stores large quantities of water in its trunk tissues. During droughts, elephants obtain moisture by chewing on the wood. Baobabs produce large pendulous white flowers that are pollinated by bats. The velvety fruits that follow are filled with an edible acidic pulp sought by both monkeys and people. Although a characteristic tree of African savannas, this specimen has thrived at Fairchild since 1939.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

"Mango talk" during the International Mango Festival at Fairchild

Siam Tulip

The Siam Tulip (Curcuma alismatifolia) or Summer Tulip is native to northern Thailand and Cambodia. It is also commonly called 'patumma', 'bua sawan' (heaven lotus), or 'bua bok' (the land lotus). The Siam Tulip is a member of the ginger genera - Curcuma or Zingiberaceae.

Siam Tulip

The Siam Tulip (Curcuma alismatifolia) or Summer Tulip is native to northern Thailand and Cambodia. It is also commonly called 'patumma', 'bua sawan' (heaven lotus), or 'bua bok' (the land lotus). The Siam Tulip is a member of the ginger genera - Curcuma or Zingiberaceae.

Siam Tulip

The Siam Tulip (Curcuma alismatifolia) or Summer Tulip is native to northern Thailand and Cambodia. It is also commonly called 'patumma', 'bua sawan' (heaven lotus), or 'bua bok' (the land lotus). The Siam Tulip is a member of the ginger genera - Curcuma or Zingiberaceae.

Red Button Ginger

Red Button Ginger (Costus woodsonii)

Guava 'Giant Bangkok'

Guava (Psidium guajava) 'Giant Bangkok' - Called guayaba in Spanish-speaking countries and goiaba in Brazil, guava is a common shade tree or shrub in door-yard gardens in the tropics. It provides shade while the guava fruits are eaten fresh and made into drinks, ice cream, and preserves. In the richness of the Amazon, guava fruits often grow well beyond the size of tennis balls on well-branched trees or shrubs reaching up to 20 m high. Cultivated varieties average about 10 meters in height and produce lemon-sized fruits. The tree is easily identified by its distinctive thin, smooth, copper-colored bark that flakes off, showing a greenish layer beneath.

Pineapple

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Chrysothemis pulchella 'Black Flamingo'

(Chrysothemis pulchella) 'Black Flamingo' is an excellent flowering plant for the summer. It will dazzle you with abundant yellow and orange flowers that contrast nicely against its dark textured foliage. It has a yellow tubular flower with an orange calyx. As the flower ages and dies, the calyx remains and continues to add color to the show.

Chrysothemis pulchella 'Black Flamingo'

(Chrysothemis pulchella) 'Black Flamingo' is an excellent flowering plant for the summer. It will dazzle you with abundant yellow and orange flowers that contrast nicely against its dark textured foliage. It has a yellow tubular flower with an orange calyx. As the flower ages and dies, the calyx remains and continues to add color to the show.

Chrysothemis pulchella 'Black Flamingo'

(Chrysothemis pulchella) 'Black Flamingo' is an excellent flowering plant for the summer. It will dazzle you with abundant yellow and orange flowers that contrast nicely against its dark textured foliage. It has a yellow tubular flower with an orange calyx. As the flower ages and dies, the calyx remains and continues to add color to the show.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

In the Richard H. Simons Rainforest

In the Richard H. Simons Rainforest

Costas Malortieanus

Costus Malortieanus

In the Richard H. Simons Rainforest

In the Richard H. Simons Rainforest

In the Richard H. Simons Rainforest

Giant Spider Lily aka Queen Emma Lily

Giant Spider Lily aka Queen Emma Lily (Crinum augustum)

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Costas Barbatus

Costas barbatus

Decorative Pineapple

Ananas lucidus is a decorative pineapple with colorful miniature fruit. In spite of its size (over three feet tall), it is still considered a rather small species because of its upright habit. A showy species with slender, stiff but spineless leaves of coppery reddish brown and tennis ball sized, bright red fruit.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Bougainvillea Arborea

This magnificent, fast-growing bushy tree, Bougainvillea Arborea, was recently introduced into U.S. nurseries in 1992 from Venezuela. It grows 30 to 40 feet tall and can be trained into a freestanding specimen with a single trunk. Bougainvillea Arborea is the world's only "true" totally thornless and fragrant Bougainvillea. This variety's deep green, elongated leaves and bright lavender bracts really catch the eye!

Bougainvillea Arborea

This magnificent, fast-growing bushy tree, Bougainvillea Arborea, was recently introduced into U.S. nurseries in 1992 from Venezuela. It grows 30 to 40 feet tall and can be trained into a freestanding specimen with a single trunk. Bougainvillea Arborea is the world's only "true" totally thornless and fragrant Bougainvillea. This variety's deep green, elongated leaves and bright lavender bracts really catch the eye!

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden