Here in the Courtyard cul-de-sac are gingerbread palms, orchids, and a variety of flowering plants.

These Aechmea species from Tropical America are members of the bromeliad, or pineapple, family (Bromeliaceae).  Overlapping leaves hold water like urns.  The colorful flower stalks attract hummingbird pollinators and last a long time as cut flowers. Internet reference

Common name:    Peregrina Botanical name:    Jatropha intergerrima Family name:         Euphorbiaceae Located on either side of the south entrance to the greenhouse is this showy evergreen shrub from the West Indies that is almost always in bloom.   Like many of the euphorbs, Jatropha contains a milky sap that can irritate sensitive skin. All parts of the plant are reported to be poisonous if ingested.

Common name:    African Tulip-Tree Botanical name:   Spathodea campanulata Family name:         Bignoniaceae On the opposite end of the Courtyard, this tree is located south of the greenhouses. A native of tropical Africa, it may grow to 60 feet.  During late fall and into early spring terminal clusters of flowers appear above the foliage.  Flower color varies from orange and yellow to red.  The blossoms face upward giving it the common name Tulip-Tree. The wood is soft and brittle so that a sheltered place is advisable. Internet reference

Frank Smith of Krull Smith, Inc. donated these specimens. Internet reference

Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 69.

A new dead end path allows a closeup view of the American Oil Palm.

Common name:     Buddah Belly Costus Botanical name:     Costus guanaiensis var. tarmicus Family name:          Zingiberaceae A beautiful tropical ginger from Ecuador with large yellow flowers. The flowers are eaten in salads. Sour, aromatic juice is squeezed from stalks, diluted and sweetened for juice.  Note the prominent swellings on the stems. Internet reference

Common name:   Yellow Geiger tree Botanical name:   Cordia lutea Family name:       Boraginaceae Cordia lutea is located at the west end of the cul-de-sac near the boardwalk. From Peru, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, and Marquesas Islands, this shrub or small tree has striking canary yellow, trumpet shaped flowers in clusters.  The elliptical leaves have a rough upper surface.  It is drought resistant and cold resistant to 32 deg. F.  Internet reference

Common name: Botanical name:     Leea guineensis Family name:          Leeaceae An evergreen shrub from tropical Africa, L. guineensis is a vigorous grower that needs a lot of space and partial shade. The flower sprays are up to 8 inches across and flowering may be year round. Internet reference

Common name:    Purple Broom Botanical name:   Polygala virgata Family name:         Polygalaceae Purple Broom is located just to the right of Cordia lutea. It comes from South Africa, where it is nearly always found on stream banks. The purple sweet pea-like flowers are evenly spaced, hanging in rows along leafless twigs. Young plants are very sparse, with single stems. They fill out after a couple of years, developing into the typical much-branched head. Purple Bloom attracts butterflies and bees. Internet reference

The story about the hybridizer, Sir Jeremiah Colman, is well told by Ernest Hetherington in the AOS Orchids magazine."Gatton" refers to his estate, Gatton Park. The intergeneric genus Colmanara  was named for him. Hetherington, Ernest. June 2005. Orchids. Vol. 74 No. 6. Page 430-435.

Common name:     Tree Fuchsia Botanical name:     Schotia brachypetala Family name:          Caesalpiniaceae From South Africa, S. brachypetala is a handsome, medium to large tree with a wide-spreading, densely branched, rounded crown. The deep red flowers produce copious amounts of nectar.  In warm climates it is evergreen but when established it tolerates light frost. Internet reference

A bed of Phaiocalanthe is located in front of the Acalypha wilkesiana `Mardi-Gras' hedge.  Phaiocalanthe is a terrestial genus made up from Phaius and Calanthe.  The Phaius genus is noted for Phaius tankervilleae, the Nun's Orchid.  The cross between the Nun's orchid and  Calanthe Rozel is Phaiocalanthe Kryptonite, a popular and colorful hybrid made by E.F.G. Orchids in July 2000. (E.F.G. Orchids is now Power Plant, near Daytona Beach, Florida).

Near the top of the east access to the gift shop is another Live Oak.  This one was donated bythe Shreveport, LA Judging Center and the Shreveport Orchid Society in memory of Micky Parker.

Donated in memory of Barbara L. Ornest, a longtime AOS member. Internet reference

Common name:     Weeping Bottlebrush Botanical name:     Callistemon viminalis  Family name:          Myrtaceae From Australia, C. viminalis is an evergreen small tree that blooms intermittently in warm months.  Clusters of red, bottlebrush-like flowers appear near the branch tips.  It is salt tolerant and tolerates wet conditions.  The genus name Callistemon means "beautiful stamens." Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 283.

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Common name:    Candle Tree Botanical name:     Parmentiera  cereifera Family name:          Bignoniaceae From Central America, the Candle Tree gets its name from waxy green-yellow fruit that grows up to 12" long.  The fruit and seeds are edible. It is easy to cultivate and will survive frosts. Internet reference

Common name:    Variegated Kapok Botanical name:     Ceiba pentandra Family name:          Malvaceae C. pentandra is a large deciduous tree native to South America but cultivated in the tropics.  In late winter and spring when there are no leaves flowering begins with clusters that are pollinated at night by bats.  Fruit forms that split revealing the cotton fiber balls known as "kapok" that surround and help disperse the seeds.  Internet reference

Common name:     American Oil Palm Botanical name:     Elaeis 0leifera Family name:          Arecaceae From Costa Rica to the lower Amazon in Brazil, this large pinnate-leaved palm has bright red fruit that yields palm oil.  The oil is used locally for lighting and cooking fuel.  The highly saturated and unhealthy oil has found its way into some prepared foods. Internet reference

Common name:      Doum Palm Botanical name:     Hyphaene coriacea Family name:           Arecaceae Doum palms are native to Africa where their fruit is an important source of food and fodder in desert areas. These palms like full sun and moist, well-drained soil. They tend to be very slow growing and long-lived. Our three handsome specimens were a gift from Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami. Unfortunately one, a female gingerbread palm that produced fruit,  died from hurricane Wilma in 2005.

Common name:    Bird of Paradise Botanical name:    Strelitzia reginae Family name:         Strelitziaceae Native to South Africa the popular Bird of Paradise was named for King George III's wife, Queen (reginea in Latin) Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Strelitzia). It has attractive foliage as well as the handsome flowers.  A rich acid soil with lots of nutrients is a requirement. Internet reference

Common name:   Ylang-ylang Tree Botanical name:   Cananga odorata Family name:        Annonaceae This fast growing evergreen tree from the Phillipines is famous for the perfume extracted from the flowers (found in Chanel #5). The perfume also is an ingredient in MotionEaze. It prefers some sun and acidic soil. Frgrance from the tree is most noticeable in early evening. Internet reference

Common name:     Impala Lily Botanical name:    Adenium multiflorum Family name:         Apocynaceae A. multiflorum is a decidious shrub or small tree from South Africa, mostly within the Kruger National Park. A multitude of flowers appear in the winter. The leaves are shed before flowering. Good drainage prevents root rot. The brilliant white, pink, crimson, red and bicoloured flowers that cover these plants when in full bloom create a sight to behold.

Common name:    Checkered Pansy Orchid Botanical name:    Vanda tessellata ‘RF’

Mounted on Adenium multiform is Encyclia bractescens, an orchid species from Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. It flowers in late winter and spring. Internet reference

Common name:     Bridal Wreath Frangipani Botanical name:    Plumeria pudica Family name:          Apocynaceae Located near the Vaughn garden entrance is this gem from Panama, Columbia, and Venezuela.  In our climate it is almost always in bloom with funnel-shaped white flowers and a yellow throat.  The distinctive leaves are long with a pair of large lobes near the pointed tip and remain evergreen here.

Located in the center island in the cul-de-sac are the famous Doum Palms

Dendrobium Gatton Sunray  (Den. pulchellum X Den. ‘Illustre’) is located at the base of the Doum Palm. It is safe to say that anyone who has ever seen this opulent hybrid Dendrobium in bloom never forgets it. Its large hanging panicles of 4” butter-yellow flowers heavily splotched with a rich burgundy color are a gripping sight even to the most jaded of orchidists. Even after more than 80 years from its 1919 introduction this orchid is still commonly grown and greatly admired. Give this heirloom hybrid plenty of room, for its canes may exceed a length of 6’. It likes high light and moderate temperatures; however growers here in balmy south Florida achieve good results. - Darrin Duling

Common name:    Bottle Palm Botanical name:    Hyophorbe Lagenicaulis Family name:         Arecaceae This little dwarf of a palm from Madagascar will grow slowly to a height of 10-12 ft . The trunk is a rounded bulge in young specimens and gradually elongates and flattens somewhat as the palm matures.  A small crown consisting of 4 to 8 pinnate (featherlike) leaves sits atop a smooth green crownshaft that connects the leaves to the trunk. There are said to be fewer than 15 specimens left in its native habitat, but bottle palm is cultivated for its unique beauty in tropical countries around the world. Bottle Palm needs good moisture,  broken shade and will be killed by freezing temperatures. Internet reference

From here enter the Formal Lawn adjacent to the display greenhouse.

Common name:    Cape Milwort Botanical name:   Polygala myrtifola `Chapman Field' Family name:         Polygalaceae P. myrtfolia is an evergreen shrub from South Africa that produces purple flowers year round in South Florida.  This specimen was donated and cultivated by Dr. Alan Meerow, research geneticist at the USDA.  You may read Dr. Meerow's article on this superior new seedling selection by clicking on Internet reference.

Adenium multiflorum, a colorful small tree, is located at the south entrance to the display greenhouse.

One of the largest specimen orchids that we have in our garden is this standout performer that measures in at a whopping 5’ high by 4’ wide. This plant, nestled at the base of the Doum Palm, continuously pumps out stout inflorescences of intriguingly colored 1 ½” flowers. The sepals and petals are pinkish buff underlain with a lighter checkered pattern, a bright pink lip and ivory-white column. The outer surface of the flower is a paler buff pink fading to ivory. A bit of history: this is the type species for the genus Vanda, although it was first described in 1759 as an Epidendrum (!), and it is native to India – Malaya. ‘RF’ is a self-hybrid created by Robert Fuchs. – Darrin Duling

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Common name:    Cypress Elf, Mardi Gras Botanical name:    Acalypha wilkesiana `Mardi-Gras' Family name: Euphorbiaceae A. wilkesiana is native to Fiji and the South Pacific but has been established in central Florida.  In frost-free areas it is an evergreen shrub that can be grown as a hedge as is this variegated cultivar under the clock vine. Internet reference