Enter the Jungle Garden along the north (right) side of the Formal Lawn Area.

Common name:    Allspice Tree Botanical name:   Pimenta dioica Family name:         Myrtaceae The Hilo Orchid Society generously donated this specimen in memory of Rex Van Delden. The spice or condiment, allspice, is made from the dried, unripe fruit of the allspice tree. Allspice is native to the West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America.  Commercial production now is mostly in Jamaica.  The tree grows to about 40 feet and has large, leathery, evergreen leaves.  Following the small white flowers is the brown berry-like fruit.  The leaves and fruit smell like a mixture of spices. The principal oil in allspice is eugenol, the same as found in cloves. Internet reference

Dendrobium Audree Millar (Den. atroviolaceum x Den. convolutum)

Mounted on the Silk Floss Tree are  several Dendrobium hybrids.

Common name:      Lobster Claw Botanical name:     Heliconia rostrata 'Dwarf' Family name:           Heliconiaceae         The dwarf cultivar is similar to the common rostrata or hanging lobster claw, except that it is a smaller plant. Heliconia rostrata is one of the most recognized and widely grown species, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is still considered one of the most beautiful. Internet reference Internet reference

Common name: Botanical name:    Sansevieria cylindrica Family name:         Agavaceae From Africa, this is an unusual relation of the common "Mother-in-Law's tongue" with spear shaped rounded deep green spikes. It is easy to grow in any well drained soil and multiplies to form a dense mass.  Frgrant flowers open only during the night. Internet reference

Common name:   White Calabash Botanical name:  Crescentia cujete Family name:        Bignoniaceae White Calabash is a much-prized native of the Caribbean and Central America whose fruit is used to make water containers and maracas. It is an upright, deciduous tree to 40’ with stiff, drooping, branches that are almost entirely covered in tight bunches of stem less leaves. The bark is very corky and makes a wonderful substrate on which to mount orchids and other epiphytes. In summer, 3” long, trumpet-shaped, dusty-rose colored flowers emerge

Taking this into consideration, it is prudent to keep a few rooted cuttings on hand for future replacement. Its small, green, apple-like fruits are poisonous. It belongs to the same family, Solanaceae, as the common potato, eggplant, and the highly fragrant Brunfelsias ("Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"). - Darrin Duling. Polly Reed donated this specimen.

Common name:    Terra Cotta Shrimp Plant Botanical name:   Beloperone guttata, Justica brandegeana Family name:         Acanthaceae From Mexico, this colorful shrub has white flowers beneath showy, overlapping, reddish brown bracts in terminal spikes. It flowers continuously in frost-free areas. Internet reference

Common name:    Pine Cone Ginger, Red Ginger Botanical name:   Alpinia purpurata `Jungle King’ Family name:         Zingiberaceae Originating in the Pacific islands, Pine Cone Ginger is grown in many tropical gardens and is a popular garden subject in Florida.  Robust clumps of dark green canes wrapped in lance-shaped foliage produce striking inflorescences at their tips from late winter through autumn. The “pine cones” are composed of overlapping shell-like bracts with small white flowers emerging between them. These make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers. This plant likes rich, moist soil, moderate shade, and protection from cold and drying winds. We have two varieties: ‘Jungle King’ which is magenta-colored, and ‘Aileen McDonald’, a pale shell pink. – Darrin Duling

Enter the Jungle Garden along the north (right) side of the Formal Lawn Area.

Common name:    Swiss Cheese Plant Botanical name:    Monstera obliqua, M. adansonii  Family name:          Araceae This vining Monstera has wide perforations in mature leaves.  Through evolution DNA changes developed that lead to premature cell death at the sites of the perforations. Bright light leads to larger perforations. Internet reference

Begonia 'Bodacious Bandit' An outstanding rhizomatous begonia named by a Floridian, Virginia Jens.

Cattleya quadricolor Mounted on the White Calabash Tree, this Cattleya species comes from Columbia.  It is the only Cattleya species that remains half-open and is bell-shaped.  Flowering at Christmas time, it could be called “Christmas Bells”.  “Quadricolor” refers to its four colors - purple, white, yellow and lavender.  In addition to its beauty it has a wonderful fragrance.  A.A. Chadwick tells the story of this orchid in the American Orchid Society magazine, Orchids, December 2001. It is well worth reading.  You can find it online at this Internet reference.

Common name:    Brazilian Potato Tree Botanical name:    Solanum wrightii Family name:         Solanaceae Potato Tree is a native of Brazil that is grown for its large bunches of flowers that open purple, fade to mauve and then white. The striking flowers appear all year and are set off by large, lobed leaves that give the plant a very tropical look. A caveat: the stems and leaves produce sizeable thorns so please take care when handling this plant! This tree is extremely fast growing and will reach a height of 15' or more in just a few years. Unfortunately its rapid metabolism is also its undoing, for it rarely lives longer than 10-12 years.

Common name:    Snake Plant `Mason’s Congo’ Botanical name:   Sansevieria masoniana Family name:        Liliaceae This is a very large and decorative succulent species with leaves up to 3 ft. tall and 7 in. wide, resembling a beaver tail, easily the largest of cultivated Sansevierias. The leaves are thick and rugged, dark bluish-green with lighter mottling. A further distinguishing characteristic is the purple-banded sheath at the bottom of the growing leaf, unique to this species.

Common name:     Hawaiian Golden Bamboo, Painted Bamboo Botanical name:   Bambusa vulgaris 'Vittata' Family name:        Poaceae (Gramineae) From India and Sri Lanka, this open clump bamboo may grow to 50 feet.  Each golden yellow culm is about 4 inches in diameter and has exquisite green stripes. The shoots are edible.  It is a non-invasive preferred species for erosion control. S.Oliphant donated this specimen from Richard Lyons Nursery. Internet reference

Common name:    Silver Spindle Palm Botanical name:   Coccothrinax spissa Family name:          Arecaceae This palm is located in the center island across  from the Allspice Tree. Coccothrinax spissa, native to the Dominican Republic, has a distinctively swollen trunk. This species grows slowly, eventually reaching 15-20 feet tall. The two- to three-foot wide, palmate, deeply divided leaves, are green above and slightly silvery underneath. They are borne on long, slender, arching petioles which produce an open crown. Ripe fruits are dark purple. Grow it in full sun to light shade.

Common name:     Saw Leaf Gardenia Botanical name:    Gardenia ternifolia ssp jovis-tonantis, G. cornuta Family name:          Rubiaceae Located next to the Terra Cotta Shrimp plant is this Gardenia species, an evergreen shrub from Africa. It has glossy narrow, crimped leaves that start out ovoid. The flowers in spring are trumpet shaped and creamy white to yellowish with a spicy fragrance.  It is used for bonsai in Asia. “Saw Leaf” refers to the uneven margins of the leaves. Its hardwood is used for knife handles. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants.Timber Press, Portland. Page 326.

Common name:     Windowleaf Botanical name:    Monstera deliciosa Family name:         Araceae From Central America, Windowleaf gets its common name from the glossy leaves with deep splits and oval perforations. It also is called split-leave philodenron as it was formerly classifed in the Philodendron genus. The ripe fruit is edible but the rest of the plant is poisonous. Internet reference

Common name:    Tropical Black Bamboo Botanical name:   Igantochlea atroviolacea Family name:         Graminae Cultivated only in Central & West Java where it is known as "wulung",  Black Bamboo is valued for its black culms that are used to make furniture and musical instruments. The shoots are also edible turning a yellow-pink after cooking. Note the Macho fern growing in the Black Bamboo. Internet reference

directly from the trunk and larger branches and are followed by a large round berry like a gourd up to 12 inches in diameter. These berries have to be dried and their pulp removed before they can be used. – Darrin Duling. JEM Orchids donated this specimen.

Internet reference

Common name:     Indian heliconia Botanical name:    Heliconia indica Family name:          Heliconiaceae While most Heliconia come from the American tropics this species is indigenous to New Guinea.  It may grow to 20 feet with 7 foot long leaves, thick, leathery, and banana-like.  The leaves are green on top and orange-red underneath.  Riffle, Robert L. 1999. The Tropical Look. Timber Press, Portland. Page 199.

Common name:    Aralia `Blackie' Botanical name:   Polyscias guilfoylei cv. Family name:        Araliaceae Black Aralia is a strongly upright, sparsely branched plant with very dark green pinnate leaves. The leaflets have a unique, wrinkled surface texture. Internet reference

Common name:    Bleeding Heart Vine Botanical name:    Clerodendrum thomsoniae Family name:         Verbenaceae Behind the Bismark Palm and climbing on the fence is a favorite - Bleeding Heart Vine, a twining evergreen shrub from tropical west Africa. The striking flowers on new growth  have a white calyx and red corolla and are in clusters. Internet reference

The Montgomery Foundation donated this specimen. Internet reference

Common name:    Ice Cream Banana Botanical name:   Musa `Java Blue’ Family name:         Musaceae This hardy, cold tolerant banana plant reaches up to 15 feet in height. In spite of its height, it stands up to the wind well having a strong stem and root system. The leaves are a silver-green color. The quality of the fruit is excellent. Many rate this as the best tasting banana. Internet reference

Common name:    Parrot’s beak Botanical name:   Heliconia latispatha Family name:        Heliconiaceae From Central America, H. latispatha has slender orange, yellow-and-red, or red bracts that spread in an upward spiral. Red edges sometimes accent the leaves. Many named cultivars offer different bract colors and plant heights. Internet  reference

Common name: Botanical name:     Portea alatisepala Family name:           Bromeliaceae From East Brazil, this bromeliad has tough burgundy marked green leaves that tolerate full sun.  Purple flowers adorn multiple red bracts that last for many weeks. Internet reference

Common name:    St. Thomas Tree Botanical name:   Bauhinia tomentosa  Family name:         Leguminosae This is an erect shrub or small tree from Southeast Africa, India, and China, grown in cultivation in Hong Kong.  The leaves of the plant are characteristic of the genus Bauhinia.  Each leaf is composed of two identical oval leaflets, which are united at half the length. The yellow flower is composed of five petals with a dark spot at the base inside. The flowers are used in the Hindu ritual, Puja. Following the flowers is the fruit, dark slender pods containing 3 – 11 seeds.  James Watson, editor of AOS Orchids, donated this specimen. Internet reference

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Common name:    Silk Floss Tree Botanical name:   Ceiba speciosa, Chorisia speciosa Family name:        Malvaceae From Brazil and Argentina, C. speciosa is one of the world’s most beautiful trees.  It flowers in early fall in South Florida. Pear shaped fruit follows the flowers. The fruit opens and releases silky material containing seeds – hence the name “silk floss”.  The silky floss of the seeds makes a good pillow stuffing.  Note the large spikes that protect the trunk and limbs.  This tree may grow to over 40 feet.  Internet reference

Dendrobium PamTajima (Den. eximium x Den. atroviolaceum)

Common name:     Bismark Palm, Bismarck Palm Botanical name:    Bismarkia nobilis Family name:          Arecaceae A striking  palm from Madagascar, it has large fan shaped blue-grey leaves and may grow over 30 feet.  Drought  and frost tolerant, it requires ample space. Internet reference

Common name:    Rose of Venezuela Botanical name:   Brownea coccinea f. grandiflora Family name:         Leguminosae This specimen is regarded as the most spectacular flowering tree in our garden. In winter and spring, Brownea produces grapefruit-sized clusters of vibrant scarlet flowers that seem to explode from its canopy like a fireworks display.  Out of bloom, this tree presents an attractive umbrella of drooping pinnate foliage that starts out very pale and slowly darkens to a deep green. This native of northern South America will attain both a height and spread up to 30’, and is one of the few tropical trees that will bloom in heavy shade.  Its new growth is brown instead of green, probably to ward off insects. – Darrin Duling

Also mounted on the White Calabash is Oncidium 'Twinkle'.  A cross between Oncidium cheirophorum and Oncidium ornithorhynchum,  Oncidum 'Twinkle' is a compact  plant  with  profuse, small  fragrant flowers.

Common name:   Croton Botanical name:  Codiaeum cv. Family name:        Euphorbiaceae This croton is located between the White Calabash tree and the Golden Hawaiian Bamboo. Imagine an evergreen display of shiny leaves that are striped, splashed or speckled in a combination of vibrant shades of red, pink, orange and yellow. It may sound like a bad dream or alternatively, a celebration of color, but this group of plants

can vary in appearance from the bizarre to stunningly exotic. Codiaeums, commonly known as crotons, are probably one of the most kaleidoscopic genera in the plant world.- Darrin Duling

Common name: Botanical name:   Dracaena deramensis ‘variegata’ Family name:         Agavaceae The arching clump of evergreen leaves provides a nice plant for a shady spot, particularly the colorful variegated variety.

Common name:    Chenille plant, Cat's tail Botanical name:    Acalypha hispida Family name:          Euphorbiaceae This showy plant from several tropical areas has broad, serrated bright green leaves on hairy stems.  The female, red flowers appear in long pendant spikes resembling foxtails and have the velvety appearance of chenille.  A. hispida can be grown as a perennial but usually is treated as an annual with new plants derived from stem cuttings.  – Darrin Duling Alberts & Merkel Nursery donated this specimen.

Common name: Botanical name:    Calathea ornata `Roseo Lineata' Family name:          Marantaceae From Columbia and Brazil, Calathea ornata has striking leaves with a prominent vein design.  The undersides of the leaves are deep purple.  Calatheas are named after the Greek word for basket.  The small flowers are arranged together like a basket. Everett, T.H., Editor. 1973. Encyclopedia of Gardening. Greystone Press, New York. Page 537.

Common name:    Croton Gold Dust Botanical name:   Codiaeum variegatum Gold Dust Family name:         Euphorbiaceae The dark green, glossy leaves are splattered with yellow dots.  Bright light is necessary to keep the yellow dots from fading.

Common name:     South Pacific Heliconia Botanical name:    Heliconia indica `Spectabilis' Family name:         Heliconiaceae Native to New Guinea,  H. indica 'Spectabilis' is noted for its beautiful leaves with a bright pink midrib and horizontal lines on the leaves. It is located to the right of the Bismark Palm. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 231.

Common name:    Dumbcane Botanical name:   Dieffenbachia species Family name:        Agavaceae Dieffenbachia is grown for its eye-catching leaves. Large, tropical-looking leaves in many shades of green are marked with spots, stripes, dots or colored veins.  The common name "dumbcane"comes from a mouth numbing substance in the stem and leaves. Some people may get a skin rash from the plant’s sap. This plant can be toxic if eaten. Internet reference

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Common name:    Botanical name:    Cochliostema odoratissimum, C. jacobianum Family name:          Commelinaceae From Tropical America, this plant has fragrant light blue flowers, solid green leaves and an irritating sap. It may grow to 4 ft. tall and 5 ft. wide.  It likes lots of humidity and the soil should never dry out. Internet reference

Common name:    Botanical name:   Brunfelsia `Isola' Family name:         Solanaceae Located between Croton Gold Dust and the Silver Spindle Palm is this hybrid cultivar, a cross between Brunfelsia americana and Brunfelsia grandiflora. The  flowers have a wonderful aroma. Internet reference