S. Oliphant donated this specimen from Richard Lyons Nursery.

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. Alberts & Merkel Nursery donated the variety `Aileen McDonald’ that comes from Tahiti.  We now have a third variety, 'Pure White', located in the Lake Huntington Walk.

Common name:     Sweet Cup, Sweet             Calabash Botanical name:     Passiflora maliformis Family name:           Passifloraceae This woody vine has a wide native habitat in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Asia and the Pacific.  It may grow to over 30 feet.  The fruit is difficult to open but the seedy pulp is much enjoyed locally. In Jamaica, it is scooped from the shell and served with wine and sugar. The strained juice is excellent for making cold drinks. This species reportedly is not successful in Florida and California but it is growing here.  Internet reference

Common name:      Elephant Ears Botanical name:     Alocasia cadieri Family name:           Araceae This species comes from Vietnam. Note the beautiful silver veining. Internet reference

Common name:     Dwarf Schefflera Botanical name:    Schefflera species Family name:          Araliaceae From Taiwan and southern China this attractive evergreen shrub has become a popular hedge plant.  it grows 8-12 feet tall, not really dwarf.  The leaves bear about 10 leaflets, 4-6 inches long. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 89.

Under cultivation, it is usually pruned back hard every few years to force the leaves to grow larger. Give it a sheltered spot to protect it from cold and damaging winds and it will reward you with masses of foliage. – Darrin Duling. S. Oliphant donated this gift from Ernesto's Good Earth.

Common name:     Jackfruit `Mai 1' Botanical name:     Artocarpus heterophyllus cv. Family name:           Moraceae Imagine a tree with watermelons growing on it! From India and Malaysia comes the Jackfruit Tree, a member of the fig family that produces fruit up to two feet long weighing 40 pounds or more. The knobby, yellow-brown fruit is produced directly on the trunk and main limbs of this tree and may be eaten raw or cooked. There are many cultivated varieties grown in the tropics; ours is called “Mai 1”, a recent introduction from Vietnam. - Darrin Duling

Common name:     Woolly Cycad Botanical name:     Encephalartos villosus Family name:           Zamiaceae This small cycad is native to South Africa and Switzerland.  It has a woolly crown. (The Latin villosus means softly hairy). It has long arching leaves with leaflets bearing prickles on the upper and lower margins. Internet reference

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Common name:     Giant Sea Grape Botanical name:     Coccoloba pubescens Family name:           Polygonaceae A colossal cousin to our native sea grape, this tree bears rugged, heavily veined leaves that reach an enormous 3’ across. Specimen trees up to a height of 80’ are common in its native West Indies where it is sometimes referred to as "Eve's Umbrella". In contrast to the leaves its flowers are tiny and insignificant, held on short, thin spikes. "Pubescens" refers to the fine hairs, in this case rusty-colored, that cover the leaves' undersides. Giant Sea Grape lends a very dramatic and tropical look to our south Florida landscape and should be more widely grown here.

This species may grow to 30 feet in the wild but is compact in cultivation like our specimen. Internet reference Internet reference

Common name:    African Acanthus Botanical name:   Brillantasia nitens, B. guiansis, Leucoraphis lamium Family name:         Acanthaceae From Central and West Africa, these are small shrubs with purple (sometimes white) flowers, ranging in height from 20 cm up to 2 m. The stems are hairy. Heart-shaped leaves are in opposite pairs along the stems. Seeds are produced in long, cigar-shaped pods. They grow in moist tropical areas, both in full sun and partial shade. Internet reference

Common name:     Giant Heliconia, Wild Plantain Botanical name:     Heliconia caribaea Family name:           Heliconiaceae Native to the Lesser Antilles, this shrub is related to bananas and is widely distributed.  It may grow to 10-18 feet. The waxy bracts are a mixture of yellow, green and red.  Browning of the leaves is due to exposure to cold temperatures.  Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 229. Internet reference

Common name:     Bamboo Orchid Botanical name:    Sobralia decora Family name:          Orchidaceae Sobralias come from Mexico and tropical America.  They are terrestrial orchids and may be grown outdoors in subtropical states like southern Florida. Although the individual cattleya-like flowers only last a day or so a succession of blooms from a large, bushy clump gives a continuous show.  This species, described in 1841, has rose-lavender and white flowers in the spring. Our specimen flowers frequently after it rains. Another S. decora plant is in the Vaughn Focus Garden. Greg Allikas donated this specimen. Internet reference

Common name:      Hot Lips Botanical name:     Euphorbia punicea Family name:           Euphorbiaceae This colorful plant with a colorful name comes to us from the West Indies where it is a garden favorite. It is also highly regarded in south Florida where it is often grown as a container plant, but when planted out in rich, moist soil it may achieve a height of 25’. Bright, scarlet-pink bracts are produced in pairs all winter, giving rise to the name that always elicits a laugh from our visitors. When not in bloom it is a handsome plant with smooth silvery-gray bark and long, narrow, dark green leaves. Like other members of the Poinsettia family, when cut, Hot Lips produces milky latex that may irritate skin, so take care when handling it. – Darrin Duling. S. Oliphant donated this specimen from Ernesto's Good Earth.

Common name:    Mango Botanical name:    Mangifera indica Family name:         Anacardiaceae In the middle of Pine Cone Ginger is the celebrated M. indica. Ita tropical fruit, Mango, comes from this large tree, native to Southern Asia, especially India.  The leaves are mostly evergreen.  Readily grown from seeds, Mango trees with many varieties now exist and grow well in Southern Florida. Extensive history of the Mango tree can be found in the following internet reference. Internet reference

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Common name:     Red-Passion Flower Botanical name:    Passiflora coccinea  Family name:          Passifloraceae From South America, P. coccinea is an evergreen climber with bright red flowers.  It differs from P. vitifolia in lacking lobes on the leaves and awns on the sepal tips.  It is shown here with contrasting Jasmine flowers. John Murawski donated this specimen. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 310. Internet reference

Riffle, Robert L. and Craft, Paul. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. Timber Press, Portland. Page 295. Internet reference

Across from Cat Palm is an island where the following plants are shown.  The east side of this island is a continuation of the Jungle garden; the west side is in the Florida Native Garden.

Common name:     Angel Powderpuff, Red Angel’s Hair Botanical name:     Calliandra houstoniana Family name:           Mimosaceae This shrub/tree comes from South Mexico and Honduras.  It has unique, pyramidal clusters of whisker-like red flowers all winter. It will bloom readily year-round in partial shade or full sun. Its foliage is extremely delicate-looking. The flower spikes open from the bottom up, each staminate bloom looking like a bundle of fine red wires which unfold into delicate red starbursts. The common name in Honduras and Mexico means "Hair". Internet reference

Common name:     Croton Botanical name:     Codiaeum  variegatum  'Buttercup' Family name:           Euphorbiaceae A sunny rounded yellow leaf makes 'Buttercup' distinct. As they age, the leaves tend to take on more of a green coloration. It is used as a low hedge or in mass. Internet reference

Riffle, Robert L. 1999. The Tropical Look. Timber Press, Portland. Page 36. Internet reference

may reach heights of 8-10’ with an equal spread, but is easily trimmed into a desired shape. The plant shown here is located against the north fence.– Darrin Duling Internet reference

Common name:     Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow Botanical name:     Brunfelsia pauciflora Family name:           Solanaceae The descriptive name of this shrub comes from its blooms that fade from purple to blue to white over the course of a few days; Yesterday (purple), Today (blue), and Tomorrow (white).   The flowers may occur sporadically all year, but usually are most abundant in winter-spring. This is a fairly tough plant that likes full to partial sun and moist soil. It

Common name:     Bamboo Ginger Botanical name:     Alpinia luteocarpa Family name:           Zingiberaceae From Thailand, this ginger has narrow, tightly spaced leaves that are olive green on top and maroon underneath. The foliage habit has given it the common name as 'Bamboo Ginger.' It is cold sensitive and must be grown in a warm climate. Internet reference

Common name:     Snowball Ixora Botanical name:     Ixora longistipula Family name:           Rubiaceae This shrubby ornamental species from tropical Asia has umbels of white flowers giving the appearance of snowballs.   Internet reference

Common name:     Australian Tree Fern Botanical name:     Cyathea cooperi Family name:          Cyatheaceae Native to eastern Australia, Cyathea cooperi is the most commonly planted tree fern in the Western World. The beautiful light green leaves may grow to eight feet in cultivation.  The height in the United States rarely reaches the native height of forty feet. They are heavy feeders and are tropical and will not tolerate frost. Internet reference

Angel's Trumpet `Ecuador Pink '  was previously described for the specimen on the Jungle Waterfall.    Veitchia joannis palm trees were described previously in the Jungle Garden near the north fence.

Common name:     Kapok Tree Botanical name:    Ceiba pentandra Family name:          Malvaceae The Kapok tree is an emergent tree of the tropical rainforests, and is often described as majestic. It can grow to a height of 150 feet or more, towering over other trees in the rainforest. Originally a native to South America it now has spread to the primary rainforests of West Africa, and the Southeast Asian rainforests of the Malay Peninsula, and the Indonesian archipelago.  The trunks may reach a diameter of 9 feet and large spines protrude from the trunk to discourage damage. Kopaks shed most of their leaves during the dry season.  In many places the straight trunks of the kapok tree are used to make dugout canoes. The white, fluffy seed covering is used in pillows and mattresses. Since it is buoyant and water resistant it is often used in flotation devices and padding. Internet reference

Common name:    Scented Daphne Botanical name:    Phaleria clerodendron Family name:         Thymelaeaceae Sented Daphne is an unusual bushy rainforest shrub from Australia with 18" long glossy green leaves.  White, pineapple scented flowers appear on the trunk and larger branches with the onset of rain.  Leaves fall off in cold weather. Internet reference

Common name:     Variegated Spiral Ginger, Crape Ginger Botanical name:     Costus speciosus variegatus Family name:           Zingiberaceae Costus are widely distributed in the tropics. The leaves are spirally arranged. This species has white streaked leaves and is shy to bloom. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 364.  Internet reference

Common name:     Peace Lily Botanical name:    Spathiphyllum floribundum Family Name:         Araceae From Columbia comes this evergreen shrub suitable for a bright shady spot. White spathes appear in late spring and early summer. It is located in front of Angel Powderpuff. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 87. Internet reference

Common name:    Orange Heliconia Botanical name:    Heliconia aurantiaca Family name:         Heliconiaceae This Heliconia has yellow orange flowers on 8 inch inflorescences from spring through summer. Internet reference

Common name:     Palm leaf Fig Philippine Fig Botanical name:     Ficus pseudopalma Family name:           Moraceae Native to the Philippines, this tree is sparingly branched with large leaves tufted at the tips of ascending branches.  The fruits are green, in pairs, about 1-1.5 inches long. In Hawaii this tree cannot reproduce because its pollinator, a wasp, has not been introduced to Hawaii as yet. Internet reference

Common name:     Cat Palm Botanical name:     Chamaedorea cataractarum Family name:           Arecaceae     This palm is native to Mexico where it grows along rivers and streams and in the rain forest. It therefore needs a lot of water and humidity to flourish.  This is a clustering palm that forks near the base.  Clumps may grow 6 feet long and 10 feet wide with dark green shiny leaves.  Branched inflorescences grow near the ground and bear small yellow blossoms followed by small red-black fruit.

Common name:    Botanical name:    Aglaonema 'Peacock' Family name:         Araceae From tropical East Asia, Aglaonema species have been crossed to produce many hybrids and cultivars.  The species have solid or different shades of green while the cultivars and hybrids are variegated, such as A. `Peacock’. Their shade tolerance, small size, under 2 feet, and clumping tendency make them ideal for a groundcover.  They enjoy the high humidity of southern Florida.

Common name:     Japanese Fern Tree Botanical name:     Filicium decipiens Family name:          Sapindaceae A good landscaping ornamental tree suitable for a shady location that comes from Sri Lanka and India. When small the leaves bear a resemblance to a fern.  The crown is round and dense.  Like the Soapberry Tree in the same family, saponins have been found in the stem bark. Internet reference Internet reference

Common name:     Sunray’s Angel’s Trumpet Botanical name:     Brugmansia `Sunray’ Family name:           Solanaceae Here is an Angel’s trumpet hybrid with lemon-yellow flowers. Brugmansias produce scopolamine, well-known as a patch for motion sickness.  In higher doses it is a highly toxic hallucinogen. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 346.

Common name:       Pine Cone Ginger, Pink Ginger Botanical name:      Alpinia purpurata `Aileen McDonald’ 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.

Common name:    Teak Tree, Sagon Botanical name:    Tectona grandis Family name:         Verbenaceae A large deciduous tree from southeast Asia, T. grandis is noted for its wood.   it is considered a very valuable wood because of its ability to withstand weather. It even prevents any metal used in it from rusting.  Teak does not warp when subjected to variations in humidity and temperature. Our benches in the garden are made of teak.  In India extracts of the Teak Tree have been used for a variety of unproven medicinal purposes. Internet reference Internet reference

Common name:     Silver Cycad Botanical name:     Dioon mejiae Family name:           Zamiaceae Dioon is a genus in the Zamiaceae family in the Cycad Order.  There are about 10 species in Mexico and South America.  D. mejiae is abundant in Honduras.  These are very ancient plants going back to the Mesozoic era, the age of dinosaurs. They develop cones that contain seeds when pollinated. The seeds and stems have been used as a source of flour to make bread.

Common name:     Ivory Crown Palm Botanical name:    Veitchia arecina Family name:          Arecaceae A solitary palm from Vanuatu, V. arecina may grow up to 25-40 feet in full sun.  The pinnate leaves have slightly drooping leaflet tips and the base of the stem may flare at ground level.  Its flowers are rather large for a palm. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 121.