American Orchid Society Delray Beach, Florida WHAT'S IN BLOOM in the Tropical Garden March 2010
Pictures taken by Virginia M. Salus, Ed.D, AOS Volunteer Website and text by Alan L. Kaitz, MD, AOS Volunteer
Please e-mail comments to alan.kaitz@gmail.com
Common name: Peregrina Botanical name: Jatropha integerrima Family name: Euphorbiaceae
Perigrina is native to the West Indies and Cuba and has become establshed in South Florida. It is an evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and bright scarlet flowers. It is drought tolerant but is damaged by frost. Purining at any time will keep it at shrub size. Internet reference
Common name: Raspberry Bells Botanical name: Strobilanthes flaccidifolius Family name: Acanthaceae
Spectacular shows of dainty rose-pink blooms arise from this fast-growing species from midsummer to early fall. The small 1" bell-shaped flowers dangle in clusters from wispy stems. It is a hardy but uncommon species from tropical Asia. Internet reference
Common name: Lava Flower Botanical name: Ruttya fruticosa Family name: Acanthaceae
This evergreen spreading shrub from tropical Africa has unusual flowers in warm months. Note the blister-like black spots on the lower of the two orange lips. Pruning can keep this plant a compact shrub. Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 38. Internet reference
Common name: Botanical name: Gloxinia sylvatica`Bolivian Sunset' Family name: Gesneriaceae
FromSouth America, this perennial plant has striking tubular red-orange flowers during short days (late fall-winter) . It prefers dappled shade. It goes dormant in the spring to return in the fall. Internet reference
Click on the smaller pictures to view a larger one. Click on Internet reference to view the online reference.
Common name: Tropical Snowball Botanical name: Dombeya burgessiae`Seminole' Family name: Malvaceae (formerly Steruliaceae)
The deep pink cup-shaped flowers appear in clusters from fall to spring. This hybrid was made at the USDA Subtropical Horticulture research station in Miami, Florida between D. burgessiae 'Rosemound'. a wild-collected pink
Common name: Sweet Almond Verbena Botanical name: Aloysia virgata Family name: Verbenaceae
Long white spires of this intensely fragrant everbloomer will delight your senses. One of the sweetest flowers you’ll come across, this member of the Verbenaceae family is also known as the Incense Bush. Give full sun and this fast growing Argentine native will flower year-round. Aloysia virgatais an upright shrubby plant that takes well to a hard pruning, grows fast and has reported winter hardiness to Zone 8. When grown
Common name: Golden Penda Botanical name: Xanthostemon chrysanthus Family name: Myrtaceae
Near the Vaughn Garden Pool is Golden Penda, a medium sized rainforest tree from Australia. The leaves are glossy green and the flowers near the ends of the branches are bright yellow. Flowering occurs in summer and autumn. It responds well to pruning and may be kept
Orchids in bloom in the AOS Tropical Garden this month
outside in a container for the summer garden, bees and butterflies will reward you with their presence. Internet reference
selection from Africa, and a locally cultivated D. burgessiae. `Rosemound' was never distributed and was destroyed during hurricane Andrew in 1992. 'Seminole' makes an outstanding flowering hedge. Internet reference Llamas, Kirsten A. 2003. Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press, Portland. Page 267.
A special treat this month is the Pink Flowering Tabebuia in the Vaughn Garden.
Common name: Pink Trumpet Tree Botanical name: Tabebuia impetiginosa Family name: Bignoniaceae
There is nothing quite like the beauty of a mature Pink Trumpet Tree in full bloom in late winter and early spring. From the rain forests of Central and South America, this popular tree tends to drop its leaves before flowering. Tea made from its bark has been used in folk medicine and contains anti-cancer and anti-fungal chemicals. Unfortunately these are highly toxic and have not been shown to be valid treatments. Internet reference
