TROPICAL LOOKING PLANTS - Other Than Palms
9,752 topics in this forum
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Ficus microcarpa-- tough, but not indestructible
by fastfeat- 6 replies
- 2.3k views
I've watched this group of "species" Ficus microcarpa (not the far more common F. microcarpa 'Nitida' that's typically seen in SoCal) for many years on a South St substreet island here in Lakewood. This is really one of the best uses (aside from park plantings) for this large-growing tree. Unfortunately, in recent years, the City's tree trimming contractor (a former employer) and presumably the City, in a likely attempt to reduce the time spent pruning these large trees (flat rate pruning citywide was SOP) have made some rather drastic reductions to the canopy that have severely imperiled several of these uncommon specimen trees. (Repairs to the curb/street may be contrib…
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Lagerstroemia langkawiensis
by fastfeat- 17 replies
- 3k views
Got this purple-foliaged Lagerstroemia at the TFTS sale yesterday, grown by Bloomin' Good. Supposedly has pink flowers, but the red foliage is cool enough. This was the only one there (and it was pricey); most people walked by it, thinking it was a purple-leafed guava. It's endangered, native to one Malaysian limestone island: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/31384/0
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Cycas cairnsiana
by RainForestt Robert- 10 replies
- 5.7k views
My only Cycas cairnsiana flushed recently. I love its powdery blue leaves! It is the plant that attracts the first attention from visitors. Is seed of this species ever offered for sale? I would love to get my hands on some. Are there any similar Australian blues? Robert
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Gingers in my garden
by Texeltropics- 13 replies
- 1.8k views
Hi Just wanted to show some gingers I grow here in Holland....Gingers are my favourite...
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Edible landscaping .
by aussiearoids- 4 replies
- 876 views
just clipped this from a search , MALANGA Malanga or yautia, also know as tannia, tannier, cocoyam (Xanthosoma Species). These are names for a very confusing root vegetable (actually a corm, a compressed underground stem) resembling a yam. There are more than 40 species, they are very similar to the related taro or dasheen (Colocasia esculenta), and there are many common names that overlap the 2 vegetables and their various species. The various species of malanga or yautia, include some of the oldest root crops in the world. It was first cultivated in tropical America, and spread to Africa in the mid 1800s, and is also grown in the Philippines. They are espec…
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Bauhinia ID
by Matt in SD- 14 replies
- 1.5k views
My father in law used to travel to Africa a lot and always brought me back seeds. A good portion of what he brought back would end up being introduced/cultivated plants, but I do have a couple rare African natives from his travels. I was excited about this Bauhinia because the leaves didn't look like the more common Bauhinia's I've seen. It just bloomed for the first time, and the flower sure looks like B variegata. But the leaves don't really have the same shape as the B variegata photos I can find. The leaf is really rounded at the top, so much that when it's flattened the two lobes often overlap a bit. I can't find any Bauhinia photos showing a leaf like this. …
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What is this?
by JD in the OC- 8 replies
- 705 views
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Brachychiton rupestris
by Cycadcenter- 17 replies
- 1.9k views
Delivered some bottle trees up to a new winery up near Santa Barbara on Saturday. Bruce
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Fuzzy stuff
by bubba- 2 replies
- 440 views
Saw this interesting fuzz on a local Screw Pine:
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Low-desert Euc species ID needed
by fastfeat- 5 replies
- 603 views
OK, I posted this same Euc last year (from Santa Clarita). I'll try again. This is perhaps the most common Euc in the Palm Desert/La Quinta area. It has a box-type bark-- like E.polyanthemos-- and basically looks like that species, except for having more linear foliage. (It is not E. papuana, which is also grown here and seems to be the replacement species for this tree.) These pics are fairly poor; I'll try to get some better ones today.
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Araucaria cunninghammii
by edbrown_III- 2 followers
- 22 replies
- 3.4k views
This is a large tree that I grew from seeds a number of years.
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Ceiba speciosa or ;
by bubba- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 2.4k views
Just noticed this bloomer: Close-up on the toothy trunk: Close-up on the Flower:
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Pandanus utilis
by Daryl- 5 replies
- 825 views
I spent the whole day today cleaning up my P.utilis. Several hundred scratches and cuts later, it was done. I think that Pandanus are essential to create that tropical look in your garden, but you do pay for the look with their teeth. The spineless ones are nice, but you can't go past some of the standard species. This was a single plant that came out of an 8" pot a few years ago. It has grown really well, and strangely has separated / divided into four different plants...each stem has its own root system. It is starting to monster a couple of the nearby palms, but they seem to tolerate it OK. Daryl
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Any Large Specimens of
by bubba- 6 replies
- 680 views
This is a spectacular tree that purports to grow in Florida. Does anyone know or have pictures?
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What Heliconia is this?
by Daryl- 1 follower
- 9 replies
- 1.2k views
I got a piece of this a few years ago, and it is a reliable, if unspectacular, bloomer. Not fussed with our winter or droughts etc and always does well. Any clues as to what it could be? thanks, Daryl
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Ferrox New leaf
by Ken Johnson- 3 replies
- 656 views
Eye candy.
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What banana do I have?
by MattyB- 9 replies
- 889 views
Can anyone confirm that this is Orinoco? Dalmation Soap in another thread suggested that this is what it is. It was supposed to be Blue Java/Ice Cream but I now have my doubts. These stem rippened fruit taste good but they didn't knock my socks off.
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Diary of a Banana at 42' South Will it survive winter !
by Tassie_Troy1971- 20 replies
- 1.2k views
Hi everyone i bought this regular Banana Musa sapientum in October as a small plant from a local hardware store for a bit of fun ,defiantely not with the expectation of fruit . As winter officially starts next week it will be interesting to see if it scrapes through this far south !
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Mango sap sucking insects
by Kumar- 0 replies
- 1.1k views
I have in this topic photographed a sap sucking insect that seems to have a liking for mango. This is one of my mango trees, about 18 years old. It is quite robust and has a nice crown though growth has slowed down considerably in the last two years. (Small metal hacker for scale) On close examination, one can see the slight unnatural bumps on the bark, wonderfully camoflauged These bumps are evidently cells of some sort and are stuck onto the bark by a strong adhesive. The trick is to scrape them off without hurting the bark. Here, the two cells are visible, fallen onto the ground And finally here is the notorious yellow maggot (perhaps it gets …
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Cycads in the backyard
by Gileno Machado- 28 replies
- 3.8k views
Weekends of hard work here, trying to organize the cycads... Please show yours too. Cycas debaoensis:
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Two for ID
by Kumar- 2 replies
- 466 views
What is this agave-aloe-like plant ? I can say that it grows big and wild with time, easily surpassing 15 feet in height and sends out stilt roots to support its weight, all the time producing a bountiful number of basal and stem suckers (this particular specimen was harvested from one such). The leaf edges are serrated but not too sharp so as to cut skin. I have collected both variegated and green varieties. And here is a dainty ornamental, used extensively for borders in gardens. Despite that it is very hardy and can easily grow back from cut strands.
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Bromeliad ID
by palmster- 3 replies
- 495 views
the tags were blank on these can I get an ID please these are in 3 gal pots the spike on the first one is almost 36" tall the end of the leaves on the second one are different than the first one
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Sturt Desert Pea
by Cycadcenter- 4 replies
- 629 views
A friend just sent me this blog showing a spectacular display of colours of the Sturt Desert Pea in Central Australia Sturt Desert Pea Bruce
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Goiaba de Anta (Tapir Guava)
by amazondk- 10 replies
- 1.8k views
A tree which is common iin secondary forests around here known as the Goiaba de anta (belllucia imperialis, I think), or translated would be Tapir Guava. It is not related to the guava, but the fruit is similar in a some ways. This tree is growing in the secondary forest area at my place in the country. It does have impressive blooms and fuits which cling to the trunk of the tree. I would imagine that tapirs do like to eat the fallen fruit. dk
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Plant ID
by tim_brissy_13- 2 replies
- 648 views
Can anyone identify this? Non palms aren't my strong suit. Any help would be appreciated.