Starting a landscape plan

[amazondk]

Thanks for the picture of your girl Ari.  She is very cute.  We thought we might be going to have a girl.  But, things turned out differently I guess I am good at making boys.  As to the bamboo I think some might fit on the side with the street.  I want to screen off part of this area.  I could mix bamboo and clumping palms like Euterpe olearcea.  The toucans love the euterpe berries so for me the more the merrier.  I love to have toucans fly in and hang around.  The toucan has a very noticable call.  Sort of a constant crying sound.  They say that the toucan calls the rain.  And, normally when the toucans are making a racket, it rains.

dk

[PalmGuyWC]

Don,

You mentioned snakes and rats earlier in this thread. What kind of wild life do you have, and are many of the snakes poisonus? What about big animals such as cats? And monkeys?

My old friend Paul Drummond lived on the edge of Mathason Hammock in Coral Gables, and one day he was working in the hammock, and Ptychosperma seeds kept hitting him on the head, but he wasn't under a Ptychosperma which had naturlized in the hammock. He looked up and a mother and baby monkey were throwing the seeds at him. They had escaped from someplace and were trying to claim their territory.

Soon they became pests and were eating the spears from his palms and really messing up his palms. It took animal control months before the monkeys were captured and moved away.

Dick

[amazondk]

Dick,

There is a lot of wildlife in the region, but it is not too easy to see.  As to snakes there are all kinds of varieties from coral, rattlesnakes, bushmasters (surucucu), fer de lance (bothrops) or called jararaca here, boas, and anacondas.  You never see many snakes though, but I always watch where I step.  One of the animals most common is the agouti, or called cotia here.  This is a big rodent that loves fruits of all kinds, especially Brazil nuts and palm fruits.  They are responsible for dispersement of the seeds to a large degree.  I guess sort of like squirrels do.  As to cats there are jaguars, pumas, and a lot of lesser felines around.  There are a lot of varieties of monkeys from the small marmosets to the howler monkeys.  The howler monkeys have a bad habit of throwing feces down on those below if they get to close.  And, then there are an incredible variety of birds.  Being the most complex ecosystem in the world means a lot of diversity but not a lot of concentration.  So, it is not easy to see animals.  But, they are around.  As to flora there is an incredible variety.  Even with the secondary vegetation on my lot which is poor in species count I would say there are probably more species of plants growing than you will find anywhere in North America.  There are some pioneer species of trees that provide initial canopy which are quite common.  But, when you start looking at the stuff coming up in the understory, the skinny trees in my pictures you might have 10 to 20 different species in a small area.  What I am going to do is to try and figure out what I have growing in the capoeira (secondary forest) area that will make a good canopy tree and give them room to grow.  Others I will plant as I mentioned before.  Trees get real big here, so you really need to plan for growth.  Trees over 100 feet are quite common even in secondary forest vegetation.  Taking this into account I need to be careful what I plant and what I leave in the landscape.  It will be an interesting experiment.

[JakeK]

Don,

Don't rule out Guadua when you plant bamboo. It's a quasi-runner that actually has a similar appearance and form to the Moso bamboo of China and Japan.

Definitely see if you can find some Dendrocalamus giganteus, and Bambusa chungii with its blue culms.

[ariscott]

Get dendrocalamus asper 'black'. It is worth growing!! I saw a very nice big specimen 2 weeks ago where I got mine from. Pity I didn't take photos. Also dendrocalamus latiflorus. Of course... some bambusa are nice too, like bambusa lako, bambusa vulgaris 'wamin', and yes... bambusa chungii (which I don't have yet...).

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Here are some of the plants that will be going in the ground on our lot.  Some of them soon.

Some carpentarias I brought as seed from Florida.  Along with some Syagrus inajai I pulled out of my old lot.  As well as some spineless Bactris gasipaes.

I have Euterpe precatorias coming out my ears.  These were in a bag that I left laying around while trying to solve the problem of sending seeds to Tyrone.  They are just growing away, no soil or at all.  I guess I need to get them into pots.

More Euterpe precatoria.  I am going to have a real grove.

I have three of these African oil palms.  I have a good spot for them picked out.  And, not too close to the future house just in case they attract rats as Jim advised.

[amazondk]

A Acrocomia aculeata I brought back from the easter part of the state a few years ago.  This one is supposed to have very good fruit.

[amazondk]

A little Socratea exorrhiza I pulled up near my old lot a few months ago.  It is doing fine now and it will be another addition.

An Attalea phalerata I germinated from seed I brought back from Bolivia in  August of last year.

And last but not least a little Oenocarpus mapora.

[JakeK]

Don,

You've got tons of palms to start with, boatloads of native species too. I guess having too many Euterpe precatoria is a problem I'll never have. Lucky you!

[ariscott]

Don,

What problem do you have sending those seeds over? If it is in the AQIS list, it should be fine....

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Jake,

I guess I do have something to start with.  Since we have quite a few native species here that is a good place to start.  I love Euterpe precatoria.  Not only is the fruit great it is a beautiful tree.

Ari,

The problem I ran into is with Brazilian Agriculture along with the post office.  In reality there is no restriction on sending palm seeds.  But, the Post Office has this instruction that the Ministry of Agriculture has to give a release before they can accept mail.  Tyrone sent me the Australian regulations on palm seed imports.  This will work once I get it to Agriculture.  I just have not gotten back there.  I will try to do this during the next week.  I do want to send Tyrone his seeds.  And, I would like to be able to send more to others.  Including you if you want any.  Do you have and Euterpe there?  They are extremely easy to germinate and grow pretty quickly.  I can get tons of these from the neighborhood açai juice guy.  Brazil gets a bit complicated at times.  But, it is solveable.

dk

[ariscott]

Yes please.... I have 2 seedlings, but I wouldnot mind more, as they are so nice!! They are not that common and I have to go to Cairns to get seedlings and bring them back. I really have to find out whether those 2 trees ever producing seeds (at my rental place), but Scott is very reluctant to knock on the door.

BTW, don't buy anymore carpentaria seeds!! They are weeds here.... How easy is it to send seeds to Brazil? I can send you heaps!!!

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

I received some seeds from American Samoa and they came in the mail with no problem.  So, I would say in small quantities there is no problem.  Do you have any Bactris gasipaies?  I think this is a great palm as well. And, the fruits are good for breakfast as well.

dk

[Kai]

(amazondk @ Feb. 07 2008,13:19)

QUOTE

Ari,

They sure do grow up fast.  My former youngest just turned 19.  When I think about it, it seems like a short time ago he was this size as well.  Now he is taller than me.  Here is a picture taken in the car on the ferry boat going over to our lot on Tuesday.  Brazilian genetics is amazing.  The racial mixture is very complex.  As you can see Raquel is pretty dark, and she has no sun tan at all right now.  And, Caio came out looking like he came from Sweden.  As it turns some of the ancesters of her parents came from the northeast Brazilian state of Ceara.  This area had a strong influence of the dutch at the beginning of European colonization.  The people from there migrated a lot to Amazonia in the early part of the 20th century to escape the constant droughts.  Amazonas, especially in the area of the Jurua river, some 500 kms by here was very rich in natural rubber.  And, these people came to work in the rubber collection.  In fact Raquel's mother and father both collected latex while young.  We learned the other day from her aunt that her father's grandfather had lost his first wife and child due to a hostile indian attack.  When he got home he found his wife dead by arrows and the baby which was still in her when she died removed from her and laying in a bloody mess on top of her body.  The people in the community then got together and attacked the indian village killing them all.  Times were a lot different back then for sure.  She said that even when she was young there were conflicts with the indians.

dk

Wow Don,

That's amazing and very interesting! So this kid of yours could be a distant relative of me!  

My girlfriend is from Suriname and in her family this thing happens too. Many times with both the mother and the father being very dark there's this kid who is almost as white as a Dutchman. Of coarse people allways start joking about: "this is not your kid" and "where have you been". Luckily that's just jokes!

I love this thread about your piece of land! It's going to be beautifull! It allready is actually. The scenery brings back memories about the time I spent in Suriname!

Thanks!

Kai

[amazondk]

Kai,

The Dutch were pretty active down here for some time.  I am sure these may be the possiblity that you are distant cousins.  For that matter I also have Dutch ancestors in the family.  But, only a minor part of the mix.  Surniname is not really all that far away from Manaus.  Well, in European standards it is, but not on Amazonian standards.  I am sure you know about the Dutch community in the state of Sao Paulo called Holambra.  It is the flower capital of Brazil and responsible for most of the cut flowers in the country.  I have been to Holland a few times and always enjoyed myself there.

dk

[_Keith]

(ariscott @ Feb. 08 2008,05:48)

QUOTE

Isn't he a good looking young man? So, you have 3 sons? Hhmm... need a girl

Don't worry, Don... I used to think my dad was crazy about plants, and he is not even as crazy as I am now... He is always busy every weekend moving and planting things around. He doesn't have big enough yard for palms... but he got his flowering shrubs and other foliage stuff (philo, anthurium, alocasia, etc, etc). So, there is still hope your your sons....

BTW, here is a photo of my older one. I didn't realise the photo was way too small before.

Regards, Ari

p.s. I think you definitely need a few clumping bamboos. I put mine on the border. I got 6 in the ground now, and about to plant 5 more.

Ari,

Let's have some pics of your Dad's gardens in the Tropical Plants and other forum.  Some of us are not all palms you know.  I am always looking for inspiration.

Keith

[ariscott]

Keith,

I actually don't have any recent photos of his garden as I haven't been home for 2 years now. I will take photos though, next time I am back.

Regards, Ari

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Ari

you are home :-) :-)

Well , Scott and the kids think you are :-)

keep well

regards

Colin

[ariscott]

Colin,

I have 2 homes... here and Jakarta... Regardless how long I have been here, I think Indonesia will always be my other home.

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

Do you miss Indonesia?  I don't really miss the USA much.  I would like to go see my parents in Montana more and see my kids a little more frequently.  But, I would rather have them come here anymore.  

dk

[ariscott]

Not so much the country, Don.... more my family. It is hard without extended family, sometimes... Also, the perfect soil... Darwin is good, tropical as well, but nothing beats the volcanic soil... my dad can literally drop a seed and watch it grow.

Regards, Ari