Mussaenda is a genus of shrubs in the Rubiaceae Family (the Coffee Family) with very showy enlarged floral sepals which surround the true flower. Mussaendas are commonly planted in the South Florida landscape, although they are native to the African and Asian tropics. Richard Lyons Nursery carries 6 different varieties as shown below.
This week’s featured plant is Hamelia cuprea (Bahama Firebush). Despite its common name of Bahama Firebush, this shrub is native to Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Cayman Islands, but NOT the Bahamas. A close relative to Hamelia patans, our native Firebush, its leaves are larger and glossier, and the flowers are bell shaped and much…
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The Tree Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea arborea) is in all its splendor now in S. Florida. A true species Bougainvillea that grows in tree form usually with multiple trunks. It can attain a height of 20 feet or more and only has light purple to lavender bracts. Unlike its hybrid cousins, which have many different colors and…
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Today’s post features 3 palms in the Genus Dypsis. Dypsis cabadae, (Cabada Palm), Dypsis lanceolata (Ivovowo Palm), and Dypsis leptocheilos (Teddy Bear Palm). Dypsis cabadae is a water-loving species that was almost unknown here 35 years ago. Its dark green stems with white rings marking where leaves once were gives this palm a bamboo-like appearance. …
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This weeks featured plants are both in the Genus Rondeletia, in the family Rubiaceae (The Coffee Family). Rondeletia leucophylla (Bush Pentas) and Rondeletia odorata (Panama Rose), with R. leucophylla the more common of the two. The Genus was named for the French physician, Guillaume Rondelet (1507-1566), who had a particular interest in botany. Both of…
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