The life cycle of the Atala Butterfly (Eumaeus atala), also known as the Coontie Hairstreak. This butterfly is native to southeastern Florida and the Caribbean Islands. In the state of Florida it is still considered endangered due to loss of habitat and to some extent loss of its host plant, Zamia integrifolia (Coontie). First, in…
Read more
Today’s topic is about three members of the Euphorbiaceae Family (The Spurge Family). Euphorbia is the biggest genus in this family, but today focuses on the little known Cnidoscolus genus and the better known Jatropha genus. First let’s focus on Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, the Chaya or Tree Spinach shrub. It is native to the Yucatan Peninsula…
Read more
In 1898, the United States became embroiled in the Spanish-American War. President William McKinley, eager to assess the relative strengths of the Spanish forces and Cuban insurgents, wanted to send a message to General Calixto Garcia, who was somewhere in the mountains of eastern Cuba. Col. Arthur Wagner, head of the Bureau of Military Intelligence,…
Read more
In September we talked about the much-anticipated arrival of the dry season and offered a few suggestions for how to prepare—in a horticultural sense—for winter. Today we continue to address some of the conditions we will need to deal with to make our vegetable, fruiting, or ornamental plants perform at their best over the winter.…
Read more
Cabbage Tree (Moringa stenopetala) To say that Moringa stenopetala is a multi-purpose tree is to underestimate its importance. This species is not only a source of food, income and shade, but also a constituent of traditional medicinal products and—through its seeds—a means to purify water. As an ornamental plant, it features fragrant flowers in shades…
Read more