Under The Jakfruit Tree

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 these plants are shrubs which can attain a height of 4-5 feet. R. leucophlla is native to Mexico and blooms year round in S. FL. with clusters of pink flowers. R. odorata is native to Cuba and Panama, with clusters of orange flowers that have yellow centers. Both of these shrubs are excellent nectar sources for all of our native butterflies, so they would be excellent additions to any butterfly garden.

Richard Lyons Nursery currently has both of these plants in stock.