Cargo Report

Click on images for full view

Agave parrasana An attractive, cold hardy species from Coahuila, Mexico. It forms a 24in rosette with wide, gray-green leaves bearing large marginal spines and a long terminal spine. A hardy landscape plant for zone 8b and higher. 5in pots,
$10.00
#2558

Aloe fragilis A handsome, easy miniature from Madagascar. Short, triangular succulent leaves in a 4in rosette are brightly marked with whitish bars and spots. Very colorful. The inflorescence is a foot tall spike with flowers that are light red, turning white from the petal tips down half way. Full 4in pots, mature plants with offsets,
#4252
$5.50

Aloe vaombe A spectacular, large-growing species from Madagascar, outstanding for landscape in warm areas (zone 10). Forms a 6ft tree-like stalk with broad, tapering leaves and a candelabra-like branched inflorescence with brilliant red flowers. Our plants are in 2.5in pots, about 4in across, real nice, only
$4.50
#2349S

Anthurium ovatum An interesting species, newly available, with a leaf somewhat resembling andreanum, but slightly more elongate and slightly bullate. We don’t know the mature size, but we have small plants in 3in pots, Try one!
$7.50
#3125

Burbidgea nitida 'Golden Brush Orchid Ginger' An unusual dwarf ginger from Borneo, with leathery foliage on short clumping canes to about 16in tall. Beautiful clusters of bright orange-yellow flowers are produced on spikes above the foliage. A rare and handsome species. 4in pots,
$10.00
#4950

Chlorophytum amaniense 'Fire Flash' This amazing variety is not a ‘spider plant’, but an open rosette of petiolate leaves. The green foliage blushes bright fiery orange from the center outward. This process starts when the plants are fairly young and gets brighter with age. 5in pots,
$5.00
#5073

Codiaeum variegatum 'Picasso's Paintbrush' As Crotons go, they don’t get showier than this. A super fine leafed variety with upright foliage of brilliant hues, reds, yellows, oranges and greens. Likes bright light but not full sun. Rooted cuttings in 3in,
$5.00
#1951

Cyrtosperma johnstonii A dramatic looking aroid with erect saggitate leaves, green with red veining and a spiny petiole. Native to the Solomon Islands, it is a bog plant and does well on pond margins in zone 10. Potted it needs constant moisture and an organic-based mix. Nice young plants in 4in pots, growing fast!
$10.00
#1730

Epiphyllum guatemalensis 'Monstrose' This unusual epiphytic cactus is a decorative novelty with flattened, strap-like stems with deeply crenate margins that are twisted and curled in a most peculiar fashion. 3in white flowers are followed by large showy pink fruit. 6in hanging pots,
$15.00
#4715

Eucalyptus deglupta 'Rainbow Eucalyptus' AKA ‘Mindanao Gum’ where it is widespread, though it is native to New Guinea. ‘Rainbow’ refers to the beautifully colored bark on larger trees. Hardy to the high 20’s for short periods, always keep moist and well fed. Likes full sun. Grows to be a very large tree. Seedlings in 3in rose pots,
$7.50
#1978

Euphorbia ingens 'monstrose' A weird and oddly contorted form of this popular Euphorb. To keep the bizarre growth, it is necessary to trim off 'normal' growth from time to time. Nice rooted cuttings in 6in pots,
$10.00
#799

Haworthia comptoniana An attractive species from South Africa where it grows in quartz soils forming a 4 to 5in rosette of chunky, reticulated leaves. A slow, winter grower that seldom offsets. Rare in nature, but easy to grow. 3in pots,
$7.50
#5352

Liriope muscari 'Cassidy' Named “Best New Foliage Plant” of 2005. Nearly black with each leaf ending in a curl. Just as hardy and easy to grow as the ’normal’ form used almost universally in gardens across the south. 4in pots,
$7.50
#1823

Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides This attractive bushy grower from Brazil is often referred to as the 'Mistletoe Cactus'. Narrow stems have densely packed short fleshy branches about a half inch long that look like green rice. Blooms and fruits are white. We have very full plants, cascading 8 to 12in in 6in hanging pots,
$15.00
#2622

Sansevieria aff. concinna Lav. 5933 ‘Small Spoon’ A stemless species from Mozambique that grows short, petiolate leaves in clusters along a subterranean rhizome. Color is deep green with light green banding. Cuttings with several leaves,
$5.00
#2594

Sansevieria ehrenbergii This plant has very thick leaves that project somewhat horizontally covering a very short stem with the leaf bases. Stiff leaves, with an acute channel running all the way to the tip and acute edges bordered with a reddish color. The leaves end up in a sharp spiny point. A distinct character of this plant is that it appears to have no stem. No cross-banding, smooth and dull green color with a few impressed longitudinal lines on the sides and back, which is very rounded. The inflorescence is a panicle growing on the top. From Arabia and northeast Africa. The young plants look quite different from a mature specimen. We have plants in 6in pots,
$20.00
#2589

Sansevieria phillipsiae a species from Somalia that has thick, tapering leaves, oval in cross-section with longitudinal impressions. The color is light green with darker cross banding. Large divisions,
$7.50
#2166

MYRMECOPHYTES (ANT PLANTS)

It almost boggles the mind to think about how some plants have adapted to a mutually beneficial life with ants. While many plants benefit from some form of relationship with ants, true myrmecophytes have gone so far as to make physical adaptations to accommodate and facilitate a reciprocal symbiotic relationship. Many plant families including bromeliads, orchids, ferns, and others including some trees have developed a special interaction with ants. Many ant plants have specially adapted hollow cavities within stems, leaves or thorns which provide shelter, while others secrete food for their ant colonists. The ants provide security, chasing away or eating invaders, while in many cases providing food by way of waste materials. Some ant plants have unique stomata while others form adventitious roots within the hollow chambers to absorb these nutrients. Interestingly, the guardian ants will not tolerate even the presence of a pollinator, so most myrmecophilous species have adapted a cleistogamous (self seeding) habit, thus eliminating the need for pollinators altogether.

Don't want ants in your collection? Don't worry, in cultivation the very specialized ant species are naturally absent, and these plants adapt well to normal 'antless' cultivation in the manner of bromeliads and orchids, and thrive with little special care. All our seed-grown plants are supplied ant free.

Hydnophytums and Myrmecodias are curious epiphytic, caudiciform members of the family Rubiaceae, which includes coffee and gardenias. Culture is easy: keep moist butnot wet, and grow in medium to bright light, out of full sun, in a well draining media. Keep warm, water frequently and fertilize often for best results. Can be easily grown from seed.

All our ant plants are offered in 4in hanging baskets with hangers attached.

Hydnophytum formicarium Best known of the epiphytic caudiciform ‘ant plants’. Leathery leaves and narrow branches bearing fleshy fruits grow from an ample caudex, which is set with tiny openings, doorways to a labyrinth of interior chambers. Found from Malaysia to Australia and Polynesia where they grow naturally in nutrient poor areas, often on scrub vegetation.
$15.00
#617

Hydnophytum moseleyanum (papuanum) A bizarre, epiphytic, caudiciform ant plant native to New Guinea and northern Australia. Its globular caudex has some bumps but is mainly smooth with glossy, skin and tiny openings that lead to a labyrinth of interior chambers. The leaves are thick and leathery with a smooth surface and curl lengthwise, borne on a full crown of small limbs that also bear fleshy fruits.
$25.00
#3238

Myrmecodia beccarii An Australian ‘ant plant’ with a swollen, tuberous base and thick branches bearing oblong, leathery leaves. The tuber is spiny and has openings to inside chambers. White flowers are borne in cavities along the stems, followed by small fruits.
$20.00
#3242

Myrmecodia echinata This interesting caudex-forming epiphytic plant has a swollen, globular base with a network of short ridges and rows of short hair-like spines along the caudex. A stout 'trunk' arises from the base and bears fruit, and a crown of large leathery leaves.
$20.00
#6792

Myrmecodia species HBG51501 A handsome plant with smooth skin on its caudex which is deeply channeled. The large leaves are soft, light green and form a full crown. A pretty species.
$15.00
#3757

Tropical Tuberous Arums

Names like ‘Voodoo’ or ‘Snake Lilly’, refer to the look of the petiole or smell of the flower. An underground tuber produces a single large leaf and a decorative trunk-like petiole and produce strange to totally bizarre flowers, including one with what is considered the largest inflorescence in the world. Winter dormant, they enjoy moist, good draining soil and warmth. Avoid over watering when dormant. Fertilize in spring and monthly after.

Amorphophallus asterostigmatus This beauty from the Lop Buri region of Thailand is a smaller grower with a highly divided leaf of deep green, and a colorful stem which can range from gray to tan or even pinkish with black mottling. Large tubers average 3in across, nice and thick,
$25.00
#6342

Amorphophallus atroviridis A moderately sized species from Thailand with deep green foliage edged in red and a brown petiole mottled with rounded white spots. We have nice plants in 6in pots,
$25.00
#3265

Amorphophallus eberneus From the forested limestone hills surrounding Kuching in Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Can reach over 4ft tall, but is rather slight, with a green stem and leaf, silvery below. A flaring spadix with a greenish-white corolla followed by orange fruits. Seedlings in 4in,
$10.00
#5730

Amorphophallus koratensis A handsome Thai species that is somewhat variable, with a petiole from whitish with blackish mottling to all green or white. We have big tubers that run to over 3in across,
$25.00
#5548

Pseudodracontium lacourii An Amorphophallus relative from Indo-China that forms a compound leaf on a petiole growing from a subterranean tuber. The leaves bear bright yellow spots on a deep green background. Nice bare-root tubers, only
$30.00
#3186

Pseudodracontium species Thailand About all we can say about this one is that it’s not P. lecourii. We haven’t seen a sprouted plant. The tubers are pretty large, about 3in long,
$25.00
#5896

Pycnospatha arietina A small growing tuberous aroid from Cambodia and Thailand has spiny, striped petioles and a deeply cut, umbrella-like leaf. An unusual hooded spathe curves over like the top of a cane, emerging on a short petiole. Bare-root tubers average 2 to 3in across.
$25.00
#6923

Collector’s Corner …

Amorphophallus titanum ‘Titan Arum’ or ‘Corpse Flower’. This giant aroid from Sumatra can reach 20ft tall with its single, umbrella-like leaf, and its bloom is classed as the largest un-branched inflorescence in the word at over 9ft tall. The morbid ‘Corpse Flower’ name comes from the smell of rotting flesh and the color of spoiled meat associated with the bloom, pollinated by flies and beetles in its habitat. In cultivation it has been rare and never fails to be newsworthy when one blooms. Only a few private collections and botanical gardens had this giant in their collections due to its former rarity. Our young plants will probably not go dormant this season, as larger plants normally do. About 6in tall in 4in pots,
$15.00
#6398