D9903 JAMAICAN SAGO TREE. ( Zamia furfuracea ) An eye-catching species of cycad growing over 3 ft. tall with long, arching blue-green leaflets. Mature plants bear attractive rusty brown cones. Excellent container plant or outside plant in warm areas. 20 seeds $5.95
9807 BABY WOOD ROSE. Argyreia nervosa. A very popular tropical climber with wide heart shaped leaves and beautiful rose pink flowers. 8 seeds $2.75
KH101 LIPSTICK TREE (Annato, Achiote, Urucu) Bixa orellana. From Costa Rica. Large rose, pink or white flowers with yellow stamens. Maroon to vivid scarlet 2 inch spiny pods. Red dye from seed pods used by Amazon Indians for face and body paint. Cultivated throughout the tropics as a coloring for lipstick, cloth, soap, paint and cheese. Used in Latin American Cuisine in place of the more expensive Saffron for coloring and flavoring in rice, stews, soup and meat. Zones 9-11 or indoors or greenhouse. Used medicinally. 10 seeds $2.50 For Pictures/Culture Information Click Here
9809 HERALD'S TRUMPET. Beaumontia grandiflora. This is a long leaved woody vine to 20 ft. with huge fragrant white trumpet flowers. Outside in Zone 10 only with full sun and high humidity. 5 seeds $2.50
9811 DATURA TREE. Brugmansia x candida. A fast growing large tropical shrub that can reach 15 ft. tall or be pruned to size. Often called Tree Datura because of it's fragrant huge pendulous trumpet shaped flowers that are usually creamy white. 10 seeds $2.50
KC175 ELEPHANT EAR TREE, MONKEY'S EAR TREE, EAR TREE. Guanacaste. Enterolobium cyclocarpum. Named (in English) not because the delicate mimosa-like, feathery leaves look anything like elephant's ears, but because the seed pods resemble ears. Eartree, Ear Tree, Elephant's Ear Tree, Guanacaste, is an utterly magnificent wide-canopied tree and is a member of the Mimosa Family. Pretty cream-colored flowers produced in massive heads are followed by the curious-looking ear-shaped fruit pods which are used for cattle feed. It is named "Guanacaste" (in Spanish) after the province of Guanacaste in north-western Costa Rica where it is a "state tree." This is the driest and hottest region of Costa Rica and is a climate suited to this magnificant tree - which, actually, is not a "rainforest tree" but is a "dryforest tree." Zones 10 - 11 or can be grown indors as a houseplant. 5 seeds $2.50 For Picture/Culture Information Click Here
KC170 TROPICAL TREE FERN. Schizolobium parahyba. A fast growing tropical tree from Brazil that can be pruned to size for warm greenhouses. 3 ft. long fern like leaves makes this a distinctive plant. 5 seeds $2.50
1109 BIRD OF PARADISE. (Ave del Paraíso) Strelitzia reginae. One of the most attractive of all tropical plants. It comes from S Africa. The flowers take shape of a most peculiar form, resembling birds in flight. Grows to a height of about 3 ft. Tropical houseplant. 5 seeds $2.00
NW10 GIANT WHITE BIRD OF PARADISE. Strelitsia nicolai. This is the famous giant plant reaching 12 ft. or more in height and bearing loads of brilliant white flowers. Can be container grown if desired. Zones 10-11. 5 seeds $2.50 For Picture/Culture Information Click Here
Note about seed germination: Most species of seeds have hard casings to protect the seed "embryo". For most of these "hard" seeds, the outer shell must be scarred, scratched or softened in some way. Some species take up to a year to germinate and will need help in the beginning to get the shell softened. Most varieties of slow germinating seeds will turn black and rot if there is not sufficient heat in the soil (75 to 90 degrees F. for most species) or if the soil dries out or is allowed to remain too wet, which will encourage the growth of one or another of the varieties of fungus or mold. It is important to speed up germination and to get the plants growing as soon as possible in order to avoid potential problems. Anyone who has soaked dried beans before cooking is familiar with the process of softening up the shell. When the outer shell is softened it allows the contents to expand. Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter) can help in softening up these outer shells. It is available in many drug stores, but for those who have difficulty obtaining a small amount, we offer 1 teaspoon packets for $1.00. Soak the seeds in a solution of one teaspoon of the saltpeter to one quart of warm water for at least 24 hours. Do not allow the seeds to dry out but sow them immediately using the remaining solution to water the soil or other growing medium. Soak several species of seeds at once in smaller containers of the same solution and have the containers of growing medium or soil ready for planting as soon as the soaking period is complete. SS100 Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter) one teaspoon packet $1.00