Medinilla magnifica is possibly one of the most unique flower to come from the tropics. It is commonly known as Rose Grape for their pretty pink fruits that look like tiny grapes. It has thick glossy evergreen leaves and showy pink flowers.
Photo from Medinilla Magnifica
These plants are natives of tropical southern Asia, western Africa and the Pacific islands. So this means they prefer hot and humid climates.
It looks like this flower is starting to gain popularity as the most elegant and exotic house plant around. It has amazing flowers that bloom several times a year. Similar to orchids, the flowering period can last from 3 to 6 months.
I actually saw this Medinilla at the SF Conservatory of Flowers. Although there weren’t any showy pink leaves, there were plenty of pink grape like fruits.
We have a friend that grows casava in her garden. I didn’t have my camera with me to take a photo of the plant (shrub). It can grow really high, up to 10 feet.
She did give me a handful of the casava flowers and fruits. Although it seems to grow easily in California, it does not form roots.
Casava roots are eaten around the world, especially in more tropical climates from Africa to Asia.
Tapioca is made from casava starch. They give off a chewy texture and best made into desserts.
This is a nice botanical illustration of the casava plant via Wiki. I think they make pretty ornamental plants too. Giving the garden a tropical and lush feeling.
Once it’s done flowering, it becomes tiny fruits. All parts of this plant is edible. But some say extra caution is needed when preparing the root. Just don’t eat them raw. I’ve personally never had a problem with eating casava roots.
As for taste, the steamed flowers was sweet and tender (like asparagus), but the fruit was somewhat bitter but tasty.
It’s been a while since I’ve been back to the Conservatory of Flowers at Golden Gate Park. Not much has changed but it was still a nice visit.
The Conservatory of Flowers is a greenhouse and botanical garden that contains a collection of rare plants. Design influence of Victorian architecture and built in 1878, it is the oldest wood and glass conservatory in North America.
On this particular summer day, the weather in S.F. was very chilly. The fog was hanging and the ocean breeze was strong. So imagine coming from the cold outside air into the humid and hot greenhouse.
Upon entering the potted plants room you are welcomed by this decorative statue. Reminds me of French gardens.
I have to mention it felt really small and cramp in the Conservatory. Especially on days when there are many visitors too. And this fruiting banana tree was very popular with everyone wanting a photo of it or with it.
Rare flowering plants such as this desert rose are potted in a simple terracotta pot. Other orchids and flowers were also planted in decorative urns and containers.
These would make great houseplants.
As noted by the Conservatory, “These containers include a historic urn from San Francisco’s 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, an assortment of beautiful copper containers with parrot-shaped handles from Karnataka, India, tall and slender Javanese palm pots, hand-incised ceramic pots from Burkina Faso and many, many more.”
Flowering potted tropical plant.
Fancy flowers!
If you enter from the side you’ll be greeted by colorful garden of Dahlias.
My favorite part of the Conservatory is always the aquatic plants, which I will post the photos later.
This summer I will be adding more notes on interesting and new plants. To start, I want to introduce clianthus puniceas.
It’s a perennial bush in the legume family that can grow up to 8 feet tall. It’s native to the tropics and found growing in New Zealand.
It’s is usually referred to by it’s common names such as Parrot’s Beak, Lobster’s Claw, Glory Pea and White Heron.
I especially admire the clusters of blooms that dangle like jewelry off the branches. Photo from Annie’s Annuals.
According to Annie’s it is a fast growing plant. The blooms are filled with sweet nectar to attract birds and other pollinators. It can tolerate a range of soil and temperature down to 13 degrees. But I would be cautious about growing this in colder climates.
There is also the red variety too. The leaves are also pretty, they remind me of tamarind leaves. Photo from New Zealand Plants.
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I thought the Kapok tree was a pretty interesting flowering tree until I came across the Flamboyant tree.   Although there is no cotton to cultivate from the blooms (unlike the Kapok tree). The dried seeds of the Flamboyant flowers are used to make a musical instrument called the maracas.
I love this photo from Brazil, taken by Flávio Cruvinel Brandão via . The yellow variety is in the background and you can see more of the red Flamboyant tree’s flowering in front.
The tree is also called Peacock Flower, Flame of the Forest, and Royal Poinciana. The color of the flowers range in vibrant yellow, orange to red.
The Flamboyant tree (scientific name - Delonix regia) is a threaten native tree from Madagascar. Though vulnerable in the wild, the tree is successfully grown today in many tropical areas as ornamental trees. They are also commonly found growing in the Caribbean, Argentina and Brazil.
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A few years ago I saw this amazing flower growing in northern California (Target shopping center in Cupertino). I didn’t think it was a native tree since it looked like it belong somewhere in the tropics.
The large tree was one of the most amazing tree I’ve ever seen. Starting with the trunk, which was covered in spikes. And the flowers were what really caught my eye. The flowers looked just like big orchids or maybe lily flowers blooming all over the tree.
Photo of the Kapok flower and spike trunk from Martin LaBar via Flickr.
There are many different varieties of the flowers, from small white ones to these large bright pink. These delicate looking flowers are hardy enough to last on the tree for several weeks.
Well, I am now happy to say I’ve found out it’s called the Kapok tree. Other names include the Ceiba or Silk Cotton tree. Many thanks to the University of British Columbia’s botany department. The university has a great website fill with information on various plants.
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Hibiscus flowers usually remind me of tropical places such as Hawaii. They are popular ingredients in herbal tea as it gives off the nice red color. These interesting looking hibiscus flowers are not the typical hibiscus grown as ornamental plants.
They are named roselle or “Hibiscus sabdariffa” and are edible. Roselle are an annual woody shrub that grows to 2–2.5 m tall. This plant is mainly grown in Southeast Asia and Central America.
They may look strange to someone who has never seen them before. The calyx are left over after the petals have fallen off.  What you see (pictured above) is these deep red bulb like blooms.
Germany uses it as natural food color and France likes it dipped in syrup. They are also popular made into sauces, syrups, and jams. They even have medicinal values and is also full of Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium and Niacin.
These dried Roselle I found at Trader Joe’s are also dipped in syrup. I have tried dried dragon fruit from Trader Joe’s and love them! So I just had to give these a try too. The texture is like dried fruit rolled up but more bland and chewy. It’s slightly tart and sweet (from the syrup). But I do think they taste better then dried cranberries.
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