 **Cabbage
Vegetable Brassica oleracea
Cabbage is a wonderful and very adaptable vegetable; use
it in salads, soups, Chinese egg rolls and more. But, it seems
to me that the flavor of cabbage really requires growing in a cool
or cold climate. Those that I've tasted that were grown in the
Caribbean just weren't worth eating, even the ones we grew one
year in our own garden in Montserrat.
Tropical Climate Varieties: Early
Jersey, Charleston Wakefield, Copenhagen Market, Early Round Dutch,
Red
Acre.
Benefits: Cabbage is a good source of vitamin C,
calcium and iron.
Photographed: In
our upper garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting
and Care: Although I can't recommend cabbage planted in a warm
or tropical environment, if you wish to do so start your seeds in a small movable
seed bed
where the emerging plants
will be protected from mid day sun. Keep the soil moist and use liberally a liquid
fertilizer like Miracle Grow. Transplant
to
the
garden
when
starter
plants
are
about 4" tall. Plant
them in good compost rich soil and get ready to combat the bugs and caterpillars
with hot pepper or neem sprays.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2007
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**Cabbage
Palm Tree See
the "P" Page -- PALMS
|
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Cacoa
Tree Theobroma
cacao L.
Reaching a modest height of only 25 feet the cacoa likes it shady so tall trees
are interplanted to provide that environment. Once trees are established, cocoa
pods can be seen growing from all parts of the older wood over time ripening
to a brownish red. The tree will usually begin bearing in four years, fully maturing
in seven to ten years, and then bearing for fifty years or more. When cocoa is
eight to ten years old, it is time to prune the top branches to encourage lower
and younger branches to develop. A healthy cocoa tree produces two crops each
year.
Benefits: Chocolate
has recently been much touted as a miracle cure much like
green tea and garlic have been. This latter star of the
health gurus is maybe the best as who in the world wouldn't
love chocolate.
From: Tropical Mexico and Central America and
the tropical areas of northern of South America
Planting
and Care: Plant your cocoa tree in the shade in compost
rich soil and give it routine rainfall or watering. These are appealing
trees and once mature the fruits will give you no end of astonishment
in how they grow.
Starting from seeds: Once you've opened your pod
and retrieved the probably gooey mess inside give them a rinse
in cool water to remove as much of the goo as possible. Let the
seeds dry and rub with course sand to remove the last of the now
papery seed covering. Now comes the tricky part. Place the seeds
in a clean glass or stainless steet tray and cover with netting
to elinate the possibility of fruit flies finding the seeds. Keep
the seeds moist and warm and shaded. I would recommend using a
spray bottle with warm water to dampen the seeds several times
a day. Do not let them sit in water. When a small plant emerges
place it in a 3 ft wide plastic bag filled with a good composted
soil. Put holes in the bottom of the bags for drainage. Leave the
little trees each in its own bag for about six months before transplanting
them.
Recipe:
Toast fresh cocoa beans over medium heat in a Mexican
comal or other flat bottomed pan. Remove the seed coating and crush.
Mix with minced almonds, fresh grated coconut, sugar and a bit
of vanilla or almond extract to make a wonderful homemade candy.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2004/2007/2010 |
| |
|
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 **Caladium
Caladium X hortulanum or
Caladium bicolor (Ait.) Vent.
This is a variegated
leafy plant often sold as a house plant in colder climates. I
had several over the years while living in New England.
From: They
are said to have originated in South America, but they must also
be native or at least natural to Montserrat since they will spontaneously
appear here and there when there is continuous rain. We have the
common varieties that I have seen and owned as houseplants, but
we have one variety that truly seems to have been painted by an
artist. It was a gift from good friends leaving Montserrat
so we have a special attachment to it.
Photographed: In
our shady terrace garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: It
grows well in the shadier parts of our garden and seems to be a
very hardy survivor. When
transplanting one, don’t plant it too deep. It probably will
spread of its own accord in warm moist garden areas.
Text & Photographs Copyrighted ©Krika.com
2008/2009
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| Calathea
crotalifera See the "W" Page -- WHITE RATTLE SHAKER |
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| Calathea
Helen Kennedy -- See CATHEDRAL WINDOWS Below |
| |
  Calathea
lietzei
Photographed:
In
the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in
Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This
is a shade and water loving plant that is perfect for livening
up a shady area of your garden.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010
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 Velvet
Calathea Calathea rufibarba
Photographed: In the Botanical
Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Bright light, but no direct
sun, and soil that is moist will keep this plant very happy.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010 |
|
 Calathea
Triostar
Photographed: In
the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010 |
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| Calico
Plant See the
"J" Page -- JOSEPH'S COAT (2) |
|
  Calla
Lily Zantedeschia aethiopica or Calla
aethiopica
Calla lilies are about the most perfectly beautiful flowers in the world and
they have been enshrined on canvas by such internationally renowned artists
as Diego
Rivera. We had them to celebrate our wedding and whenever possible we choose
to be surrounded by these blooms. Do take a little care with them if you have
children or plant eating pets as callas are poisonous.
From: South Africa
Photographed: In Taxco, Mexico, and along
the roadside at Hacienda San Buenaventura at Lake Atitlan in
Guatemala.
Planting and Growth: The calla prefers full
sun, but will also grow well in partial shade. Whether in the
sun or the shade it requires lots of moisture.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO
2008/2010
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|
|
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| Camellia
Flowering bush Camellia japonica
or Camellia sansanqua
This is a Southern garden plant much desired by those of
us who for too many years lived too far north to have one. Now that
we are in the Caribbean, we are getting greedy for a camellia. Its
flowers are really beautiful and it is a lovely plant.
From: Japan
Planting and Growth: It prefers a slightly acid
soil with full sun or partial shade and a soil that remains moist,
but drains excess moisture.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007/2008
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Candelabra
Bush, Candlestick, Candle Tree, Ringworm Tree, Candle Bush, Empress
Candle Plant Cassia Alata, Senna Alata
This is a perennial deciduous bush/small tree
with brilliant yellow flowers that grow up stems that stand
out
from the top of the foliage.
The
flowers
are dramatically lumpy looking and curiously very appealing.
Benefits: The candelabra has both antibacterial
and anti fungal qualities, hence one of its names is "ringworm tree."
Before
steaming full ahead to treat any fungal or other disorders you may
have realize that the plant is also considered toxic and exercise
care and good judgment in its use.
From: Mexico or maybe Argentina
Planting and Care: This
plant is one that grows in a hot Caribbean environment with blistering
mid-day
sun
and not
nearly
enough
water and it loves every minute of it, producing its startlingly
yellow flowers usually in the late summer or early fall. The bush
grows
to be about 10 feet tall and just as wide. It is not frost hardy.
Please Note: Once established
these bushes can withstand severe droughts. This is an especially wonderful
trait given the unpredictability of today's weather patterns.
Text
Copyrighted ©KO
2010
|
| |
 **Candelabra
Cactus Euphorbia candelabrum or Euphorbia
lactea
Sometimes growing
to as much as 15 feet, the candelabra cactus is a sharply spined,
thick branching variety. Every year the candelabra cactus beside
our front door becomes home to a bananaquit family. These lovely
sweet tiny little birds love the candelabra for some reason. Maybe
it offers them protection from predators.
Photographed: In
its early years in our front border garden at our home in Montserrat.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2004/2010
|
|
 Candelabra
Plant, Elkhorn Euphorbia lactea cristea
Oddly enough this peculiar looking cactus is a relative of the candelabra cactus
above and it shares many of the same characteristics. It is poisonous and the
white sap that oozes from any wound is said to be especially irritating as
well.
I have not found that to be particularly true of the many candelabras we have
growing in our garden in Montserrat.
From: India
Photographed: In the city of Oaxaca, Mexico,
2009.
Planting and Care: Give this family of plants
full sun or as much sun as possible. Water sparingly and they
will all do just fine.
Text & Photograph
Copyrighted ©KO 2009
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Candle
Bush -- See Candelabra Bush Above
|
| |
| Candlestick
-- See Candelabra Bush Above |
| |
| Candle
Tree -- See Candelabra Bush Above |
 **Canna
Lily
This
is one of the stars in a tropical garden. They are tall
plants, often
well over three feet, and they produce spectacular flowers
as you can see in these photographs. Their foliage too is usually
very
appealing.
If you are buying a plant make sure that the combined colors of
the flowers and foliage are attractive together. This is not always
the case.
Photographed: The large crimson canna flower was
photographed in our garden in Montserrat. The yellow canna flower
was photographed
at Hacienda San Buenaventura by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. It had
naturalized and was growing totally on its own.
Planting and Care: Cannas prefer full sun and
routine rainfall or watering. They are terribly subject to an
especially
nasty caterpillar which will decimate the foliage on a plant in
just a few days. These caterpillars and the moths that lay the
eggs
seem
totally
immune to our soap spray. We have resorted to hand squishing the
caterpillars, but surely there is a better way! Still, we are
looking
for a way that is not poisonous to all humanity. Get in touch if
you have any suggestions that have worked for you.
Link: http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com
Text
& Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010
To
see the nasty canna predator, click
here!
|
| |
 Cape
Honeysuckle Tecomaria capensis or Tecoma
capensis or Bignonia capensis
This is an attractive plant especially because the colors
of its brilliant flowers blends perfectly with the deep green
of its foliage.
Benefits: This is a butterfly and hummingbird attractant.
From: South Africa
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan
on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This is essentially an easy
care full sun sort of plant. It seems to reproduce or spread
freely and I'd recommend pruning/staking or some other sort of
containment approach. It will do fine in a situation a bit shy
on water.
Text & Photograph
Copyrighted ©KO 2010
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Capers Capparis
spinosa
Coming from the Middle East and parts of Asia, capers
obviously like it hot and dry -- a desert like environment is perfect.
The caper bush will grow to be no more than five feet tall and it
will delight you with its very pretty feathery purple and white flowers.
Edible capers are pickled flower buds; usually the smaller buds are
more coveted than the larger ones.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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**Caraway,
Wild Cumin, Carvies, Carroway Carum carvi or Fructus
carvi
Caraway
is a pretty frothy foliage plant whose seeds are
its best feature. We use them in making our potato bread
here in the Caribbean and pretend we're eating rye which
is not available here. As an added benefit the roots of the
caraway are also edible cooked much as you would carrots
or turnips.
Benefits: Aside from contributing its lovely
flavor to our breads, caraway is said to be beneficial in aiding
digestion.
From: SE Europe or western Asia
Planting and Care: Caraway is a biennial meaning
it grows for two years. In the first it will reach a height
of about 8 inches or so, but it will grow to be at least
2 feet tall in the second year. Plant the seeds where the plants
will
grow
permanently
in a
sunny or semi shady area with well drained neutral soil.
Text
Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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| **Cardboard
Palm See
The "P" Page PALMS -- JAIMAICA SAGO |
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| **Cardinal
Climber See
The "M" Page -- MILE A MINUTE |
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| **Cardomon
Dwarf Shell Ginger See
The "G" Page -- GINGER |
| |
| Carpet
Bugleweed See the "A" Page -- AJUGA BURGUNDY GLOW |
|
Carrots
Vegetable Daucus carota
Carrots are a lovely vegetable and lend themselves to many uses
-- cooked alone and served with lemon butter, chopped and cooked
as a sweetening base in lentil soup, raw in potato salad for added
crunch or grated in cole slaw for color. They are delicious peeled
and stored in a cold bag in the fridge for an anytime snack. We
have had no luck so far growing them in our garden, but they do
grow well on the island and the native carrots taste very good.
Benefits: Carrots are a good source of the antioxidant,
skin renewing beta carotene and vitamins A, B, C, and E, and minerals
iron, magnesium and calcium. They may also be curatives for kidney
and bladder problems, as well as having been used as a treatment
for lower intestinal parasites.
Planting and Care: Carrots are difficult to bring
to harvest in the Caribbean. There are so many underground pests
and
such
typically
heavy soil that we have had no luck at all. The one time they were
off to a good start, feral chickens dug them up. If you do decide
to give them a try these are the hot climate varieties that were
recommended to us: Danvers
Half Long, Chantenay, Nantes, Imperator. Like so many other vegetable
plants, carrots require full sun and an even amount of watering.
Insects are not generally a problem above ground.
Special note: When you harvest your crop, cut off the leafy tops and they will last longer in storage.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010
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| **Carroway
-- See Caraway above |
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| **Caruba See
The "B" Page -- BANANA PASSION FRUIT |
| |
| **Carvies
-- See Caraway above |
| |
 **Cashew
Tree Anacardium
occidentale L.
In
Montserrat and I suspect in most of the Caribbean the cashew tree
is called a cherry tree for its unusual fruit, a three inch or so
shiny soft red pear shaped fruit which is eaten fresh and used in
local soft drinks. While hanging from the tree, the fruit bears
a cashew encased in a tough fibrous covering at its end. These seeds
are harvested, toasted and the covering carefully removed to get
to the delicious nuts.
Benefits and Cautions: Along
with the mango, this tree is a member of the poison ivy family
with the same potential to give you a nasty skin problem. The
hulls of the cashew nut contain cardol oil which blisters the
skin
and is very toxic. This poisonous oil is used externally in the
treatment of skin infections, herpes lesions and to heal warts
and
corns. The bark has been used in the treatment of an assortment
of diseases – from diarrhea and diabetes to some of the
symptoms caused by syphilis. Aside from being truly delicious,
cashews nuts are 15% protein, 40% oil and high in Vitamin C.
From: Native
to tropical America, the cashew has now spread throughout the Caribbean.
Photographed: The yellow fruits above were photographed
at a neighbor's home in Olveston, Montserrat, and the photograph
below at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: The
cashew tree likes it dry and sunny. Depending on conditions, the
cashew will grow to between twenty and forty feet, yielding its
first crop in three years. Cashew trees go from flower to fruit
in just two months.
Text and Photographs ©Krika.com
2009/2010
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| Cashmere
Bouquet See
the "G" Page -- GLORY TREE |
| |
| **Cassia
Trees, both Pink and Yellow varieties See
the "P" Page -- PINK CASSIA TREE |
|
**Cast
Iron Plant Aspidistra
elatior
This
green leafy plant grows to be about two and one half feet tall
and spreads with separate shoots as it matures. Ours is now about
two feet in diameter and lives in our very shady terrace garden.
It is a real survivor -- drought, volcanic ash falls and heavy
duty acid rain (enough to literally melt many plants in the garden)
-- none of these seem to have phased it one bit. I
hope I have identified this plant correctly, but it may be a Dracena
thaloides. I would very much like to hear from you if you
can help in distinguishing between these two plants.
From: China
Planting and Care: This is one of those wonderfully adaptable
plants and one that thrives in shade. As for its soil requirements,
it is just as adaptable doing equally well in soil that is slightly
alkaline to slightly acid.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007/2010
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| Castorbean See
CASTOR OIL PLANT Below |
| |
 Castor
Oil Plant, Castorbean, Palma Christi Ricinus
communis
This is a pretty plant because of its foliage more than for its blossoms. It
will grow to between ten and twenty feet tall with very little care.
Benefits: Although
the seeds are considered very poisonous, leaves from this
plant are commonly used in medicinal cures in South America
most probably externally.
From: Africa
Photographed: At the Hotel Riviera on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in
2010.
Planting and Care: This plant will do well in
full sun or semi shade with only a moderate amount of water.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2010
|
|
 **Casuarina
Tree, Australian Pine,
Ironwood, Horsetail, Willow Tree
(in Montserrat) Casuarina equisetifolia
or Casuarina muricata
This is a willowy pine like tree that is very common in
the Caribbean. It is a sturdy survivor of the hot and sunny, windy
and stormy and then drought ridden and salty Caribbean island environment.
It will quickly grow to be about sixty feet tall and is considered
much like the neem tree; nothing lives on it or under it.
From: The Caribbean
Photographed: At a friend's home in Old Towne,
Montserrat.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007
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  Cathedral
Windows, Peacock Plant Calathea Helen Kennedy
This is a wonderful filler plant for pretty deeply shady parts of the garden.
It is very decorative. On the left you see the leaf top side and on the right
you see the underside.
From: Rainforest environments in middle and South America
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan Botanical
Garden at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Heat, shade and high humidity
will duplicate this plant's native environment. Water frequently,
but do lot let the soil become soggy.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO
2010 |
|
|
 Cats
Whiskers Orthosiphon stamineus, Ocimum aristatum,
Orthosiphon aristatus
Cats Whiskers
closely resemble cleomes from a distance, but I think they
are more interesting when you get up close. I recall that they
are about two feet tall or so and the flowers are just what
you would imagine when you think of the plant's name.
Benefits: Apparently, aside
from giving us a bit of beauty in the garden, cats whiskers
also gives
us medicinal benefits. These plants are also attractants for
butterflies and hummingbirds.
From: Asia
Photographed: In
the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in
Guatemala.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010
|
|
| Ceiba
Tree See
the "K" Page -- KAPOK TREE |
| |
 **Celery
Vegetable Apium
Celery has got to be one of the best foods in the world. It can be
eaten fresh from the garden, chilled in a salad, as a fresh leafy
swizzle in a bloody mary or cooked in soups and stews.
Benefits: Celery is a good source of potassium and vitamins
B and C.
Harvesting:
We never pull up a whole plant, but carefully cut what we need
from the base of the plant leaving the rest of the plant to continue
growing.
Photographed: In
our garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: Celery does not mind
being planted in a large clay pot or even a plastic bucket. In
a clay
pot about
15 inches across the top and about 15 inches deep, you can comfortably
plant four celery plants, spacing them evenly. Growing
celery in a tropical or Caribbean environment is not what you
may
be used to in a more northerly environment. Use a lot of water;
soak the plants every morning! They
also like sun and a lot of fertilizer. In the tropics, planting
anything
in the garden is always a risk. Plant a few celery plants in a
pot and then plant the rest of the flat in the garden. That way
you'll
have a little insurance; for sure the plants will grow in one place
or the other.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com
2008/2010
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| Centipede
Plant See
the "T" Page -- TAPEWORM PLANT |
| |
Century
Plant See
the "A" Page -- AGAVE
|
| |
**Cereas
See the "N" Page -- NIGHT
BLOOMING CEREUS
We
recently also got a piece of another similar plant called Hylocereus,
though this one is triangular in shape and seems to prefer
growing on a tree for support. It likes an acid soil and
some sun. It is native to Mexico and Central America. See
The "H" Page HYLOCEREUS
Text Copyrighted ©KO
2007
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  Chalice
Vine, Cup of Gold Solandra
guttata or Solandra
grandiflora
or Solandra maxima or Solandra nitid
As I hope you can see in the photos, this is a lush
and dramatic flowering vine. The buds and flowers are about
the size of a small woman's clenched hand.
Benefits: Not surprisingly with its pleasant scent it is an attractant
for butterflies and hummingbirds.
From: Mexico,
Latin America and the northern part of South America
Photographed: At
the Hotel Atitlan Botanical Garden at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Plant it in full sun or in a spot with a bit of shade and
give it routine rainfall or watering.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010/2011
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|
Chamomile
This is a plant whose small flowers are used in calmative tea. We
don't have any growing in the garden, but will as soon as we can.
It is a lovely plant and a wonderfully aromatic tea.
Text
Copyrighted ©KO 2007
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| |
| Chenille
Plant Acalypha
hispida Also
See the "J" Page -- JOSEPH'S COAT |
| |
| **Cherimoya See
The "S" Page -- SOURSOP |
| |
**Chickens
in the Garden
Though chickens eat lots of pest insects in the garden and leave
behind valuable fertilizer, they also eat string bean flowers and
young corn ears so it’s a toss up as to the value of free
ranging chickens as garden helpers.
Recently
we learned from homesteading friends in Oregon that you can make
a fenced chicken run surrounding your kitchen garden. Bugs won't
get past the chickens on the way to your veggies and the fertilizer
for your garden will be just feet away. Not
bad!
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008
Also
See the "W" Page -- WILDLIFE
|
| |
 Chilacayote,
Asian Pumpkin, Fig Leaf Gourd Cucurbita ficifolia
Toward
the end of January 2010 we discovered this huge squash while driving
from Oaxaca city toward our beach destination on the southern coast
of Mexico, Huatulco. We had taken what might now be called the "least
traveled route" over the mountains and we liked it enough to
take it again on the way back. Along the way high in the mountains
on this
narrow and now little traveled road we came to an area where a few
villagers were selling plants and flowers beside the road. At this
time of year they were also selling chilacayotes. We are going to
cook this huge squash while saving the seeds, see if we like the
taste and
then plant the seeds when we get back home to Montserrat. More later....
Benefits: This is a plant that is currently
used to improve the lives and health of diabetics.
From: The Americas, though it is now widely
spread around the world.
Photographed: In San Jose Pacifico, in the
State of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Planting and Care: In a tropical climate this is a perennial squash
and all parts of the plant are edible -- fruit, seeds, flowers and greens. This
appears to be like all other squash/pumpkin plants. We're going to see how it
does for us. Plant it in a sunny place with a good water supply and it will produce
enough to keep you very happy.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2010
|
|
 Chiles CHILIES CHILIES CHILIES Mexican HOT! HOT! HOT!
As you can imagine for two people who have lived
for years in Mexico, chiles are one of our dear favorite foods. They
add color and a kick to many wonderful dishes. Not all of them are
hot and many have interesting layers of flavor. The manzano chile
is a good example. With its peppery heat comes a nuance of melon.
Click
Here To See Our Special Mexican Chile Section With Photos And A Recipe
Here And There.
Link: http://www.g6csy.net/chile/var-b.html
|
|
 **Chinese
Evergreen Aglaonema
commutatum
Photographed: In
our garden at our home in Montserrat and in the botanical
garden at the Hotel Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting
and Care: Growing only to a height of about two and one half
feet, this variegated green leafed plant will grow happily in the shade,
but it prefers a light soil and a relatively moist environment.
Text
and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2007/Krika.com 2008/2010
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|
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|
| |
 #1
Chinese Hat,
Cup and Saucer, Parasol Flower, Mandarins Hat Holmskioldia
sanguinea
Growing up to ten feet tall this lovely bush will thrive in sun
or semi shade and will delight you with its beautifully and subtly
colored chinese hat like flowers. It has the added benefit of being
an attractant for birds, butterflies and bees.
Photographed: At
a friend's home in Woodland's, Montserrat.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com
2008
|
|
#2
Chinese Hat, Cup and Saucer, Parasol Flower, Mandarins
Hat Holmskioldia
sanguinea
From a distance I thought this was a bougainvillea;
I was so excited to find out that it was one more delightful
type of Chinese hat. I had seen the plant only once before
at a friend's home in Montserrat (pictured above). Here I
was in Guatemala finding the second one. It made my day!
From: The Himalayas
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at
the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Full sun is its place of preference
along with moist soil. These conditions should make this a very
hearty member of the garden, though it will also tolerate a bit
of shade.
Text & Photographs
Copyrighted ©KO 2010
 
|
| |
 Chinese
Taro Alocasia cucullata
This plant looks very much like a non-vining version
of the standard philodendron which grows in offices and homes
with little
or no care. The leaves are a bit more bumpy and grow to be
about the size of my hand.
Photographed: At the Hotel San Buenaventura on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010
|
| |
| **Chinese
Honeysuckle See
The "R" Page -- Rangoon Creeper |
| |
| Chinese
Lantern See
the "F" Page -- Flowering Maple |
| |
| **Chirimoya See
The "S" Page -- SOURSOP |
| |
**
Chives Allium schoenoprasum
Who can imagine a baked potato with sour cream and no chives -- not us, so we
now have chives growing in the garden and use them liberally on our baked potatoes
and lots more.
Benefits: The Chinese seem to favor chives as an all around
cure all for everything from stomach aches to stuffy noses and, aside from
dressing up your baked potatoes, chives do provide enough vitamin C, potassium,
folic acid, and iron to make them an advisable addition to soups and stir fries.
Planting and Care: Chives are in the onion
family and they are perennials so once you get them growing you
will be rewarded for years to come. They will grow in full sun
or partial shade (especially in a tropical environment) and they
like a moist fertile soil. They are ideal for planting somewhere
in your flower garden as a border plant because of their twelve
inch gray green spikey stems and now and then their small, but
pretty lavender flowers. Normally chives are purchased in small
clumps ready for planting in the garden. Here in Montserrat there
aren't any such clumps, so we planted seeds and they've done
just fine.
Text
Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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 **Christmas
Bush Brunfelsia americana
This is a very
popular bush in Montserrat as it has snowy white blooms just in
time for Christmas and then again in early March.
Photographed: In our deck garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: I'm probably risking disaster in saying this,
but this plant seems to do well just about anywhere from shady
to sunny and it is easily propagated with cuttings. If you have
one of these plants
take
a look around the garden in the spring
you will see lots of tiny Christmas Bushes sprouting here and there.
They make lovely presents for friends and neighbors.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2008
To
see how pretty these bushes can be
Please See the "H" Page
-- HERB GARDEN |
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| **Christmas
Palm See
The "P" Page, PALMS -- CABBAGE PALM |
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Chrysanthemum
cinerariaefolium (No common name yet)
Benefit: The dried foliage and flowers of this plant are
sources of the natural insecticide pyrethrum.
Text
Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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 **Cilantro,
Coriander Herb
The fresh green
leaves of the cilantro are an essential ingredient in Mexican cuisine
as they are also in Indian cuisine. It is a very soft feathery
plant that is easy to grow and pretty in a garden row. When the
plant matures and produces seeds, they are called coriander, another
of the world's favorite flavorings.
Benefits: Cilantro
is said to enhance your immune system and to aid in digestion.
Photographed: In
the upper garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: Sometimes cilantro is considered
difficult to grow, but I can't imagine why. Soak the seeds in water
overnight the day before you will be planting them. Work your soil
as you normally would and drop in the seeds. Cover with about one
inch of soil and tamp down. Keep watered lightly for the two or
so weeks it will take the plants to poke out of the ground and
they water regularly as you would just about everything else in
the vegetable garden.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2008/2010
For
a wonderful Caribbean alternative to cilantro See The "F" Page FITWEED |
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Cinnamon
Tree Cinnamon zeylanicum or Cinnamon verum
From: Sri Lanka
Text
Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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 **Clammy
Cherry Tree, Red Manjack Tree, Glue Berries Tree, Snotty Gobbles
Tree Cordia collococca
We first saw this tree at a friend's house
in Montserrat. It was loaded with fruit and we wanted to know
all about it. She accommodated us immediately by picking a cherry
and popping it in her mouth while talking about having eaten
the fruit with her friends when they were school children. Within
a minute she had changed her tune as her mouth filled with gluey
saliva -- this tree didn't get its name for no reason.
From: S. America, Mexico and the
Caribbean
Planting and Care: This is a weed
tree whose seeds are distributed by the Jamaican Fruit Bat. It
is unlikely you would want one of these trees in your garden.
Link: http://www.batplants.co.uk/clamcherriestext.htm
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008
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 Cleome,
Spider Flower Cleome hassleriana
This lovely annual is easily grown and blooms all summer.
From: South America
Planting and Care: Plant seeds in trays ahead of time or seedlings
directly in the garden. With full sun or a little mid day shade and regular
rainfall or watering cleome will keep you happy with its blooms atop its attractive
3 to 4 foot foliage.
Pests: Aphids, spider mites and whiteflies.
What else is new?
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the
Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text
and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010
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| **Clerodendron
See the "F"
Page -- FIREWORKS and See
the "J" Page **JAVA GLORYBOWER |
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 Clivia,
Kaffir Lily Clivia
miniata
A strap shaped leaf plant that has large lovely deep orange
flowers, the clivia grows best in a lightly shaded area of the garden.
It comes from South America and has two (or maybe more) forms. One
has wide very deep green leaves and huge flowers once a year. The
other has narrower leaves and less spectacular flowers.
I
had my first clivia many years ago, a toss away from a friend
who had no interest in dealing with the mealy bugs that had made
it home. I used cedar oil very successfully until I went overboard
and killed the heart of the mother plant. Fortunately there were
side shoots that I quickly planted. Unfortunately, they did absolutely
nothing in our lovely sunny window for many months. One day I
had truly had it with watering a one leafed plant. I threatened
it out loud, saying that if in a week it didn't show some promise
it was "going out."
The
very day a new leaf appeared and this little plant became a huge
luxuriant clivia that never failed to bloom. It lived for a while
in a suburb of Washington, D.C., spending its summers on my terrace.
My El Salvadoran neighbor, Paquita, a very frail old woman who
spoke no English, walked over one day and motioning to the clivia,
said with a sweet smile (in translation), "That is how we
live, closely, all together."
Photographed: At our hotel in the tiny beach
side town of Mazunte on Oaxaca's wonderful coast. To see a bit
more of this coast on one of our travel web sites,
please click here Oaxaca-Today.com Scroll
down till you get to a heading SIGHTS & SITES – OVERNIGHT
EXCURSIONS FROM OAXACA.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010
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Cloves Syzygium
aromaticum or Caryophyllus aromaticus or Eugenia
carophyllata or Eugenia caryophyllus
Benefits: Aside
from the wonderful flavor it imparts to so many of our favorite foods, cloves
are a wonderful way to soothe the pain of a toothache. Cloves are also
said to have a wide range of other medicinal benefits especially for digestion
and
for the
respiratory system.
From: Indonesia
Planting and Growth: The relatively
small tree that produces what we know as cloves requires a year round hot humid
rainy climate with temperatures not exceeding 100° F. This is one tree
that is probably best left growing on clove estates in the Far East.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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 **Coca,
Energy Bush
This is a large open branched bush with smallish
leaves that have a pale white stripe down the center. Here in Montserrat
it is used to steep a tea for an extra bit of energy, hence its
local
name, the "energy bush." It really works!
Photographed: In
our garden at our home in Montserrat.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008
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|  Cockscomb,
Feathered Amaranth, Woolflower, Red Fox Celosia
argentea or Celosia spicata
In Mexico this is a very peculiar always very red
flowering plant is a major part of Day of the Dead celebrations
all over the country.
For
that
reason I have always had a sentimental attachment to it, but otherwise
I found it rather unappealing. Recently I've
had a chance to change my mind when seeing young plants growing
at a nearby
Botanical Garden when we were visiting Guatemala.
Photographed: On the right in Taxco, Mexico, and all others in
the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: The full sun of summer
along with the oftentimes accompanying rainy season makes life
just perfect
for the cockscomb.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted
©KO 2008/2010
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**Coconut
Palm See
The "P" Page -- PALM TREES
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| Coconut
Palm (Dwarf) See
the "P" Page -- PALM TREES |
| |
  Coffee
Tree Coffea
arabica L.
Coffee trees are small, growing only to about 12 feet, but they are beautiful
with deep green shiny leaves and small fragrant white flowers. Even the berries
when ripe and red make the tree very appealing. It is a member of the same
family as ixora (see the I Page), but I think it is much more attractive. Coffee
beans are usually harvested in late fall or early winter after they've turned
fully red. After the outer pulp is removed, the beans are
allowed to ferment to more easily remove the soft seed covering. Dry the
beans in the sun and then winnow the dry skins in the wind. Before
being ground, coffee can be stored for several months without
losing its flavor.
Photographed: The two photographs above were
taken at the Hotel San Buenaventura at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
The hotel is situated
in what was
a German
owned coffee plantation for more than a hundred years. The photograph
below taken a few months later at the end of July was taken at
the Hotel Atitlan which also lies on the grounds of the same
plantation.
Planting
and Care: Coffee grows best in a semi shady place
with cool summery temperatures and lots of humidity and rainfall
or routine watering.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO2008/2010
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COLEUS
 This
is one of those very popular weed like plants that grow well everywhere
from New England to the tropics. Put it in the sun or the shade water
it whenever the mood strikes and it will still look pretty good.
I thought they were great when I was very little because they came
in so many colors. It would probably be an excellent plant for introducing
children to gardening.
Landscaping idea: To have a bright and attractive
carefree border planting as in the photograph on the left, mix
together coleus and palm grass. Both are incredibly hardy.
Photographed: At several hotels in the Hacienda
San Buenaventura area beside Lake Atitlan, in Guatemala.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO
2010
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| Column
Cactus See
the "A" Page -- Apple Cactus |
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Common
Horsetail Equisetum hyemale
Most commonly known as a pond plant, this is an ancient plant on
our earth. It will survive almost anything you can throw at it.
Photographed: In the Japanese Garden in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Planting and Care: Ideally this ancient plant
would like to live beside a sunny pond with its feet in the water.
If you can give
it even a little of that environment it will surely do very well
for you. |
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 Copper
Leaf (1) Acalypha wilkesiana
Please
Also See the "J" Page - Joseph's Coat
Photographed: In a neighbor's garden in
Montserrat.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2010
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| Copper
Leaf (2) See
the "J" Page JOSEPHS COAT (3) |
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 Coral
Ardesia Ardesia crenata
Photographed: At
the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text
and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010 |
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**Coralblow See
The "F" Page -- FIRECRACKER
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| **Coral
Bush See
The "J" Page -- JATROPHA |
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| **Coral
Hibiscus Bush See
The "H" Page HIBISCUS -- Coral Hibiscus |
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| **Coral
Plant See
The "F" Page -- FIRECRACKER |
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Coral
Tree, Sunshine Tree Erythrina
indica picta
A bright yellow and green roundish leaved tree, the
coral is delightful giving us an attractive small tree for
the garden that not only provides colorful foliage, but large
very appealing orangey red flowers when it drops its leaves
in late spring.
From: Its origin is Brazil and it does have
the exuberance that Brazil inspires.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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 **Cordia
Tree, Geranium Tree, Geiger Tree Cordia sebestena
This
lovely tree has large round medium green papery leaves
and routinely bears clusters of very attractive reddish
orange flowers which are most abundant in the spring and
summer. These flowers produce edible, but not tasty, white
golf ball sized seed fruits. This is another of my survivor
friends; the cordia is beautiful and tough!
From: The cordia tree is native to the Caribbean
Photographed: In
our garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and care: The
cordia is well adapted to growing in dry and even salty conditions.
In ideal conditions it will grow to be about thirty feet tall
with a spread of about fifteen feet.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2008
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 Coreopsis
This bright beautiful intense yellow flowering plant makes a great
summery border in late spring/early summer. It will grow to
be about two feet tall.
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text
and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010 |
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|
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**Coriander
see "Cilantro" above and Also
See
The "F" Page --
FITWEED
|
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 **Corn Zea
mays
This is sweet corn, food of the Gods!! Here in
the Caribbean cooked ears of corn are sold by the roadside
and we sometimes
see a small field of corn growing. As in Mexico, hot weather
makes for tough corn, what I've always called "Cow Corn," which
grows and is prized in the American southeastern states. It just
doesn't equate with the dozens of ears of northern grown sweet
corn that I've consumed every summer all of my life. I grew corn
in my garden in Washington, D.C., and confirmed my belief that
corn is a field crop, meant to grow on acres and acres, not in
a dedicated six foot by six foot corner of the backyard garden.
We've planted corn in our banana garden and we'll let you know
how it works out; so far it doesn't look good.
Photographed: On
the left in our banana garden at our home in Montserrat and below
on hacienda San Buenaventura land by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text
and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010
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| Corn
Plant See the "D" Page -- DRACAENAS -- Corn Plant |
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| **Crape
Ginger See
The "G" Page GINGER -- Spiral Ginger |
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Crape
Jasmine See the "I" Page -- INDIA CARNATION
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CRAPE
MYRTLES
 **Crape
Myrtle, Crepe Myrtle Flowering Bush/Small Tree Lagerstroemia
indica
With its
dark green leaves the flowers on this small normally fifteen
foot tall tree really stand out. It requires full sun to flower
most abundantly with its delicate, frilly, light purple/lavender
or white blossoms, but it will also flower in a bright semi-shady
area.
From: Originating
in South East Asia and Northern Australia, crape myrtle is now
widely spread around the globe.
Photographed: In
our garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting
and Care: We have had good luck with our crape myrtles
planted in a sunny area where they normally bloom for months
on end beginning sometime in June. We then planted them as part
of a hedge in full shade several months ago and they are finally
beginning to thrive; they are even flowering. I read somewhere
that providing lots of moisture to young plants greatly speeds
their growth and it's true based on what we've seen; older established
plants do just fine with whatever rainfall comes their way. To
stimulate production of new flower stems, cut off the old ones;
it not only works to bring more flowers, but the bush itself
seems enhanced.
Text & Photographs Copyrighted ©Krika.com
2008/2010
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Queens
Flower Tree, Queens Crape Myrtle, Pride of India, Banaba Lagerstroemia
speciosa, Lagerstroemia flos reginae
This too is really a crape myrtle, but may be another
variety. The ones we have on our property have never
given an indication that they will grow into small trees,
but that may be because I do prune them frequently. As
a small tree it is so beautiful that when
I saw it while driving to a friend's house in Montserrat
I just stopped
the
car
and
took the
picture below on the right.
The
owner's of the property where it was photographed have
two extremely vicious dogs free to roam the neighborhood
and attack
at will.
I had only a moment to take the picture and close the
car window before they reached and leaped at the car
snarling and snapping their jaws.
Benefits: The leaves and roots are said to have medicinal
benefits.
From: India
Photograph: I took the photograph on the right while
at home on the Caribbean island of Montserrat in 2009. The one on the
left was taken at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting
and Care: Full sun and routinely receiving a moderate amount
of water will keep the Queens Flower healthy for years and in bloom for
more than a few months every summer.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©Krika.com
2009/2010 
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**Crepe
Ginger See
The "G" Page GINGER -- Spiral Ginger |
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| **Crepe
Myrtle See CRAPE MYRTLES Above |
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CRINUM
LILIES
This
is a group or family of lilies that I first encountered and fell
in love with at our home in Taxco, Mexico. Since then I have
seen varieties growing wild beside the road at our home in the
Caribbean Island of Montserrat and now I've found those familiar
lilies and a new member of the family here at Lake Atitlan in
the highlands of Guatemala.
 Saint
Christopher Lily
This
crinum has lush green leaves and 18" to two foot stems producing
tulip like almost iridescent white blooms. As you are walking
through a garden, these are an eye stopper!
Photographed: Just behind some small rental houses
being renovated in the San Buenaventura Hacienda area by Lake Atitlan
in Guatemala in May 2010.
Planting and Care: The Christopher prefers
the sun, but will be gracious about a little shade. Give
them the best spot in a sunny garden and they'll bloom for
you twice, in spring and in fall.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO
2010
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 Cecil Houdyshel Lily
Called
the Sangre de Cristo in Taxco, Mexico, on weekends these
lilies are brought to market in bunches of twelve from family
gardens
in the surrounding villages. When I could
find a bunch that hadn't been abused on the bus ride in to town
I'd buy whatever they had at whatever
price
they
quoted. It was always a bargain for me and I think many times
a boon for them.
Photographed: On the left is a photograph taken
of a Cecil growing by the side of the road by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
and on the right is a photograph
taken at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: The
plant seems like it would be happiest in a swampy area although it
does
grow
under
very
difficult
situations,
often by the dry roadside in Montserrat.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO
2008/2010
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 Mystery
Crinum
This seemed the most beautiful of the crinums, though that was truly only because
I just had a huge vase of them on our dining room table. That is not to say
they aren't spectacular, only that this whole group of flowers is!
Photographed: Just behind some small rental
houses being renovated in the San Buenaventura Hacienda area
by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in May 2010.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO
2010
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 **Croton
Leafy Bush Codiaeum variegatum
We have lots
of varieties of crotons with leaves and colors too numerous to mention.
The leaves can be both large and oval or round, or thin and long;
leaf shapes are as varied as the colors of this hardy bush.
Photographed: In
our garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and care: Croton grows best outside in
the tropical sun or semi shade, though it is often included in indoor
office plant beds because it is very hardy and will tolerate shade
if it has no choice.
To See More Croton Click The Photo!
Text & Photograph Copyrighted
©KO 2008
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| |
 Crown
of Thorns Euphorbia milii
This is a delightful easy to care for orange or yellow flowering
spiny cactus plant I had indoors in New England for years. Lo and
behold,
I spied one in a neighbor's garden as my husband and I did our
almost daily neighborhood walk around. When that snowbird returns
here from
New
Jersey, I'll
ask her for a stalk and add it to my cactus garden collection.
Photographed: In April 2010, on the roadside by Lake Atitlan
in Panajachel, Guatemala.
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010
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 **Cuban
Buttercup Tumeria ulmifolia
For
a tropical Caribbean environment this seems a bit of a mousy plant,
a little too cute for a place that has such extremes of heat and
rainfall. But, it might also be said that it is a welcome reminder
of more tame northern climates.
Photographed: In
our terrace garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: This is not much of an issue
as they will appear at will somewhere in your garden and they will
get on with the business of growing with no intervention from you.
Come to think of it, these are the perfect flowering plants!
Text
and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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**Cuban
Oregano See
The
"T" Page THYME -- Spanish Thyme
|
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| **Cuban
Royal Palm See
The "P" Page PALMS -- Florida Royal Palm |
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| **Cuban
Thyme See
The "T" Page THYME -- Spanish Thyme |
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**Cucumbers
Cucumis sativus
What is known as a pickling cucumber in the United States is the
one most commonly sold in Caribbean food markets all the way from
Trinidad & Tobago to Montserrat. This plant holds up very well
to the strong sun and heat in this part of the world. This year
we planted a Chinese variety of cucumber, one of those very long
skinny ones with the soft skin. At first they grew well and we had
some six inch young cucumbers, but in the end this was not a successful
variety in a tropical environment.
Benefits: Eat the skin of organic cucumbers for
vitamins A and C and the fruit for its sulfur which is beneficial
to your skin, hair, and fingernails.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008
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Cumin Cuminum
cyminum
Cumin is an essential ingredient in many Indian dishes and in
such old American southwest favorites like chile con carne. Along
with oregano and cloves, cumin is the third major ingredient in standard
American "chili powder." It is aromatic whether used as whole
seeds or ground. The plant grows to be about 12" high. We are
going to plant it this year and see what happens. We'll take a photograph
and put it here if all goes well.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007
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| Cup
and Saucer See CHINESE HAT Above |
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| Cup
of Gold See
the CHALICE VINE Above |
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| **Cupid’s
Flower See
the "M" Page -- MILE A MINUTE |
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| **Custard
Apple See
The "S" Page SOURSOP |
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| **Cut
Leaf Philodendron See
The "P" Page PHILODENDRON -- Cut Leaf Philodendron |
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| **Cycad See
The "P" Page PALMS -- Cardboard
Palm |
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| **Cypress
Vine See
The "M" Page -- MILE A MINUTE |
Calabash
Tree Crescentia cujete L.
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