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Easter Cactus Schlumbergera gaertneri
More often than not these pretty bloomers are sold in hanging pots where their stems and flowers are shown at their best.
From: Brazil
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: In nature these are epiphytic plants and reproducing those conditions will net you the happiest plant -- semi shade and evenly moist organically rich soil. Luckily they are pretty flexible so they will look pretty good without having the perfect situation.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Easter Lily Vine, Heralds Trumpet, Nepal Trumpet Flower Beaumontia murtonii
This is a truly fabulous flowering vine, one you will covet for your garden as I did as soon as I saw the flowers especially as they sat against the backdrop of deep green flourishing leaves.
From: The far east. I think I read somewhere that in Thailand this vine is seen almost everywhere.
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and care: This wonderful vine loves full sun and will grow to 20 feet or more, flowering in the cool season of a hot climate. It requires water, but is not greedy about it. Probably the easiest way to make a new plant is to cut one of the sturdy stems and stick it in a semi shady soft soil area that will be kept relatively moist. The other method is to retrieve seeds from the 6 to 8" long, 3" diameter deep green smooth seed pods you may find on the vine. We haven't seen any of these pods here in Guatemala so there may be a special pollinator that does not reside here by the lake.
Text & Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Echeveria Echeveria sp.
From: South America
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Plant these interesting succulents in a sunny place where they will generally do fine with rainfall unless the weather gets very dry.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Echeveria Echeveria sp.
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010

ELEPHANT EARS

**Elephant Ear Alocasia
This is a large-leaved plant whose leaves were once used locally in Montserrat as wrappers for stewed foods and as umbrellas. It grows especially well in shady areas and surprisingly there are large to huge leaved varieties that are identical in all characteristics except size. It is exceptional in its adaptability as it will grow, though less beautifully, in sunny areas. To transplant an elephant ear plant you simply have to pull it up and place it where you'd like it to be.
Photographed: In our terrace garden at our home in Montserrat.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted © KO 2007

Elephant Ear 'Black Magic' Calocasia escuentla
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This is a perennial plant that will appreciate finding a home in fertile moist soil in a lightly shaded garden area. It will grow to be five to six feet tall and wide. It is not frost hardy.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted © KO 2010

**Elkhorn Fern See The "F" Page FERNS

Epazote Chenopodium ambrosioides
This herb is commonly used in Mexican cooking; it is always added to a pot of black beans just before they are finished cooking to reduce abdominal gas. Clamoli, one of our favorite dishes, is also flavored with epazote.
Benefits: Aids digestion and kills intestinal worms.
From: Mexico
Link: http://www.mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=846
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007