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Ice Plant, Highway Iceplant, Hottentot Fig Dorotheanthus or Lampranthus or Carpobrotus edulis
This is a succulent annual or perennial from S. Africa which we saw growing in pure sand by many of the beaches we visited on the Greek islands of Corfu, Naxos, Paros and Antiparos late in the spring of 2007. The flowers come in brilliant colors and this is one tough plant to grow so happily on almost nothing in a climate where high temperatures can be well over 100° F., where rainfall is not so common and where winter brings freezing temperatures. I liked it so much I saved some seeds from the ice plants and some from other wild flowers in Greece and am hoping to have a "Greek Garden" at home in Montserrat soon.
From: South Africa
Planting and Growth: This is a peculiar plant liking full sun, any type of soil and almost no water.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007/2008

Impatiens Impatiens sp.
This is perhaps the best known and most commercial of shade garden flowering plants. In tropical climates they are perennials, but not in places where winters bring freezing weather.
From: Asian and African tropics
Photographed: At the Hacienda San Buenaventura on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This is the proverbial shade garden blooming plant and it is as easy to care for as it is unremarkable. Plant it in good soil in the shade and give it routine watering and you will have a bit of color where there was only green before.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Infusion
An infusion is made when you pour boiling water over plant parts and drink it as a tea. When it is suggested that you make an infusion, do just that. Do not boil the plant materials as they may prove more damaging than helpful. A continuing struggle between me and my husband over "cures" might be summed up well for everyone, "Some is good, more is not better."
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010

Insects in our tropical garden See The "W" Page -- WILDLIFE

Please also See the "P" Page PESTICIDES
Those listed are the only ones we use and all are natural products.

**Walking Iris, Yellow Walking Iris Iris Neomarica Longifolia or Trimezia martinicensis
This is a delightful variety of iris that starts off flowering in a very minimal way and then works itself up into producing a lovely show. It has proved to be very hardy, handling droughts and acid rains along with falling ash from the Soufriere volcano here in Montserrat.
From: Central and South America
Photographed: This photograph was taken in the garden by our driveway at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: The walking iris is able to grow well in full sun or shade and pretty much with or without water. It produces flowers on an ever extending branch that eventually falls over and takes root; hence the name walking iris.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008

**Italianelle Pepper See The "P" Page -- PEPPERS

IXORAS

**Ixora Uxorial martyrs Talisman and Binned or Uxorial cochineal
A member of the coffee family, this flowering bush blooms almost all year, though summer and fall are best. We now have only red and yellow varieties and I like the yellow ones best. I had the pink ones dug up as they never seemed to thrive.
Benefits: Ixora is said to have medicinal uses from the flowers and from the bark, though I don't know what they are. In Asia the roots are used to treat diarrhea and stomach problems.
From: The East Indies
Photographed: In our garden at our home in Montserrat. The white ixora we photographed at a friend's home in Woodland's, Montserrat.
Text & Photographs Copyrighted © KO 2008

Ixora, White
Ixora are not my favorite plants. Until I saw the white flowering ixora in the photograph to the left I felt that only the yellow had any merit and even then not much. I had removed all of the pink ixora from our garden and many of the red as well. We still have a few red flowering ixora and one huge yellow flowering plant. In our nursery garden we now have a few cuttings of the white ixora which seems the best of all. The white flowering ixora is wonderfully scented and its delicate flowers seem more at one with its leaves.