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Click below to see our garden plants alphabetically listed by common name.

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Jacaranda Tree Jacaranda mimosafolia D. Don or Jacaranda acutifolia HUMB. and BONPL. or Jacaranda cuspidifolia
Just after dropping its feathery leaves, the jacaranda bursts into purple blooms. It is maybe best identified by the 18" flat seed pods which are almost always hanging from the tree, but don't mistake it for a flamboyant which has the same sort of seed pods. It reaches its full height of forty to sixty feet when mature when it will also have a fifty foot spread. It is a common tree in Taxco and in almost all parts of Mexico.
Benefits: In Panama the bark is used in treating skin diseases.
From: The jacaranda originated in Brazil according to one botanist or in northwestern Argentina according to another. Still others believe its origin to have been in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The Jacaranda is also very common in South Africa, so who knows?
Photograph: This photograph was taken in Colonia Reforma a suburb of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Planting and Care: It does best in full sun and it will tolerate a long dry season, eight months in most of Mexico. Jacarandas do not do particularly well in very windy locations.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted © KO 2008/2010

Jade Plant Crassula ovata
This is a very appealing plant with thick deep green fleshy leaves on stems that make the overall plant look like a tiny ancient tree. They are very easy to grow either as house plants or outside where there is no frost. They will get quite large when they are happy.
From: South Africa
Planting and Growth: Jade plants like good light and can handle the Caribbean sun, but not all day. If you plant them in your garden, do so in an area that receives some sun and regular rainfall or plan to water them.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2007

**Jamaica Sago See The "P" Page PALMS AND SAGOS -- Jamaica Sago

**Jatropha, Coral Bush, Pergrina Jatropha multifida or Adenorepium multifidum or Jatropha integerrima or Jatropha pandurata
This is a very tough open stemmed flowering bush that grows to a height somewhere between eight and fifteen feet. The tallest one I've seen in Montserrat is about twelve feet high. Ours suffered from brutal gardeners and falling volcanic ash before we bought the property. Despite all that, it continued to bloom, proving its reputation as a plant that will withstand almost anything and still give you flowers most of the year. Wouldn't it be nice if we were all this tough?

This plant looks very much like a variety of frangipani, though its leaves are more decorative and it blooms almost continuously with red flowers as you see in the photograph on the right. As you can also see in the two top photographs (look at the leaves) there is more than one type of plant in this family and it is not related to the frangipani family. One important thing to remember is that for all its appeal it is still a highly poisonous plant.
From: Cuba and/or Central America
Photographed: Just beside our banana garden at our home in Montserrat (above on the right and below) and at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala (above on the left).
Planting and Growth: The jatropha likes it sunny and hot and is very tolerant of drought. With just a bit more care and even a semi shady location, the jatropha will do just fine. Our plants almost always produce seeds which quickly germinate and grow so we always have an abundant supply of small plants.
Text and Photos Copyrighted © KO 2008/2010

**Java Glorybower, Clerodendron Clerodendrum speciosissimum
This is a wonderful bush with almost continual flowering of its bright red flowers.
From: Tropical Africa and the Pacific
Photographed: In one of our border gardens at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: Although it is said to prefer a moist soil I have not found that to be true. It has done well in full sun and in semi sunny areas with little need for special attention.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2008/2010

**Jimson Weed See The "D" Page DEVIL'S TRUMPET

**Joseph's Coat (1), Match-Me-If-You-Can Acalypha wilkesiana
This is a wonderful bit of greenery with each leaf seemingly a work of art combining greens and whites and never quite the same, hence its second common name.
From: This plant hales from the humid and warm parts of the South Pacific.
Planting and Care: Joseph's coat loves heat, moisture and sun and will delight you when it receives them. When it gets dry it looks very sad indeed. It is easy to grow from a cutting; put several in a sandy soil mix kept moist and in bright light and soon you'll have healthy new plants. Once in the garden, keep the dead flowers picked off and stem ends routinely pinched to have it at its best.
Note: Joseph's coat is related to a large pretty well known family including the Copper Leaf and Chenile Plants.

Joseph's Coat (2), Calico Plant, Joyweed Alternanthera ficoidea
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Joseph's Coat (3), Match-Me-If-You-Can, Copper Leaf, Beefsteak Plant, Fire Dragon Acalypha godseffiana
This bush provides a striking bit of colorful and oddly shaped foliage in a tropical garden.
From: This plant hales from the humid and warm parts of the South Pacific.
Photographed: At the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This is an easy one as it grows in full sun with little water. It is easily propagated by cuttings and will grow to be as tall as ten feet if happy. Keeping it well pruned will prevent it from becoming leggy.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Joseph's Coat (4) Acalypha wilkesiana Hoffmanna
This is a leafy tall growing slender bush. It does not appear to flower, but does serve as a decorative green and white background or filler plant.
Text & Photograph Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2008/2010

Joyweed See Above JOSEPH'S COAT (2)

**Jumbie Beads Abrus precatorius L.
This is a tenacious twining vine that produces bright orange/red seeds used in jewelry and other crafts in the Caribbean.
Benefits: Its seeds are poisonous, though other parts of the plant are used locally here in Montserrat for their healing qualities.
Planting and Care: Unless you plant to use the seeds, I would not recommend letting this plant grow in your garden. It is hard to eradicate and it is prolific.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2008

**Jumbie Crab See The "W" Page -- WILDLIFE - Black Crab

Click below to see our garden plants alphabetically listed by common name.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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