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

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R page

**Rabbits Foot Fern See The "F" Page FERNS

**Radishes Raphanus sativus
In Mexico there are many varieties of radishes, not just the red ball variety so popular in the States. In Oaxaca, Mexico, this vegetable is exalted at Christmas in the “radish festival” where all of the city’s groups and societies create radish scenes in small booths on the zócalo or town square. It is a sight not to be missed if you ever get to Oaxaca at Christmas.
Tropical Climate Varieties: Scarlet Globe, White Icicle, Cherry Belle, French Breakfast, Sparkler
Benefits: Radishes are said to aid digestion.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2004

**Rain Tree, Rainfall tree, Monkey Pod Albizia saman or Samanea saman
This is the lovely lacy looking small tree that gives us pink blossoms more than once a year here in Montserrat. Its branches root easily so it is often used as a border planting to break the wind by a vegetable garden or field. Though it is said to be a large tree, here it never seems to be so, growing only to about 30 feet. At night it wisely folds its leaves which might otherwise act together as an umbrella. Rain seems to come most frequently in the night here in the Caribbean so this tree has adapted well to its environment. Its effort to fold its leaves at night ensures that rainfall reaches the base of the tree.
From: Central and South America.
Text Copyrighted © KO 2004

**Rainfall Tree See Above Rain Tree

**Ram Goat Bush See The "F" Page FITWEED

Rambutan Nephelium lappaceum, Euphoria nephelium, Dimocarpus crinita
I first saw these peculiar fruits in the Panajachel market in Guatemala. I'm always attracted to the unusual and here is what I've learned about this golf ball sized deep red fruit with long soft yellow hairs.
From: Malaysia
Planting and Care: This is probably best left to the experts, but if you insist on trying find a good source for how to do it.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2010

**Rangoon Creeper, Chinese Honeysuckle, Drunken Sailor, Burma Creeper Quisqualis indica
This is a tough fast growing vine like shrub which blooms with lovely white to red flowers for a short time each summer. When not in bloom it is a commendable plant for its resistance to insects and diseases and because it is very easy to grow. Truthfully, it is almost impossible to eradicate so be careful where you plant it.
Benefits: The Rangoon creeper is an attractant for butterflies and hummingbirds.
From: Tropical areas of Asia and New Guinea
Photographed: In the deck garden at our home in Montserrat.
Planting and Care: This wonderfully hardy and attractive bush will grow contentedly in sun or semi shade with some rainfall or watering. In my experience it will also survive drought periods fairly well.
Text and Photographs Copyrighted ©Krika.com 2009/2010

**Red Gram See the "P" Page -- PIGEON PEA

Red Manjack Tree See The "C" Page CLAMMY CHERRY TREE

**Red Sister See The "T" Page -- TI PLANT

**Red Sorrel See the "S" Page -- SORREL

**Red Tea See the "S" Page -- SORREL

Redwood Tree
In the cocoloba family.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2004

References See The "L" Page Links

**Rheo See The "B" Page BOATLILY

Rhododendron See the "V" Page -- VIREYA RHODODENDRON

Rhubarb Rheum
This perennial plant that is so well known as a garden staple in New England, has proved an elusive gem in my Caribbean garden wish list. Lets hope one of these years someone coming down to the island from the northern US or from Canada can bring a root for me. I will be grateful enough to make a pie!
We are hoping to get the Victoria variety. We have absolutely the best strawberry plants in Taxco, Mexico, and we’re hoping to get some of them here in Montserrat for strawberries to blend with the rhubarb in pies.
Planting and Growth: Seeds should be planted where you want the final plant grow; they do not transplant well.
Text Copyrighted ©KO 2007

Ribbonbush See the "T" Page -- TAPEWORM PLANT

Ringworm Tree See the "C" Page -- Candelabra Bush

Roses Variety Unknown
I don't normally have a fondness for roses, but this one caught my eye from many yards away. It is a stunner! Sadly the photograph just doesn't do it justice.
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010

Roses Pink Variety Unknown
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted ©KO 2010

**Roseapple Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston

Rose of Sharon, Blue Hibiscus Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Bird'
This more scrubby version of an hibiscus will grow to be about six feet tall or more and just about as wide. Its flowers will last a couple of days. While living in Bristol, Rhode Island, in the United States many years ago I had a thick hedge of Rose of Sharon and I liked it very much.
From: Australia
Photographed: At the Hotel Vision Azul on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Treat this plant as a hardy and fast growing hisbiscus and it will do just fine with lots of sun and a reasonable amount of water. Like the hibiscus it also likes an acid soil.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted © KO 2008/2010

**Roselle See the "S" Page -- SORREL

**Rosemary Herb Rosemarinus officinalis L.
This is a beautiful plant and a wonderful herb. Growing naturally it will reach from between 2 and 6 feet, looking like an ice green strange small pine tree. Its fragrant leaves are a wonderful addition to any fish stew and I don’t think our stuffed mushrooms would be the same without it. We have one thriving in a pot in Taxco and now have two plants growing in our herb garden here in Montserrat. I think it's time to update this note because each and every initially thriving rosemary plant has died. I've tried them in heavy sun with little or no water, heavy sun with regular watering, semi shade with and without water and still after a short term of beautiful growth the plant begins to shrivel and die. If you have any hints on how to keep them thriving, please do get in touch.
Benefits:
1. Apart from using rosemary in the kitchen, use its powdered crushed leaves as a flea and tick repellant on your pets. It’s a great alternative to toxic chemicals which aren't good for you or for your pets!
2. Rosemary is believed by some to have a stimulating effect on brain activity increasing the ability to think and solve problems quickly.
3. It is also said to be an aid to digestion, but my personal experience is just the opposite. Whenever I eat anything flavored with rosemary (which I love) I run pretty shortly for the Tums or any other anti-acid medication nearby.
From: The Mediterranean
Photographed: At the Nature Reserve by Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Growth: As is true of so many plants from the Mediterranean, rosemary grows most vigorously in a reasonably dry, rocky and alkaline soil.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted © KO 2008/2010

**Royal Palm See The "P" Page FLORIDA ROYAL PALM

**Royal Poinciana See The "P" Page POINCIANA

**Rubber Tree Plant Ficus elastica
We northern climate folks know this as a fine and hardy potted plant. Growing outside in the Caribbean it is an entirely different creature. It is a fast growing tree which may grow as high as 100 feet -- huge and verdant. In a tropical environment watch out for this tree's voracious root system. The rubber tree is a member of the ficus family which is well known in the tropics and often dreaded. Despite the beautiful appearance of this family of plants and trees, they are best planted in an area where they will entirely dominate the environment -- nothing can compete well with them.
From: Tropical Asia
Planting and Growth: Preferring a little shade, but weathering full sun, the rubber tree plant will take a lot of water.
Text and Photograph Copyrighted © KO 2009

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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