Adansonia grandidieri

Native to Madagascar and growing with a massive, cylindrical bole, Grandidier's Baobab, Adansonia grandidieri, can be a large tree, reaching up to 80 ft tall. The tree is mostly found in a restricted area, threatening its survival due to habitat destruction and regeneration. Despite being threatened, Grandidier's Baobab remains very versatile and is popular among bonsai enthusiasts.

Grandidier's Baobab can prosper in full sun, or on rare occasions in partial shade, and needs moderate watering. If grown in cold regions, pots should be elevated to ensure better drainage and should be sheltered during winter. It has a flat-topped, light crown with few branches, and white to off-white flowers. It produces edible fruits, with oil-rich seeds, making it a valuable source of food and fiber for thatching.

Grandidier's Baobab can produce hundreds of fruits, depending on the age and weather conditions, each fruit weighing about 250g. The fruits are orange and oval-shaped with a pulp containing a few large seeds. It has a pleasant taste and can be used to make refreshing drinks, jams, salads, and other desserts. Grandidier's Baobab is also rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as vitamin C, phosphorus, and fiber, providing healthy benefits and being an important component of the Malagasy diet.

Bombax costatum, Bombax andrieui

The straight bole is spiny, especially when young, and is covered in a thick, corky bark.

The tree is occasionally cultivated in west Africa for its edible calyx.

Dombeya burgessiae

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

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Tropical Hydrangea. Off-white to pinkish showy flowers in bunches during winter and spring. The large leaves are hairy, with shallow, maple-like lobes. Tolerant to both light frost and periods of drought.

Can be propagated with ease by simply collecting the dried flower heads, which contain the seed.

The new variety "Fragrant White" has flowers with fresh pleasant fragrance.

Dombeya cymosa

Dombeya cymosa, also known as the Natal Dombeya, is a large shrub or small tree native to Africa. It typically grows 5-10 feet tall as a shrub, but can reach up to 10-20 feet as a small tree. It is hardy in USDA Hardiness zones 9-11.

In the garden, Dombeya cymosa prefers full sun to semi-shade and moderate levels of water. It is not drought-tolerant and should be watered on a regular basis. The foliage is glossy green and fairly evergreen in warmer climates. The blooms of this plant are white or off-white and star-like, appearing in the late winter or early spring. They attract a variety of pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds.

Planting and care of Dombeya cymosa is easy and rewarding. When planting, choose a spot with well-drained soil, full sun to semi-shade, and water moderately and consistently for best results. For plants in colder regions, grow in containers or pots and move indoors in winter. Container-grown plants require more frequent watering and protect from colder temperatures.

Dombeya cymosa makes an excellent addition to any garden, especially in the late winter and early spring when its star-shaped flowers bring the garden alive with its beauty. With proper care and maintenance, this hardy tree will thrive and bring life to your garden.

Patinoa almirajo

Almirajo is a little-known fruit tree native to the humid rainforests of the Choco region in Colombia, an area in the north-west of the country bordering Panama and with a long coastline along the Pacific Ocean.

This rare tropical fruit tree used to be planted as a fruit crop in Colombia and Brazil, but is rarely grown at present. The fruit is yellow outside, oval in shape and very large, up to 10" long and 4" wide and resembles in texture its relative Quararibea cordata. It has cream-colored canistel-like pulp, custard-like to mealy, that allows its tasting with spoon. Mostly eaten fresh out-of-hand. Flavor is sweet, and the fruit is rich of vitamin A. It is highly esteemed in its native Colombia, but is little known elsewhere. Its agreeable sweetness and flavor lying somewhere between banana and apple. The fleshy aril, which completely covers the seeds, is considered a delicacy locally.

The tree is evergreen and is a medium-sized, with a straight trunk and a narrow crown. The leaves are oval with pointed tips, up to 9"long, dark green and prominently veined on top, pale green underneath. They are alternately arranged on the stems near the ends of the branches and remain on the tree throughout the year.

Propagated from seeds, which germinate readily. It is commonly associated with Borojo - Borojoa patinoi in its natural habitat, which performs best on free-draining soils of an acid to neutral nature, on sites with filtered or partial sun to light shade. It has poor tolerance to drought but good tolerance to seasonal flooding.