Monkey - Search results

Botanical name: Apeiba aspera

Common name: Monkey's Comb

Family: Malvaceae

Origin: Central America

Yellow, heavily scented flowers are followed by interesting fruits that resemble sea urchins about 2" in diameter. These black fruits are covered with soft, short spines. Folk lore has it that these spiny fruit pods are used by monkeys as a comb.

Botanical name: Apeiba tibourbou

Common name: Monkey's Comb

Family: Malvaceae

Origin: South America, Central America

Apeiba tibourbou is a small tree that grows from 10 to 20 feet tall and is native to South America and Central America. It needs full sun to partial shade and regular watering for optimum growth. The tree sports yellow to orange flowers that are heavily scented and attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.

Apeiba tibourbou can be grown in USDA Zones 9-11. In the northern reaches of its growing range, planting in a pot and moving it indoors during the winter months is recommended. When grown in a pot, choose a container with drainage holes as well as a mix of soil designed for potting. Place the pot in a sunny location and keep the soil evenly moist. When the plant is indoors, a humidifier or nearby water tray can help increase humidity levels. In addition, fertilize it a few times a year with plant food.

Apeiba tibourbou is an attractive and easy to care for tree that adds interest and beauty to any garden or landscape. Its fragrant flowers, spiny fruits and light wood makes it a unique addition that beautifully frames views, provides light shade and attracts wildlife.

Botanical names: Araucaria araucana, Araucaria imbricata

Common names: Monkey Puzzle Tree, Chilean Pine

Family: Araucariaceae

Origin: South America

Among the most spectacular are forests of pure Araucaria Araucaria araucana, the hardiest of the genus, is a large, bizarre-looking evergreen, 60-70ft. tall and 30 to 35 feet wide, though the tallest specimens in its native haunts have been measured at over 150 ft. It forms a loose, symmetrical, see-through crown, pyramidal in youth, eventually with a rounded or flattish top. The scale-like leaves are dark green, stiff, sharp-pointed and densely arranged on upwardly-sweeping branches, looking more reptilian than coniferous in character. Because of this it comes to know surprise to most people that this species is estimated to be around 60 million years old, based upon fossil record known today.

Preferring well-drained, volcanic soil, this species is surprisingly tolerant of many soil types. It is very tolerant of maritime exposures, salt-laden winds, and thrives in cool, mild climates. It dislikes hot-dry soils and atmospheric pollution.

See article about Araucaria.

Botanical name: Araucaria sp.

Common names: Monkey Puzzle, Bunia Pine, Parana Nut

Family: Araucariaceae

Origin: New Caledonia, Australia, South America

Araucaria is a genus of coniferous trees. There are 19 species in the genus, with a highly disjunct distribution in New Caledonia (where 13 species are endemic), Norfolk Island, eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and southern Brazil.

Fossil evidence indicates that ancestral araucaria forests resembling the present-day Monkey Puzzle date back to the age of dinosaurs.

Some of the species are relatively common in cultivation because of their distinctive, formal symmetrical growth habit. Several species are economically important for timber production and the edible seeds.

See article about Araucaria.

Botanical names: Barnebydendron riedelii, Phyllocarpus riedelii, Phyllocarpus septentrionalis

Common name: Monkey Flower Tree

Family: Fabaceae

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae

Origin: Central America

The scarlet flowers appear in clustered racemes with prominent stamens. Originally it came from tropical dry forests of Central America, but it has been extensively grown in tropical areas worldwide as a garden tree.

Botanical names: Cissus sicyoides, Cissus verticillata

Common names: Possum Grape Vine, Princess Vine, Season Vine, Monkey Liana

Family: Vitaceae

Origin: Tropical America

A native to Tropical American, Cissus sicyoides, commonly known as the Possum Grape Vine, is an ornamental creeper grown in USDA Zone 9-11. It is a fast growing plant with woody stems, waxy dark green leaves, and black grape-like fruit that provide a showy display in the fall. In addition to its ornamental foliage, it is a popular ethnomedical plant, used as a remedy in traditional medicine. The leaf decoctions of Cissus sicyoides are taken widely as a popular remedy for diabetes mellitus in Brazil, where its common name is vegetal insulin.

For optimal growth and health, plant Cissus sicyoides in full sun and semi-shade, with moderate water needed. It is best grown in a pot for cold regions. Ensure the pot has good drainage, as the plant does not like to remain with wet soil for long- periods of time. When first planting, loosen the root ball, cover the root area with soil, and then water the pot. Additionally, the pot should be large enough to accommodate the vine's size when fully mature. For maximum growth, use a balanced slow-release fertilizer and apply it every six months. Prune away dead or damaged foliage as needed.

Cissus sicyoides can be invasive, so plant it with caution and check for stray growth. As an invasive species, it has the potential to spread weeds and adversely affect local ecosystems. Be sure to keep an eye out for overgrowth, and contain and prune it if necessary.

Botanical name: Combretum aubletii

Common name: Monkey's brush

Family: Combretaceae

Origin: S. America

Combretums are very impressive plants, and this one is definitely one of the brightest of them. Powder-puff flowers are multi-colored: yellow, orange, and red. When in bloom, this vining shrub is all covered with them, looks like a fire. Can be trimmed as a shrub or grows as a vine with support when you let it go.