SEEDS, BULBS, & THINGS

Kenaf, Salad Hibiscus, Sleepy Hibiscus. The name applies to the fibre obtained from this plant. Kenaf is one of the allied fibres of jute and shows similar characteristics. Kenaf is cultivated for its fibre in India, Bangladesh, United States of America, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Viet Nam, Thailand, parts of Africa, and to a small extent in southeast Europe. The stems produce two types of fibre, a coarser fibre in the outer layer (bast fibre), and a finer fibre in the core. It matures in 100 to 200 days. Kenaf was grown in Egypt over 3000 years ago. The kenaf leaves were consumed in human and animal diets. The main uses of kenaf fibre have been rope, twine, coarse cloth (similar to that made from jute), and paper. Kenaf seeds yield an edible vegetable oil. The kenaf seed oil is also used for cosmetics, industrial lubricants and for biofuel production. The use of kenaf in paper production offers various environmental advantages over producing paper from trees.
Use well draining soil mixture. Plant 1/2" deep- keep very warm and lightly damp- NOT WET. Full sun. 4-6 days to germinate.

Hibiscus mutabilis - Kristi's Cotton Candy. Confederate Rose, Cotton Rose, Common Rose Mallow. The flowers open pure white and change color over a three-day period until they are deep pink and then as they die assume a dark "blue-pink" hue. The most notable characteristic of this flowering shrub is that flowers of three distinct colors appear on the bush simultaneously as the blooms color cycle independent of one another. This shrub thrives on regular watering but this is optional as it is very drought tolerant.

Jamaica Tea flower (Karkade, Roselle) - "Agua de Flor de Jamaica", also called agua de Jamaica and rosa de Jamaica, is popular in Jamaica, Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America and the Caribbean. It is one of beverages made from fresh juices or extracts. It is served chilled, and in Jamaica this drink is a tradition on Christmas, served with fruit cake or potato pudding.
In Panama both the flowers and the drink are called saril (a derivative of the Jamaican word sorrel).
In the United States, hibiscus tea was popularized as "Red Zinger". Flowers are used to make a cold or hot tea sweetened with sugar. There has been some Medical studies which indicate that it lowers high blood pressure and also has diuretic effects. The flavor is on the tart side similar to a cranberry juice. In Mexico, it is also used for granites, ice pops and sangria.

Merremia dissecta, Ipomoea sinuata, Convolvulus dissectus. Alamo Vine, White Convolvulus, Woodrose. Origin: South America. Alamo Vine is an unusual white perennial Morning Glory that opens around noon and then closes before sunset. Leaves are feathery that makes it an attractive ornamental vine, with fine texture and fast but compact growing habit, great for containers or trellises. Seeds germinate readily.

Japanese Honeysuckle, wonderful fragrance! Cold hardy fast growing vine with sweet yellow-and-white flowers from Spring to Fall.

Southern magnolia var. Little Gem. The large, white flowers are perfect and fragrant. One of the most popular southern trees. Decorative, leathery ovate leaves with beautiful large, cup - shaped flowers that are a creamy white color and extremely fragrant. Brown cone-like fruits.
Plant seeds at 3/4" depth in loamy soil. Keep damp and in bright light.

Butterfly-shaped seeds. Repeat bloomer, attractive bright yellow.

Horseradish tree, Ben Oil Tree. Possibly one of the most useful trees in the world, it produces long green pods that have been compared to a cross between peanuts and asparagus. The roots are used as a substitute for horseradish and the edible leaves make a highly nutritious vegetable. The roots have also been used in many folk remedies.
Cover seeds with 3/4" well-drained soil mix, keep warm, water when soil is nearly dry. Bright light.

PKM1 (Periyakulam 1) is a popular, high-yielding variety of Moringa oleifera, the drumstick tree, known for its rapid growth, abundant, nutrient-rich leaves, and fast production of long, fleshy pods, making it ideal for both home gardens and commercial farming, especially in India where it originated, thriving in warm, sunny spots with well-drained soil. It offers superior nutritional content, pest resistance (like to hairy caterpillars), and quicker harvests compared to traditional types, often producing fruit within months.
Horseradish tree, one of the most useful trees in the world, produces long green pods that have been compared to a cross between peanuts and asparagus. The roots are used as a substitute for horseradish and the edible leaves make a highly nutritious vegetable. The roots have also been used in many folk remedies.
Cover seeds with 3/4" well-drained soil mix, keep warm, water when soil is nearly dry. Bright light.

Giant granadilla. Fast growing vine which can grow over 50ft in a single season. Fruit forms best after self-pollination. Fruit is eaten fresh or used in drinks. The unripe, green fruit is eaten as a vegetable.
Cover seeds with 1/2" well-drained soil mix, keep warm, damp (not wet) and in bright light.

Blackberry jam fruit, Jasmin de rosa - fragrant white flowers and edible fruit that tastes like blackberry jam! Rare exotic that will fruit in container. Kids love the fruit.
Plant prefers filtered light.

Katuk, Tropical Asparagus. Delicious young shoots! Can be eaten raw or cooked. It is one of the most popular leaf vegetables in South Asia and Southeast Asia and is notable for high yields and palatability. The shoot tips have been sold as tropical asparagus. In Vietnam, people cook it with crab meat, minced pork or dried shrimp to make soup. In Malaysia, it is commonly stir-fried with egg and dried achovies. It is among only a few flora containing vitamin K.

Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant. Very showy branching shrub or small tree with yellow candle-like flowers and bright green dense foliage. Prefers open areas and sunlight. Often grown as an ornamental.

Dwarf Golden Tabebuia. A sparse crowned small to medium tree with large heads of golden yellow flowers which may open over a period of a few weeks. This tabebuia is a good choice for a small garden or potting culture.

Dwarf Golden Tabebuia. A sparse crowned small to medium tree with large heads of golden yellow flowers. Good choice for a small garden or potting culture.

Green Bat Flower. Spectacular rare variety of Tacca with unusual green flowers. Flowers are borne on tall stalks in greenish-purple clusters, with long trailing bracts.
This plant is dormant during Fall-Winter, dropping leaves. Leaves come back in spring.

Wonderful in containers to accent entry and patio, also in mass plantings. Spectacular heat-tolerant and highly pest resistant.

Golden Penda - outstanding small tree with golden flowers that have sweet fragrance! Blooming size. Very rare species.
Everblooming and stays evergreen! Tolerates poor soils and drought too. Provide regular water to establish quicker.

Alpinia or Renealmia aromatica is a robust, perennial herbaceous plant, producing clumps of sterile stems 4-7ft tall, exceptionally to 12 ft, from a rhizomatous rootstock. The plant also produces smaller, flowering stems 1-2 ft tall. Leaves and flowers are ginger-aromatic, hence the name. It is native to S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean - Leeward and Windward Isles to Cuba.
The fruits are sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a flavoring in soups, and the plant also has minor local medicinal uses.

Mountain Soursop, Wild Custard Apple, Guanabana de monte, Wild Soursop. The fruit resembles Soursop but with less sugar and has distinctive pineapple flavor.
The tree is small, evergreen, growing up to 20

The Black Dragon has the most awesome dark upright leaves stunningly black! Anthurium Black Dragon is a rare, exotic hybrid known for its deep, dark foliage that looks almost painted in ink. A standout in the "dark foliage" group, it's prized by collectors for its dramatic, gothic beauty. Its leaves shift from greenish-maroon in low light to nearly jet black in bright filtered light, offering ever-changing display. Instead of bright flowers, it features a sleek brown spadix and spathe, followed by eye-catching red berries. Though it looks otherworldly, this tropical plant is surprisingly tough and grows steadily with the right humidity. A true collector's hybrid, not found in the wild.
See a short video: Germinating Black Dragon Anthurium from seeds.

Pride of De Kaap, Nasturtium Bauhinia. Spectacular shrub with brick red flowers for a long period during the summer months but will also flower sporadically throughout the rest of the year. Cold hardy to light freeze.

Wiri Wiri Pepper. A variety from Guyana, the Wiri Wiri pepper is the illustrious gem; hard sought and rarely found. This plant produces good yields of small 1/2" berry shaped hot peppers. Peppers grow upright, are very hot, and turn from green, to orange, to red when mature.

Popcorn Cassia, Peanut Butter Senna - A shrub or small tree producing golden-yellow flowers with a distinct scent of peanut butter that open from brown buds in late summer and autumn. Also called Popcorn Cassia, because it smells like fresh cooked, buttered popcorn when you run your fingers through the leaves and then smell. It blooms beautiful large clusters of sunny yellow flowers.
Soak seeds before planting. Plant 3/4" deep in well-drained mix. Keep lightly moist, warm and in bright light. The seeds can rot if soil is too wet.