The Exotic Foliage of Casa Panorámica Page Five

Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora)

Family: Portulacaceae

Alternate Names: Sun Plant, Rose Moss

This vine-like plant produces five-petaled waxy flowers about 2" in diameter. The vivid colours may vary, though the main ones are pink, red, yellow, orange, purple, or white.

Pothos (Raphidophora aurea)

Family: Araceae

Alternate Names: Marble Queen, Devil's Ivy

This ivy is an attractive climber with heart-shaped, green leaves splashed with yellow or white. Though the Pothos produces white flowers, it is grown for its showy, variegated leaves. For those nature lovers out there, take note that this plant is among the most efficient at helping to purify the air.  

Sansevieria (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Family: LIliaceae

Alternate Names: Bowstring Hemp, Snake Plant

These long thin leaf-like shoots, plated in clusters are an excellent source of fiber, though not the kind you'd likely add to your cereal. The fiber can be used in fishing line, shoes, nets, hats and mats. The fragrant flowers that this plant provides grow in narrow bunches on erect long spires and tend to be creamy greenish-white in colour.  

Stag-Horn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)

Family: Polypodiaceae

Alternate Names: Elkhorn

This type of fern is named for its horn like leaves which resembles those of the Elk. It produces no flowers, in accordance with most other ferns, yet its vibrant green leaves are appealing none the less.  Casa Panorámica has a Stag-Horn, however this species can also be grown in the forks of trees.  

Tabernaemontana Divaricata

Family: Apocynaceae

Alternate Names: Mock Gardenia, Wax Flower, Fleur d'Amour

While there are over 300 species of Tabernaemontana growing in the tropics, few are actually cultivated. This plant, native to India, is a shapely evergreen shrub usually under 6' tall with waxy delicate blooms. The fragrant flowers have a crepe-like texture and have a long blooming season that is followed by half-round fruit. The wood of this plant is used in perfume and incense.

Tradescantia (T. Flaminensis)

Family: Commelinaceae

Alternate Names: Inchplant, Purple Wandering Jew

This vividly coloured, leafy succulent is a wonderful addition to the rock walls of our pool deck. The upper side of the leaves are silver green with a purple stripe down the middle and purple edges. The underside is bright pinkish-purple.  When flowering, small pink or magenta, three-petaled flowers enclosed by two leaf-like bracts can be seen.  

Vinca (Vinca major)

Family: Apocinaceae

Alternate Names: Rosea, Madagascar Periwinkle

This shrub is a joy to have at Casa Panorámica as it is almost ever-blooming. Its five-petaled flowers bloom on long leafy stems and are usually pink, white, or in our case lavender in colour.

Yellow Shrimp Plant (Pachystachys lutea)

Family: Acanthaceae

Alternate Names: Lollipop Plant, Camarones

Bright yellow spikes of bracts which provide months of colour and are interspersed with long white flowers, really do remind one of shrimp. A relatively small plant, the Camaron (Spanish for shrimp) is one of 12 tropical American shrub species of Pachystachys.  

Yucca (Yucca gloriosa)

Family: Liliacea

Our 20' tall tree currently boasts 11 separate blooms atop spiked fronds. The Yucca blooms gorgeous creamy white bell-shaped flowers in sequences of about 2 months in late spring, starting from the highest branch and working its way down to the lowest.