The Undiscovered Country

This week, we've been exploring the tropical world of plants for your landscape in Tucson. Monsoon is about to begin and the rains will arrive soon.  Currently I'm out of the country and in a very tropical and rainy Panama doing some conservation work with turtles, plants, and birds. I look forward to bringing back stories of our adventures on several islands and from the inland.  I'll be back in July and it will take me some time to break down the pictures and themes.  It's looking like I'll be presenting this information during the month of August.  Until then I'll be continuing with several interesting visits that I've taken over the past several months around Arizona and I hope you enjoy them as it was a lot of fun meeting people and their places of work.  This blog is about the adventures in our own gardens, lives, communities, travel, and about that which inspires us.  Life can be a routine sometimes and I personally need to remember that it doesn't have to be that way. Routine establishes itself over the years and creates comfort.  So to spice things up, I like to pick a place and get lost in the chaos enjoying every moment.  We've scheduled some exciting things that we'll share with you when we've returned like our conservation project with turtles in Bocas Del Toro or the prison island of Coiba covered in 82 percent virgen rain forest.  We'll be in Gamboa at the wildlife discovery center as well as Colon on a memorable train ride.  Let me just put it this way......there's a lot share and I'm excited to share it with you all.  It's the first time that this blog will be traveling with me outside of the country.  While I've shared stories of my adventures abroad, it didn't have the focus of Las Aventuras.  This time it will.  Plus I have a great camera that has been taking some great shots.

Taken in Oaxaca, Mexico

The Undiscovered Country is the one we all have to keep in mind.  Well....not the death reference by Hamlet but literally referring to that which we don't know about(well okay death fits that criteria:).......discovering places that are different and unique from our own environments.  It's about leaving our comfort zones for just a moment in time and seeing things from a different perspective. Eventually, I'll get the nerve to travel to places in Asia, but for now, I'll stick to Central and South America.  I just saw an amazing country that makes me curious yet hesitant to visit......Nigeria.  There is too much to see and do in this lifetime. During times of anger or sadness, I think of these magical trips which calm me down and keep me from shouting or screaming at life's difficulties. We all have them and therefore develop different coping strategies during intense moments of emotion.

Cidade Velha, Cape Verde, West Africa

I am hoping to get some pics of humpback whales and sharks on a scuba diving trip as well as some shots of our turtles on the beach.  I'll be careful to take shots without flash.  Thank you for reading this blog.  I hope you are doing something fun this summer or maybe just working out in the garden. Whatever it is, stay cool and take a moment to live a little. I look forward to sharing what I've learned on this trip(which is A LOT!!) and reporting on our world's little miracles that are happening everyday.  This will be my last personal blog until I get back.  Until then, I've scheduled some fantastic writes on plants, places, and animals from around Arizona.  "See you back" in July. 

Río Dulce, Guatemala

Schefflera

The Umbrella Tree

Sounds like a dessert I'd love to eat....but alas....no.  However, the Schefflera family does make for a beautiful outdoor potted plant! I've had this plant outside in potted areas and it does well all year round except for this past winter.  The majority of the plant died back, but new growth from the roots have come back up and it appears that I will be able to save this plant in my "hospital" and bring it back into the courtyard again.  It's slow growing and makes a great filler or thriller for your tropical plant collections.  These plants can be expensive so I generally like to start them out smaller and let them grow into a full shrub down the road.  It's a dependable plant that will add a green backdrop all year round in our courtyard.  I love the variegated varieties as they add some variations to the solid greens of other plants.  Like any tropical, you need to water regularly and during the summer, every several days.  This plant can tolerate some light but definitely not any afternoon sun.  It gets filtered sun and during the summer, the leaves will sometimes burn at the tips, but it isn't really noticeable. It's just me who notices while I'm taking notes for my journal. However, if it gets too much shade, the plant will look spindly and sick. There are a lot of varieties of Schefflera out there, and I prefer the Umbrella Tree.  While it doesn't grow to become a tree here, it does make an attractive open plant.  I have tried this plant in the ground, but I haven't had much success as I have had with the Philodendron or Bird of Paradise. My recommendation is to keep this plant in a brightly shaded area in a pot or planter.  It will spread out and make an empty area look lush and full.  Definitely think about using this plant at your own home....

Spider Plant

Probably one of the easiest plants to grow besides the pothos is the spider plant. Both are considered houseplants, but did you know that in Tucson, you can plant them outdoors all year round depending on where you place them?  Here are some suggestions.  Most tropicals are placed into pots around our property, but with the spider plant and its many offshoots, I experiment a bit and put them into planters and garden beds. If I lose some, I lose some and it's no big deal since the mother plants produce many clones.   Most people have these plants in their homes or in pots outside, but in Tucson, you can actually, if the ground is amended, put these beautiful plants under trees or in a mostly to brightly shaded area where they will spread out as a groundcover(if you've planted a flower bed etc). In several spots here, they actually are a groundcover even though it wasn't planned for that to happen. For many years, I had my spiders outside and they were lush and full.  They put up with the occasional freeze here and there and ALWAYS rebounded back to healthy and tropical bushy displays.  I'd throw coffee grounds around the area because tropicals love a little extra love, but after this winter, I lost many colonies of spider plants.  In a post dated back around February or March, I wrote about having a Plan B.  Here is where a little organization will do a gardener well.  We had A LOT of baby spiders off of the mother plants and over the years, I have taken them off the main plant and put them into smaller pots.  During the freeze, I moved my potted spiders into our shed where they were protected.  Even after covering the mother spider plants, they still died. After the threat of our freezes were over, I moved my many "baby" spiders into the main planters where they will reestablish themselves into their former tropical glory.

If you like hanging these plants from pots outside, you must remember to keep them out of the sun or they will burn and die.   The sun should be filtered by a screen or by trees. My neighbor loved how they looked on her patio but was discouraged when the healthy plants died back quite a bit from the intense southern sun.  Of course, you can grow spiders in your home....well I can't because my cats pull them out of their pots, but I think they look really great outside in our larger planters at El Presidio(especially with other tropicals; this plant would act as a "spiller").  Picture it. Guadalajara, 1993, a young guy from a very cold Wisconsin studying abroad to become a Spanish language guru sitting outside under a large avocado tree watching a hot and humid monsoon storm angrily pass by.  He's sipping on a nice cold mojito and looks down at the flower beds and notices that spider plants are growing wildly around the courtyard. A lightbulb goes on in his head and stores it for later on in Tucson.  He experiments with this spider plant idea years afterwards and has great success with them discovering that spiders will grow year round in Tucson with some bright shade.  Well that story was a little boring but it was true. I experienced my first monsoon storms, ate my first avocado off the tree, and saw how people utilized tropical plants in their landscape beyond just potting and keeping them in the house. 

Note the baby spiders/clones.  Pick them off and place in moist soil or in a container half filled with water to encourage root growth. Once roots have grown, place in smaller pots and get new plants started.  Easy and cheap.

The baby clones are easy to grow.  Pull a bunch of them off and put them in a container with some water and submerge only the roots and let them grow.  OR if you have moist rich soil near a water line, just stick them into the ground and you'll have a 50/50 success rate....even better with larger baby spiders.  They are fast growing and do require regular watering in the summer...especially June.  Once they are established, they will take less care.  However, the soil should be somewhat moist to the touch and never allowed to completely dry out. I water them once or twice a week during the peak of our hot summer.  Easy to care for in pots and the "less fussy" of tropicals, Spider plants make a great low care option outside. Until next time....

Umbrella Sedge

You may see this plant around town here and there in random spots.  It's lovely and adds a touch of the lush tropics into your garden.  I think that these should be near a water feature, but not all of them are used in this fashion.   Put them in pots or planters with some sunny shade with lots of water and they will thrive.  They do need regular watering.  During our freeze, they suffered some burn, but today are producing new green stalks.
Here is a brief write from Linda Strader.

"Cyperus alternifolius, known as Umbrella Plant, is a water loving tropical looking plant that can take the Tucson climate provided you give it lots of water. It is originally from Africa, and is considered a sedge, not a grass. Umbrella Plant grows in clumps, with long stalks and ‘umbrella’ like leaves on top of the stems. It grows to about 2 or up to 4 feet tall and spreads voraciously as long as it has water, so you will need to be vigilant if you want to keep it under control. It can also self-sow and become weedy. An alternative to ground planting is growing in pots, which makes it a little easier to control. If you have a water feature of some kind in your yard, the Umbrella Plant is a good compliment to a lush themed garden. It can take sun or shade." End of article.  Source: http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-tucson/plant-of-the-day-umbrella-plant

Grecian Pattern/Bear's Breeches

Notice Bear's Breech underneath the Bougainvillea.

Fans of the mighty Gunnera who live in Tucson are truly saddened that they cannot grow this giant beauty in our landscape.  The closest plant that I've found that looks similiar to the Gunnera is the Grecian Pattern or Bear's Breech plant.  It's lush and green with a STRONG root system.  It likes bright and sunny shade but will not grow well in full shade.  I made the mistake of placing this plant in full shade and it almost died on me, but the roots were so strong that it made a comeback.  Today it gets some sun and is doing well.  Make sure it gets regular water.

This is Gunnera but forget about growing it here unless you have a conservatory.  This pic taken in Costa Rica.

In some areas, this plant can be invasive but here in Tucson, it makes a nice and lush statement in a pot or planter.  It can tolerate morning sun but protect from the strong afternoon light.  The leaves will burn.  It will dieback to the ground in winter, but come back up in spring. It can get 6 to 8 feet tall and just as wide if given the room. This plant is hardy from Zones 7 to 9a.  It has a purple/white flower in late spring and is listed as drought tolerant.   I have this plant in my pot collection with other tropicals like the Datura and Caladium.  It acts as the "Filler" in my tropical theme of "Thriller, Filler, Spiller" More tropicals on the way....

Here is the combo I used in early spring.  The Bear's Breech or Grecian Pattern is on the lower right side of the pot.

Datura

Moving on in the tropical world of plants, today's featured plant is the magical Datura.  This plant is, in my opinion quite beautiful.  It does require A LOT of water and is best placed in a planter or pot. It has beautiful flowers that hang upside down and give off a fragrant smell at night.  This is a great plant for a Moonlight Garden.  I also use this plant as an indicator plant for watering plants in pots around our property.  If the leaves start going limp, it's an indication that it needs water.  Place this plant in filtered sunlight protecting it from afternoon sun.  I use Datura as a "Thriller" in the "Thriller, Filler, Spiller" idea.  I love this plant a lot for its large leaf look.  What's more interesting is the history behind this plant which also has hallucinogetic properties among the Native American tribes.  Here is that history on this very interesting plant.

In a pot with spider plants and caladiums

"In Native American tribes of the southwest, as is often the case with tribes elsewhere, in rites of passage, a young person coming of age would fast and pray for days in order to purify himself. In some cases, the initiate might be isolated or left in the wild alone. At the appropriate time, a Medicine person or tribal spiritual elder that would nominally be called by others than Native Americans, a Shaman, might accompany the initiate to a holy place, possibly a mountain top or cave, and a tea would be made from the roots, leaves and even the seeds from the prickly seed pod of a plant called Sacred Datura. The individual would drink this tea and wait for visions, and the initiate would definitely have visions.

Besides those sacred rites of passage, Datura, which is refered to in some cultures as la Yerba Del Diablo, but known to the Chumash people of California, the Mohave, Yuma, Cahuilla, Zuni and others as toloache from the Aztec toloatizn, "to incline the head" (and the person adminstering the Datura as a tolachero), has been used to hex and to break hexes, to produce sleep and induce dreams, and for protection from evil. It has also been used for divination, to find one's Totem Animal, to allow one to see ghosts, for communing with birds, for long hunts and strength, for sharper vision, for sorcery and to increase supernatural powers as in Aushadhis, the awakening of the supernormal perceptual states through the use of certain drugs and herbs. Like other tropane-containing plants that have been used historically for so called Flying Ointments, Sacred Datura has been used in certain rituals related to inducing the ability to fly through eating or drinking and sometimes an ointment. Datura is still widely used in the Caribbean for similar or all of the reasons as well, and called there "herbe aux sorciers" (herb of the sorcerers) among the various French speaking islanders. On the English speaking islands, Jamaica for example, those who practice the spellcraft Obeah are also known to incorporate almost interchangeably with Datura another Nightshade herb they call Branched Calalue.

SACRED DATURA: Nightshade Family [Solanaceae] is found in western Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, southern California, Mexico, and the West Indies and grows within an elevation range between sea level and 6,500 feet. The name Datura, its generic name, is from the Hindu Dhatura (dhat=the eternal essence (of God)), which was derived from the Sanskrit name D'hastura.[1] Sacred Datura bloom at night starting early evening and typically closing around noon the following day. They are pollinated by nocturnal visitors, usually sphinx or hawk moths.

The tea from Datura is extremely hallucinogenic. The hallucinogenic effects are reported to be stronger than Peyote, Psyillicibin, or LSD. However, Datura is also very toxic and can cause permanent psychosis. Solanaceous plants such as Sacred Datura contain relatively high concentrations of tropane alkaloids, primarily Atropine, Hyoscyamine, and Scopolamine, the primary alkaloid being Scopolamine. It is apparently Scopolamine that produces the hallucinogenic effects. It induces an intoxication followed by narcosis in which hallucinations occur during the transition state between consciousness and sleep.

When Datura is used in a Native American ritual, it is always under the guidance of an individual of certain tribal spritual resolve such as a Medicine person or tribal elder. These experts on the use of the plant know what other plants to add in order to neutralize the harmful effects. They also know how much to adminsister and when and where to pick the plants, such as age, season, time of year, whether under a full moon or no moon at all. Chemical constituents and levels vary greatly from plant to plant, time of year, and from one area to another just generally, but especially so if the plants are obtained through ritual or from a spot known for having special powers like the Sun Dagger site on Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, holy places of some sort such as Vortexes, or sacred grounds. The plants are very toxic, poisonous and lethal, especially if consumed in quanities unmetered by someone not versed in their safe administration. They can, however, when properly dealt with, produce the end result sought after, and quite adequately so, in the spiritual realm.

Although typically connected with Peyote in the minds of the general public, one of the formost users of Datura was Carlos Castaneda who claimed its use as an apprentice to a Yaqui Indian shaman-sorcerer named Don Juan Matus that is said to have studied under a Diablero.

In that there are a number of species of Datura there is some confusion as to what Datura Castaneda may have used. According to Castaneda in THE TEACHINGS OF DON JUAN: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge a shaman-sorcerer has an Ally contained in the Datura plants commonly known as jimson weed. Don Juan called that ally by one of the Spanish names of the plant, yerba del diablo (devil's weed), with the ally taking on the form of a sort of plant spirit. According to Don Juan, as he related it to Castaneda, ANY of the species of Datura was the container of the ally. However, the sorcerer had to grow his own patch, not only in the sense that the plants were his private property, but in the sense that they were personally identified with him.

As for the "separate" Daturas, more or less on an official basis --- but not necessarily on a common basis as the names, species and terms are usually intermixed (although it must be said, even plant taxonomist disagree amongst themselves whether D. stramonium and D. inoxia are different species while D. inoxia and D. metaloides are considered alternate names for the same species). Usually, D. stramonium is most often the Datura species refered to as jimson weed, while D. metaloides (also sometimes D. wrightii) is usually applied to Sacred Datura, and D. inoxia is Toloache. Don Juan's own plants belonged to the species inoxia, however there was no correlation between THAT fact and any differences that may have existed between any of the species of Datura accessible to him." End of article. There is more info on the Native Americans on the following link.  Source: http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/datura.html

Many gardeners use this plant for a lovely green addition to their pots and planters.  This is a fantastic plant for the Moonlight Gardens theme.  Until tomorrow.....

Japanese Aralia/Fatsia

I love this plant!!  Put it in a pot or planter away from the direct sun and it will do very well.  Every year I switch the soil out of the pot and this beauty just keeps growing lush and green.  I started this plant from a baby and in two years, look at how this plant has grown!!!  It likes water and bright shade.  Most winters you can keep this plant outside during mild freezes.  However, I was not willing to lose this specimen plant on the courtyard and brought it into the shed.  Make sure the soil drains or the leaves will dry up and rot. It is prone to black spider mites every now and again, but I just take a hose and wash them off.  They are found at the base of the leaf or around the leaf "veins" underneath.  Wipe them off or again, just take the hose and wash them off.  Sometimes the plant will get rid of unwanted leaves.  They will droop and and turn yellow.  Cut them off and the plant is good as new.  The plant likes regular water and does well in bright shade.  Protect from freezes and intense sun. It's a moderate grower for me and a lovely specimen plant for your pots.  Until next time....

Ficus

Ficus. Hmmmm. Oh Ficus.  Oh homeowners........A lovely tropical tree/bush/houseplant...for the pots.  Ficus in the landscape for Tucson is VERY uncommon because it's too cold here.  Most homeowners mistake privet for ficus.   Both are green and lush.  They are also water seeking and concrete/foundation breaking(especially Ficus nitida). However, Ficus is found all over Phoenix because it's warmer there during the winter. For every positive, there comes a greater negative.  People living in the Phoenix area are affected more by this monster of a tree in the landscape as it has a better chance of surviving in the milder winter temps.  In Tucson, our winters are a bit too cold for this plant and yet there are places that you will find this tree growing large and tall. I pulled several of these plants(Nitida variety) out of the ground this past spring because they were invasive and breaking our planters along the side of the building.  A couple homeowners were not happy with this move, but by removing these plants, we discovered several breaks along the foundation, planter, and some gaps in the stucco which allowed for bugs, like cockroaches, to enter.  Overall, I am happy that this job was done.  They were starting to look "ratty" after almost 30 years in the landscape.  Here are a couple things to consider with this plant. As mentioned before, it makes a great shade tree, but our winters, both in Phoenix and Tucson, this past year were deadly for these trees and killed many of them.  I had several in pots and they were killed.  When Ficus dies, it dies. My lemon and limes trees were killed back, but new growth has come back where as with the Ficus, it's dead.  Even my Scheflerra and Spider plants have come back from the roots!  Not the Ficus.  However, with that being said, several of the large Ficus in the ground survived because they were protected by our buildings.  The roots are aggressive and can mess with plumbing and foundations so be thoughtful about the placement of this plant.  I believe that this plant is best utilized in a pot near an area that gets regular watering.  Do NOT place in direct sun or the leaves will burn on many of the varieties. I also throw a lot of used coffee grounds every once and awhile around this plant and it loves this treatment. Here is some info to get you started on potting a Ficus.  My recommendation is to keep this plant out of the ground and solely use in pots or planters for the Tucson area.

Best potted as shown here on my small patio.

"Everyone wants a ficus tree and there are many varieties to choose from: Benjamina (and all of its new cultivars such as Midnight, Spearmint, Nitida and Monique), Lyrata or Fiddle Leaf (the giant leaves look like fiddles), Elastica (commonly called a Rubber Tree), Ficus Alli and many others. All of these are beautiful and can grow into stately, impressive trees if you care for them properly. Ficus trees, unlike Dracaenas, need attention and are not very forgiving. However, once you know what they like and how to avoid what they don't, ficus trees are really quite easy to maintain. The Ficus tree is a popular houseplant, and is relatively easy to care for. Your Ficus will want to be placed near a bright window or other light source because they thrive in light. It is very common for a new Ficus to lose its leaves. It is estimated that a Ficus typically loses approximately twenty percent of its leaves when it is taken into a new environment. So, do not be surprised if your Ficus does a bit of shedding when you bring it home from the store. The reason the Ficus loses leaves usually comes down to one of three circumstances, with changes in the environment being tops on the list.

Ficus Nitida in Phoenix.  You won't see this in Tucson....it's too cold! Pic from Lee Tucson

Additional causes of leaf loss are improper watering of your plant, and insect or pest infestation and damage. Losing Ficus foliage or leaves is the most common problem owners of this common house plant encounter. However, it is not cause for concern as leaf loss is normal during the regular care and feeding of your plant. Just as we humans shed skin cells on a regular basis, the Ficus sheds leaves. Unless more than twenty percent of your leaves drop off, your Ficus is still pretty healthy and probably going through a change based on one of the three reasons mentioned, regardless which of the varieties of Ficus you have.

Pic courtesy of Lee Tucson

One of the best gardening tips for Ficus trees and plant species is to water your plant more if it is getting a lot of light, and water it less when there is less light available; this is because the plant is healthier and growing more during high light times, and is more dormant during periods of low light. Simply put, less light means less growth and need for watering for your Ficus. You want the soil to be wet, but never soggy. You also want to check annually to make sure your Ficus has not outgrown its pot size and become root bound which can cause increased leaf drop. If your Ficus becomes root bound you will need to repot in a larger size container. Expect increased leaf loss during the adjustment period. " End of article.  Source: http://articles.directorym.com/Ficus_Tree_Care_Tips_Phoenix_AZ-r1139540-Phoenix_AZ.html

Long article I know, but I hope this answers questions for the Tucson Gardener in search of advice and experience for the Ficus. Short answer.  Place this beauty in pots or plants away from the home structure protected from strong afternoon sun. Until next time.

Big Leaf Philodendron

Another plant that usually does well outdoors with afternoon shade is the Big Leaf Philodendron.  This plant looks great in pots or planters.  If you do put this plant into the ground, make sure you prep the area as if you would the Bird of Paradise. Add some nice gardening soil into the area with some mulch around the base.  While it doesn't grow to mammoth heights like it will in San Diego, it will get large here in the Tucson area at around 4-5 feet.  Again this plant can tolerate some morning sun but nothing more.  The strong afternoon sun will burn the leaves and kill the plant.  I have found this plant to do very well near water sources like a drip system or misty water fountain.  Don't let this plant get waterlogged, but it sure doesn't mind the extra water.  There are several varieties which I think are ALL attractive.....one being Monstera. This particular plant has a swiss cheese look to the leaf.  Most Philodendrons have large leaves with a nice branch structure.  Some are more upright while others have an open and bushier habit.  You should fertilize once a year and I like to throw used coffee grounds around the base of the plant for a little extra nitrogren.

The bark of the Philodendron with Creeping Fig crawling up the side.

  If these plants have been in the ground for awhile, you will notice their roots "crawl" and search for water above ground.  It's one of the unique features of this plant.  Many people think this is a boring houseplant to have around, but I think it looks really nice outside during the summer.   What about winter?  This winter I lost half of my Philodendron plants.  However the other half have snapped back from that deadly freeze. I had covered them with a blanket in our planters here.  This plant makes a great bright shade plant and will perform well with some regular watering.   I chose the Big Leaf Philodendron over the others because it can be a hardy plant year round for our landscape here.  There are other varieties that are fussier and need a lot more shade and moisture.  This is a great tropical for Tucson.  Start it in a pot first and see where the plant does better around your property before planting it into the ground near your home as the light exposure has to be exactly right for it to do well.  Until tomorrow......

Bird Of Paradise

This tropical bares mentioning because it is one tough cookie for our desert climate. Of all the tropicals to survive our severe freeze, this plant defied the odds. While I lost only one of these plants, the rest all came back.  If you were quick to pull, you may not have noticed that the heart of the plant(where the new shoots come out) may still have been okay.  I had seen it once before so I knew not to quickly pull the plant out of the ground.  Instead I gingerly poked at the center of the plant and found a lovely emerald green middle.  Today, several of the plants have new leaves on them and are on their way back to recovery.

This is one of the few tropicals that can withstand our extreme temps AND be placed into our soil if the ground is prepped properly.  Here are some important tips for growing this plant in Tucson. FIRST. Make sure you DON'T place this plant in direct sunlight or it will burn and die.  I've watched many people make this mistake.  Instead place in shade, filtered shade, or bright shade for best results.  Second.  I mentioned that you can place this tropcial into the soil, but you will need to prep the ground first.  If you place it in hard soil, you will stunt the growth of this plant which can get quite large over time.   Dig a whole twice the size of the container and fill with regular gardening soil and it will do well.  These plants also do well in pots and planters and make a statement to the entrance of your home. You can fertilize once a year and it will need regular watering once established.  Overall, this is a highly recommended tropical for your garden.  If you do have freezing temps during the winter and it's in the ground, cover as you would any frost tender plant. Our extreme freeze however proves that this plant is a tough survivor. One last thing......there are a couple plants with the title of Bird of Paradise.  Don't confuse this plant with the Mexican Bird of Paradise which requires absolutely the opposite conditions than those of this tropical beauty.  Remember that with most tropicals here in Tucson, you need to keep them in the bright shade(exceptions are Canna and Musa).