Tropic Botanicals

Impressions from tropical North Queensland.

A very dramatic sunrise, open grazing country between Townsville and Mackay, Northern Queensland.

Aerial view of far North Cane Country, everywhere sugar cane!

Xanthorrhoea is a genus of flowering plants native to Australia and a member of family Xanthorrhoeaceae. The Xanthorrhoeaceae are monocots, this plant was formerly known as "Blackboy" or Grasstree, growing in the garden of the hotel.

The Cannonball tree; Couroupita guianensis.

Fruits are edible and are occasionally eaten, but the smell of the white flesh discourages most people from trying them. On the other hand, the flowers have a wonderful smell and can be used to scent perfumes and cosmetics. The hard shells of the fruit are sometimes used as containers.
Plant Cultivation
A large tree, up to 50-75ft tall. It will only grow in tropical zones and is very susceptible to frost. Flowers (followed by fruit), grow directly from the trunk. Fruits are soft and very fleshy. Provide lots of water and humidity for optimal growth.Propagation: By seed.
Origin and Distribution
Native to rainforest of the Guiana's in Northeastern South America.

Flowers of the Cannonball tree.

The whole area where this tree stands is perfumed by those gorgeous looking flowers.

Costus is a genus of perennial tropical herbs. They are often characterized (and distinguished from relatives such as Zingiber) by their spiraling stems.

This plant caught my eye but I haven't got a clue what its name is.

More Costus Ginger; this could be a Beehive ginger. I think I will introduce some more into my garden, they are really spectacular plants for semi shade.

Jade Vine; Strongilodom macrobotrya.

The jade vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) is a native of the tropical forests of the Philippines. Its flowers are the color of jade, and hang in bunches up to 90 cm long; each clawlike flower is about 7½ cm long. In its native Philippines, the jade vine's flowers are pollinated by bats.
S. macrobotrys is prized in tropical and subtropical gardens for its showy flowers which are a highly unusual blue-green. It is usually grown over a pergola so that the flowers may hang down below where they can be seen easily. In South Africa the jade vine is mainly restricted to the warm humid strip of coastal Natal but grows in a few frost-free spots inland.

A peaceful spot to rest.


Tiny Peperomia or perhaps Pileas ( I am not sure) used as groundcovers.

Interesting yellow flowers; could be Costus, Ginger or Heliconia?

Begonia species...(the word species makes it easy identifying!) they look lush and stand out in shadowy spots under trees.

Fantastic borders with colourful leaves, Bromeliads, Ferns and flowering plants.

Pink Torch Ginger; Etlingera elatior.

The torch ginger or wax flower (Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M. Smith) is believed native to Sulawesi (Celebes) and Jawa, Indonesia (Java). The plant is now grown in many tropical locations both for the extravagant 'flowers' and for food. In Malaysia, it is called kantan. The peduncles (stems) of the inflorescence are chopped and added to laksa pots (various curries or soups made with rice noodles).

The spectacular inflorescence rises from the rhizome to a height of 60 centimeters (24 inches) to more than a meter (40 inches). The individual flowers will appear from between the pinecone-like scales above the waxy bracts. The leaves grow in ranks from separate stalks along the rhizome. The leafy stalks are evergreen and get 4.5 to 6 meters (15 to 20 feet) tall. Note that in the photograph, the inflorescence is just starting to expand and the leaves are dried having been subjected to cold temperatures and winds.
Torch ginger has had numerous generic designations through the years: Alpinia, Phaeomoria, Nicolaia, and Elettaria. The taxonomy was tangled and confusing. And it was believed the genus contained only a handful of species.
In the 1980s, Rosemary Margaret Smith of the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh tackled the gingers and determined this plant belonged to Etlingera, a genus first described in 1792 by Paul Dietrich Giseke. Since then, Axel Dalberg Poulsen of the National Herbarium of the Netherlands has dedicated his studies to these glorious plants. He has discovered there are at least 70 species, many not yet described, spread from India to the Pacific Islands.
Dr. Poulsen has a page of photographs of some of the beautiful Etlingera species he has been studying. To view his page, click on the link:
http://www.dalbergpoulsen.com/gingers_gallery.html