Tropical Plants

Letak Vila Botani yang cukup tinggi dari permukaan laut dengan udara yang sejuk, membuat bunga-bunga selalu mekar sepanjang tahun.Melewati rumah penduduk dikampung sebelum tiba di Vila Botani, akan mudah dijumpai bunga indah didepan rumah mereka, bahkan banyak bunga liar yang tumbuh ditanah kosong atau diantara bebatuan. Penduduk sekitar yang tidak memiliki lahan yang luas, menanam bunga dihalaman rumah mereka. Pembeli yang lewat bisa mendapatkan bunga dengan harga dibawah harga pasar. Bunga yang terdapat di Vila Botani kebanyakan adalah bunga lokal atau bunga tropis yang umum ditemukan dibanyak tempat di Indonesia. Bunga teratai dengan warna merah muda dan putih selalu berbunga sepanjang tahun. Kami meletakkannya dikolam didepan vila. Dinginnya air gunung yang selalu mengalir sepertinya tepat untuk rumah bagi bunga teratai.

Sumatran Pine

The Sumatran Pine (Pinus merkusii) is a pine native to southeast Asia, mainly in the mountains of northern Sumatra, and with two outlying populations, on Mount Kerinci and Mount Talang in central Sumatra, and in the Philippines on Mindoro and the Zambales Mountains of western Luzon. The population in central Sumatra, between 1° 40' and 2° 06' S latitude, is the only natural occurrence of any pine south of the Equator. It generally occurs at moderate altitudes, mostly from 400-1500 m, but occasionally as low as 90 m and up to 2000 m.
It is a medium-sized to large tree, reaching 25-45 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m. The bark is orange-red, thick and deeply fissured at the base of the trunk, and thin and flaky in the upper crown. The leaves ('needles') are in pairs, very slender, 15-20 cm long and less than 1 mm thick, green to yellowish green. The cones are narrow conic, 5-8 cm long and 2 cm broad at the base when closed, green at first, ripening glossy red-brown. They open to 4-5 cm broad at maturity to release the seeds. The seeds are 5-6 mm long, with a 15-20 mm wing, and are wind-dispersed.
Sumatran Pine is closely related to Tenasserim Pine Pinus latteri, which occurs further north in southeast Asia from Myanmar to Vietnam; some botanists treat the two as conspecific (under the name P. merkusii, which was described first), but the Tenasserim Pine differs in longer (18-27 cm) and stouter (over 1 mm thick) leaves and larger cones with thicker scales, the cones often remaining closed for some time after maturity. It is also related to the group of Mediterranean pines including Aleppo Pine and Turkish Pine, which share many features with it.

Brugmansia x candida

Brugmansia x candida
(Datura candida)
Angel’s Trumpet
Botanical Family: Solanaceae

Brugmansia x candida makes a striking garden ornamental with its large white trumpet shaped flowers that appear in great quantities hanging like bells. The velvety grayish green leaves are spear shaped and the wood is quite brittle. There are a number of cultivars some with pink or purple flowers.

It grow better at higher elevation than in lowland gardens as it believe to be native to the mountains of Chile or Peru. Propagation is by seed or cuttings.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Clerodendrum paniculatum

Pagoda Flower
Botanical Family: Verbenaceae

Clerodendrum paniculatum, native to Southeast Asia, is popularly known as the Pagoda Flower because its red-orange flowers appear in a conical from around a spike that rises high above the glossy five lobed leaves. It may grow to 3 meters but is usually kept pruned to a lower height.

Propagation is by air layering or from woody cuttings.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Duranta repens

Duranta repens

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Tropical Garden Plants

Erythrina Fusca

Erythrina
Coral Tree
Botanical Family: Leguminosae

Erythrina is genus containing some 100 trees and shrubs most with spiny trunks and branches and a number that produce strikingly beautiful flowers. Erythrina likes full sun and well-drained soil and bloom best after a period of drought. Quite large cuttings root easily

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Tropical Garden Plants

Etlingera elatior

Etlingera elatior

Torch Ginger

Botanical Family: Zingerberaceae

The showy pink flowers are used in decorative arrangements while the flower buds are an important ingredient in the Nonya dish laksa laksa.

In Karo, it is known as asam cekala (asam meaning 'sour'), and the flower buds, but more importantly the ripe seed pods, which are packed with small black seeds, are an essential ingredient of the Karo version of sayur asam, and are particularly suited to cooking fresh fish.

The Torch Ginger likes full sun or light shade and rich, well-drained soil. It should be grown in a site where the flowers can be seen at the bottom of the stalks. Propagation is by clump division.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Gardenia jasminoides

Gardenia jasminoides
Gardenia
Botanical Family: Rubiaceae

Gardenia jasminoides is native of South China. The pure white flowers usually double, are very strongly scented and appear more or less continuously on a healthy plant in the tropics.

Gardenias need full sun and occasional spray against mealy bugs and other insect pests. Propagation is from woody cuttings or by air-layering (marcotting)

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Tropical Garden Plants

Heliconia

Heliconia
Botanical Family: Heliconiaceae

Holicania, the only genus in the family Heliconiacea, is among the fastest-expanding groups of ornamental plants. Growing from underground rhizomes, all have erect shoot and leaves that maybe vertically arranged like those of a banana, horizontally like those of a ginger.

Heliconia is mostly native to the American tropics and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Many of the most beautiful specimens growing below 1,200 feet but other found at higher altitudes up to 6,000 feet. The leaves are 15-300 cm long , oblong, growing opposite one another on non-woody petioles often longer than the leaf, often forming large clumps with age.

Their flowers are produced on long, erect or drooping panicles, and consist of brightly colored waxy bracts, with small true flowers peeping out from the bracts.

Heliconia needs rich soil, plenty of water (but good drainage), and sunlight. Each plant stalk blooms but once and should be cut back to the ground afterwards.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Hibiscus

Hibiscus
Botanical Family: Malvacaea

• Hibiscus mutabilis
  

Hibiscus mutabilis is quite different with other hibiscus. This Hibiscus popularly known as the Changeable Rose, the Rose of Sharon or the Cotton Rose. This is a vigorous, bushy shrub growing to 2 meters or more with grayish-green leaves and large flowers, either single or double. This is quit interesting, in the morning when flowers open the color are pure white and change during the course of the day to deep pink.

• Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

The most commonly grown is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. In Indonesia we call this flowers as the shoe flower or kembang sepatu. A reference to the fact that a juice extracted from the petals was supposedly used by the Dutch colonials to darken their shoes.

Generally Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a medium sized shrub, but some varieties can grow as tall as 5 meters. The leaves maybe ovate or lobed, smooth or hairy, green or variegated. Flower colors range from pure white through yellow and pink to scarlet. Though the flowers last only one day, many varieties bloom profusely so that there are nearly always several open at any time. Leaves and flowers are both edible and are sometimes used in traditional medicine.

• Hibiscus schizopetalus
  

This is another popular species, Hibiscus schizopetalus a native of East Africa which has less dense foliage arching branches, pendulous flowers with fringed petals that curl back against the stem and an exceptional long staminal column. This is known in some places as the Coral Hibiscus. Like Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, it has been used as the parent plant for numerous hybrids.

Most Hibiscus require full sun to flower well and benefit from occasional pruning, especially when used as a hedge.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Malvaviscus arboreus

Malvaviscus arboreus
Wax Mallow, Firecracker, Hibiscus, Turk’s Cap
Botanical Family: Malvaceae

Very similar in appearance to Hibiscus, this bushy shrub from tropical America has hairy toothed leaves and large flowers that are rolled as if about to open. The usual color is bright red but there is a pink flowering cultivar. The shrub can grow up to 4 meters in height and can become invasive in a small garden unless regularly pruned back. This flower is attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds, it is also often attacked in some areas by leaf eating insect pets and many need regular sprying.

This flower needs full sun and a well drained but moist soil. Propagation is by means of cutting which root easily.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Mansoa alliacea

Mansoa alliacea
(Pseudocalymma allianceum)
Garlic Vine
Botanical Family: Bignoniaceae

This slender climber from tropical America has garlic aroma.
This flower needs full sun and well-drained soil to bloom profusely is by means of woody cuttings.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Nelumbo nucifera

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Tropical Garden Plants

Nymphaea

Nymphaea

Water Lily

Botanical Family: Nyamphaeaceae

We know that, water lilies are by no means confined to the tropics but can be found almost everywhere. Flowers rising above may be single or double and occur in a wide range of colors.

Water lilies need full or at least a half day's sun to thrive and bloom profusely. They can be planted in the muddy bottom of ponds or in pots that are sunk in a water jar.

Propagation is by seeds or by root division.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Orthosiphon stamineus

Orthosiphon stamineus
(O. aristatus)
Cat's Whiskers
Botanical Family: Labiatae

This low-growing herb about 75 cm high. Cat's whiskers ia native to Southeast Asia. It has attractive dark green leaves and frequent tall sprays of flowers that are distinctive because of their exceptionally long stamens which give rise to the popular name.

Cat's whiskers likes full or filtered sunlight and well-drained soil. Propagation is by means of cuttings.

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Tropical Garden Plants

Russelia equisetiformis

Russelia equisetiformis

Coral Plant, Firecracker Plant

Botanical Family: Schrophulariaceae

This is a low-growing shrub from Mexico. Each plants produces many branches and is particularly effective when grown in a raised bed or rock garden so that the flower-laden stems hang down.

Russelia will grow under both moist and dry conditions, but requires full sunlight and occasional pruning to flower well.

Propagation is by division of old plants or cutting

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Tropical Garden Plants

Allamanda Black Cherry

Allamanda grows well in full sun or in light shade and prefers soil with good drainage.

Thumbergia grandiflora

Thumbergia grandifora

Blue Trumpet Vine
Botanical Family: Accanthaceae

The genus Thumbergia contains around 100 species, from shrubs to extremely ornamental vines. T. grandiflora is perhaps the best known of the latter, a very fast growing climber with large, slightly rough heart shaped leaves and long, hanging clusters of either mauve-blue or white trumpet-shaped flowers. We only have blue trumpet vine that cover the roof of the Aula.

Thumbergia likes full sun or light shade and moist, well-drained soil. Propagation is by cutting or air-layering.

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Tropical Garden Plants

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