Viewing comments posted by vitrsna

In Mexico the Cordia elaeagnoides forests are widely distributed in the Pacific slope, south of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, including the Balsas River Basin, and Quintana Roo.

I believe these forests continue into Central America but do not have specific information.

The Golden-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes chrysogenys) in my photo is found only in Mexico along the Pacific coast from Sinaloa to Colima.

And of course the wild Morning Glory is a nice addition to the habitat.

This is a tropical hardwood tree and is harvested for interior finishes, such as cabinetry, interior staircases, and similar. It is difficult to imagine it being endangered, but I do not know the official status at this time. I would be interested to know if it is commercially grown.

It is known to grow in areas of central to south Mexico and in Central America. It appears to appreciate coastal areas.

The flowers grow in umbels.

I have not yet seen the fruit or tasted it, but each fruit is said to yield 1 seed per fruit.

Provides habitat for Colima Pygmy Owls and the Ferruginous Pygmy Owls.

There are several different common names for this tree depending upon the region in which it grows. This is common in Mexico. There are indigenous names, post Columbian names, Catholic names, so special care is required when matching a common name to a modern day botanical name.

As a member of the Rutaceae Family, this plant should be a host for Giant Swallowtail butterflies, as well as Black Swallowtails and a few others, although I won't be able to confirm this until the plant matures. The disease caused by the Diaphorina citri reportedly can be controlled by pruning any affected growth. It is said the plant is illegal to sell or own in the State of Florida due to the potential for disease.

This plant is a member of the Cucurbitaceae Family, native to southwest China, and is cultivated for its fruit. It is a caudex-forming, herbaceous, perennial vine that climbs or creeps via tendrils. Requires rich, well-drained soil and germinates in a tropical shade environment (or greenhouse), at temperatures between 70-75 degrees F (21-24 C). Germination is said to take between 3 to 6 weeks, but 3 of the 7 I planted were up in 2 weeks. It can be grown successfully in containers with very fast-draining soil. Maturation is said to occur 240 days after planting. It loves humidity. The plants are male or female (dioecious), and one of each is required for the plant to set fruit, so it is recommended to grow at least 3 together in order to assure fruits. The vine is said to be hardy to 30 degrees F (0 degrees C) although it should be protected from frost. Fruits are very sweet, can be substituted for Stevia, and are eaten both fresh and dried. The rind is often prepared as a tea. Other medicinal properties have been attributed to the fruit of this plant.
Common names for this plant are Luo Han Guo Fruit, Arhat Fruit, Monk Fruit. Momordica grosvenorii is a synonym.

This is a very pretty and well-behaved shrub and one of the smaller Sennas that will do well in a container as well as a garden bed. May attract Sulphur butterflies depending on your location.

This plant is a member of the Rutaceae Family. Both the leaves and flowers have a fragrance of oranges. The plant is host to Giant Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio cresphontes), which are the largest butterflies in the US and whose larva will nibble the leaves until they are ready to pupate but will not destroy the plant. The plant is native to Mexico.

This plant is native to Mexico and can cover large expanses of space in the wild given the right conditions. It will climb and/or creep via delicate looking tendrils. The flowers are small and a bold pink, and in my area (zone 11) they bloom year round. I understand it is also available with white flowers. I've never seen a plant with "Coral" flowers and so am puzzled by how it got to be commonly called "Coral Vine". It is also commonly called "Rose of Montana," which is a little bit funny because it is called "Rosa de Montaña" in Spanish, which translates as "Mountain Rose". Somewhere along the line of creating common names for plants, someone had a whoops moment, which appears to have stuck.

In my area (southwest Mexico) this plant attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. My experience is that the bees took complete charge of my vine. Normally docile bees became territorial and would chase away butterflies and hummingbirds. I had thousands of bees in my small, wall-enclosed garden. I love this plant. It grows well with little attention, but the bees were so numerous that it caused a problem in my small garden. In a larger, wide-open-space garden, I think they would not be such a problem. I tried growing the vine in a container, and not so large, because I liked it so much. As soon as the buds opened, the bees again came by the thousands, but this time they spread out to the cosmos and tithonia as well. Alas, I am unable to grow this vine and I miss it, but for someone wanting a beautiful and easy-care vine that will feed hungry bees, this is the vine for you (probably if you are in zone 9 and up).

Although Tithonia rotundifolia is referred to as "Mexican Sunflower" in the US, it is not a sunflower but an Asteraceae.

The mature plants may need a good strong stake if exposed to high winds and/or heavy rains. I have had excellent results with 1/4" heavy duty PVC tubes for drinking water, found in the plumbing sections of stores that carry such things. The tubes are about 3.5 feet long and I pound them about 12 inches into the ground with a rubber hammer. I use marbles to plug each end. I add the top marble after I have pounded the stake into the ground for a bit of decor and whimsy. With these stakes, none of the Tithonia uprooted during the rainy (hurricane) season, but I did lose a few branches.