Flowers

Foliage Plants

Local name: Pandanus (hojas de lino)

English Name: Varigated dwarf pandanus

Botanical Name: Pandanus baptistii variegate

Native to Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles this variegated Pandanus is a fast growing drought tolerant plant. It’s bright green and golden leaves make a striking addition to floral displays.

Local name: Lengua de suegra

English Name: Mother in law’s tongue / Snake plant / Saint Georges sword

Botanical Name: Sansevieria trifasciata

Originating in tropical West Africa, Sansevieria trifasciata is an evergreen, clump forming plant. It is easily grown out of doors in tropical and sub-tropical climates, but is also a popular house plant in cooler climates due to its tolerance for lower light levels.

Local name: Dracaena

English Name: The song of India

Botanical Name: Dracaena reflexa variegata

Native to Mozambique, Madagascar and several islands of the Indian Ocean. It can sometimes be confused with the popular “Corn plant”. This variety of Dracaena does make a good indoor plant and has been shown to be an effective plant to purify air.

Gingers

Local name: Shell ginger

English Name: Shell ginger, butterfly ginger, pink porcelain lily

Botanical Name: Alpinia zerumbet

Originating in East India, it is grown as an ornamental plant, but it’s leaves are used in cooking and teas in Japan and China.

Local name: Wild purple ginger

English Name: Wild purple ginger

Botanical Name: Dichorisandra thyrsiflora

Wild purple ginger is not in fact a true ginger but is in fact a member of the spiderwort family. Native to the tropics of North, Central and South America and is grown for it’s beautiful foliage and distinct flowers.

Local name: Ginger lilly (rosada pellena)

English Name: Red ginger / Ginger lily

Botanical Name: Alpinia purpurata

Ginger lily can be found growing throughout the tropics including the Caribbean and Central America, Hawaii and Samoa.

Local name: Antorcha

English Name: Torch ginger

Botanical Name: Etlingera elatior

Native to Indo-malaysia and Australasia, it is grown for its spectacular flowers and for use in Southeast Asian cooking. The stems are used in curries and noodles, the flower buds can also be used in dishes and sauces, even the seed pods are used to flavor fish dishes.

Local name: Indian head ginger

English Name: Indian head ginger

Botanical Name: Costus spicatus

Originating in the Caribbean, the leaves are used in Dominica to make a tea to combat diabetes although it’s efficacy has been brought into question. The flower head makes a striking addition to flora displays.

Local name: Maracas Rosadas

English Name: Shampoo ginger / Pinecone ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber zerumbet

Originally from Asia this member of the ginger family can now be found throughout the tropics. The rootstalks are used for flavouring dishes, they are also used in Malaysia in traditional medicine for treating ailments including inflammatory diseases, diarrhoea and worm infestation.

Local name: Maracas amarillas

English Name: Malaysian yellow

Botanical Name: Zingiber spectabile griff

A true ginger used in Indonesia to treat a variety of ailments, it has even been suggested that it may have some benefit in treating colon cancer. The unusual and spectacular blooms make a fabulous accent to floral displays.

Heliconia

Local name: Heliconia colgante (hanging)

English Name: Hanging lobster claw / false bird of paradise

Botanical Name: Heliconia rostrate

These spectacular flowers never fail to amaze and make excellent cut flowers with good longevity. A perennial plant native to the tropics of Central and Southern America, probably one of the most recognisable tropical flowers available.

Local name: Lobster claw heliconia

English Name: Lobster claw heliconia

Botanical Name: Heliconia bihai

From the northern part of South America, heliconias are amongst some of the most striking flowers from the tropics. Heliconia bihai usually stands at more than 1.5 m in height. The upward facing claw like portions of the flower provide a natural container for rainwater for birds to drink from.

Local name: Chichica

English Name: Expanded lobsterclaw

Botanical Name: Heliconia latispatha

Native to Central and northern South America, these heliconia are long lasting when cut. The plant itself can grow to around 2m in height and the flowers are followed by a smooth blue fruit.

Local name: Panama Yellow

Botanical Name: Heliconia psittacorum andromeda

Local name: Psittacorum (strawberries and cream)

Botanical Name: Heliconia psittacorum (strawberries and cream)

Local name: Psittacorum (firecracker)

Botanical Name: Heliconia psittacorum (firecracker)

Local name: Psittacorum (Lady Di)

Botanical Name: Heliconia psittacorum (Lady Di)

Local name: Psittacorum (surinam sassy)

Botanical Name: Heliconia Psittacorum (surinam sassy)

Musas

Local name: Musa

English Name: Scarlett banana / Red flowering banana

Botanical Name: Musa coccinea (scarlet banana)

The evergreen Musa coccinea is native to Indochina. Flowers are pollinated by bats and are followed by an inedible orange fruit. They are grown commercially for their ornamental flowers which are quite distinctive.

Local name: Ornamental Banana

English Name: Ornamental Banana

Botanical Name: Musaceae

There are many varieties of Ornamental Banana. They are native to the tropics but can make good container plants in cooler climates. Unlike it’s fruit bearing relatives the ornamental banana does not produce an edible fruit, however in some parts of the world fibres are harvested from the leaves and stalk to make ropes and mats.

Other

Local name: Calathea

English Name: Rattle snake plant

Botanical Name: Calathea crotalifera

Calatahea can be found growing in its native habitat of Mexico and as far south as Ecuador, although it is now cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental for flower displays. As with many plants of this family, the leaves fold over at night as if in prayer only to open again each morning.

Local name: Anthurium (various)

English Name: flamingo flower and laceleaf

Botanical Name: Anthurium (various)

We have several varieties of Anthurium at Finca Los Jones. The genus grows natively from Mexico to Argentina and through the Caribbean. The bright “flower” is in reality a waxy modified leaf, the real flowers grow on the fleshy spike spadix) that protrudes from the centre of the modified leaf.

Local name: Curcuma

English Name: Curcuma

Botanical Name: Curcuma (panama purple)

This striking bloom has a green base that graduates to a deep pinky-purple at its tip. The leaves are also distinct with a purple strip down the centre.

Local name: Candela

English Name: Firebush, hummingbird bush, redhead

Botanical Name: Hamelia Longipes

A member of the coffee family, Hamelia is a native plant from the sub tropics of the Americas. The scarlet flowers are followed by edible fruits, which in Mexico are fermented into a drink. In some areas the leaves and roots of the plant are crushed and used as a remedy for snakebites.