(Frangipani, Jasmine Mango)

Frangipani is a deciduous tree native to Mexico and Central America.. The branches and stems are thick and fleshy, but weak and tend to break in high winds. The bark is tender and when cut or broken exudes, sticky, white sap which is an irritant. The leaves are large, leathery, arranged alternately on the stem at the ends of the branches and showy. The large flowers sometimes appear before the leaves, summer through autumn and are held in branched clusters at the stem tips. Individual flowers are...

(Sharp-leaved Frangipani)

Pagoda tree or the sharp-leaved frangipani is a deciduous tree native to Mexico and Central America. The branches and stems are thick and fleshy, but weak and tend to break in high winds. The bark is tender and when cut or broken exudes, sticky, white sap which is an irritant. The leaves are large, leathery, arranged alternately on the stem at the ends of the branches and showy. The large flowers sometimes appear before the leaves, summer through autumn and are held in branched clusters at the stem...

(West Indian Jasmine, Yellow Frangipani)

Yellow frangipani is a deciduous small tree native to the cliffs of Mexico and Central America. The branches and stems are thick and fleshy, but weak and tend to break in high winds. The bark is tender and when cut or broken exudes, sticky, white sap which is an irritant. The leaves are large, leathery, arranged alternately on the stem at the ends of the branches and showy. The large flowers sometimes appear before the leaves, summer through autumn and are held in branched clusters at the stem tips....

(Tri-colored Frangipani)

The festive tri-colored frangipani is a deciduous tree native to the seasonally wet-to-dry highlands of Mexico and Central America. The branches and stems are thick and fleshy, but weak and tend to break in high winds. The bark is tender and when cut or broken exudes, sticky, white sap which is an irritant. The leaves are large, leathery, arranged alternately on the stem at the ends of the branches and showy. The large flowers sometimes appear before the leaves, summer through autumn and are held...

(Ming Aralia)

Grown for its elegant, lacy foliage, this upright evergreen shrub hails from the western Pacific and Southeast Asia. Ming aralia's finely divided pinnate leaves are dark green with a reddish tinge. The greenish flowers and black fruit are rarely produced.

Ming aralia grows best in full to partial sun and fertile, evenly moist soil. Soil must be well-drained to prevent root rot. Humidity ensures the delicate leaflets do not quickly brown and drop away. In winter, keep the soil slightly drier....

(Hillebrand's Fan Palm, Loulou Lelo Palm)

With its elegant, bold, fan-shaped leaves, this small, single-trunked palm from the Hawaiian island of Molokai is among the loveliest plants for tropical and subtropical gardens.

The huge, green to blue-green, evergreen fronds are cleft into many long, stiff, lance-shaped segments that radiate like a fanned peacock's tail. The fronds have waxy, silvery undersides. Several dozen fronds are borne atop the trunk on long stalks ("petioles"), forming a spherical crown. The petioles are clothed...

(Koolau Range Pritchardia)

Bearing immense, elegantly dissected leaves on a compact trunk, this beautiful palm is native to the Ko'olau Range of eastern Oahu.

The huge, olive-green, evergreen fronds are cleft into many stiff, pleated, lance-shaped segments that radiate like a fanned peacock's tail. The fronds have silvery undersides clothed with tan felt. Twenty or more fronds are borne atop the trunk on long stalks ("petioles"), forming a spherical crown. Plants are initially stemless, eventually developing a gray...

(Carruthers' Falseface)

Green to purplish green foliage topped by small, star-like flowers of pink or white and magenta makes Carruther's falseface pretty whenever temperatures are warm. A tender evergreen shrub native to New Caledonia and Vanuata in western Polynesia, it has today become naturalized in many parts of the tropical Pacific and South America.

The oval leaves have noticeable veins and often have gently wavy edges. They are yellow green (var. carruthersii), fully green in color (var. reticulatum)...

(Pink Shaving Brush Tree, Shaving Brush Tree)

The cigar-like flower buds of the shaving brush tree open to show bright rosy pink flowers that truly look like brushes. This deciduous tree is native to dry woodlands across Mexico and Guatemala. When young, its bark is thin and green, but with age it becomes thicker and grayish-tan with green streaks, looking much like elephant or dinosaur skin. Shaving brush tree attains a wide, spreading, rounded canopy. Alternating seasons of moisture and drought helps develop its interesting bottle-shaped trunk.

Mid-spring's...

(Shaving Brush Tree, White Shaving Brush Tree)

White shaving brush tree produces interesting torpedo-shaped flower buds and puffy white flowers that look like paintbrushes. This deciduous tree is native to dry woodlands across Mexico and Guatemala. When young, its bark is thin and green, but with age it becomes thicker and tan-gray with green streaks, looking like elephant or dinosaur skin. Shaving brush tree attains a wide, spreading, rounded canopy. Alternating seasons of moisture and drought helps develop the bottle-shaped trunk.

Mid-spring's...