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Dyckia leptostachya
Dyckia leptostachya is a spring-blooming bromeliad that has thick, succulent leaves with an attractive reddish tint. The margins are armored with small sharp spines pointing outward. Individual plants...
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How to grow Dyckias from seed
So your Dyckia has produced a bunch of little seed pods and you want to try growing some bromeliads from seed. Each pod contains dozens of seeds and they're fairly easy to grow. Note: this method also...
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Tithonia diversifolia (Bolivian sunflower)
Bolivian sunflower is sometimes known as Mexican sunflower, but that common name also applies to another Tithonia species, so to be completely accurate, just call it Tithonia diversifolia! Some sources...
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Tindora (Coccinia grandis)
Coccinia grandis is a perennial cucurbit commonly known as tindora or ivy gourd. The striped fruits are about 2 inches long and are edible raw or cooked. When approaching maturity, they start turning...
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Nopalea cochenillifera
Nopalea cochenillifera is a cactus that is edible and has many medicinal properties. It also makes an attractive, drought-tolerant landscape plant.This species grows to about 15 feet tall and can...
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East Indian Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus)
East Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is one of the quickest and easiest herbs to grow from seed or divisions. It's also one of the most useful herbs to have in your garden.Plants started early...
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Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis)
Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) is a legume with numerous health benefits. The plant grows as a vine so some sort of support is needed when growing it in the garden.The vine climbs by twining around...
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Molokhia (Egyptian spinach)
Molokhia is a highly nutritious ancient super-green from the Middle-East. It's also known as Egyptian spinach, jute mallow or Jew's mallow. Botanically, it's Corchorus olitorius. The leaves can be...
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Papalo (Porophyllum ruderale ssp. macrocephalum)
Papalo (Porophyllum ruderale ssp. macrocephalum) is a traditional Mexican herb commonly used fresh with salads, sandwiches, soups, stews, meats or beans. It is only used fresh, or added to cooked foods...
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Billbergia amoena var. striata
Billbergia amoena var. striata generally blooms in late fall or winter, but it looks good even when not in bloom. The flower spike features bright pinkish-red bracts with contrasting pale green flowers...
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Katuk (Sauropus androgynus)
Katuk is an edible leafy shrub that thrives in tropical or subtropical climates. It's botanically known as Sauropus androgynus.Nearly all parts of the plant can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaflets are...
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Aechmea weilbachii forma leodiensis
Aechmea weilbachii forma leodiensis typically blooms during the late fall through early winter period. The inflorescence is held erect, well above the foliage, for a beautiful display. The spike is red...
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Taro, Dasheen (Colocasia esculenta)
Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a tropical starchy root crop. The large, "elephant-ear" type leaves can grow 2-3 feet long and 1-2 feet wide. Each leaf emerges from an underground corm and the overall...
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Sword bean (Canavalia gladiata)
Everything about the sword bean (Canavalia gladiata) is impressive. From the time the first true leaves emerge from the seed, until the pods split open to reveal their giant pink seeds, there's...
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Giant Vine Fern (Stenochlaena tenuifolia)
Giant Vine Fern (Stenochlaena tenuifolia) is an impressive species with large fronds up to 4 feet in length. It makes an excellent tall groundcover for large areas under trees, or a lush background...
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Water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis)
Eleocharis dulcis is commonly known as water chestnut or Chinese water chestnut. The edible part of the plant is the underground corm, which is typically harvested when the plant dies down in the...
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Dioscorea bulbifera, edible air potato
The information contained in this post is entirely about the edible cultivated varieties of Dioscorea bulbifera. The wild air potatoes you find growing in the woods are NOT edible.This is one of the...
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Zamia maritima (cardboard plant)
Zamia maritima is a cycad, a taxonomic branch that has existed virtually unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs. Its thick, firm leaflets are the reason it is often known as cardboard plant.The leaf...
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Rose apple (Syzygium jambos)
Syzygium jambos is a small tree or large shrub bearing delicious yellow fruits with the flavor of rosewater.The yellow blooms are borne in clusters at the ends of the previous season's growth. In...
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Senna mexicana var. chapmanii (Bahama senna)
Among all the species in the Cassia/Senna group, Senna mexicana is one of the most desirable to grow. It flowers nearly continuously throughout the year, providing plenty of color in the landscape. It...
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Ipomoea macrorhiza (pink moonvine, large-root morning glory)
Ipomoea macrorhiza has beautiful nocturnal flowers and an edible root. It is a true perennial; the vines go dormant in the winter and sprout from the short stem at the top of the root in the spring.The...
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Alpinia hainanensis
Alpinia hainanensis is a large, fast-growing species of ginger. At first glance, one might assume it is a shell ginger, but there are several key distinctions. This species grows about 6 feet tall and...
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The history of our farm
This year our farm is celebrating 35 years of growing in this location, but the history of the land goes back much further than that.Human populations have been living in this region for thousands of...
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Piper sarmentosum (wild betel, lolot)
Piper sarmentosum is an herbaceous perennial, native to Southeast Asia, but is now cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions around the world.It is a popular culinary herb in its native...
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Moringa oleifera
Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing, drought-tolerant tree that is native to the Indian subcontinent. It is also known as the drumstick tree, the horseradish tree, or the miracle tree. Moringa is a...
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