Antigua Barbuda Horticultural Society, @Agave Gardens
The science of growing plants, learning garden esign and how plants affect our environment
2023 Flower and Garden Show, theme Back to Nature,
Saturday, March 25th 2023. 10 am to 6 pm. – All are invited!
Barrel cacti of some species easily reach over 1 metre (3.3 ft) in height at maturity, and have been known to reach 10 feet in some regions. The ribs are numerous and pronounced, and the spines are long and can range in color from yellow to tan to red, depending on the age of the plant and the species. Flowers appear at the top of the plant when mature with a small red fruit.
Etlingera elatior (also known as torch ginger, ginger flower, red ginger lily, torch lily, wild ginger, 
is a species of herbaceous perennial plant. Botanical synonyms include Nicolaia elatior, Phaeomeria magnifica, and Alpinia magnifica.
The showy pink flowers are used in decorative arrangements, we call them tropicals, they require lots of moisture and semi shade, torch ginger flowers may reach 17 to 20 feet in height. Plant it where it is somewhat protected from the wind, which can snap the shoots of this tropical plant. Due to the large height, growing torch ginger in containers may not be feasible.Fertilise with food high in potassium for the best blooms.
Gloriosa is a genus of 12 species in the plant family Colchicaceae, and include the formerly recognised genus Littonia. They are native in tropical and southern Africa to Asia, and naturalised in Australia and the Pacific as well as being widely cultivated.[2] The most common English names are flame lily, fire lily, gloriosa lily, glory lily, superb lily, climbing lily, and creeping lily.
They are tender, tuberous rooted deciduous perennials, adapted to summer rainfall with a dormant dry season. All parts of the plant contain colchicine and related alkaloids and are therefore dangerously toxic if ingested, and contact with the stems and leaves can cause skin irritation. Various preparations of the plant are used in traditional medicines for a variety of complaints in both Africa and India. In Indian language of Telugu, in the state of Andhra Pradesh it is called Naabhi and was used in traditional medicine.
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St. John’s Antigua- A non-profit organisation which deals with the protection of the country’s flora and fauna is coming to the aid of the government as it seeks to rid the country of the lethal yellowing disease.
President of the Antigua & Barbuda Horticultural Society Barbara Japal said her organisation is looking at instituting a number of programmes to help create a greater level of awareness.
The group is in the process of connecting with regional bodies to complement the work of the government.
Japal said the Society would be seeking to address the devastating disease by collaborating with other organisations across the region also affected by the virus.
“We have dialogued with horticulture societies in our neighbouring islands – Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis to share their experiences on a weekly basis just to keep us up to date with what’s going on,” Japal said.
She said the Society will also be producing information materials to be made available on its website.
Japal continued that, during the last four decades, outbreaks of lethal yellowing disease have killed most of the once prevalent taller coconut cultivars in parts of Florida and some Caribbean islands.
The president added that while coconuts are the most economically important palms affected by the disease, 35 other palm species are also susceptible to lethal yellowing.
The government, over the past few months, has been moving speedily to tackle lethal yellowing which has the potential to wipe out the country’s coconut industry.
Lethal yellowing results in the premature shedding of fruits and causes the leaf to become yellow, resulting in the plant dying within three to six months of the disease appearing.
The Plant Protection Unit, headed by Dr Janil Gore-Francis, has been tasked with rolling out a management plan to control the disease.
There are several hundred species, the genus include both annual and perenial, and several hundred varieties all grow to a woody shrub,some hibiscuses are edible,
How to grow: they grow well in full sun, and should to be watered during the dry periods for them to thrive, feed them with Fish Fertiliser or a solution of 20-20-20 once or twice a year
When to grow: In the Tropics all year round, they flower daily
Perfect plant for most gardens, with great colours and form and consistent flowers.
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The Red Cloak is well suited to almost any cultural situation. It will grow just as well in shade as in full sun. It is partial to light, high organic soil, but will also thrive in very poor soil. It would rather have a moist condition, but again, will do just find in dry settings. If you apply heavy organic mulch, fertilizer 2 or 3 times a year, water once in a while, your plant will be the talk of the neighborhood.The plant forms a clump of spreading stems, each topped with tall spikes of bright flowers. The individual flowers are white, or pale pink. What makes them so outstanding is that the tall spikes are almost totally enclosed by bright red bracts. Mature plants (2 years and older) will bloom almost all year. Ideal growing conditions will yield a plant that is up to 15 feet tall, and just as wide. Not to worry if your space is not that large as this plant takes well to hand pruning.
Mussaenda
Family: Rubiaceae
August, 19, 2011 This shrub is sometimes referred to as “Bangkok Rose”. It produces a showy display in shades of white, pink, salmon to red over an extended period. Unfortunately, the bushes are not so attractive in winter when they can loose their leaves if we have had a drought. Therefore, they might be best in a mixed garden where other plants can provide interest when the Mussaenda is not in flower.
Bracts or sepals? The showy part of the Mussaenda flower is composed of enlarged sepals, either white or variously coloured. In a “typical” flower, the petals are the showy component while the sepals (which form the calyx) are usually green and relatively inconspicuous in the open flower.
I Plant in a rich loam and keep it evenly moist until it is established. It roots well from a cutting of the harder stems.
I prefer to have it stand a lone with lots of space for optimum growth.
From the beautiful gardens of Generis Taylor-Hodge