Author: Tommy Clarkson

--- Tommy Clarkson is a bit of a renaissance man. He’s lived and worked in locales as disparate as the 1.2 square mile island of Kwajalein to war-torn Iraq, from aboard he and Patty’s boat berthed out of Sea Bright, NJ to Thailand, Germany, Hawaii and Viet Nam; He’s taught classes and courses on creative writing and mass communications from the elementary grades to graduate level; He’s spoken to a wide array of meetings, conferences and assemblages on topics as varied as Buddhism, strategic marketing and tropical plants; In the latter category he and Patty’s recently book, “The Civilized Jungle” – written for the lay gardener – has been heralded as “the best tropical plant book in the last ten years”; And, according to Trip Advisor, their spectacular tropical creation - Ola Brisa Gardens – is the “Number One Tour destination in Manzanillo”.

Spider Plant-I Planted Roots in Mexico

July 1, 2016February 3, 2019Tommy ClarksonLeave a Comment

By Tommy Clarkson from the July 2016 Edition Family: Arecaceae Also known as: Airplane Plant, Spider Ivy, Ribbon Plant, St. Bernard’s Lily and Hen and Chicks The Spider Plant is one of the most popular of all indoor plants or can be equally effectively used out of doors in a variety of venues. It is […]

Curcuma Phaeocaulis-I Planted Roots in Mexico

July 1, 2016February 3, 2019Tommy ClarksonLeave a Comment

By Tommy Clarkson from the July 2016 Edition Family: Zingiberaceae Also known as: None The genus Curcuma consists of between ten to one hundred different species (professional opinions, obviously, widely vary) in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) which also contains the Tumeric plant (Curcuma longa). All originated in south to southeast Asia. Now, not to get […]

Miraguama Palm-I Planted Roots in Mexico

June 1, 2016February 3, 2019Tommy ClarksonLeave a Comment

By Tommy Clarkson from the June 2016 Edition Family: Arecacea Also known as: Miraguama Thatch Palm or Wiry Miraguama Palm When I first saw this attractive, solitary-trunked species in a vivero about an hour from Ola Brisa Gardens it was labeled as a “Caribe Palm”. However, none of my books, reference materials, or internet sources called […]

Cochineal Cactus-I Planted Roots in Mexico

June 1, 2016February 4, 2019Tommy ClarksonLeave a Comment

By Tommy Clarkson from the June 2016 Edition Family: Cacataceae Also known as: Cochineal Nopal Cactus, Nopal Cactus, Velvet Opuntia, Wooly Joint or Prickly Pear Growing originally in Mexico and Central America, early on it was called Opuntia cochinellifera but now the botanical community has bestowed its own genus name. It can grow to 12 […]

Cordyline-I Planted Roots in Mexico

May 1, 2016February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the May 2016 Edition Cordyline, Cordyline terminalis or fruticosa Family: Agavaceae, Asparagabeae or Dracaenaceae or Laxmanniaceae (No little difference in the botanical world here, huh?) (Also known as Palm Lily, Ti Plant, Hawaiian Good Luck Plant, Good Luck Tree or Tree of Kings.) Some assert that these striking, vibrant plants are the “King […]

Silver Fittonia-I Planted Roots in Mexico

April 1, 2016February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the April 2016 Edition Silver Fittonia, Fittonia argyroneura Family: Acanthaceae Also known as Fittonia, Nerve Plant, Silver-Net Plant, Silver Fittonia, Fittonia Net Leaf, Silver Nerve, Silver Threads, Painted Net Leaf, Mosaic Plant, Lace leaf, Snakeskin Plant or Silver Net Leaf ‘White Brocade’. (While doing secondary research, somewhere along my ongoing tropical […]

Florida Thatch Palm-I Planted Roots in Mexico

April 1, 2016February 17, 2021Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the April 2016 Edition Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax radiata) Family: Arecaceae Also known as: Silk-top Thatch Palm, Sea Thatch Palm, Jamaican Thatch Palm and Thatch Palm Somewhat obviously, the origin of these is in the Florida Keys and the Northwestern Caribbean area. Today they can be found in the Bahamas, western […]

Ptychosperma Furcatum-I Planted Roots in Mexico

March 1, 2016February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2016 Edition Ptychosperma furcatum No Common name Family: Arecaceae How embarrassing! Early on, for no little time, I told folks that this beauty was a Fishtail Palm. “Wrongo palm wine breath!” In reality, this delightful clustering palm, from southeastern Papua in New Guinea, isn’t even in the Caryota family! So […]

Wandering Jew- I Planted Roots in Mexico

March 1, 2016February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the March 2016 Edition Wandering Jew, Tradescantia zebrina or Zebrina pendula Family: Arecacea (Also known as Purple Wandering Jew, Inch Plant, Cockroach Grass, Creeping Jenny) This great plant – thought to be a Mexican native is quite versatile. They can be enjoyed in a hanging basket, window boxes, planted around the base of […]

Cape Plumbago – I Planted Roots in Mexico

February 1, 2016February 4, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the February 2016 Edition Cape Plumbago, Plumbago auriculata Family: Plumbaginaceae Also known as: Cape Leadwort, Skyflower or Blue Plumbago Generally decisive, it took me several years to finally decide whether or not I liked this old fashioned sprawling, suckering, and fast growing landscape bush. I should, as they’ve long been found in gardens pretty much […]