One of the best family traditions I have ever heard of is going to the Caribbean for the holidays. “Quality family time” seems pretty darn good when it involves snorkeling, searching for shells, and downing piña coladas. I seriously couldn’t have thought of a better way to ring in the New Year than on a tropical beach, so of course I jumped at the chance to partake in my boyfriend Kevin’s family tradition. On December 26th, while the rest of NY was preparing for one of the biggest blizzards in decades, Kevin and I waved good-bye from Flight 660, non-stop service to St. Martin, French West Indies.
Photo: Monarch on Ixora (Ixora coccinea); St. Martin, FWI
As always, we had an amazing time and were very grateful for his father Clif’s generosity. In between swimming, sunbathing, and horseback riding on the beach, I did get a chance to appreciate the breathtaking flora of St. Martin. Lush greenery burst forth all over the island – coconut palms swayed in the constant breeze, while candelabra cacti studded the dry roadsides and sea grapes garnished the coastline. The only thing that surpassed all this tropical greenery was the flowers. They were everywhere! Bougainvillea draped our wooden portico in a vibrant fuchsia, while monarch butterflies fluttered among coral pink ixora flowers. It was truly a tropical paradise.
My excitement grew as I realized that there were so many plants that I had never seen before! One cloudy afternoon I whipped out my tropical plant ID book and my camera (like the PLANT GEEK that I am), and walked around the entire complex taking photos of all the plants. The next day, while lounging in my beach chair, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Behind me was a woman holding up a bright, variegated leaf. She asked me if I could ID it for her and if I had any tips on how to get rid of the bare patches in her Bermudagrass lawn. I then proceeded to daydream about starting my own Caribbean Cooperative Extension the rest of that afternoon.
If you are lucky like me to get to a tropical destination this season, be sure to appreciate the lavish flora. But if you aren’t able to go, you can instead bring the tropics to your home garden by incorporating tropical plants. Many tropical plants are propagated and grown by nurseries in mild-climate areas of the US, such as Florida and California, and are shipped to nurseries all over the country. The best time to look for tropical plants is in the spring after any risk of frost has passed. You’ll find many great tropical plants in the greenhouse or houseplant section of your local garden center. You can plant tropicals in the ground and use them for one growing season, like annuals, or you can plant them in containers and bring them inside when the weather starts to get cold. Whatever way you choose, tropicals in the garden will create a vibrant, dramatic effect.
Photo: Yellow Allamanda (Allamanda cathartica); St. Martin, FWI
Two tropical plants I saw in St. Martin and that I’d love to try in containers in my own garden are Yellow Allamanda (Allamanda cathartica) and Plumeria (Plumeria spp.). Yellow Allamanda is a vigorous vine that has vibrant, canary-yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers which stand out against glossy green leaves. It requires full sun and well-drained, sandy soil. To maintain its size, it can be pruned in the spring. Plumeria, also known as Frangipani, emit a wonderfully exotic fragrance and have delicate, pinwheel-shaped flowers. Full sun and well-drained soils are needed. Plumeria is drought-tolerant once established. With these plants, I’d have something to remind me of the beauty and warmth of the tropics, and our quality family time there … at least until I become a Caribbean Extension Agent.
For more information on tropicals, a must read is Hot Plants for Cool Climates – Gardening with Tropical Plants in Temperate Zones, by Susan A. Roth and Long Island’s very own Dennis Schrader.
