Color Series: Green # 4

Color Series: Red # 4

Color Series: White # 4

Color Series: Yellow # 4

Color Series: Red # 3

Color Series: White # 3

Color Series: Red #1

Unique Hibiscus

Natalia was out working on the grounds last week and she encountered this hibiscus. The plant itself had all white flowers except for the one flower that is pink and white. She came back to the lodge and did some research on it. Some hibiscus plants have flowers that change colors throughout the day from one color to another during the flowers' life cycle while others stay the same color all day long. This plant's flowers stayed the same color all day long, but had this one special flower. As far as we know there was no hybridization of this flower so whatever is happening or happened, Mother Nature is doing on her own.

A few flowers

Planting trees for the future

Jay and Natalia took the big kids on a hike over to the other side of the property to plant some fruit trees. We are hopeful they will take off without much care. As many of you know, the ants are our biggest problem in growing things on our own. They planted over thirty Sun Drop and Papaya trees.



Thanks to Natalia for the photo.

Mushrooms at the farm

Smithsonian & The Global Plants Initiative

This is a really neat project that the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is participating in here in Panama.

Check out the press release at this link.

Cacao = Chocolate

Zamia

Zamia are rare primitive plants that are regarded as living fossils. Zamia is a genus of cycad of the family Zamiaceae, containing around 50 species, native to North, Central and South America.
Cycads are found across much of the subtropical and tropical parts of the world. Though they are a minor component of the plant kingdom today, during the Jurassic period they were extremely common. Cycads are long-lived with infrequent reproduction, and most populations are small, putting them at risk of extinction from habitat destruction and stochastic environmental events. All cycads are in the CITES appendix appearing under the heading Plant Kingdom and under three family names, Cycadaceae, Stangeriaceae and Zamiaceae.

Cycads can be cut into pieces to make new plants, or by direct planting of the seeds. Propagation by seeds is the preferred method of growth, and two unique risks to their germination exist. One is that the seeds have no dormancy, so the embryo is biologically required to maintain growth and development, which means if the seed dries out, it dies. The second is that the emerging radicle and embryo can be very susceptible to fungal diseases in its early stages, when in unhygienic or excessively wet conditions. Thus, many cycad growers pregerminate the seeds in moist, sterile media such as vermiculite or perlite. However pregermination is not necessary, and many report success by directly planting the seeds in regular potting soil. As with many plants, a combination of well-drained soil, sunlight, water and nutrients will help it to prosper. Although, because of their hardy nature, cycads do not necessarily require the most tender or careful treatment, they can grow in almost any medium, including soilless ones. One of the most common causes of cycad death is from rotting stems and roots due to over-watering. While the cycads have a reputation of slow growth, it is not always well-founded, and some actually grow quite fast, achieving reproductive maturity in 2–3 years (as with some Zamia species).

There are symbiotic relationships between many of the cycads and specific insects.

Here in Bocas del Toro we have both the Zamia dressleri and the Zamia skinneri. Both are threatened by habitat loss. Both have symbiotic relationships with butterflies.



Here is a link to an article by Alberto S. Taylor, Jody L. Haynes, Gregory Holzman and Jorge Mendieta regarding cycad conservation. This particular article is entitled "Variability of Natural Populations and Conservation Issues Facing Plicate-Leaved Zamia Species in Central and Western Panama. It is a scientific article that includes interesting information on these endangered species. http://cycadconservation.org/publications/Taylor-et-al-Zamia-Population-Variability.pdf

Cool curling leaf

The way that these leaves curl and unfold is just amazing.

Mean thorns

This plant has one of the greatest defense mechanisms I have seen. These are the kinds of thorns that you just do not want to touch. Ouch!

Yellow

One of the many beautiful plants around our grounds. Susan got a great shot of this one.

Pixbae thorns up close

Here is a shot of one of the thorns on the pixbae palm up close. Not something you want to touch you - however very cool that nature gave this plant this kind of a defense mechanism.

Candy corn

We affectionately call this flowering plant a candy corn. Appropriate for this time of year - even in the tropics!

Banana Trivia

This information is from an email that is circulating the world about bananas. I don't know if it is true or not, but it does make me stop and think a bit more about nature's fast food.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't t he only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:

Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:

200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:

High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:

Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:

Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work?

Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and salty snacks. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:

The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:

Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use:

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B 12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:

Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:

According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts:

Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a band aid or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'