autumn 2007
POPPIN’ ART Roy Lichtenstein at Fairchild published by fairchild tropical botanic garden 10901 Old Cutler Road Coral Gables, FL 33156 305.667.1651,he ext.S 3305h op at Fa www.fairchildgarden.orgT irch shop online at The Shopild at Fairchild www.fairchildonline.com
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Vase Blue Hand, $142 Members price, $127. Photo by Gaby Orihuela/FTBG. contents
18 A BOTANIC GARDEN IN THE HEART OF GUATEMALA 28 SALVIAS FOR COLOR AND MORE
22 THE ART OF FLOWERS: BLOOMING ART 34 THE RECOVERY OF Jacquemontia reclinata: 46 THE SCIENCE OF PATIENCE DR. DAVID FAIRCHILD’S DREAM departments FULFILLED 5 from the executive director 7 news 8 explaining 9 displaying 10 calendar 12 tropical cuisine 14 ask martha 15 vis-a-vis volunteers 16 plant societies 32 book review 34 conserving 42 gifts & donors 43 garden views 46 from the archives contributors
SCOTT ZONA, PH.D. Dr. Zona has been Fairchild’s Palm Biologist for over 14 years and enjoys writing about plants that combine his love of botany with his passion for gardening. Salvias, with their dazzling flowers and intriguing relationships with pollinators, are one such group. He has collected and photographed huela/FTBG salvias in their natural habitats in California, Florida, Mexico and the Gaby Ori Caribbean. MARILYN GRIFFITHS Marilyn has been a plant recorder at Discover how much fun your Surround yourself with Fairchild for 14 years. Working in landscaping can be! wonder and beauty. Living Collections and Garden Landscapes, she is responsible for Relax, Dreams maintaining data on all plants in the enjoy, can garden through inventories, maps and the database. She is also Chairman of delight your come the Plant of the Year Committee and helps to manage the Horticulture senses. true. Orihuela/FTBG Library. Gaby Fred Anderson Landscaping & Maintenance The Adventure Begins — Call Now SAM WRIGHT Samuel is a Field Biologist who Cel: 786-512-6301 Phone: 305-247-5268 received his B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida. He has been a valuable member of the Fairchild South Florida Conservation Team for six years. In addition, he has extensive collection management and field experience with coastal dune vegetation surveys, design and implementation of endangered Jacquemontia reclinata experiments.
ON THE COVER Miconia calvescens Photo by Pedro Lastra from the executive director
I hope you enjoyed the lush opulence of Fairchild during the summer. The Victoria water lilies are filling their pool and the hedychium gingers are spicing the air. I greatly enjoyed our fourth Butterfly Festival at Fairchild—a wonderful partnership with the Miami Blue chapter of the North American Butterfly Association. For two days, we celebrated butterflies and butterfly gardening with the wonderful Lisa D. Anness Butterfly Garden as the centerpiece. It is hard to believe that only one year ago Larry Rutherford initiated the project. It is now a vibrant garden that attracts flocks of people and butterflies. A highlight for me is seeing how Fairchild’s population of the endangered Atala butterfly is thriving to the extent that we now provide caterpillars for reintroduction to other sites. As with all our festivals, it was tremendously rewarding to see how Fairchild’s great staff and volunteers worked together to deliver a wonderful event.
Gardening should be about celebrating the locality and developing a sense of place for plants and people. Accordingly, butterflies and mangos are defining elements for the South Florida garden. In mid-July, we held our most successful International Mango Festival with thousands of people enjoying our garden and celebrating the Caribbean’s mango heritage. Behind the festivities are decades of hard work and that particular horticultural understanding that is gained, not from books but from the field and grove. Dr. Richard Campbell and Noris Ledesma are two extraordinary people who have developed and curated the world’s greatest mango collection. The table display of mango cultivars at the International Mango Festival is a potent display of mango diversity and a dizzying selection of shape, size, aroma and taste, a reflection of centuries of horticulture.
Dr. David Fairchild provided the original institutional focus on science that is reflected in our mission and excellent research collections. As with all great endeavors, our garden has grown across the generations, building on the energy and expertise of each generation. Our experts in tropical horticulture and botany represent a direct link with Dr. Fairchild and his philosophy: the interconnection of plants and people.
The first book by Dr. Fairchild that I read was The World Was My Garden, a wonderful heady mixture of plantsmanship and exotic travel for a teenager in the south of England. Today you can see the world at Fairchild. Our plant collections have never been richer and more spectacular. While we continue to exhibit the world’s tropical flora, our staff works to conserve that flora for future generations. This summer, Fairchild staff explored in the Cockpit Country of Jamaica; helped establish a new botanic gardens in Guatemala and Oman; assessed Asian palm conservation priorities in the Philippines; and ran a training program for botanic garden staff in Panama. Here at home, our education team continues to inspire thousands of Miami-Dade students. The horticulture team has been transforming the garden in preparation for our forthcoming Lichtenstein at Fairchild exhibition.
This summer the readers of The Miami Herald voted Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden as the number one wonder of Florida. This was a great tribute to the garden and the generations who have nurtured it. Thank you for supporting us and allowing your garden to grow to its current glory. Fairchild’s work has never been more important as we realize that all life depends on plants.
Mike Maunder, Ph.D.
www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 5 news
STUDYING Aiphanes minima CORAL GABLES Florida International University COMMUNITY graduate student, Karen FOUNDATION Laubengayer, just returned from Landscape architect her final collection trip to Raymond Jungles, Dan Martinique and St. Lucia in the Keys of the Coral Gables Lesser Antilles. With the help of her Public Service Department, assistant, Fairchild volunteer, Lynne and Mike Maunder, Ph.D., Rittenberg, they collected research have been named as (L-R) Dan Keyes, Dr. Mike Maunder, Raymond Jungles Photo byLynne Rittenberg material from 36 Aiphanes minima advisors of the Coral Karen Laubengayer collecting wild and Howard Glicken palms in the forest on St. Lucia. (Arecaceae) trees for Laubengayer’s Gables Community thesis, which will later be stored as Foundation’s Greening of the Gables initiative. The announcement was dried specimens in Fairchild’s made by Foundation Chair Howard Glicken of The Americas Group. Herbarium. Laubengayer’s thesis The Advisory Committee will provide counsel and recommendations studies have taken her to Barbados on all aspects of the greening project with an emphasis on selecting tree (where she has also left vouchers in and plant types with the greatest environmental and aesthetic benefits. their herbarium), Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. FAIRCHILD AND FIU’S CONSERVATION TRAINING PROGRAM Aiphanes minima is a spiny palm Fairchild’s international conservation that grows throughout the Lesser training program continues to grow Photo byKaren Laubengayer Lynne Rittenberg behind a young Antilles. Throughout history, with two visiting scientists, Danae Aiphanes in the forest on St. Lucia. botanists have argued whether there Cabrera from Instituto de Ecología, is only one or several species on the different islands. Under the Xalapa, Mexico, and Nirzka Martínez direction of her research adviser Dr. Scott Zona, Laubengayer’s from Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio thesis will determine if there is more than a single species of this Piedras. These two Ph.D. students palm in the Lesser Antilles by studying morphological and visited Fairchild to receive training on anatomical variation. Accompanying her most recent collections, a Photo by Gaby Orihuela/FTBG. DNA fingerprinting techniques from Danae Cabrera total of 79 DNA samples were collected for future molecular work. Dr. Javier Francisco Ortega and Dr. Carl Lewis. FAIRCHILD LEADS A RED These new techniques, being pioneered LISTING WORKSHOP IN THE by Fairchild’s DNA team, are solving PHILIPPINES several conservation biology questions Palm Biologist Dr. Scott Zona led relating to the definition of species and a workshop at the University of the assessing levels of genetic diversity within Philippines, Los Baños, in early populations. Both students are working June. At the request of the with critically endangered species. We organizer, Mr. Bian Tan of Botanic Photo by Gaby Orihuela/FTBG. thank the Montgomery Botanical Center Photo by Bian Tan Nirzka Martínez Workshop participants Soe Tint and Gardens Conservation for providing housing during their stay. Mya Win, both of Myanmar, receive instruction from Dr. Scott Zona on International, Dr. Zona instructed This past summer Isidro Ojeda, a using the red listing software. 17 delegates from eight southeast botany graduate student from University Asian countries in the use of the Word Conservation Union/Species of British Columbia, worked with Dr. Survival Commission’s conservation assessment software. The Javier Francisco-Ortega on the database program is a checklist designed to track the status, functional biology of petal traits of distribution and ecology, threats and needed conservation measures legumes (the bean family or Fabaceae). of species. It also creates a searchable list of threatened species, He found that the surfaces of the flower known as the red list. Botanists, conservationists and foresters from petals are related to phylogenetic Photo by Gaby Orihuela/FTBG. Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Isidro Ojeda patterns. Flowers visited by insects have Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, began the process of producing very different surface cells than those a red list of their threatened palms and ebonies, two groups of visited by birds. The research visit was supported by the MORPHO plants that have tremendous economic importance in the region. program of the National Science Foundation. Fairchild is one the few They expect to complete the palm red list by the end of this year, botanic gardens that belongs to this prestigious program. During his with the ebony list to follow next year. The red list allows visit, Isidro was able to sample fresh flowers from our extraordinary governments and conservationists to prioritize and focus collection of tropical legumes. He used the Scanning Electron conservation efforts on the most imperiled species. Conservation Microscope (SEM) at FIU. The Montgomery Botanical Center assessments such as these are part of the Global Strategy for Plant provided additional support during his stay. Conservation proposed by the Convention on Biological Diversity. www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 7 explaining Fairchild Challenge Sculpture in the Shadow of the U.S. Capitol By Nicole Gérard, Ph.D., Education Outreach Coordinator Photos by Diane Franklin
You think teens can be prickly? Examine the underside of a Victoria amazonica, the giant water lily of the Amazon. Because of the qualities it shares with adolescents – buoyancy and resilience, a certain thorny quality combined with undeniable grace – the legendary lily was chosen as the subject of a sculpture representing the Fairchild Challenge, Fairchild’s multidisciplinary environmental education outreach program structured specifically for adolescents.
he piece was part of “Celebrating America’s Public Gardens,” an exhibit T that was held in the shadow of the Capitol building’s dome, at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. It ran from May 26 through October 8, 2007. The broad exhibit celebrated the work and the impact of botanic gardens across America in the segment titled “A Sense of Place,” where twelve gardens dazzled with the beauty of their diverse displays. In the “Green Today, Growing Tomorrows,” where the Challenge sculpture was located, eight gardens offered glittering representations of their educational programs.
Fittingly, everything about the Challenge sculpture glowed with teen energy and spirit. Florida artist Sande Keil captured the lily on the second night of its bloom, when its white petals turn to pink – symbolic of transformative experiences of secondary school students all over the world participating in Fairchild Challenge activities. Teens everywhere seek higher meaning, rebel against accepted wisdom and have boundless imagination and creativity to contribute.
Miami artist Sande Keil with Even the sculpture’s primary material, bamboo—chosen for its versatility, strength and flexibility—is reflective the sculpture she created for the Fairchild Challenge. of the transformation of teen participants in the Fairchild Challenge. Ms. Keil created the piece using some 800 lengths of different varieties of bamboo and incorporated textile dyes and copper mesh. The words burnished into the bamboo represent the ways in which teens’ restless energies are channeled and encouraged: compose, explore, build, inspire and motivate. In a mysterious, complex process familiar to artists and parents everywhere, the natural materials were polished to a shine, shielded with coats of protective varnish, cajoled into place and refined and adjusted and, over time, lovingly pieced together to reveal a nature both unique and resplendent.
The Challenge is only one of Fairchild’s programs tailoring botanical and environmental education to the needs of audiences from pre-school through retirement. Crafted specifically to entice teens to rely on studies in and across various disciplines while appealing to their natural sense of curiosity, the Challenge engaged more than 25,000 middle and high school students in 91 South Florida schools last year, setting a new record.
8 THE TROPICAL GARDEN displaying Autumn is here. The steamy summer days have given way What’s blooming to a pleasant balmy atmosphere. In response to the drier soil and air, our plants are starting to put on their winter colors. In South Florida, By Marilyn Griffiths, Plant Records this means the flowering season is beginning for many trees, shrubs and vines. The following is a small sampling of what you’ll find in bloom this fall at Fairchild. Please come and enjoy these and many other fascinating plants in our collections.
Bougainvillea arborea We are accustomed to Bougainvillea as a large, vining shrub. However, this species has the growing habit of a tree. It is covered much of the year with rose/lavender flowers and is a native of Brazil. Our specimen is growing in Plot 33 in the Arboretum.
Cananga odorata, ylang-ylang This lovely, tall tree is the source of one of the essential oils in Chanel’s famous No. 5 perfume as well as other cosmetic products. Our large tree in the Photo by Marilyn Griffiths/FTBG Bougainvillea arborea Rainforest sends out waves of fragrance throughout the area. Unusual long-petaled yellow flowers form intermittently during the year. It is native to India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Near the Visitor Center in Plot 17 is a particularly beautiful young specimen of ylang-ylang, and the older one can be found in Plot 131.
Chorisia speciosa, floss silk tree Native to Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, this large tree becomes covered with large distinctive flowers in the
fall. The blossoms have brilliant pink petals with a Photo by Marilyn Griffiths/FTBG Cananga odorata, ylang-ylang white center streaked with magenta. Our trees can be found in Plots 26 and 52.
Euphorbia leucocephala, little Christmas flower This stunning shrub is in the same family as the poinsettia and flowers at the same time of year. The entire shrub becomes covered with small white flowers. Look closely to see white bracts surrounding the small fragrant flower. Look for our plants in the Arboretum in Plots 41c and 50.
Neomarica caerulea, twelve apostles Photo by Mary Collins/FTBG This fragrant tropical iris has lavender-blue petals and Chorisia speciosa, floss silk tree royal blue and chestnut markings. It is a native of Brazil which flowers from August through December, and was chosen as Fairchild’s Plant of the Year in 2005. Find many of these irises in the Rainforest along the tram road and in the Tropical Flower Garden in Plots 49 and 50.
The complete list of flowering plants and a plot map of the garden are available at www.fairchildgarden.org and at Fairchild’s information desk upon arrival.
Euphorbia leucocephala, Photo by Mary Collins/FTBG Photo by Lorena Alban/FTBG little Christmas flower Neomarica caerulea, twelve apostles calendar of events fairchild board of trustees
NOVEMBER JANUARY fall THE PALMS FALL FIESTA VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT COFFEE Mike Maunder, Ph.D. Presented by the Fairchild Palms Corbin Building EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTO THE Visitor Center, Friday, November 2 Friday & Saturday, January 11 and 12 7:30 - 11:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. BOARD OF TRUSTEES SEASON Information, sponsorship and RSVP at 305.667.1651, ext. 3324 2006-2007 AT FAIRCHILD tickets at www.fairchildgarden.org 4RD ANNUAL FINE WINES AT Bruce W. Greer PALM SALE FAIRCHILD PRESIDENT Presented by the South Florida Saturday, January 19 Louis J. Risi, Jr. Palm Society, Saturday & Sunday Information, sponsorship and November 3 - 4 , 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. tickets at www.fairchildgarden.org SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURER MEMBERS’ LECTURE AND MEMBERS’ MOONLIGHT TOUR WINE AND CHEESE RECEPTION Monday, January 21, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. W. Bryan Latham, M.D. Wednesday, November 7 Members may bring as many ASSISTANT TREASURER 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. guests as their membership allows. “ROY LICHTENSTEIN: Seeing is CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL CINEMA Suzanne Steinberg Believing,” by Bonnie Clearwater, BOTANICA PRESENTS A VIEWING VICE PRESIDENT Executive Director and Chief OF Like Water for Chocolate Joyce J. Burns Curator, Museum of Contemporary Friday, January 25, 6:00 p.m. Art, North Miami. SECRETARY 2ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL th THE 67 ANNUAL RAMBLE - CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL L. Jeanne Aragon A GARDEN FESTIVAL Saturday & Sunday, January 26 - 27 VICE PRESIDENT & Saturday & Sunday, November 17 - 18, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ASSISTANT SECRETARY 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Early admission Information and sponsorship at for members at 9:00 a.m. www.fairchildgarden.org Leonard L. Abess, Jr. MEMBERS’ MOONLIGHT TOUR MEMBERS’ LECTURE AND WINE Henry N. Adorno, Esq. Tuesday, November 20 AND CHEESE RECEPTION Alejandro J. Aguirre 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 30, Raymond F. Baddour, Sc.D. Members may bring as many 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. “The Garden at Nancy Batchelor guests as their membership allows. Night – A Photographic Journey,” by Norman J. Benford DECEMBER noted photographer Linda Rutenberg, Faith F. Bishock HOLIDAY MUSIC AT FAIRCHILD who shares her experiences while Leslie A. Bowe Garden House creating the book The Garden at Swanee DiMare Sunday, December 2, 6:00 p.m. Night: Private Views of Public Edens. Silvia E. Fortun Information, sponsorship and FEBRUARY José R. Garrigó tickets at www.fairchildgarden.org MEMBERS’ LECTURE AND WINE Kenneth R. Graves ROY LICHTENSTEIN AT AND CHEESE RECEPTION Willis D. Harding FAIRCHILD OPENS Wednesday, February 13 Patricia M. Herbert Members’ preview day 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. “Invasive Orchid Robert M. Kramer, Esq. Friday, December 7, Bees: Implications for Orchids and Lin L. Lougheed 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. other Plants in Florida,” by Dr. Bruce C. Matheson ROY LICHTENSTEIN AT Robert W. Pemberton, Research Robert A. McNaughton, M.D. FAIRCHILD OPENS Entomologist of the USDA’s Clifford W. Mezey Featuring the monumental Invasive Plant Research Laboratory. Stephen D. Pearson, Esq. sculptures of Roy Lichtenstein. MEMBERS’ BRUNCH AND TOUR T. Hunter Pryor, M.D. December 8, 2007 through OF WILLIAMS GROVE Charles P. Sacher May 31, 2008 Sunday, February 24, 11:00 a.m. Jean Ellen Shehan POPPIN’ TROPICAL NIGHTS Information and reservations at Janá Sigars-Malina, Esq. Every Thursday beginning 305.667.1651, ext. 3391. Penelope W. Stamps December 13 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Adults: $50, Children: $35 James G. Stewart, Jr., M.D. Admission: $20 for Fairchild FAIRCHILD’S 5TH ANNUAL Vincent A. Tria, Jr. members, $15 for member children INTERNATIONAL ORCHID Reginald N. Whitehead 6-17; $30 for non-members, $20 FESTIVAL Angela W. Whitman for non-member children 6-17, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and free for children 5 and under. February 29 through March 2 Harold E. Kendall, Sr. Information at Information and sponsorship at TRUSTEE EMERITUS www.fairchildgarden.org www.fairchildgarden.org
This schedule of events is subject to change. Please call 305.667.1651, ext. 3301 or 3362 for information. For the latest schedule and to purchase tickets visit www.fairchildgarden.org.
10 THE TROPICAL GARDEN tropical cuisine
The official publication of Different Ways to Use Jackfruit Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden By Noris Ledesma, Curator of Tropical Fruit editorial staff
ackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a bulbs are excellent dried or preserved in syrup. executive director tropical tree native to western India. This Traditionally, bulbs are used in fruit salads and Mike Maunder, Ph.D. J handsome tree is cultivated in Florida as a soups, boiled with rice or coconut milk and are editor/chief operating officer novelty for its very large (up to 70 pounds) tree- often served with fish. Nannette M. Zapata born fruit. The flesh is an orange to custard design yellow color with a banana-like flavor enclosing The seeds may be prepared in several ways. Lorena Alban a smooth, oval, light-brown seed. When fully One way is to boil them for five minutes and copy editors ripe, the unopened jackfruit has a strong earthy then roast the seeds in a heavy frying pan with a Amy Butler odor, and its ripe fleshy bulbs smell of sweet little oil. Similar results are obtained if they are Mary Collins Paula Fernández de los Muros pineapple and banana. cooked in a microwave oven. Use a low setting Ann Schmidt and enclose the seeds in a paper bag since they staff contributors Westerners generally appreciate the jackfruit’s tend to explode. The seeds are best when Jennifer Drozd flavor when it is in the full-grown but unripe roasted in the coals of a burned down fire. Arlene Ferris stage. In India, it is preserved by boiling the Nicole Gerard, Ph.D. bulbs with sugar syrup, butter and coconut milk. The seeds are edible and nutritious. They Marilyn Griffiths The jackfruit bulbs freeze well, and they may be contain 38% carbohydrates, 6.6% proteins and Martha Kent used at a later time like fresh fruit. The fresh 0.4% fats. Jack B. Fisher, Ph.D. Noris Ledesma Javier Francisco-Ortega, Ph.D. Carl E. Lewis, Ph.D. Jackfruit Casserole David Whitman (serves 4) Scott Zona, Ph.D. advertising information 2 cups green jackfruit flesh (cooked) Mari Novo 2 eggs 305.667.1651, ext. 3357 1 cup mayonnaise former editors 1 can cream of mushroom soup Marjory Stoneman Douglas 1945-50 1 cup grated cheddar cheese Lucita Wait 1950-56 1 tsp minced onion Nixon Smiley 1956-63 Lucita Wait 1963-77 Preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Blend Ann Prospero 1977-86 in mayonnaise and cream of mushroom soup. Stir in cheese, Karen Nagle 1986-91 Nicholas Cockshutt 1991-95 minced onion and jackfruit. Turn into a two-quart casserole. Susan Knorr 1995-2004 Bake for 45 minutes.
The Tropical Garden Volume 62, Number 4. The Tropical Garden is published quarterly. Subscription is included in membership dues. The Fruit Market © FTBG 2007 ISBN 1071-0914 Paper is 10% total recovered fiber and AT THE WHITMAN PLAZA 100% post-consumer waste. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. Open every weekend from November 24 to May 20. Fruit tasting from 11:30 a.m. Accredited by the American Association of to 12:30 p.m. Museums, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is supported by contributions from members and friends, and in part by the State of Be sure to stop by and try a delicious Florida, Department of State, Division of fruit smoothie and buy some fresh Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, tropical fruit from our fruit collection the National Endowment for the Arts, Institute of Museum and Library Services, to take home. Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor, and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, and with the support of The City of Coral Gables. 12 THE TROPICAL GARDEN Fairchild’s 2nd Annual International CHOCOLATE Saturday & Sunday Festival 2008 January 26 - 27
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Illustration by Wes Jurgens/FTBG ask martha Are you listening? (To the water you waste) By Martha Kent, Staff Horticulturist
y first camping experience in the Everglades taught me a water conservation lesson I never forgot. At the end of the day, I entered the M restroom to brush my teeth. I turned on the faucet, wet the brush, applied some toothpaste and began to brush my teeth. I lost myself in a reverie that comes with a day of hiking, sailing and enjoying the ‘Glades. Bringing me back to the present, however, was another camper staring unrelentingly at me. It took a couple seconds (although it seemed longer) to hear the water running down the drain and realize that this was offending the other camper. Quickly, I turned the water off, feeling very uncool for such a glaring lack of water conservation conduct—in the Everglades—no less. Reverie definitely lost. A really sound conservation rule gained.
After that, I began listening to the running water in my life: as I washed my hands, shampooed my hair and at my kitchen sink and other numerous occasions throughout the day. Water was simply running down the drain for no purpose or as if there were an endless supply. Wrong. So, I changed my habits.
Now, with the current water restrictions, the biggest hardship for me is cutting out the frequent hand watering in my garden that I so enjoyed. To me, it is like a type of meditation: standing in the garden with my thumb over the end of the hose, providing faux-rain to the plants, then seeing the leaves dripping with water and the ground, which is usually sandy and gray, becoming dark brown because of the moisture. This was one of my great pleasures.
The good news is that the camping trip was more than 20 years ago, yet, I remain vigilant and I listen. Water conservation is serious and must become part of our daily lives. Are you listening?
Martha Kent is a staff horticulturist at Fairchild. Ask Martha your gardening questions by calling her at 305.667.1651, ext. 3317 or email [email protected]. Pine Island Nursery, Inc. Finest quality fruit trees for the landscape, garden center, and grove.
16300 SW 184th St., Miami, FL 33187 phone (305) 233-5501 fax (305) 233-5610 www.TropicalFruitNursery.com vis-a-vis volunteers Fairchild’s Fabulous Tram Guides By Julie Petrie, Volunteer Program Assistant
hat is the best way to see Fairchild Tropical Botanic plants are losing genetic diversity and about the importance of plant Garden? Is it a slow stroll around the Palmetum, a exploration in the 21st century,” she said. “Visitors can learn some W short shuttle to the Conservatory and Gallery, or is it a botany, economic botany and conservation all with a fruit they tram tour around the whole garden? Our volunteer tram guides will probably eat nearly every day.” assure you that the most pleasurable and educational way to see Fairchild is by a tram tour. Tram tour guides Libby Mahaffey and Bob Petzinger agree that their favorite story is that of the Victoria amazonica. They find it fascinating Last year, Fairchild volunteers gave a total of 2,500 tram tours to to tell the guests about the flesh-piercing spines that lay beneath these 86,000 passengers. In May alone, 13,000 visitors boarded the tram gently floating water lilies. Bob tells his passengers, “A network of to hear our volunteers narrate these fascinating tours. With hollow tubes and air pockets under these large leaves give it the unpredictable weather and the fact that groups can range from very strength to hold up to 100 pounds.” Libby is convinced that we small to very large, our volunteer tram guides make it look easy, should rename these plants the “Amazing Amazon water lilies.” but they have to be ready for anything. One thing is for sure, it takes a special volunteer to be a tram guide. We asked tour narrator Sandi Smith about the most memorable rider she ever had. Without hesitation she talked about two riders who Often, you can hear visitors say that they’re amazed at the amount genuinely touched her life. “At the end of one of my tours, a couple of knowledge our tram guides have. And it’s true. Many of them came up to me and, as they told me how much they enjoyed my spend two to three months in training. When a volunteer decides tour, the man pressed a $2 bill in the palm of my hand. He said, to become a guide, he or she receives a manual of information ‘This is not a tip; it is my lucky $2 bill. It has brought me luck over about Fairchild’s history, collections and programs. Each volunteer the years.’” Sandi says that she still thinks of them every time she studies the manual and rides with other guides to create his or her opens her wallet, for she now carries that $2 bill as her lucky charm. own unique 45-minute tour. By talking to our tram guides we found out amazing stories of We wanted to find out more about these creative and uniting long lost cousins, mispronouncing palm names in the knowledgeable volunteers, so we asked them two questions: “What presence of Texas’ most outstanding palm expert, meeting relatives is your favorite plant story to tell about Fairchild?” and “Who is the of Dr. David Fairchild and the unending education of being a most memorable passenger you have had?” volunteer tour guide. Having these experiences and learning new things is what makes Fairchild’s tram guides so terrific. Every one Guide Ginny Cronk tells us what she loves sharing with visitors on her of our tram tours is unique from day-to-day, and this only because tram tour. “Describing how bananas are propagated gives me the our volunteers each bring something special to Fairchild. opportunity to discuss plant exploration in the 19th century, how
Fairchild’s Fabulous Tram Guides (narrators and drivers) are:
Tom Abell Ginnie Cronk Roger Rosenberger Shelly Adelman Mike Elder Benard Rosenblatt Carl Bauer Jim Farrell Sandi Smith Don & Terry Jean Fowler John Soliday Blechman Mitch Haness Sam Steiner Dick Bowers Jane Iversen Ken Strang Marnie Broman Glen Ivie Jan Brown Libby Mahaffey Tom Brown Cliff Mezey Ellen Browning Bob Petzinger Elliott & Joan Byrd Wayne Richardson Miguel Carson Nancy Roberts Photo by Arlene Ferris/FTBG. Terry and Don Blechman give tram tours to visitors on Friday mornings. They have been members and volunteers for many years, and their knowledge and love of Fairchild shows through in every tour they give.
www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 15 plant societies Drought and Water Restrictions Don’t Have to Ruin Your Gardening Pleasure By Emy de la Fuente, President of the South Florida Cactus & Succulent Society
ow is the time to step into the fascinating world of cacti and succulents. Cacti and succulents display a wide range of N colors, forms and sizes from small buttons to trees. Drought tolerant cacti and succulents are perfect for patios, window gardens, rock gardens, cactus patches and xeriscape landscaping.
Afraid of spines? Not all cacti and succulents have spines. Come
and see for yourself. The South Florida Cactus and Succulent Photo by Emy de la Fuente Caralluma dummeri Society, Inc. (SFCSS) has been promoting the culture and propagation of cacti and succulents for over 30 years. We have For information on cacti, succulents or our society, please call participated in many events at Fairchild and hosted 24 annual shows 305.606.5365 or e-mail us at [email protected]. You can and sales. SFCSS meets on a quarterly basis at different members’ also visit our Web site at www.sfloridacactus.org. homes. At our meetings, we conduct an educational segment, as well as a plant swap and sale. Meetings are held on a weekend The South Florida Cactus and Succulent Society, Inc. is a 503(c)3 day, and the public is invited. non-profit corporation.
#":10*/53&%6$&%0 6$ 730730 BUTTONWOODBUTTONWOOD LANELANE - 4 BBedroomedroom / 4 BBathsaths ppluslus maidsmaids qquarters,uarters, 4,6004,600 sq.sq. ft.fftt. executiveexecutive home.home. TotallyTotally renovated,renovated, withwith finestfinest ooff ffinishes,inishes, hurricanehurricane iimpactmpact wwindows,indows, ggourmetourmet kkitchen,itchen, 2 ccarar ggaragearage & ooversizedversized pool.pool. Elegance,Elegance, locationlocation & ssecurityecurity iinn tthishis eexclusivexclusive gguarduard ggatedated privateprivate iisland.sland.
0XOFSTBZTTFMM0XOFSTBZT TFMM llerller toto pay 20 K of buybuyersyeers cclosinglosing Seller to paypay $20,000 of buyersbuyers closiclosingnng costcostss NANCYN A N C BATCHELORO R 305305 990303 22850850 [email protected]@nanccyybatchelorr..com - www.nancybatchelor.comwww.nancybatchelor.com RealReal EEstates Just Got Friendlierlier Become a volunteer at Fairchild and
Be part of a wonderful community Gain Knowledge and
Be part of a global conservation effort right here in South Florida
Volunteers are needed now for guiding, gardening and to serve as hosts and docents for the Lichtenstein at Fairchild exhibition.
For more information about becoming a volunteer, please call Sandy at 305.667.1651, ext. 3324. Thanks! We hope to see you at the garden soon!
FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN
Photos by Arlene Ferris and Julie Petrie/FTBG. Coming Soon… World Class Botanic Garden in the heart of Guatemala
Text and photos by Christie Jones, Curator of Palms and Cycads
We are fortunate at Fairchild. Fortunate to have such a well developed garden with a long rich history. We are fortunate to have an organizational name which is recognized for and synonymous with good horticulture, research, education, community relations, festivals and…need I go on?
The small church in the village within Finca San Luis, under a mighty guanacaste tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum). II t was easy for me to appreciate Fairchild’s privileged position recently. I was in Guatemala in April, working with an ambitious, multidisciplinary group of scientists and professionals. Their goal is to create a national botanic garden, el Jardín Botánico Nacional de Guatemala, from nothing. Though this group will not necessarily have to start at square one, they have a long hard climb ahead of them.
The idea to create a national botanic garden comes from the Defensores de la Naturaleza, a Guatemalan NGO with national recognition and quite a bit of clout. (This is why I say the planners are a bit past square one—maybe they’re at square two). Defensores is an organization dedicated to conservation and the sustainable management of Guatemala’s natural heritage. The organizational resume includes management of national parks and other protected areas which add up to nearly five percent of the total land area in Guatemala. Its many projects include saving the jaguars’ habitat and creating a fund to preserve the country’s drinking water sources.
Besides the momentum of this large NGO, the project has another great thing going for it. The tract of land selected to become the future garden, currently known as Finca San Luis, is naturally gorgeous and situated in a spot realtors only dream of (location, location, location!). Picture it—a long, narrow piece of property of about 700 acres resting between the peaks of low mountains. It is tucked just far enough away from Guatemala City to avoid the maddening city noise and the choking diesel fumes of elaborately painted second-hand school buses, otherwise known as public transport. The wind rustles through the leaves of the lush tree canopy. Birds sing. In the distance is the low rumble of a wide waterfall beating against large angular stones. Through the middle of the property runs a river which is harnessed to generate hydroelectric power. In the center of the farm is a clearing with a small, cute-as-a-button
TOP: The city’s public transport, colorfully painted second-hand school buses. This one is in the heart of Antigua. RIGHT: One of three rivers which run through Finca San Luis. We are fortunate We began our week-long workshop by asking ourselves and must recognize some basic questions. What is a botanic garden? Why does and appreciate to Guatemala need a botanic garden? Why should Defensores the fullest all that create the garden and not some other group? Is the chosen Finca has been built in San Luis the best location for a national botanic garden? What these 70 or so years. does it take to create a botanic garden? Where do you start? village complete with church and Where does the money come soccer field (it wouldn’t be a from? These all seem like simple Guatemalan village without these questions until one tries to two). There are agricultural fields answer them. around the village on which the corn crops are rotated. Running By the end of the week, we were the length of the property on both all pleased with what we had sides are swaths of primary and Four members of the planning group (including the author) flew by helicopter over accomplished. We had answered polluted Guatemala City and then on to survey Finca San Luis from the air. Guatemala the above questions – with no old secondary growth forests. City is Central America’s largest city with over 2.5 million inhabitants. Several abandoned buildings sit doubts that a botanic garden is on the land, just waiting to be much needed in the country, refurbished and given new life. In that Defensores is the particular is the historic greathouse, a organization to pull it off and spacious two-story, early 1900s that there is no better location construction that was once the farm than Finca San Luis. We created manager’s home. a mission and specific objectives for the new garden which fits Finca San Luis is a dream. The well within the existing mission catch, however, is that Defensores of Defensores. In short, it will be does not have possession of it yet. a garden meant to display, They are negotiating with the conserve and study plants with owners, the government-owned special emphasis on plants electric company known as INDE, native to Mesoamerica. Some for its use. What Defensores must general partitioning of the land do is convince INDE that they can was worked out, as well, allocating put the nearly-abandoned farm to areas such as horticultural displays, the best possible use. agricultural plots, reforestation zones, the village, parking and I must give credit to the visitor entrance. visionaries at Defensores who have had the good sense and In my mind, though, our greatest foresight to spend the necessary accomplishment for the week was time planning this garden before to solidify a somewhat distant rushing head-long into building The group landed in an unplanted corn field at Finca San Luis. From left: group of individuals into a close Dr. Rafael Majicano, who kindly arranged the flight; the author; Oscar Nuñez, it. The garden is an idea that Executive Director of Defensores; Carlos Martínez, consultant and landscape architect; working group passionate about began years ago as the dream of and Shannon Smith, consultant and Horticulture Director Emeritus of Missouri goals we created together. This Botanical Garden. two prominent Guatemalan group will be the force which orchidologists. From their dream, the plans have progressed until makes Guatemala’s Jardín Botánico Nacional a reality. One day, this finally it seems the timing and political climate are right to make group will be able to look back and reflect on years of successful the first moves toward breaking ground. A planning group met for a gardening and will feel just as fortunate as we at Fairchild feel now. week in April to make these first moves. Included in the group is an assortment of folks: board and staff of Defensores, botanical As this publication was going to press, we received exciting news experts from local universities, owners of the largest nursery in the from Defensores. They have been granted permission from INDE for country and three outside consultants, including myself. use of Finca San Luis and are moving forward with the planning and construction of the garden.
20 THE TROPICAL GARDEN The Colors of the Tropical Flowering Garden Text and photos by Jason Lopez, Manager, Rainforest and Horticultural Exhibits
t first glance, the Tropical Flower Garden at Fairchild might just look like a colorful place with textures and scents made to please its visitors. While this is true, it is not A the whole truth. Mixed in among the plants are wild-collected plants from all over the world, developed by nature herself. Some are plants that botanists and horticulturists suffer dislocated shoulders and poison ivy rashes to find. Sure, you could say that all plants are developed by nature, but you would be amazed how much control a nurseryman has with some time and space. Wild-collected plants serve as a window to what is actually growing in the world’s natural areas.
In Plot 50, you will find Cubanola daphnoides, a wonderful plant endemic to Cuba that grows in the sub-montane forests of the Holguin Province. Glossy leaves shimmer in the sunlight and the large, creamy- white pendant flowers hang in abundance. Most people think that they are looking at Angel’s Trumpet Trees from the tomato family which are in Plot 50 as well, but they are actually enjoying one of the many coffee relatives.
A few feet away grows Brunfelsia densifolia. As the name suggests, the foliage is very dense on this Ceiba pentandra on the lawn at the Visitor Center. Brunfelsia densifolia upright shrub. At first glance they appear to be Podocarpus, commonly used as screening or a hedge, but they certainly are not. There are times throughout the year when B. densifolia is covered in fragrant yellow flowers and whose scent can be enjoyed even from the tram path. This awesome plant is known from one area in Puerto Rico and is listed as endangered due to habitat destruction for agriculture. Originally collected for the garden by Dr. Timothy Plowman in the early 1970s, the bulk of the collection was entrusted to us by the Center for Plant Conservation in the 1980s.
Great plants from the 2006 Fairchild Latham Expedition to Cockpit Country, Jamaica, led by our own Dr. Lauren Raz, have already made it into the garden. On the lawn southwest of the Visitor Center sits Ceiba pentandra, the famous Kapok Tree. Collecting Ceiba can be difficult due to its enormous stature, but we found a younger one growing along a path that was willing to provide some propagules. Hamelia axillaris and the Jamaican endemic Tournefortea staminea, both new introductions to the garden, sit next to each other in Plot 43. I cannot tell you how excited I was during both of these finds. H. axillaris has the reddish tones and leaf shape of our native Firebush, and the yellow flowers of the Bahama Firebush, only smaller. Tournefortea staminea is typically found growing in thickets and Hamelia axillaris woodland margins on limestone cliffs. We collected our cuttings from White Rock Hill, a classic collecting locality made up of slippery clay and jagged karst limestone. As this Sure, you could say that all plant matures, its deeply fissured bark and highly fragrant inflorescences become wondrous. plants are developed by nature, but you would be amazed how As the wave of color that is the Tropical Flower Garden expands, keep an eye out for things you do not recognize. They could be from local nursery stock or they could be a much control a nurseryman has Barringtonia collected in Malaysia by Dr. Jack Fisher or even an Antidesma collected in with some time and space. Asia by Dr. David Fairchild himself.
www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 21 the art of fl wers Blooming Art By Michael Davenport, Director, Living Collections and Garden Landscapes
This autumn brings a continuation of Fairchild’s recent tradition of displaying extraordinary art exhibitions, a series which has brought even greater recognition to the garden and invited visitors to view the landscapes in a different light. Perhaps in complete contradiction to last year’s Dale Chihuly sculptures, which were based on organic forms, the art of Roy Lichtenstein seems to spring from the one- dimensional, the bubblegum comic. The juxtaposition of his sculpture with the riot of living forms growing at Fairchild is sure to emphasize both the living and static, in the same way a bromeliad clinging to a rock invokes wonder. No doubt Mr. Lichtenstein, who passed away in 1997, would be pleased to see his work on display at William Lyman Phillips’ masterpiece of landscape architecture, a botanic garden hewn from the wind-beaten Cutler Ridge and dredged from Biscayne Bay’s mangrove flats.
Fairchild’s horticulturists live with a grand inheritance. Earlier generations secured the land, blasted the rock with dynamite, built up beds with fill, terraced the ridge and mulched heavily. Old giant trees persist against countless storms, providing shade for plants that need it. Hundreds of expeditions to the most remote tropical forests on Earth have gifted South Florida with a remarkable collection of plant life. Fairchild is Miami’s Louvre.
No doubt Mr. Lichtenstein, who passed away in 1997, would be pleased to see his work on display at William Lyman Phillips’ masterpiece of landscape architecture, a botanic garden hewn from the wind-beaten Cutler Ridge and dredged from Biscayne Bay’s mangrove flats.
Hibiscus fragilis Unlike an art museum, however, botanic garden curators are the artists, as well
Planting is also shadowed by the fact that no matter how well any plant grows, someday it will die. As most gardeners know, you can not really know how to grow plants until you have killed a few. As heartbreaking as it can be to lose something precious, horticulturists learn much from these failures, bookmark the mistakes in their minds and collection records and make wiser decisions next time. There is also some beauty in death. Witness the many palms that grow to large sizes, never flowering until a final reproductive burst before the quick decline. And, of course, dead plants are removed (unless we leave the stems for the insects, squirrels and woodpeckers), creating space for a new planting opportunity.
The current crew of Fairchild horticulturists has transformed the garden since the hurricanes of 2005. Those storms felled over 500 trees, palms and shrubs, but also opened up the garden plots for a new cycle of intensive planting. With the help of many dedicated volunteers who constantly braved intense heat, back pain and stinging insects, the garden was reclaimed. At this writing, the health of the collections is fantastic, in no small part because of innovative improvements in fertilization regimes, implemented by curatorial staff. Plus, the weather has been better than we could have wished for. Since Hurricane Wilma, every dry spell has been quenched, winds have been light and there has not been a freeze. We will enjoy it while it lasts and continue to knock on wood.
At Fairchild, not all the plants in the collection are viewed equally. Heliconia rostrata As a research institution, we place a greater value on wild-collected plants with known, documented origins. That said, although the main focus of the plant collections is not purely display, it would be a shame to leave Phillips’ design unadorned. With modest purchasing of ornamentals, the garden has more color, softer edges and more flowers, both for the butterflies and the humans. A gardenia flower that smells like bubblegum needs to be at Fairchild, regardless of origin. With all of the planting space available, we have been able to match each new plant with an optimal spot, unless, of course, we are experimenting. Will it grow in the shade? Can it handle salt winds? Do weevils find it delicious?
We have been planting butterfly bait. We consider an Atala butterfly flying art, even though the rascal has chewed down our coonties. In the same vein, the colorful mass plantings in the garden are bait for human visitors. For the people who can not tell the difference between a palm and a pandanus, and, frankly, do not care, perhaps the drift of beach sunflower in the Palmetum will Nymphaea sp. Waterlily excite them. Perhaps the Lichtenstein sculptures are the reason they came, but the rainbow eucalyptus is why they will return.
As in any art museum, Fairchild curators are involved in the By no means do the Fairchild horticulturists renounce their plant snob placement, care, restoration and interpretation of the collection’s status. Most of the species we select are good growers, generally low- holdings. Unlike an art museum, however, botanic garden curators maintenance and just the sort of plant we would like to see growing are the artists, as well. You can’t grow a Picasso from a cutting. all around town. Some of the plants are none of those things, and we Planting can be a leap of faith. Will it grow there? Can it take the ruthlessly remove them at the first sign of poor performance, sun? Perhaps the greatest joy for a Fairchild horticulturist is to invasiveness or general ugliness. The garden is never static, evolving acquire a seed or cutting from a plant new to cultivation, raise it to every moment, changing with the winds and by the hands of your the perfect size, plant it where it has a good chance to live, and artists in residence. As you walk the grounds this winter, look long watch it grow and thrive. A healthy tree is fine art. and hard, and see the pulsing beats of all the art around you.
www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 23 Roy Lichtenstein Roy Lichtenstein Roy Lichtenstein Coup de Chapeau II, 1996 Airplane, 1990 House II, 1997 © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein A Pop Artist Icon His Monumental Sculptures Fairchild’s Stunning Landscape December 8, 2007 through May 31, 2008 RoyLichtenstein AT FAIRCHILD it’s poppin’
Come to Fairchild and experience Pop Artist icon POPPIN’ TROPICAL Roy Lichtenstein’s NIGHTS Every Thursday from monumental sculptures. 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Experience the monumental sculptures of LICHTENSTEIN AT FAIRCHILD Lichtenstein after dark! To purchase tickets in advance and for more information, please visit Admission is $20 for Fairchild www.fairchildgarden.org members, $15 for member children 6-17, $30 for non- Admission is free for Fairchild members members, $20 for non-member and children 5 and under, Non members: children 6-17, and free for $20 for adults, $15 senior citizens 65 and children 5 and under. older and $10 for children 6-17.
Sponsored by
PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, James Goodman Gallery and Mr. and Mrs. Ira Harris ADDITIONAL SPONSORS: JLR Holdings LLC, The Aaron I. Fleischman Foundation, Ms. Evelyn Langlieb Greer and Mr. Bruce W. Greer, The Latham Charitable Foundation, Mr. Lin Lougheed, The Stamps Family Charitable Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Allan Herbert, Mrs. Angela W. Whitman, The Israel, Rose, Henry and Robert Wiener Charitable Foundation, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor, and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners. It is fascinating that the cure for one of the worst Old World diseases was actually found in the New World. Malaria was brought to the Americas by European settlers. Long before the arrival of the
Cinchona pubesces. Spaniards, the natives of the tropical Andes Collected in Puerto Rico of South America treated fevers with the by Roy O. Woodbury in 1977. bark of a sacred plant they called quina- quina (the bark of barks).
PLANTS THAT CHANGED THE
WORLD: CINCHONA By Jeremy Davit, Development Associate
Quina-quina is known today as Cinchona, and is a genus of France. After Mr. Talbor’s death, it was discovered that his secret the Rubiaceae family (coffee and gardenias are also Rubiaceaes). medicine contained cinchona bark. In 1677, Cinchona was There are roughly 40 species of cinchona, and all are native to legitimately introduced into London’s pharmaceutical industry and in tropical South America, specific to the eastern slopes of the Andes. just a few years, it became widely accepted as the most effective Cinchona trees generally grow to 50-65 feet, have lanceolate malaria treatment. A common way to introduce the ground leaves and display small, fragrant flowers that cluster on the ends Cinchona bark into the human system was through drinking a of branches. Cinchona flowers look like lilac flowers and may be mixture of the powder with wine; quinine is better broken down in yellow, white or pink. The alkaloid quinine is responsible for the alcohol than water. Cinchona bark was known legitimately as Cortes febrifugal properties of cinchona bark. Peruana until the 1740s when Linnaeus classified the genus as Cinchona in honor of the Countess of Chinchon, the wife of Peru’s It is unclear if Peruvian natives told the Jesuits of cinchona’s Spanish Viceroy in the 1630s. Legend has it that during her time in miraculous properties or if the Jesuits figured it our on their own, but in Peru, the Countess of Chinchon was cured from her malarial bouts 1630, an Augustinian Monk in Peru was the first to describe the use of after a cinchona bark treatment administered by natives. Cinchona powdered cinchona bark. During the mid 1600s, the Jesuits brought bark was very expensive and only the well to do could afford the cinchona bark to Europe. At that time, Rome had become the center of medication. For the next 200 years, Europe imported cinchona bark the world’s malaria epidemic. Not much was known about malaria’s from South America. origins or how to treat it. Most believed that malaria was caused by the mala aria or “bad air” emanating from bogs. It is easy to understand During the late 1700s, it became clear that Britain’s expansion into how this association was made since most malaria cases occurred near various colonies would depend heavily on botanical knowledge swampy areas where we now know mosquitoes proliferate. Jesuits and the availability of cinchona. During that time, Britain’s Bark or Popish powder as cinchona bark was called, quickly became a botanical explorations were masterminded by Sir Joseph Banks, profitable business. Treatment of fever with quinine, however, was Royal Gardens at Kew’s unofficial director. As Britain’s demand for controversial in Europe during the 17th century as bleeding had cinchona grew, it became clear that something needed to be done been the most accepted way of treating disease for years. Bleeding to increase the quantity and quality of cinchona bark. In response was certainly less effective than cinchona bark, and therefore more to this, Banks requested that cinchona plantations be established in profitable to doctors. British colonies. It is estimated that during that time, over 25,000 cinchona trees a year were being felled. During the late 1600s, English apothecary Robert Talbor’s resume of curing malaria included the likes of King Charles II and Louis XIV of
26 THE TROPICAL GARDEN t wasn’t until the late 1850s that Kew Gardens began to pound of Bolivian seeds from a servant to British alpaca trader Iorganize the cinchona transfer from South America. Two plant Charles Ledger. Ledger’s servant initially attempted to pawn off the collectors, Clements R. Markham (later to be involved in the smuggled seeds to the British, and when they refused, he rubber tree transfer) and Richard Spruce, were employed for the approached the Dutch who agreed on the sale. The British later plant hunting expedition. Markham ended up collecting the imprisoned the servant for treason. These seeds grew into the tens “yellow bark” or Cinchona officinalis species in Peru and Bolivia. of thousands of trees that produced the crop for Dutch plantations While Markham’s accounts of the cinchona transfer give the in Java. The species was named Cinchona ledgeriana in honor of impression that he was responsible for the entire transfer, reality is Charles Ledger. Cinchona ledgeriana’s quinine quantities are far far from it. Markham was indeed successful in collecting thousands superior to that of yellow or red bark that Spruce and Markham of cinchona seedlings; however, excess heat killed most during the had gathered. Eventually the British and Dutch collaborated on a transfer. hybrid of Cinchona officinalis and Cinchona ledgeriana that was to produce even higher levels of quinine. Unfortunately for the Meanwhile, Richard Spruce British, however, this hybrid was far more successful. adapted far better to Java Spruce, a hypochondriac than India, and the Dutch oddly enough, was gained a 97 percent stake in collecting plants in South the quinine market. America for quite some Meanwhile, Bolivia, Peru time prior to his new and Ecuador saw none of assignment. In Ecuador, the profits of the huge Spruce used his diplomacy cinchona industry. and negotiating skills (something Markham did Quinine was only isolated not possess to great ends) to in 1820 by French chemists. secure the rights for large Until that time, only the collecting areas. Spruce bark of Cinchona had been gathered over 600 seedlings used as a medicine. plus 100,000 seeds. In Synthetic quinine was 1860, months ahead of a finally derived during World new law that made plant War II after Java was taken material transfers out of the over by the Japanese and country illegal, Spruce access to the cinchona was managed to get his material cut off. on its long journey to Kew. Spruce remained in South For thousands of years America for four more years malaria has killed millions of where he mapped terrain, individuals. Even after 100 studied local ways of life years of continuous research and collected thousands of and vast medical advances, plant species that he sent malaria continues as one of back to the archives in the world’s major diseases. England. His contributions The huge global strategies to were invaluable to future eradicate malaria in the explorations of South 1950s by spraying DDT and America, although he saw widespread usage of little profit from this. In synthetic quinine backfired 1885, already back in and resulted in pesticide London for many years, Cinchona officinalis. Herbarium/FTBG. resistant Anopheles Spruce completed his greatest work on his true passion, liverworts, mosquitoes and drug in which he described over 700 species. resistant strains of Plasmodium. The world saw a huge surge of malaria contractions. Today the World Health Organization Spruce’s cinchona seeds and saplings were received at Kew in estimates that 300-500 million new cases of malaria kill up to 2.7 1861, and were transferred to plantations in India. Unfortunately, million individuals yearly, mostly children. Malaria affects roughly Spruce had collected an inferior variety of cinchona, “red bark” or 40 percent of the world’s population, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Cinchona pubescens, ‘Succiruba.’ Markham’s “yellow bark,” Cinchona officinalis was known to produce higher levels of quinine Today, Cinchona bark is still used for the extraction of quinine with than the “yellow bark,” but all of his had died in the transfer. After Zaire as the major producer. Nearly half of 5,000 to 10,000 metric all of Britain’s efforts in securing cinchona, the Dutch were the tons of harvested cinchona bark is used in the food industry ones to actually come out ahead. The Dutch had previously failed specifically as a bitter additive to quinine water and tonic water. at acquiring Cinchona, but in 1865, they managed to secure one
www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 27 Salvias for more than
just color Text and photos by Scott Zona, Ph.D., Palm Biologist
With about 1,000 species, hybrids and cultivars, the genus Salvia is sure to have something for every garden. Salvia is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, and many salvias have aromatic foliage, ideal for a scented garden. Salvia officinalis, common sage, and S. fruticosa, Greek sage, should have a place in every kitchen garden. The nutritious seeds of chia, S. hispanica, were a staple food of Aztec people. More frivolously, chia’s mucilaginous seeds are popular for growing on the surface of terra cotta figurines in windowsill gardens. There are dozens of ornamental species of Salvia, both annuals and perennials, and many of these are rich nectar sources for insects and hummingbirds. Of course, not every species of Salvia is garden worthy, and some species are not adapted to South Florida conditions. There are, however, several that perform well in our area and have a bright – and colorful – future in our gardens.
As a bedding annual, Salvia splendens has been popular for many decades. It is available in colors ranging including coral, white, purple, and the most common, a bright, eye-popping red. Salvia splendens is grown as an annual, readily available at most nurseries in the spring, and the compact plants will bloom reliably all season. They require a steady of supply of moisture (usually our summer rains are sufficient) and the removal of spent flower stalks. Unfortunately, as is the case with many highly inbred and modified cultivars, they offer little in the way of nectar. Wildlife soon learns to regard the showy flowers as little more than false advertising.
Two of the finest hummingbird attractants in my garden are Salvia miniata and S. mexicana. Both are perennial shrubs that can be pruned and kept within a manageable height of three or four feet tall. Salvia miniata forms a dense shrub Salvia guaranticia ‘Black and Blue’ with many stems, whereas S. mexicana tends to keep just one or a few main stems that become woody at the base. Any plant Salvia mexicana is available as several different cultivars, which differ from one another in the that attracts colors of the leaves, corolla (the fused petals of the flower) and calyx (the cup formed by fused hummingbirds sepals that enclose the corolla). Salvia mexicana and painted ‘Limelight’ has bright chartreuse calyces and dark blue flowers. The flower clusters are large and buntings to my striking, but the shrub is a bit leggy. A better cultivar is S.mexicana ‘Compton’s Pride,’ which garden gets has dark, lustrous leaves and dark, velvety purple my vote! flowers nestled in greenish black calyces. It flowers once in mid-winter, and if cut back, again in late spring. Pruning this Salvia prevents the brittle branches from growing too long and breaking. Although most books will tell you that hummingbirds are attracted to red flowers, hummingbirds are smart enough to take advantage of the
Salvia miniata is an excellent hummingbird plant. 28 THE TROPICAL GARDEN Two of the finest hummingbird attractants in my garden are Salvia miniata and S. mexicana. Both are perennial shrubs that can be pruned and kept within a manageable height of three or four feet tall.
nectar in Salvia mexicana. It is one of their favorite plants. It also attracts butterflies. Salvia mexicana is best renewed every two or three years by propagating new plants from cuttings.
Salvia miniata grows well in very light shade or an eastern exposure. It will tolerate full sun if enough moisture is continually present. The corollas are fuzzy and the brightest scarlet imaginable; the calyces are green tinged with dark red. It never makes a mass of flowers, but according to my records, my own plant has had flowers on it continually for over 30 months. This plant is a favorite nectar plant of the hummingbirds, but I have also seen sulphur and monarch butterflies feeding on the nectar. Last March, I witnessed a painted bunting feeding on the seeds from this Salvia. It was the first time I had seen this bird species in my garden. Any plant that attracts hummingbirds and painted buntings to my garden gets my vote!
Another good Salvia is S. guaranitica ‘Black and Blue.’ There are some specialists who believe this is not a cultivar, but a hybrid between S. guaranitica and some other species. Either way, it is a handsome perennial species that grows well in our climate. It grows about two feet tall, but it spreads by underground rhizomes and tuberous roots. It has light green foliage, blue- black calyces and indigo blue corollas. Hummingbirds will visit the flowers and drink the nectar. It too is a brittle shrub, but as with most salvias, broken branches can easily be rooted to give new plants. ‘Black and Blue’ can show signs of nutrient deficiencies in our alkaline soils, but applications of acid fertilizer keep this species happy.
Salvia offers color and so much more to our gardens, and we have only just begun to tap their horticultural potential. The yellow-flowered S. madrensis and the purple and white S. leucantha both received high marks in a trial at the Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach. The native S. coccinea flowers prolifically in the Lisa D. Anness Butterfly Garden. Many more species await introduction into horticulture. Mexico and Central America are home to dozens of attractive, untested species, and we have yet to tap the potential of the many Caribbean species. Plant breeders could unlock even more diversity and versatility, so the future for Salvia is bright indeed.
Salvia mexicana ‘Limelight’ has chartreuse and blue flowers. We are displaying some of these in the Tropical Flower Garden. 2007-2008
Saturday & Sunday, November 17 & 18 3:00 p.m. Nell’s Tea Garden Jean duPont Shehan Visitor during The Ramble Center, 2nd floor
Sunday, January 13 Fairchild Members, $27 Sunday, February 10 Non-members, $37 Wednesday, March 5 Reservations at Sunday, March 16 305.667.1651, Sunday, April 13 extension 3391. Wednesday, April 23 Sunday, May 11
fairchild tropical botanic garden
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Orchids, begonias, ferns, statuary, aroids, supplies, water lilies, butterfly plants, rare plants and more. Class schedule available on our website and at the nursery.
9995 Southwest 66 Street, Miami, FL 303173 (305) 274-9813 www.palmhammockorchidest.com Five best GROUNDCOVERS Text and photos by Mary Collins, Senior Horticulturist
roundcovers can serve many purposes. Some groundcovers such as grass, can be walked upon. Other ground covers are more fragile and cannot take any foot traffic but serve as a low filler or means to add color or texture interest to the landscape. The G use of groundcovers can also help protect the base of trees and shrubs from lawnmowers and edgers. If you do chose to plant groundcovers among palms and other plants, be cautious when applying granular fertilizers. You might have to fertilize your trees and shrubs more often using less fertilizer at any one time to prevent burning the groundcover.
Helianthus debilis Crossopetalum ilicifolium Liriope muscari
Helianthus debilis – beach sunflower, is an of lily turf including “Evergreen Giant,” “Big Blue,” excellent groundcover for a sunny, dry location. “Green Giant” and “Variegata.” Lily turf cultivars Native to the east coast of Florida, this prostrate range from eight inches to nearly two feet tall. If form of beach sunflower is often used as a ground grown in full sun, occasional irrigation keeps lily cover or in mass plantings. It is used for dune turf looking its best. In light shade, it requires less stabilization and is especially useful on banks and water. Lily turf does not grow well in low, wet slopes in beach-front situations. Beach sunflower is locations. well suited for borders along beach walkways. But you don’t have to live on the beach to enjoy this Peperomia obtusifolia, known as Florida beach sunflower. Beach sunflower is not tolerant peperomia, is native to South Florida’s moist of irrigation or low, wet areas so plant it in full sun hammocks and Tropical America where it may be where you where it will not receive irrigation and seen growing as an epiphyte. Florida peperomia watch the butterflies visit the flowers. may be grown as a groundcover in well-drained leaf litter or mulch. It is best grown in a shady Peperomia obtusifolia Crossopetalum ilicifolium is native to pine location. It is propagated by cuttings and spreads rocklands and marl prairies of South Florida. easily. Commonly called quailberry, this species is endangered in its native habitats. Quailberry form Microsorum scolopendrium, known as wart very low-growing, circular shaped individual fern, is a great goundcover for areas that are not plants that when planted in close proximity to one exposed to full sun all day. Once established, no another, create an interesting groundcover. It irrigation is required. This fern spreads easily by produces pink to white flowers among the small above ground rhizomes. The lobed leaves are held holly-like leaves. Small bright red fruits remain on upright and up to one foot long. Although not the plants for a long time, adding to the beauty of always available in nurseries, just a few plants will this native gem. Quailberry is best grown in a full eventually fill a large area. The result is a compact, sun area with good drainage. very dense mass of green, erect leaves, creating interesting textures and color in the landscape. Liriope muscari, sometimes known as lily turf or This is an excellent choice for planting under liriope, is an excellent ground cover for sunny or groups of palms. Microsorum scolopendrium lightly shaded locations. There are several cultivars
www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 31 book review The Shop at New Brazilian Gardens: Fairchild The Legacy of Burle Marx By Roberto Silva The Shop at Fairchild has a By Jennifer Davit, Conservatory and Special Projects Manager tremendous selection of oberto Burle Marx celebrated Plant lovers and gardeners will books about landscape and Brazil’s native flora through his appreciate the chapter on planting, garden design that will R unmistakable landscape designs where Silva describes unique plant made famous by their bold sweeps of combinations and design principles that inspire novices and color and abstract patterns. Revered as one can be applied to any landscape. A professionals alike. of the greatest landscape architects of the good example is Silva’s description of 20th century, the influences of his designs Guilhermian Machado’s garden in Barra A Pattern Garden: are evident in landscapes throughout the da Tijuca (located in Rio de Janeiro). The Essential Elements world. Roberto Silva’s, New Brazilian “Green is the predominant color here, of Garden Making Gardens: The Legacy of Burle Marx, and so to add brightness, the white- $34.95 highlights Brazilian landscape architects flowered Phalaenopsis was trained on Author: Valerie Easton. who carry on his legacy. the trunks of the palms,” Silva wrote. Hardcover. Plant lists, planting plans, sketches and excellent photographs, combined with Easton details the 14 text addressing design intent and client garden patterns she sees input, provide the reader with detailed as fundamental to garden design and shows insights into each landscape. how to apply these patterns to any backyard area. She also offers concrete advice on how to Art lovers will enjoy the chapter on apply these pattern designs to your backyard and what plants to select for the best results. sculpture, where art and landscape merge in remarkable compositions. In the Reinventing the chapter on water, Silva portrays a wide Garden: range of aquatic features, from Chaumont-Global Silva begins with an in introduction to naturalistic ponds to infinity edge pools, Inspirations from modern landscape design and its which will convince anyone of the the Loire progression in Brazil beginning with the importance of water in any landscape. $45 Colonial period. This brief history The chapter on abstraction may not Author: Louisa provides the context for understanding resonate with fans of more traditional Jones. Hardcover. garden designs. As Silva explains, “This The Loire Valley in France annually hosts the the innovative designs of Burle Marx Chaumont Festival, an international festival and color photographs depict a few of form of artistic expression is in complete celebrating cutting-edge garden design. his classic landscapes. While this contrast to the picturesque tradition of Reinventing the Garden details the best designs section is certainly informative, readers landscapes found in America and Europe to come out of the festival in the last 10 years, unfamiliar with Burle Marx might not in the 19th century.” The book concludes including the designers’ original design plans and photographs from the festival. gain an adequate perspective on his with a short but helpful reading list and a diverse and influential career. complete directory of all landscape Tropical Garden design firms represented in the book. Design $30 The book then features over 30 Author: Made Wijaya. Whether you are a fan of minimalist landscapes designed by Brazilians who Paperback. were influenced and inspired by Burle modern design or prefer lush, tropical Marx. Perhaps Silva’s greatest challenge landscapes you will identify with one of In Tropical Garden is compiling a book that addresses such the 30 contemporary Brazilian gardens Design, Wijaya, a diverse styles of landscape design, but covered by Roberto Silva in New garden designer for a by dividing the book into chapters based Brazilian Gardens: The Legacy of Burle slew of high-profile on water, planting, abstraction and Marx. However, if you are looking for a clients, shares his design ideas and advice for sculpture, he creates unifying themes. book where you will fall in love with achieving your own tropical paradise at home. His design plans and historical Silva covers residential, commercial and every design, the diversity represented background information are accompanied by public spaces in regions throughout here may not suit you. For those Burle gorgeous full-color photographs. Brazil, in styles ranging from sleek and Marx fans out there, the thorough modern to lush, dense landscapes. attention paid to each design coupled with the remarkable photographs might The Shop at Fairchild just inspire a trip to Brazil. 305.667.1651, ext. 3305 Shop online at www.fairchildonline.com 32 THE TROPICAL GARDEN With over 50 varieties of fish for your pond, Angels Hatchery will help you realize your passion. Our 35 years of experience provides you with top quality fancy Koi, African Cichlids, equipment, premium foods and the most effective water treatments on the market. We have everything you need to keep your ecosystem in harmony. In short, we are a “one stop pond shop.”
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Driving Directions: From Turnpike Exit 12 - West to US-1, Left onto US-1, Right onto 232 St., Left onto 162 Ave. Right onto 256th St. We’re at the end of 256th on the right. From Krome Ave. - East onto 248th St., Right onto 162 Ave., Right onto 256th St.We’re at the end of 256th on the right. conserving THE RECOVERY OF JACQUEMONTIA RECLINATA: THE SCIENCE OF PATIENCE
By Sam Wright, Field Biologist Photos by Sandra Namoff, Julissa Roncal and Sam Wright
Flowering Jacquemontia reclinata Volunteers plant, measure and document the size of Jacquemontia reclinata plants. THE ROAD TO RECOVERY FOR IMPERILED PLANT SPECIES DOES NOT INVOLVE A QUICK OVERNIGHT FIX. SINCE 1991, FAIRCHILD HAS CONDUCTED REINTRODUCTIONS OF 13 DIFFERENT ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SOUTH FLORIDA PLANT SPECIES TO OVER 32 LOCATIONS.
We use these reintroductions as experimental plantings in order to Over the past 10 years, Fairchild has worked to conserve learn more about the species’ biology. Together with our J. reclinata, conducting reintroductions at seven different sites collaborators we have introduced over 4,300 plants back into the within its historic range. Through our research, we now have an wild to assist with the conservation of these species. The overall goal understanding of its historic range, habitat preference, associated of these reintroductions is to increase the numbers of plants and vegetation, mycorrhizal relationships, pollination biology, genetics, populations in the wild to reduce the risk of extinction. We have demography and horticultural requirements. Yet after learning so recently reached a milestone with one endangered species. much about this plant, the wild populations are still in decline. The primary habitat of J. reclinata is coastal strand, but they have On a very hot summer day last July, Fairchild staff and volunteers been greatly reduced by development. Remaining fragments of planted 324 federally endangered Jacquemontia reclinata (beach coastal strand are further threatened by aggressive native and non- clustervine) at Haulover Beach Park on Miami Beach. Not only is native woody plants and fire suppression. this the largest reintroduction that we have ever done, but in TOP LEFT: A group of Fairchild staff and volunteers that helped with outplanting. addition to the other J. reclinata reintroductions conducted over the TOP RIGHT: Flowering Jacquemontia reclinata plants were propagated and maintained last six years, we now have more than doubled the wild population! at the Center for Tropical Plant Research before the Haulover outplanting. BOTTOM LEFT: Dune erosion at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park caused by Hurricane Michelle in 2001. BOTTOM RIGHT: A young volunteer contemplates his work. 34 THE TROPICAL GARDEN J. reclinata seedlings are not very common in the wild. Rare plant have endured many hardships. Plants have died from shading by populations must be able to reproduce new individuals to be self- Coccoloba uvifera (sea grape), herbivory from marsh rabbits and sustainable and persist over time. This is true for wild and the effects of six hurricanes (Michelle 2001; Frances and Jeanne reintroduced populations. In the six years that I have worked with 2004; Katrina, Rita and Wilma 2005). Salt water intrusion from the species, I did not observe a wild seedling until two years ago. dune overwash caused by the hurricanes killed the majority of the In contrast, a reintroduced population of the state endangered plants in plots located closest to the ocean. Yet six years after the Tephrosia angustissima var. corallicola (coral hoary pea) produced reintroduction and two years after the hurricanes, we documented 3,062 seedlings within the first two years after 141 plants were our first seedlings, two of which were in the plots closest to the introduced to a local pineland in 2003. For J. reclinata, ocean! This discovery is extremely promising, and over time we encouragingly, there is another recent milestone to report. hope to show that our experimentally outplanted populations are capable of producing new individuals and will become self- This year was the first time we observed new seedlings in a sustainable. The conservation and recovery of an endangered J. reclinata 2001 reintroduction at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State species is not only a labor of love, but a test of persistence and the Park on Key Biscayne. In the past six years, the original transplants science of patience. Hats Off to the 67th Ramble!
Gaby Orihuela/FTBG By Ann Schmidt, Director of Special Events
Put on your best hat and come to this year’s Ramble!
airchild’s oldest and most beloved festival will take place November 17-18, and preparations have been going on all F year for this wonderful garden festival. The Ramble originally started as a way to raise money to buy a new truck for the garden, and it now serves to share Fairchild’s beauty and bounty with the community. Early on, the treasures from Miami estates were sold at the White Elephant sale; jams and jellies were made from the exotic tropical fruits Dr. David Fairchild brought back from his travels; and tea was served among the garden’s splendor. Gaby Orihuela/FTBG All of these things are still enjoyed today as we celebrate the 67th Ramble. The Garden House will once again be filled with antiques and unique objects collected and painstakingly researched by Dorothy Errera and her incredible group of volunteers. This year, the Antiques and Collectibles booth will have three paintings by Lester Pancost available for purchase, among other treasures. The chair of Old Books Committee, Stuart Debenham, has gathered thousands of old and rare books. One of the highlights includes a superb collection of Dr. David Fairchild’s writings.
Tropical botanic artists will sell their beautiful watercolors, oils and photographs, and many of South Florida’s guilds—from the Woodturners to the Ceramics League to the Enamel Guild—will be represented.
The Ramble also offers the best variety of plants in town. Thousands of plants will be for sale, all of which are grown by Fairchild, as well as local plant societies, such as the Aroid, Gaby Orihuela/FTBG Bamboo, Banana, Cactus, Rare Fruit, Tropical Flowering Tree, Orchid and Palms. And this year garden hats will be out in full force. You’ll spot them on ladies serving tea and scones at Nell’s Tea Garden, in the form of make-it-yourself hats in the Kidway and as traditional hats woven from palms on display by the coconut booth. So put on your best hat and come to this year’s Ramble! Jo-Anne Gardner Gaby Orihuela/FTBG D.D.M.HORTICULTURE SERVICES, INC. A DESIGN & BUILD COMPANY
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Text and photos by Mike Maunder, Ph.D., Executive Director The Sultanate of Oman rests on the corner of the Arabian peninsula between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. However, geographically and historically it lies at a nexus of ancient trade routes that linked East Africa, India and the Middle East. It is a land of mountains, desert, frankincense trees and the birth place of Sinbad.
s a biologist, Oman is fascinating since it is where the floras of Central Asia, Arabia and tropical Africa converge. A In the northern mountains, you find vegetation with affinities to the steppes and grasslands of Iran and Turkey. In the deep south near the Yemen border, you see tropical African species such as the baobab thriving in the summer mists.
The Sultan of Oman, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, has taken Oman from a relatively forgotten backwater country and developed it into one of the region’s fastest growing economies, moreover, he has done so while maintaining the character and integrity of his nation. As part of the Sultan’s commitment to conservation and education, he The site of the new Oman Botanic Garden. has commissioned a new national botanic garden. This new botanic st garden will redefine the role of botanic gardens in the 21 century. The garden will focus on the display The garden will focus on the display and conservation of the and conservation of Omani flora and habitats and will give special emphasis to the the Omani flora and Omani heritage of ethnobotany, a tradition of using native plants habitats and will give for food and medicine that goes back thousands of years. A major special emphasis to part of the garden’s mission will focus on energy and resource the Omani heritage conservation with solar and wind power contributing a major part of ethnobotany - a of the garden’s energy needs. tradition of using Fairchild was selected to be part of the “green team” — a group of native plants for food international experts to help design this extraordinary and and medicine that ambitious project. We are working with colleagues from the Royal goes back thousands Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to establish the horticultural and of years. botanical component of the botanic garden. RBG Edinburgh has Nerium oleander, a characteristic plant of the been studying the flora of Arabia for decades. damp river valley of Oman. In the south, from mid-June to mid-September, the monsoon, or Paysage Luis Vallejo, a Madrid landscape architecture firm, is khareef, brings heavy rains to the mountains and wraps the upland orchestrating the design of the garden along with OBM International forests in a deep mist. This unique ecology will be a key exhibit for of Coral Gables, and a Madrid-based architecture company, the new botanic garden. On the edge of the fog zone grow the ALATEC, to design the buildings and infrastructure. The Omani team, famous frankincense trees and an extraordinary community of from the Court of the Sultan, is lead by internationally respected succulents including Dragon Trees (Dracaena), desert roses conservationist Dr. Andrew Spalton and expert botanist, Dr. Annette (Adenium), carallumas and endemic Aloe species. In the high Patzelt, from the Court of the Sultan. northern mountains, you find ancient juniper trees and orchards of almonds. Each of these extraordinary habitats will be displayed in The garden is set among the valleys and mountains just outside separate biomes, special climate controlled greenhouses. Oman’s capital city of Muscat, in what must be one of the most dramatic locations of any botanic garden. The site is a natural It is a great privilege for Fairchild to play a role in creating a amphitheater of high rocks and crags that encompass a complex of major new botanic garden. Over the next months, the plans will smaller hills and valleys. Between the valleys and scattered acacia be finalized and in 2008, roads and buildings will start to appear trees, the new botanical institution will be complete with visitor on the site, and a new botanic garden for the 21st century will facilities, a modern research center, nursery, museums and a desert take shape. resort lodge. The horticultural focus will emphasize the extraordinary mountain flora of Oman. www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 39 “BLOOMIN’ GOOD” Flowering Tree Nursery
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The following gifts were donated between May 19 to July 31, 2007. MAJOR GIFTS Mr. and Mrs. Bradley P. Noyes John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Capital Fund Mr. and Mrs. Evan Reed CHIHULY AT FAIRCHILD R. Kirk Landon and Pamela Garrison Northern Trust Bank of Florida Seaside Housing Enterprises LLC 2006-2007 Ms. Linda Lubitz / The Lubitz Education Mr. Pablo Soifer & Presenting Media Sponsors Financial Group Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc. Ms. Geraldine Schirripia The Miami Herald / El Nuevo Herald Orange Bowl Committee Twenty Little Working Girls Mr. and Mrs. David S. Swetland Gold Sponsors Podhurst Orseck Josefsberg Eaton South Florida Water Management Mr. and Mrs. Robert Trescott The Clinton Family Fund Meadow Olin & Perwin P.A. District Mr. Reginald N. Whitehead and R. Kirk Landon and Pamela Garrison The Samantha Foundation, Inc. School Board of Miami-Dade County Mr. Thomas G. Moore Silver Sponsors Mr. and Mrs. David Serviansky Edward S. Moore Family Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Sanford Ziff Diario Las Americas South Miami Hospital Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Farina, Jr. Bronze Sponsors Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Drs. Bernard and Marilyn S. Horowitz TRIBUTE PROGRAM American Airlines Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. Williams Grove Tree Program Mr. and Mrs. Donald Blechman, The Ben Tobin Foundation Ms. Virginia De Saman In Memory of Orion Hirsch Landscape Lighting by Outdoor Mrs. Angela W. Whitman Expedition Fund In Memory of Bradley Melzer Gardens, Inc. Murini Sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus B. Sweet, III Dr. and Mrs. William Means CBS 4 / MY 33 Assurant Solutions In Honor of Bunny Bott With the support of the City of Mr. R. Scott Davidson / Ameriprise FELLOWS Bench Coral Gables Financial The following lists combine In Honor of Marc Bernstein Mr. Bruce W. Greer and Bacardi USA membership and annual fund Mr. and Mrs. Alan S. Bernstein Ms. Evelyn Langlieb Greer The Cowles Charitable Trust donors at the $1,000 level and In Memory of William F. Whitman Agnes Gund and Daniel Shapiro / INVISTA above. Ms. Jacqueline Bass Agnes Gund Foundation Mr. and Mrs. James Field, Sr. / IPC Corporate Friend Ms. Sally Becker-Quatman Mr. and Mrs. Allan Herbert Mr. Chaim Katzman and Hunton & Williams Mr. & Mrs. Barry Bonwit Ms. Janet Mosely and Dr. Shulamit Katzman Silver Fellow Mr. & Mrs. Sebastian Cabrera, III Dr. W. Bryan Latham / The Miami-Dade County Mr. and Ms. Steven Carlson Dr. & Mrs. Daniel J. Comerford, III Latham Charitable Foundation Commissioner Sally Heyman Mr. and Mrs. Milton J. Wallace Mrs. Louise A. Garavaglia Le Basque, Inc. Morris & Reynolds Insurance Fellow Ms. Doris Hastings With the support of the Miami-Dade Myrna and Sheldon B. Palley Mr. and Mrs. Norman Braman Katz Barron Squitero Faust County Department of Cultural Mr. and Mrs. Louis J. Risi, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Juan Cento Mr. & Mrs. Alvin F. Lindsay Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Miami-Dade County Commissioner Mr. Mario de Varona & Ms. Elsie Page Council, the Miami-Dade Katy Sorenson Ms. Gina Fabelo Mr. Joseph D. Priest County Mayor and the Board University of Miami School Mr. and Mrs. James R. Field, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Sam Rosenfield County Commissioners of Medicine Mr. Joel Friedland The Stamps Family Charitable Mr. and Mrs. E. Roe Stamps, IV / University of Miami Orthopedics Mr. David Perez-Goldstrom Foundation The Stamps Family Fellows Sponsors Miss Lauren R. Gould Ms. Josephine R. Wayner Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Bermont Dr. and Mrs. Steven M. Holmes Dr. & Mrs. T.B. White Terranova Corporation The Farago Foundation, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Marc Iacovelli Bal Harbour Village Tropical Trailer Leasing MAMCO / Miami Asset Mr. Charles Intriago & Miami Country Day School Withers Worldwide Management Company Mrs. Joy Intriago Mrs. Marian Y. Bradley Latticino Sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Willard L. Wheeler, Jr. Dr. Jane F. Katcher and Mrs. Patricia S. Larimore Jayne and Leonard Abess / Mr. Gerald Katcher Mr. and Mrs. William L. White City National Bank of Florida SPECIAL THANKS TO: Mr. James Kaufman & Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price Florida International University Ms. Kathy Kaufman PLANNED GIVING School of Art & Art History Ms. Kathleen M. Burger & Axelrod, LLP Mrs. Susanne S. Kayyali Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida The Greater Miami Convention Mr. and Mrs. Jay I. Kislak Decade Charitable and Visitors Bureau Lead Annuity Trust Mr. and Mrs. Richard D. Fain Mr. and Mrs. Keith Lane General Motors R * Works / Cadillac University of Miami Department Ms. Isabella Marquez Hunton & Williams of Art and Art History
Support Fairchild Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden needs the support of donors like you. Please consider making a donation to the garden to support our ever-growing operational and programmatic needs. Every gift helps ensure our continued growth.
For information on making a donation, please call 305.667.1651, ext. 3323, or send contributions to: Dietes grandiflora Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Development Office 10901 Old Cutler Road Coral Gables, FL 33156
Donations may be made online at www.fairchildgarden.org. Click on Supporting Fairchild and Annual Fund. garden views
IN MEMORIAM ED PRINCE, 1933-2007 Fairchild staff and volunteers mourn the loss of Ed Prince, a volunteer tram guide for five years, who passed away in June. He was retired from Miami-Dade County Public Schools and was a past president of the Bromeliad Society of South Florida. Ed had a wealth of plant knowledge and would tell fabulous stories of trips to exotic locations to inform and enliven his tours. He made many friends for Fairchild by giving visitors memorable tours of the garden, and he will be missed by all who had the pleasure of Photo by Alison Walker/FTBG. knowing and working with him. 3RD ANNUAL EDUCATION CELEBRATION LUNCHEON During the third Annual Education Celebration Luncheon this past spring, BARBARA SMITH, 1917-2007 hundreds gathered to honor Bank of America, the Peacock Foundation and Former volunteer Barbara Smith passed away in July at her Diane and Michael Rosenberg for their outstanding commitment to home in Wisconsin, after a short illness. In 2002, Barbara environmental education and conservation at Fairchild. Each year, Fairchild received Fairchild’s Lifetime Service Award in recognition honors a corporation, a foundation and an individual who has accepted a of the unique and invaluable contributions she made leadership role in taking environmental education to new levels. during her 17 years of service to the garden. Barbara Congratulations to our honorees for their continued support of Fairchild. provided invaluable assistance in plant records and in the archives, but her most notable contribution was re- Fairchild would also like to thank the following individuals for their cataloging the 8,000-volume Research Library collection. suppor. The Education Luncheon Sponsors 2007: Mrs. Terry and Mr. Don The job took several years, and Barbara gave thousands of Blechman, Ms. Ann Bussel, Mrs. Jolie Cummings, Mrs. Dorothy Errera, hours of her time. She formed many friendships with staff Mr. Mario Facella, Mr. Alan Farago, Ms. Barbara Hobbs, Ms. Lynn Leverett, and other volunteers, and she was a cherished member of Mrs. Nelly Farra, Ms. Josephina Yespica, Mr. Michael and Mrs. Diane the Fairchild family. Her work contributed to making Rosenberg, Mr. Vincent and Mrs. Barbara Tria, Mr. Ramon Rodriguez, Ms. Fairchild one of the leading research, educational and Pamela Garrison, Mrs. Paulette Mintz and Publix Supermarkets Charities, horticultural institutions of our time. Inc. The Education Luncheon Committee 2007: Mrs. Terry Blechman, Ms. Ann Bussel, Mr. Mario Facella, Mr. Alan Farago, Ms. Barbara Hobbs, Ms. NELLY DIJKMAN, 1918-2007 Janet Mosely, Ms. Janet Patrice, Mrs. Sue Steinberg and Mrs. Barbara Tria. Fairchild recently lost a long time friend and one of the designers of the Windows to the Tropics Conservatory, or SPECIAL EVENTS AND VOLUNTEERS Rare Plant House. She was 88 years old. Nelly was born Butterfly, Mango, Orchid, Chocolate Festivals. What do these four Fairchild in 1918, in Java, and was the daughter of Dutch tropical festivals have in common? Volunteers! From dressing as pirates at the botanist J.J. Ochse. Dr. David Fairchild once visited Mango Festival to baking decadent pastries for our First Annual Chocolate Nelly’s father when she was only eight years old, and he Festival, Fairchild volunteers have contributed their unique talents in many returned to Java in 1940 to secure plants for the garden. different ways to make our festivals successful and great fun for our Nelly married Marinus “Dick” Dijkman in 1938, a visitors. Thank you, special event volunteers. None of this would be tropical agriculturist. During the World War II, Nelly and possible without your enthusiasm, dedication and willingness to help with her husband were captured by the Japanese, and she gave the thousands of little tasks that add up to one truly special event. birth to their son Dick while in a detention camp in Java. When the Dijkman family was released and reunited in 1945, they transferred to Australia. Two years later, Dr. Fairchild secured teaching jobs at the University of Miami for Nelly’s father and husband. They lived in a small cottage at the Kampong from 1949-1959.
In the 1960s, the Dijkmans were asked to design a rare plant house at Fairchild. Today, it is known as the Windows to the Tropics Conservatory, and it has become one of the main attractions at Fairchild.
In addition to her sister, husband and son, Nelly is survived by three grandchildren. Nelly was a caring, generous and thoughtful individual and will be sorely Photo by Arlene Ferris/FTBG. missed. However, her legacy lives on. Volunteer Don Winston entertained kids (and adults) at the Mango Festival. He led the pirate parade and helped the young buccaneers practice their “aarrgh!” www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 43 MIAMI ARCHIVISTS EXPLORE FAIRCHILD’S HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS WISH LIST The Miami Archivists consist of individuals who WISH GRANTED work in or manage historical collections in the Flat files for storing student artwork by Miami area. These collections represent a highly Marcie Ziv diverse population of historical collections, FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ranging from fairly large and established Six-passenger golf cart: $6,000 organizations to the very small. The meetings FOR THE SPECIAL EVENTS & provide an excellent forum for networking, MARKETING DEPARTMENTS learning how other organizations operate and Four-passenger golf cart: $4,000
Staff/FTBG seeing first-hand the diversity of collections in Permanently installed audio visual system Jared Fogg and Nancy Korber show participants Miami-Dade County. The April 2007 meeting for Visitor Center Ballroom from the Historical Museum of Southern Florida and Coral Gables Museum items from the David was held jointly at Fairchild and the Montgomery FOR THE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT Fairchild collection. Botanical Center. Nancy Korber and Jared Fogg, Laptop computer: $1,200 archivists at their respective institutions, hosted tours of their archive collections, lunch and an FOR THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM illustrated walk through the Montgomery grounds. Many of the participants were surprised to 2 wireless laptop computer stations for learn that, along with beautiful gardens and respected research programs, both organizations outdoor classrooms: $10,000 each protect substantial historical collections of manuscripts, photographs and correspondence. FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Freestanding display panels for student artwork: $4,000 TH 69 MEMBERS’ DAY PLANT SALE Portable solar powered generator to On Saturday, October 6, hundreds of educate children about alternative Fairchild members attended the 69th Annual energy: $1,200 Members’ Day Plant Sale. Nearly 3,000 Panasonic AG-DVC7 camcorder with plants representing 150 species of trees, case: $1,000 shrub, vines, palms, herbaceous and native FOR THE HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT plants were grown in Fairchild’s nursery Rock/chipping hammer: $1,000 1 digital SLR camera with memory card, Photo by Mary Collins/FTBG. especially for our members. battery pack and case: $1,500 Walk-behind aerator: $1,500 PLANTING THE SEEDS, Soil mixer for nursery: $6,000 GROWING OUR FUTURE Laptop and LCD projector: $5,000 Antique coontie grinder: Priceless On Saturday, June 2, Fairchild held the FOR THE CENTER FOR TROPICAL First Annual “Planting the Seeds, Growing PLANT CONSERVATION Our Future” event in cooperation with the Techniques for the Study of Mycorrhiza, Belafonte Tacolcy Center and Aubrey Volume 23 (Methods in Microbiology), Watkins Simms Memorial Garden in by J. R. Norris: $230 Liberty City. Children of all ages Lightweight laptop computer with participated in educational games, crafts minimum of 80GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, and activities including planting seeds, and a DVD read/write drive: $2,000 learning about kitchen botany and Mid-size pick-up truck with king cab and Photo by Allison Walker/FTBG discovering rainforest artifacts. Two of 2-3” gasoline-powered pump: $26,400 other partner organizations, Friends of the Everglades and Operation Green Leaves, presented Ultra-cold freezer for the Tropical Plant educational displays, and we are thrilled to have more organizations pledging to participate in DNA Bank: $6,000 the future. Fairchild educators and Liberty City community members are already looking FOR ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT forward to the next rendition of this annual celebration to be held June 7, 2008. Computer, large-format transparency scanner, Photoshop: $5,000 THE RARE EVENT 2007 FOR THE FAIRCHILD TRIBUTE PROGRAM Digital SLR camera with memory card, On October 10, an exhibit and sale of original spare battery pack: $1,500 paintings by internationally acclaimed artists opened FOR THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT at the Gallery at Fairchild. On October 20, the plant Laptop computer: $2,000 auction to Bid Against Extinction took place. The LCD Projector: $3,000 events were a great success. Guests enjoyed the tastes and sounds of the Caribbean while supporting the To fully fund a wish, donate a portion of area’s distinctive biodiversity. the cost or donate the actual item, please contact Suzanne Kores at 305.667.1651, Photo by Julius Gregorio (L-R) Teofilo Gonzalez, AXXA, Senior ext. 3323 or [email protected]. Vicepresident and Axel Stein, Rare Event 2007 Chair and Art Coordinator THE TROPICAL BOTANIC ARTISTS The Tropical Botanic Artists evolved as a result of the camaraderie that took place during Give a Fairchild’s Wednesday afternoon botanical illustration class taught by local artist, Donna Membership Gift Torres. Donna’s knowledge and experience have fostered the talent and abilities of this Consider a gift of membership and group whose members are becoming well share your support of Fairchild. known as the talented Tropical Botanic Artists. Members enjoy free admission to They had their first show in July 2006, at the Fairchild; a subscription to Wirtz Gallery at the First National Bank of The Tropical Garden; priority Photo by Faith Sandstrom Botanic Illustration student Margorie Brown has South Miami. In June, the group had their registration for Fairchild been taking classes since 2002. fourth exhibition for 2007, Fairchild Inspiration, classes; invitations to at the Gallery at Fairchild. Their latest exhibit Fairchild’s continuing education members-only events; library courses offer classes for every level featured 33 works in watercolor and mixed of experience. Register today by media and focused on the beautiful diversity of privileges; discounts on books, gifts calling 305.667.1651, ext. 3322. tropical plants from Fairchild’s collection. and classes; and free admission to hundreds of gardens, arboreta and THE 14TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY MUSIC science museums throughout the AT FAIRCHILD United States. This year, Fairchild Chamber Soloists will To give the gift of membership or perform an enchanted evening of seasonal to renew, please contact the music under the direction of Robert Heath on membership office at Sunday, December 2, 2007. For more 305.667.1651, ext. 3301 or visit information, please contact Valerie Dean at 305.667.1651, ext. 3358 or at www.fairchildgarden.org. www.fairchildgarden.org. staff news Photos by Gaby Orihuela
MARIA TOMEU-JACKSON VALERIE DEAN ROSE RICKS SUZANNE BOYER Maria joined Fairchild after Valerie has joined the Special A Miami native, grew up with Suzanne joined Fairchild in working during the Chihuly Events Department. A recent a deep appreciation of July as a Membership exhibition. She comes from transplant from New York, nature. She joined the finance Associate after working the corporate world, where Valerie held the role senior department as a staff part time in the she worked in the training sponsorship and sales accountant this summer. Rose Membership Departmnet and development field for coordinator with structured loves landscape gardening during the last Chihuly 15 years in the U.S. and finance firm, Information and looks forward to learning exhibition. As a long term Latin America, and most Management Network. more about tropical plants. member, Suzanne has recently at Baptist Health. She holds a B.S. in social “There are a lot of new plants enjoyed what Fairchild has She has lived in the Miami sciences and a minor in that I have never seen in my to offer by being a frequent area for 46 years and has English literature and whole life!” she said. Rose is visitor, volunteer at The been visiting Fairchild women’s studies from Florida very enthusiastic about her Ramble and taking many of since childhood. Maria is State University. She is career at Fairchild and is Fairchild’s wonderful adult happy to be surrounded by delighted to continue her delighted to be working for classes. a great team of professionals career in event planning with our beautiful garden. in one of the most beautiful Fairchild and their wonderful gardens in the world. staff and volunteers. www.fairchildgarden.org AUTUMN 2007 45 from the archives David Fairchild’s Dream Fulfilled By Nancy Korber, Librarian/Archivist
n 1940, on the Cheng Ho expedition, one of Dr. David A Metroxylon at Fairchild is producing flowers for the first time this Fairchild’s dreams was to collect seeds from the sago palm for summer. This palm is M. vitiense, a species native to Fiji. Like M. I the garden. Dr. Fairchild observed that sago palms, Metroxylon sagu, it will die after it completes its reproduction, but this species sagu, provided food for much of the Maluku Islands, and today will not produce suckers. We hope our palm will produce a large they are still an important crop. Dr. Fairchild described them as, quantity of seeds, and that we can have stately Metroxylon palms “Tall forest palms with trunks two feet through which, when felled growing throughout the garden, something that Dr. Fairchild and split from end to end, can have their interiors dug out and always dreamed of seeing. eaten and in fact can form the sole or most important food of great populations.” The expedition members were given a personal tour into the interior of Amboina (now Ambon) by the Raja of Soya to witness first-hand the entire process. They found palms that were only 20 years old that yielded over 100 pounds 2 of pure sago starch.
What they did not find were any seeds for the garden. Dr. Fairchild learned that cultivated sago palms were never allowed to produce seeds. The palm was cut down before the rich starch in the stem could be metabolized by the palm to produce the flowers and fruits. Cultivated sago palms are grown from suckers, much like bananas are propagated. Dr. Fairchild photographed one palm that had flowered, but the fruits had long since fallen.
3
1 Photo by Mary Collins/FTBG. Archives/FTBG.
4 1. Dr. David Fairchild encountered this sago palm long after it had bloomed. Unfortunately, he could find no seeds to collect. 2. The garden’s Metroxylon vitiense in Plot 71-B-E-1. This specimen was grown from a seed collected by Nancy Hammer, former Curator of Palms. 3. A local islander uses an adze made exclusively of
ives/FTBG. bamboo and rattan to chip out the sago palm stem.
rch The harvested pulp and starch was washed to separate A the fibers from the starch, which was then dried and used like flour. 4. Some species of Metroxylon have hard seeds that are used as “vegetable ivory.” This carved pendant was made from a seed of Metroxylon amicarum by an artisan in Pohnpei, Caroline Islands. Photo by Scott Zona/FTBG Photo by Scott Zona/FTBG.
46 THE TROPICAL GARDEN DISCOVERY: Field Studies GUIDED ACTIVITIES Monday to Wednesday, grades 3 to 12
• COLOR, CATERPILLARS AND BUTTERFLIES Discover how light separates to create color and patterns in nature in a habitat for butterflies. Students will also identify butterfly species, the life cycle and species adaptation.
• NAVIGATE THE GARDEN Explore from North to South in the Palmetum. Students use GPS units, maps and compasses to explore the biodiversity of Fairchild, learn about conservation and orienteering.
• ROY LICHTENSTEIN (Available December 2007) Study Roy Lichtenstein, one of the creators of Pop Art, through bubble gum wrappers, cartoons and sculptures. Students will receive a guided tour of selected sculptures, explore the significance of his technique and create their own artwork while reflecting on patterns, history and modern culture.
• LICHTENSTEIN INSPIRES DESIGN (Available December 2007) Teachers independently lead students through drawing, photography or journaling activities, after groups participate in the guided Roy Lichtenstein activity.
SELF-GUIDED DISCOVERY Thursday and Friday, grades 6 to 12 Teachers independently lead students in science and art activities.
• INDEPENDENT ART Fairchild is a rich, outdoor resource of colors, textures and forms. Teachers independently guide students in drawing, photography or journaling activities.
• PLANT KINGDOM Explore Fairchild and discover the unique characteristics of mosses, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Teachers receive all the materials needed to direct an outdoor investigation of the variety of plant life. Teachers must attend a training session.
xperience the sculpture of Roy Lichtenstein at Fairchild while exploring Escience, art and technology! Student groups rotate between activity stations. Program content varies with grade levels. October 2007 to May 2008 $5 per student
FOR INFORMATION AND SCHEDULING, CALL 305.667.1651, EXT. 3322
fairchild tropical botanic garden The Ramble67th annual A GARDEN FESTIVAL
Celebrating there’s lots to do... The Ramble Plant Sale: Buy from the largest outdoor selection in South Florida. The KidWay: Face painting, making crafts, living in South Florida’s carnival games and much more. It’s fun and tropical paradise educational. The Fairchild Greenmarket: Purchase organically grown produce and products from local farmers, Saturday and Sunday hand-made soaps and fresh herbs. November 17 - 18, 2007 Traditional Favorites: The Waterpoorter Dutch Street Organ, products from the Woodturners 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Guild and the Ceramic League, Old and Rare Books, Early admission for members at the Antiques and Collectibles sale. Shopping, Artwork and Raffle: Artist Marketplaces 9:00 a.m. each day. and Garden showcasing garden furniture, tools, For nearly 70 years, The Ramble planters, original art, sculpture and jewelry. has been South Florida’s favorite Food, food, food: Nell’s Tea Garden, the Garden of Chocolate, the Food Court on the Garden event. You don’t want to miss it! House Lawn, and The Veranda Restaurant.
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