Tropical forest plants: list, types, names, descriptions and photos. Name, description and photo of exotic flowers grown at home Bright tropical flowers

Every day we see flowers that surround us everywhere - daisies, roses, violets, tulips, chrysanthemums, dandelions, and their beauty has become familiar to us and even somewhat banal.

But in different parts of the world, truly amazing and unusual flowers grow in terms of adaptability and appearance, and every time, looking at this natural miracle, you are surprised at the beauty of the plant world. Let's get acquainted with the most unusual colors of our planet:

1. Tricyrtis short-haired (Tricyrtis hirta).

This perennial herbaceous plant, reaching a height of 40-80 cm, has white flowers with numerous purple spots.

This decorative flower grows in the subtropical zone of Japan, where there is a shadow. Tricyrtis shorthair is relatively easy to cultivate.

2. Wolffia (Wolffia angusta).

This is the smallest flowering plant on the planet, its size is from 0.5 to 0.8 mm.

These small flowers live on water surfaces. The name of the flower was given in honor of the German entomologist and botanist Johan F. Wolf.

3. Amorphophallus titanic (Amorphophallus).

It is the largest tropical flower, but, despite the natural beauty, it is a very foul-smelling specimen of the flora. The smell of decaying flesh emanates from the inflorescence. If the name of the flower is translated from Greek, then it means "shapeless phallus."

This giant flower has one of the largest inflorescences in the world, reaching a width of one and a half meters and a height of 2.5 m. Amorphophallus titanic blooms for only two days. Previously, it grew in Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra, but then foreigners exterminated the flower. Today it is considered a very rare flower, and you can see it in the botanical gardens of the world.

This amazingly beautiful flower deserves the status of the most romantic and piquant flower on the planet. For inflorescences of bright red color, people also call it "hot sponges".

Psychotria loves warmth and moisture and grows in the tropics. Its homeland is the forests of South and Central America, where a subtropical climate reigns.

5. Sexy Orchid Drakaea glyptodon.

The title of "unusual" orchid was won by the "sexy" orchid - the inflorescence of the flower resembles the body of a wasp of a certain species. In addition, the orchid secretes pheromones, the same as those of the female wasp.

Interestingly, the sexual orchid begins to bloom during the breeding season of wasps, and then the males flock to the flowers and try to mate with them. This is how wasps transfer pollen from one plant to another. The place of growth of the sexual orchid is Australia.

In appearance, this amazing flower resembles a flying duck, and that is how it is called by the people. She got this appearance from nature to attract insects called sawflies.

For them, the upper part of the flower resembles a female, and, flying from flower to flower, it is pollinated. The Kalania orchid has a miniature size: the flower is 2 cm wide and only 50 cm high. The orchid grows in South and Eastern Australia under eucalyptus trees, and 2-4 flowers flaunt on the stem.

In most cases, it lives underground, but when the required amount of precipitation falls in the desert, the African Hydnora appears on the surface and fades. The flower reaches a length of 15-20 centimeters. Pollination occurs with the help of beetles that fly to the smell emitted by the flower.

8. Sundew (Drosera).

It is a carnivorous flower of amazing beauty. The inflorescence secretes droplets of mucus, which are a trap for insects.

It is the sundew that feeds on insects. The flower grows in the mountains, on sandstones and swamps.

9. Passiflora (Passiflora alata).

Passiflora or Stratoflower is an amazingly beautiful flower from the genus of the Stratoflower family.

In nature, there are about five hundred species. The inflorescence is 10 cm in diameter, and passionflower grows mainly in Latin America.

10. Nepenthes Attenboroughii (Nepenthes Attenboroughii).

This unusual, interesting flower was discovered on the island of Aalavan by three scientists in 2000, who went on an expedition to find this miracle of the plant world. The first information about the flower was received from missionaries who had previously visited the island. Having gone to Mount Victoria, scientists discovered huge flowers, the inflorescences of which resembled voluminous jugs.

It turned out that these unusual flowers are real predators that feed on rodents. It still remains a mystery how these flowers were able to survive to this day. This phenomenon is being studied today in the MacPherson lab. Do you think that custom-made bouquets of these flowers would be in high demand?

11. Monkey Orchis (Orchis simia).

This beautiful flower grows in bushes and forests, where there is a lot of light, in forest glades of the lower (sometimes middle) mountain belt up to an altitude of 1500 m above sea level.

This specimen of flora is the rarest species and is listed in the Red Book of Russia. When the orchis monkey blooms, it exudes a pleasant orange aroma.

A flower of the genus of epiphytic herbaceous plants of the Orchid family, growing in northeastern Australia and Southeast Asia.

Habitat - mountain and lowland forests with high humidity. Some representatives of the genus are popular in indoor floriculture, botanical gardens and greenhouses.

13. Clianthus (Clianthus).

The genus of this flower, which prefers sunny areas, includes two species that are endemic to New Zealand.

Clanthus inflorescences are bright red and resemble the beak of a kaka parrot in appearance. The flower has another name - lobster claws.

The inflorescence, thanks to its festively colored flowers, in appearance resembles a bright caramel lollipop.

These unusual flowers open only in the presence of bright light, and in the evening the inflorescence, like an umbrella, folds in a spiral. This beautiful, unpretentious plant lives well at home.

The flower got its name due to the shape of the inflorescence, resembling a slipper. The original shoe-shaped form is characteristic of three orchid genera.

Most of the species grow in deciduous and located in areas with a temperate climate. The bright flowers of the slippers are a kind of trap, and most of the insects get inside the lip, and you can get out of there by a way that guarantees pollination.

16. Hoya.

An evergreen liana from the dovetail family, wax ivy, which grows naturally in India, South China, and Australia.

The genus Hoya, numbering 200 species, got its name in honor of the English gardener Thomas Hoya. Creepers in nature creep, and in forests grow on tree trunks.

17. Primula "Zebra Blue".

Large primrose flowers have a yellow center, an attractive cream-colored coloring, riddled with many blue-violet veins.

During flowering in May, the primrose gives a lot of inflorescences that exude a pleasant aroma.

This copy of Flora is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Bellflower family. A plant with small broadly lanceolate flowers, predominantly blue. In the world there are 300 varieties (100 of them in Russia) of bluebells, and they grow in places with a temperate climate: in the Caucasus, Europe, Siberia, Asia, and America.

The plant grows in the forest, near rocks, in wastelands. The peach-leaved bell is a rare plant belonging to ornamental species. This is an excellent honey plant, listed in the Red Book.

This flower grows in North America, and in Russia it can often be found in gardens, where beautiful flower beds are created with its help. There are 22 types of flower in the wild - these are ears of zygomorphic flowers, painted with bright colors of blue, yellow, purple hues.

Inflorescences resemble a lion's mouth or even a skull. The appearance of the Snapdragon flower, which has already faded, looks quite intimidating and resembles a skull.

20. Dove Orchid (Peristeria Elata).

This flower has a bizarre, and even unusual shape, reminiscent of a dove lurking in the open petals of the inflorescence. The flower is very capricious and requires special care: high temperature and humidity.

This unusual flower also has a second name - the orchid of the Holy Spirit, and on the Easter holiday, believing Christians of the tropics decorate temples with these orchids.

21. Grouse (Fritillaria).

This is a beautiful perennial flower. The Latin name fritillus means a vessel or chessboard where dice are placed. Such names are not given in vain - they are associated with the color and shape of the flower. In Russia, the name was given because of the resemblance to a bird of the grouse family.

When looking at this unusual flower, it seems that the bird bowed its head low. The hazel grouse blooms a little - about 20 days. He is afraid of moles, mice, shrews, so Hazel grouse is simply necessary in flower beds and beds of summer residents.

Japanese camellias are trees or shrubs that reach a height of one and a half to eleven meters. This plant is ideal for a greenhouse or conservatory with a cool setting.

Camellia is native to Japan and China. It is the official flower symbol of the state of Alabama.

23. Rafflesia (Rafflesia arnoldii).

Rafflesia grows on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula. Inside its huge bowl, from 5 to 7 liters of water can be collected. The flower has neither leaves nor stem.

In Asia, this amazingly beautiful white flower is edible, and leaves and tendrils of almost all Trichosanth species are used as green vegetables.

At the tips of the petals are original curls. This flower has also been used for medicinal purposes.

25. Common catchment or Aquilegia (Aquilegia).

It is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Buttercup family, growing in parks, forests, meadows. The range of the species covers Scandinavia, southern and central regions of Europe.

In Russia, the flower can be found in the European part. Flowers with a diameter of 4-5 cm have a bright coloring - purple, blue, pink and extremely rarely white.

26. Orchid "Great Egret" (Habenaria Radiata).

This amazingly beautiful flower has another name - Khabenaria.

Its beautiful and large pearly white inflorescence, framed by a wide fringed lip, in appearance resembles a white heron in flight.

It is a member of the legume family. The flower is often cultivated as an ornamental plant in countries with tropical and subtropical climates.

The flower grows in the tropical and wild forests of the Philippine Islands.

28. Tacca chantrieri.

This perennial plant with a developed vertical rhizome is a species of monocotyledonous flowering plants of the Dioscoreaceae family.

The inflorescences and young leaves are still used to make curries, and the rhizome has been used in Thai medicine.

This snow-white, rarest flower on the planet, growing on the islands of Sri Lanka, resembles a water lily in appearance. The life of this flower is short - it blooms at midnight, and fades by dawn.

According to an ancient legend, during the short flowering period of the kadupula, a mythical snake-like demigod creature named Nagi descends to earth. He plucks a flower to present it on the holy mountain of Sri Pada to the Buddha himself.

Have you ever come across colors that look like something else? For example, on a small alien, a bird or a stone. Well, it's time to get acquainted with the amazing creations of nature, which have forgotten that they are ordinary plants.

We present you a photo of the most unusual flowers in the world with scientific names and nicknames.

30. Dancing Girls (Impatiens Bequaertii)

These little beauties are named after their appearance. They resemble tiny ladies in white or light pink dresses. These orchids belong to the genus Impatiens, and have the interesting property of rooting wherever they touch the soil. This makes dancing girls great houseplants if you can find them.

29. Swaddled baby, single-flowered Anguloa (Anguloa uniflora)

A cute little orchid in a certain flowering period resembles a miniature baby wrapped in diapers. Or a tulip, hence another name - “tulip orchid”.

28. Dragon shell, snapdragon achene (Antirrhinum)

Many gardeners love snapdragons for their showy look. However, already faded snapdragons look like a scattering of miniature skulls.

In ancient times, people believed that the “dragon shell” had mystical powers, and if you plant a snapdragon in your garden, it will protect the house from curses and evil.

27. Monkey Orchid, Monkey Dracula (Dracula saulii)

There are at least two types of orchids that look like monkeys. One is Dracula saulii, a tiny fluffy monkey-faced white orchid discovered most recently in Peru (2006), the other is Dracula simia, an orchid found in the highlands of Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.

Both of them belong to the genus Dracula, which has 123 species. Not a single plant of this species sucks blood, and they got their name for their shape, reminiscent of the face of a small dragon and mostly dark colors.

26. Passion flower, incarnate passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

The Spanish missionaries, who first saw this beautiful flower, called it a passion flower because of the similarity of its appearance with the elements of the story about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

• The triple stigma symbolizes the three nails with which Jesus was nailed to the cross.
• The thread-like fringes of the receptacle are similar to a bloody crown of thorns.
• Five anthers of an unusual flower - five wounds of Christ.
• The sharp leaves are the spear of Longinus.
• Antennae - whip, etc.

25. Leucospermum catherinae (Leucospermum catherinae)

This funny flower is more like a carnival toy than a creation of nature. Few plants can match the brightness of color with this African miracle.

The most favorable time for leukospermum to bloom is after a drought or fire, when rodents and insects that will prevent its growth have been destroyed.

24. Star flower, Grandiflora Stapelia (Stapelia grandiflora)

Graceful, crimson or dark purple petals of this plant look very unusual and even cute. However, the nasty smell of the Starflower makes it unsuitable for a gift to a girlfriend.

This is because the pollinators of Stapelia grandiflora are flies, and what could be better bait for flies than the sweetish smell of rotting meat?

23. Ginger Hive (Zingiber spectabile)

One of the strangest flowers in the world looks like a big bump. Its small "cups" or "combs" (actually bracts) collect water and give off a ginger scent. And when the flowers bloom on the ginger hive, they look like little white bees.

22. Pleurothallis truncata (Pleurothallis truncata)

A unique orchid from the tropics of Ecuador has a bright orange inflorescence in the form of a two-row chain. This funny flower is so rare and strange that it doesn't even have a nickname.

21. Hand of the devil, five-fingered chirantodendron (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon)

This is not just a flower, but a whole tree, on which red petals form in the form of long clawed fingers, resembling the hand of an inhuman being.

20. Crab claw, rostral heliconia (Heliconia rostrata)

The charming plant got its name because of the red-yellow bracts that look like a crab claw.

19. Desert pea, beautiful Swainsona (Swainsona formosa)

Here is a product of severe evolutionary selection - a bright and fragile-looking flower that survives and thrives in a dry, arid climate.

The Desert Pea is one of the most famous wildflowers in Australia. But it cannot be torn down without the express written consent of the Australian government.

18. Drumsticks, spherical craspedia (Craspedia globosa)

Funny little balls, as if woven from sunlight, look great in lively and dry bouquets. They can be grown not only in the greenhouse, but also on the balcony.

17. Bumblebee orchid, bee-bearing orchid (Ophrys apifera)

We don’t know why this “bumblebee” is so happy, because this flower has no reasons for fun. It is considered one of the endangered species.

16. Fire lily, luxurious Gloriosa (Gloriosa superba)

If you are going to grow this plant to decorate your home or garden, make sure it is out of the reach of your pets and children because it is poisonous. Ironically, this rare flower is considered an invasive weed in many regions of the Earth.

15. Snake head, African Hydnora (Hydnora Africana)

This monstrous looking flower is native to South Africa. The smell of it matches the appearance.

However, despite its shortcomings, African Hydnora has extremely tasty berries. They are not only tasty, but also healthy; local residents use them to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system.

14. Welwitschia mirabilis (Welwitschia mirabilis)

The main thing is to survive! Such a motto could be inscribed on the coat of arms of Welwitschia if it turned into a medieval knight. The plant is found only in Angola and Namibia - one of the hottest and driest places on Earth.

13. Titanic amorphophallus (Amorphophallus titanum)

This giant flower can grow up to three meters in height. It also boasts one of the most disgusting odors in the plant kingdom, making it a poor choice for a home.

12. Nepenthes attenboroughii (Nepenthes attenboroughii)

Some refer to this species as the "pitcher plant" and others as the "monkey pitcher plant". The reason for this comparison is the similarity with a jug created by mother nature.

However, the sweet syrup found inside the plant is extremely dangerous to small birds, insects, and rodents, as it traps and dissolves creatures that get too close.

11. Trumpet of an angel, Brugmansia (Brugmansia)

A native of the South American forests is beautiful, fragrant and extremely poisonous. It is the source of three deadly toxins: atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine, which are essentially psychotropic drugs.

There are many stories about how this great looking plant was used by criminals and drug addicts who use it to make a narcotic drink.

10. Beak of a parrot, aka spotted lotus (Lotus berthelotii)

Once you see this plant, you will understand why its unofficial name is Parrot's Beak. It seems that many of these bright birds hid in the grass, or for some reason took off their beaks and forgot to put them on.

One of (in the wild) was once a true gem of the Canary Islands. Its bright red or yellowish red flowers contrast nicely with the silvery green needle-like foliage.

Previously, it was pollinated by nectary birds, but they almost died out (with the exception of Africa), and all the efforts of scientists to return the "Parrot Beak" to their natural habitat were in vain. In the wild, it is found in single copies, and is listed in the Red Book.

However, this flower is quite successfully grown in flower beds, in flower beds, and even at home.

9. Tacca bat, tacca chantrieri (Tacca chantrieri)

If Batman wanted to spruce up his costume with some fancy flower, then a tacca chantrier would be perfect.

This unusual flowering plant is found in Thailand, India, Malaysia and East Asia. It has unique burgundy-black bat-wing or butterfly-shaped bracts, as well as long, thread-like tendrils.

8. Flower "happy alien", Calceolaria uniflora (Calceolaria uniflora)

« Hello earthlings! I arrived in peace", - one of the most unusual colors of the planet could say, if he had such an opportunity.

Calceolaria uniflora looks like an alien with a happy face and an empty white tray in his hands. Such an unusual shape attracts not only people, but also small birds such as hummingbirds. They love to eat the white part of the flower, and at the same time help him in pollination.

7. Moth Orchid (Habenaria Radiata)

The shape of this graceful flower, native to Asia, resembles a delicate white butterfly or small bird. Moth orchid flowers are only 4 cm wide.

6. Hot lips, psychotria sublime (Psychotria Elata)

These gorgeous red, luscious lips belong to a flower found in the rainforests of Central and South America such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and Ecuador.

The plant, apparently, "picked up" such an interesting form of bracts for itself in order to attract pollinators, including hummingbirds and butterflies.

5. Flying duck, calan orchid (Caleana major)

The amazing Australian flower really resembles a miniature duck in flight. The shape of this orchid helps it attract pollinators.

And the process of pollination occurs in a tricky way. It is performed by sawfly insects, similar to wasps. Inside the "head of a duck" a special substance is produced - an attractant, the composition of which is similar to the pheromones of female sawflies.

Attracted by this smell, the males sit on the kalani and find themselves in a trap. While the insect is desperately floundering, it is covered with pollen, after which the flower releases its prey into the wild. However, sawflies are not very smart, and the process of "sit, grab, twitch, let go" is repeated on the next plant. And again. And again. AND…

4. Elephant yam, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

This unpleasant-looking plant is also distinguished by an extremely vile smell, reminiscent of the stink of rotting meat. Just like one of the . However, pollinating insects like this amber, and for elephant yam, this is the main thing.

Amorphophallus pionolifolia is edible (if you pinch your nose well). In some countries of Southeast Asia, its tubers, which grow up to 16 kg, are grown as a delicacy, in China, elephant yam is a medicinal plant, and in the Philippines they are fed to pigs.

3. Italian orchis (Orchis Italica)

A real macho among the most unusual flowers in the world immediately stands out with its lower part. In appearance, he resembles a naked man.

Interestingly, orchis italica flowers are hermaphrodites, that is, they have both male and female organs.

2. Living stone, lithops (Lithops species)

Some plants use toxins to avoid being eaten. Some people use spikes. Lithops survives by pretending to be a stone.

If you are planning to collect stones in southern Africa, then you will most likely pick up a couple of these bivalve plants. There are dozens of species of Lithops, each of which prefers a certain type of rock to hide among.

These fun plants can also be grown at home and will reward you with a yellow or white daisy flower.

1. Darth Vader Flower, Salvadoran Aristolochia Salvadorensis

Even before the world saw the first Star Wars trilogy, this flower knew something. Imagine how the Dark Lord decorates his helmet with it, and sighs for bygone youth and love. Or he decorates his son's room, which he carefully prepared on the Death Star, with slightly sinister-looking chircasons.

But enough fantasies, let's get back to the facts. The appearance of the Salvadoran kirkazon is due to adaptations that ensure its survival. The helmet-like shape and purple coloration of the flowers, combined with the powerful aroma of rotting flesh, attract pollinating insects.

Lured by the scent and sight of the flower, the insects fly through Darth Vader's glowing "eyes". The inside of the chircason is lined with sticky hairs that trap unfortunate guests long enough to coat them in pollen. The plant then releases its victims to fly and pollinate more flowers.

Which grow in our yard, as well as along roadsides. The most popular flower of the land of smiles is considered to be frangipani or whatever it is called plumeria. We have a lot of greenery and plants in our yard, including bushes with plumeria - soft pink near the house, near the pool - white flowers with a yellow center. The subtle and delicate aroma of these flowers captivated me from the first second! I would really like a perfume or aromatic oil with such a scent. Now Thailand for me is forever associated with the unique aroma of frangipani flowers that grow everywhere here!

The plumeria plant belongs to the Kurtaceae family and is distributed mainly in tropical countries. In Indonesia, on the island of Bali, these delicate flowers are indispensable companions of wedding ceremonies and religious rites. Plumeria is a tree with dense oval leaves of dark green color, with visible veins. And on this wonderful tree, flowers with an incredibly pleasant aroma are comfortably clustered! With such a divine floral aroma, there are already perfumes created by an Italian named Frangipani (the flower was also named after him). Plumeria flowers can be not only white or pink, there are also more saturated shades of pink, yellow and even red. Frangipani is sometimes called red jasmine, and in India this plant is called the Tree of Life.

Beyond frangipani in Thailand on Koh Samui I saw many beautiful tropical flowers, including Bougainvillea. This photo shows how brightly lilac bougainvillea flowers stuck around the neighbor's fence! All the rest, unfortunately, remained anonymous for me. I couldn't find any names on the internet. Perhaps someone knows what these wonderful flowers are? I would be happy if you share the names in the comments

With the help of Oleg's comment, I found out that this beautiful tropical flower is called hibiscus. That's why I see it is familiar to me, but my mother once grew one. Hibiscus tea is also brewed from its petals, another name for the flower is Sudanese rose, Chinese rose.

Sudanese rose (hibiscus) flowers on Koh Samui in Thailand

Winter is coming in Russia, snow is falling, so the story of tropical flowers will remind you of bright colors, sunny days and wonderful smells. And hopefully it lifts your spirits!

Wood frangipani (Plumeria) grows throughout Southeast Asia, although it is believed to be native to Mexico and Central America. Apparently, he came along with the missionaries, and took root so much that he is sure to be planted near Hindu and Buddhist temples. In English, it is called "temple tree" (temple tree).

Frangipani captivates with its delicate flowers that smell wonderful. The sense of smell plays a big role in religious cults. During the ceremonies, sticks, aromatic oils and essences are used. Therefore, the frangipani had to go to the temple court.

For the island of Bali () the frangipani flower is a symbol. A garland around the neck or one flower behind the ear is offered to guests as a greeting.

Local women wear it behind the ear, put it in offerings to the gods and spirits.

A home temple stands in every Balinese courtyard, a frangipani tree is planted nearby, and its flowers are used daily. In a tropical climate, flowering does not stop, the tree is always in bloom. Caring housewives, who have many trees, dry the flowers in the sun in the yard, so that the dried ones can be used in religious ceremonies.

The most commonly used are white with a yellow center, but there are varieties with flowers of pink, apricot, raspberry and yellow-red.

The frangipani tree (Plumeria) is unpretentious and lives for hundreds of years. It is customary to plant frangipani trees with raspberry flowers in pots and decorate the yard with them.

Spas in Bali place freshly picked flowers in a bowl of water for beauty and fragrance. A traditional Balinese massage is done with oil, which can also smell like frangipani.

If you bring a cutting from the tropics, you can try to grow a house tree at home in Russia. And the smell of flowers will be the same, maybe a little weaker. In a tropical climate, flowers smell so strongly because of competition, there are many of them, and you need to attract attention. And in the Russian climate, a faint unusual aroma will also be very noticeable.

Many perfumes contain the scent of frangipani flowers. Their aroma makes you feel like you are somewhere in the tropics, in a deck chair on white sand under palm trees, on the shores of the azure ocean.

Even in the tropics bloom all year round acacia . There are a lot of different types. The common thing is that on every tree there is a sea of ​​flowers. And there are all kinds of colors: pink, red, white, yellow, lilac.

There are no seasons, the same tree has both mature pods and flowers.

Cactus euphorbia (Euphorbia) common among flower growers in Russia. It is a succulent, strongly branched with erect branches, it has from 3 to 8 ribs. Along the edge of the ribs are tubercles, from which new light green leaves grow. On the windowsill in a small pot, it grows more than a meter high, giving numerous branches on the sides.

In our foyer of the house of culture, in a huge container, the euphorbium cactus was under the ceiling, several meters. And for the New Year he was dressed up like a Christmas tree.

Euphorbia, in fact, - spurge . If you break off a branch, a white, milky juice will stand out. This milkweed juice is used in perfumery, it is added to whitening creams and freckle lotions. Whitening creams, by the way, are very popular among dark-skinned local residents of sunny countries. And, for us, the peoples of the north, a tan seems to be a symbol of health and a well-spent vacation.

So, in the tropics, euphorbias look like trees. Of these, planted in a row, a prickly hedge is obtained.

Some of the species are edible, their branches with thorns removed are sold in markets and supermarkets.

Another type of milkweed in the tropics exists as a shrub, which is planted in front of the gate because of its continuous flowering, for decoration.

bougainvillea - a liana with bright colors of different shades grows not only in the tropics, but also in any warm climate. For example, in the south of Europe. But, closer to the equator, it becomes so magnificent that it looks like an independent tree with colored foliage.

Does the nature of people depend on their environment?

If you are always around, regardless of the season, flowering trees and fruits, and their sweet delicate aroma, can you just enjoy and live today without worrying about the future?

People from countries lying in the tropics, it seems to me, can.

In natural conditions, not so many of them have survived, some of them are on the verge of extinction. But, if we really want, we will be able to see this exotic with our own eyes. In order for our descendants to have a chance to see these amazing monkey puzzle plants, dragon tree, amazing velvichia, titanium arum, venus flytrap, rafflesia, takka, jade flower, ghost man tree, lacy tree, we must do everything to save them. A dozen exotic plants that reminds us that our world is beautiful and worth loving and protecting.

Puzzle for the monkey. Chilean araucaria.

Araucaria araucana The leaves of this tree are so hard and prickly that birds prefer not to sit on them. That is why the tree has such a strange name: the once proud owner of araucaria, who lives in Cornwall (in the southwest of Great Britain), showing the tree to his guests, said: “Climbing this tree would be a real puzzle even for a monkey”, since then the second name of the tree is "Monkey Puzzle".

At the end of the 18th century, this tree, described by an Italian botanist, was classified as a special genus of pines, but the famous botanist and zoologist Jean Lamarck restored justice and proved that this is a separate type of tree - araucaria.

Araucaria seeds can be used for food, and it is quite possible that not only natural, but also their special plantings have been preserved - some of them are confined to the ancient sites of the Indians. Araucaria forests develop best on volcanic soils. Trees reach a height of up to 60 m, and a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m. A young plant is considered up to 150 years of age, and it can grow “in youth” up to 45 cm annually. Older trees grow up to 10-15 cm per year, while the leaves of the tree can live up to 40 years, and the tree itself - up to 2000. In 1796, i.e. 16 years after the discovery of the Chilean araucaria in America, it was already brought and planted in England (the first grown tree lasted almost a hundred years). Later, this araucaria spread widely in Western Europe, while it can be found even in Norway, but in Russia - only in the botanical gardens of the Crimea and the Caucasus.

Dragon tree.

Dracaena draco The dragon tree is a tree of the genus Dracaena of the Agave family. In appearance, it resembles a huge cactus, on the branches of which bunches of very sharp leaves grow. If an incision is made on a tree trunk, red resin will come out of it - “dragon's blood”.

Even the ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands - the Guanches - considered the tree sacred, and the resin was used for medicinal purposes. The tree reaches a height of 20 m, and its trunk diameter is up to 4 m. The dragon tree grows in the Canary Islands and Socotra and can live up to 5-6 thousand years, however, annual rings do not form in the tree trunk, and it is not possible to determine its age exactly so simple. The oldest dragon tree grows in a small park (Parque del Drago) of the town of Icod de los Vinos in Tenerife, it is about 2500-3000 years old, if this is true, then this is the oldest known tree on the planet. And the most famous was a tree in the city of La Orotava. it grew to 21 meters, the girth of its trunk was 13.5 meters, and its age was determined at 6000 years, but in 1868 it was knocked down by a hurricane.

Velvichia is amazing.

Welwitschia Mirabilis About a hundred years ago, the German botanist Welwich traveled through the deserts of southwestern Africa and found a plant that looked like a pile of garbage from afar. This is not a tree, not a bush, not a grass, but something completely peculiar. Its trunk, similar to a stump, grows up to half a meter in height and up to 1.2 m in diameter.

A fleshy taproot up to 3 m long departs from the trunk, which serves to store nutrients and strengthen the plant, and not to obtain water. Velvichia grows in southern Angola and in Namibia, where not a drop of rain falls for months, and sometimes for years.

The plant receives moisture from the fogs that envelop the coast for almost 300 days a year, which is why no one has met velvichia beyond the strip of fog penetrating deep into the territory 80-100 kilometers from the ocean coast. Velvichia leaves are up to 2-3 m long and up to 30 wide cm persist throughout the life of the plant, although the winds turn them into bast, and some leaves may gradually die off. Radiocarbon analysis has shown that Velvichia can live up to 2000 years, so its leaves are the longest-lived leaves known.

Titan arum.

Titan Arum In Latin, the name of this flower sounds like "a huge deformed penis", it is also called the "corpse flower" (in the local language - bunga bangkai) the plant emits rotten meat, the aroma of which attracts flies for pollination.

The birthplace of the titanium arum is the western part of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, was discovered in 1878. Today it is considered the largest flower in the world, blooming three times a year. The bud opens for about 3 weeks, and blooms for only a day or two.

Titanium arum belongs to the oldest and most beautiful family of flowering plants - aroid, it can reach a height of 2-3 m, and its weight is up to 100 kg. Titanium arum is a rare flower, difficult to grow, and can be seen in only a few botanical gardens in the world, where flower lovers from all over the world come specifically to bloom arum.

Venus flytrap. Venus Flytrap.

Dionaea muscipula This is the most famous carnivorous plant on the North American continent. The size of an adult plant does not exceed 15 cm, but at the same time it easily catches and assimilates mosquitoes, flies and other insects - the flycatcher is able to slam the leaves in one tenth of a second.

This is one of the fastest movements that plants can make. Harvard scientists believe that the leaves of the Venus flytrap accumulate elastic energy, and work on the principle of unstable convex membranes - you just need to press them with your finger, as they switch from one position to another.

Insects touch the trigger hairs of the plant, in response, it slightly loses moisture, because of this, the curvature of the surface changes - and the leaf abruptly closes the trap. That is why to avoid the fate of being eaten more in the smallest insects.

If the insect is “unlucky”, digestive juices are secreted from the glands located on the internal surfaces in such an amount that the insect completely drowns in this liquid. The trap remains closed for several days, and when it finally opens, all that remains of the poor fellow is an undigested chitinous shell.

Rafflesia.

Tiny rafflesia seeds - no larger than a poppy seed - are carried by animals that have stepped on the fruit of the plant. They are introduced under the bark of vines, and after a year and a half the bark swells, forming a kind of bud that ripens after 9 months into a bud of rafflesia - "bunga patma" (in the local language - a lotus flower). The average flower in diameter reaches 70-90 cm, the size of the flower - record holder - 106.7 cm. The thickness of the middle petal is 3 cm, and the length is 46 cm. After a short period of flowering, rafflesia decomposes within a few weeks, turning into a disgusting shapeless mass of black.

Tacca Chantrieri In tropical countries, tacca grows outdoors - on the coasts and in mountain rainforests, preferring a humid atmosphere. The local population calls this plant "black lily", "bat" or "devil's flower", associating terrible legends with it, but at the same time, the pulp of takka fruits is eaten, hats and fishing tackle are made from its stems, and flour is prepared from rhizomes for baking bread, sweets, medicines.

Takka contains alkaloid substances and is used in magical rituals. Powder of dried takka flowers also has interesting properties - it has a very high coefficient of volumetric expansion. Once in the stomach, it increases in volume up to 80-100 times its original volume.

The dark color of the flower is due to the fact that it is pollinated by carrion or dung flies, which are attracted by rotting remains. Insects are attracted by the shine of the cells on the “bottom” of the flower and the very faint smell of spoiled meat, almost imperceptible to humans. In nature, individual specimens reach 3 m in height. In Europe, these exotic plants are grown in winter gardens and greenhouses. Takkas bloom and bear fruit almost all year round. Insects are attracted by the shine of the cells on the "bottom" of the flower and the very faint smell of spoiled meat, almost imperceptible to humans. In addition, flies are attracted by large bracts in which you can spend the night, and juicy filamentous appendages are a real delicacy for insects.

Jade flower.

Calotropus Giant (lat. Calotropis Gigantea)

Pleasant strophanthus (Strophanthus gratus, Strophanthos gratus)

or, as it is also called, climbing oleander (Strophanthus bovinii). Tropical evergreen, spreading shrub or vine, reaching 7.5 m in length. It blooms with very attractive flowers, cream and pink shades. The flowers have a delicate fresh scent.

Pleasant strophanthus Strophanthus gratus

Ixora red, Ixora coccinea

Fire bush, jungle flame.

Ixora named after Ishwara, a Malabar deity. Despite the presence of the word "red" in the name, ixora is with red, white, pink and yellow flowers.

Shrub with dense leathery leaves. Inflorescences are umbellate and spherical in a wide variety of colors: yellow, orange, red

Easily formed by pruning, so it is often used for hedges. However, planting it next to paths or walls of houses is dangerous: the roots of ixora are very aggressive, they can destroy concrete, penetrating into cracks.

It is a large evergreen tropical tree that can reach a height of 30 meters. Falling branches are decorated with yellow flowers with long, slightly twisted petals, their fragrance can be heard from a distance of ten or more meters. Flowers gradually change their color from light green to lemon yellow, old flowers become dark yellow with brownish spots. The tree blooms almost all year round, it always pleases the eye with clusters of its flowers and dark green oval fruits. Fully ripe fruits turn black. The fruits of ylang-ylang are not eaten. You won’t get poisoned by them, but you won’t get much pleasure either: they are tart, although they have a rather pleasant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of spruce or juniper.

Homeland Cananga odorata - South China, Southeast Asia, India, the islands of Polynesia, where it grows everywhere. The local name "ylang-ylang", or rather, "alang-alang", means "flower of all colors" and its intoxicating sensual smell is perfectly defined by this name.

Ylang-ylang is widely used in perfumery, both traditionally oriental and purely western. Ylang-ylang is the heart of one of the most famous perfumes "Chanel No. 5" and "COCO" of the world famous company Channel (Channel), also its smell is present in the no less famous and beloved around the world "Aqua De Gio" by Giorgio Armani, " Poison" by Christian Dior and "Champs Elysee" by Guerlain.

Artabotrys siamensis - curly Ylang-Ylang

Curly Ylang-Ylang, Manorangini, Hara-champa, Kantali champa. A very attractive climber, the flowers become intensely yellow over time, very fragrant, their smell intensifies in the evening, and the fragrance spreads until the morning. The fragrance becomes strong when the flower turns yellow and continues for a day or two. It blooms all year round, however, the most intensive flowering in nature is observed from January to March. At home, in Thailand, Artabotrys siamensis grows outdoors and is often used to create a fast growing hedge.

Cochlospermum regium (Cochlospermum royal)

Cochlospermum regium

Other names: Yellow cotton tree, Yellow Cotton Tree.

In Thailand, often seen growing-blooming in the yards. There were no leaves, only yellow double flowers. Certainly attracts attention.

cochlospermum royale

Royal cochlospermum is a tree that grows up to 15 m in height, with wide palmate, slightly pubescent leaves on long petioles. During flowering, usually from December to March, cochlospermum royal looks very impressive! Flowers appear after the leaves fall. Large, up to 9 cm in diameter, golden yellow, fragrant, with 5 petals, they are collected in apical panicle inflorescences.

Cochlospermum regium

Widely cultivated as an ornamental, temple plant. Various industries (food, leather, textile, pharmaceutical) use gum extracted from the bark of a tree (Katira Gum).

"Golden Bell" is one of the most popular folk names for Tekoma erect. And indeed, in the bright sun, its dazzling yellow flowers seem golden. It is also called yellow bell, yellow elder (for the similarity of the shape of the leaves), yellow bignonia (for the similarity of the shape of the flower), Esperanza (hope) and others.

Tecoma erect (Tecoma stans)

Since 1934, Tecoma stans has been officially recognized as the national flower of the US Virgin Islands, and in 1970 it was also chosen as the national flower of the Bahamas, where it blooms profusely almost all year round.

This is a small, fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub, up to 6-7 meters high. Charming, dazzling yellow with reddish lines in the throat, funnel-shaped, five-petalled flowers, often slightly twisted, irregular in shape, up to 5 cm long and up to 4 cm in diameter, are collected in large racemose inflorescences at the ends of the shoots and in the axils of the leaves. Thin branches gracefully bend under the weight of flowering brushes.

Acacia yellow. Cassia glauca

Senna surattensis, Cassia glauca, Cassia surattensis, Scrambled Egg Bush.

Abundantly flowering shrub, grows everywhere. Belongs to the legume family. Height 2-4 m. Blooms in the dry season, forming abundant clusters of bright golden flowers that appear on almost every branch.

Low bush, with attractive erect inflorescences of a pleasant yellow hue, medium-sized leaves, oval, dark green, shiny. The leaves are paired, with 8-20 pairs of oblong leaf blades. The flowers are yellow-orange, collected in vertical spike-shaped inflorescences resembling candles, for which the plant is often called the Candelabra Tree.

Cassia alata, senna alata, winged senna, candelabra tree

Senna has laxative properties.

Cassia alata, senna alata

A plant of the legume family, a species of the genus Cassia, growing in South Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other countries of South and Southeast Asia.

Cassia fistula is the national flower of Thailand, symbolizing the majesty of the king with its yellow color. Cassia got its name "Golden Rain" for the falling cascades of yellow flowers. The golden brushes of cassia, like a continuation of the sun's rays, resemble a solar downpour. In full bloom - a stunningly beautiful tree! Unfortunately, it was not possible to catch him in this form.

Cassia tubular (lat. Cassia fistula), Golden rain

Cassia got its name "tubular" for the cylindrical shape of the fruit.

Allamanda laxative, Allamanda cathartica

Shrub up to 2 m tall, and more often liana. The flowers are very fragrant, bright yellow.

All parts of the plant contain a laxative. Carefully! Milky juice can cause skin and eye irritation.

Gray Galfimia (Galphimia glauca)

Evergreen tropical shrub. It blooms throughout the year with attractive yellow flowers collected in inflorescences. Originally from Central America, where it is widely used in traditional medicine, it helps with anxiety.

Gray Galfimia (Galphimia glauca)

Plants of the legume family. Saraka is considered a sacred tree by Buddhists. Under one of its species - Ashoka, according to Buddhists, the Buddha was born. It is rare that a Buddhist temple does without this tree on its territory. Saraka, translated from Sanskrit, means "removing sadness, carefree."

Saraka yellow (Saraka), buds

Evergreen, slow growing tree, up to 10 meters tall, with rough, grey-brown bark. The leaves are paired, bright green, consisting of 4-6 pairs of leaf blades.

Inflorescences of flowers are large, collected in large caps. Flowers yellow. Long stamens, extending far beyond the corolla, give the flower clusters a shaggy appearance.

Since the flowers of saraki are very bright yellow and orange, the trees look very elegant.

A hardy and profusely flowering shrub. In India, lantana has been nicknamed "the curse of the planters" for its wild, indomitable growth. Lanthanum leaves are poisonous to many animals. In addition, it releases special chemicals to inhibit the growth of nearby plants.

The beautiful inflorescences of lantana camara amaze with their multicolor: the individual flowers of which they are composed change color depending on the degree of ripening. At first they are orange or yellow, then they turn dark red or pink.

Kanna ( Canna indica, Canna x generalis)

Despite its botanical name, Canna indica was not brought from India, but from the American tropics and the Caribbean.

Canna indica has been known for a long time, but still many hybrids of this plant, known as Canna X generalis, remain loved by tropical gardeners, especially planted in large flower beds. Red and yellow flowers are most common, but orange, pink, cream and mixed colors are also found with a wide variety of leaf patterns.

An evergreen plant from the same family as the oleander, very similar to it in growing conditions. It has very narrow leaves, similar not so much to oleander, but to willow.

Flowering is not as lush as that of oleander, but almost continuous, except during the winter months. The flowers are solitary, very delicate apricot color (there are also white or yellow flowers). Just like the oleander, all parts of the plant are poisonous!

Tevetia, Yellow Oleander (Thevetia nereifolia, Thevetia peruviana, Cascabela thevetia)

Campsis (Campsis radicans)

Very showy climber, beautiful with its large feathery foliage and large original flowers, long, abundant and colorful flowering.

Large, tubular-funnel-shaped flowers, up to 5 cm in diameter and up to 9 cm long, with a bright orange, tubular corolla and a bright red limb, are collected in apical brushes of 10-15 flowers. The flowers open sequentially and therefore the plant blooms for a long time and abundantly.

Marigolds, Tagetes

Marigolds, Tagetes

The marigolds received their Latin name from Carl Linnaeus in honor of the grandson of Zeus (Jupiter) and the son of Genius - Tages (Tageta), the Etruscans also have a similar myth, which became famous for its beauty and ability to predict the future. In Russia, this plant is called marigolds for the velvety petals.

Marigolds, Tagetes

A genus of annual and perennial plants of the family Asteraceae, or Compositae. Favorite flower of Thais for weaving wreaths and beads from flowers. In combination with jasmine and other fragrant flowers, it acts as a natural fragrance for home and car. These wreaths are also used for Buddhist rituals and ceremonies.

offering bouquets

In addition, yellow is the color of the ruling, so portraits of the king are decorated with marigolds.

decorated portrait of the king

Evergreen climber up to 6 m tall, can grow as a shrub. The flowers change color from white to red as they age, exude a rich fruity aroma (especially strong at night). Three different colors can be observed on one brush.

The botanist Rumphius was very impressed with the variability in the growth and color of flowers and formed the name of the genus from the Latin words quis - who? and qualis - which one? The English name Rangoon creeper indicates one of the places of origin - Burma (Rangoon is an ancient city, the former capital of Myanmar / Burma). There is also a funny name - Drunken sailors; the red tassels of flowers swaying in the evening breeze seemed to someone like drunken sailors trying to catch their balance after visiting the nearest bar.

Mussenda is an ornamental evergreen shrub or small tree, related to coffee, which looks delightful when in bloom. In Thailand, Mussendu is called the Rose of Bangkok. Its stunning beauty comes from the sepals that surround the small flowers, collected in large brushes.

Their colors can be white, red, pink or yellow. The sepals that adorn the moussenda are needed to attract insects that pollinate it.

And the small flowers themselves are mostly yellow, or orange and white.

Heliconia is a herbaceous plant that grows in the tropics of South and Central America and the Pacific Islands. There are many species that differ mainly in the shape of the leaves, the structure of the peduncle, the color of the flowers and bracts. There are species with narrow long leaves, there are with wide and more rounded ones, the peduncle is usually vertical or hanging, the color of the bracts varies from pale yellow to dark purple hues.

Due to its unusual extraordinary appearance, heliconia has received many interesting nicknames: wild banana, lobster claws, false bird of paradise, parrot beak. If you look closely, the flowers really resemble the outlines of animals. The name of the plant was given by Carl Linnaeus in honor of Mount Helikon in southern Greece, where, according to myths, Apollo and the nine muses lived, and therefore the name "heliconia" hints at the beauty and durability of this flower.

Spathodea bell-shaped (Spathodea Сompanulata)

Spathodea bell-shaped (Spathodea companulata) is an evergreen exotic plant of the Bignoniaceae family. It is also called the "tree of fire", "tree-fountain", "fire fountain" because of the huge bright red flowers.

Spathodea: African tulip tree

Spatodea flowers are similar to tulips. Usually they are bright orange with a yellow border, dark red or yellow. Cups of flowers are always raised up, and after rain this beauty is filled with water. It is included in the list of the most dangerous invasive species.

The appearance of the red-headed Calliandra cannot but attract admiring glances. Its fluffy bright red flowers, consisting entirely of stamens, can reach up to 8 cm in diameter.

Calliandra haematocephala – red-headed calliandra

Calliandra is an evergreen perennial plant with broad leaves, consisting of individual dark green pinnate leaves - 5 cm long each. Over time, the plant turns from a bush into a tree, reaching several meters in height and a little less in width. But with regular pruning of its branches, the height may not exceed 90 cm. This species is well used in the art of bonsai.

Calliandra haematocephala – red-headed calliandra

Red Bird of Paradise, Peacock Flower, Parrot Bush.

A beautiful and elegant plant of the legume family with elegant feathery mimosa-like leaves and bright red corrugated flowers with a yellow border around the edge of the petal and long stamens.

The caesalpinia the fairest is the national flower of Barbados. It is called the "Red Pride of Barbados". Tropical vegetation of the island is represented on the coat of arms by two such flowers.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima flava:

Delonix, Delonix

A tree of the legume family, a relative of Caesalpinia.

The flower has four deployed bright red petals on the stem and one vertical, larger, yellow and white speckled, it is called the "sail".

Rose cactus.

Pereskia belongs to the cactus family and hence has a thorny stem. Bright large (up to 10 cm) flowers, from orange to pink, look like roses, remain on the bush for several days, after which funny pear-shaped yellow fruits appear,

Pereskia, Wax rose, Pereskia bleo, green fruits

inedible, but very fragrant - they smell like pineapple.

Pereskia, Wax rose, Pereskia bleo, fruits

Very graceful, with sprawling branches, a tree of the Euphorbiaceae family, contains milky juice. Be careful, the plant is poisonous!

The leaves are glossy, variable, they can be elliptical or oval, violin-shaped or 3-lobed. Flowers about 2.5 cm in diameter, bright red, star-shaped, 5-petaled, collected in terminal racemes.

Jatropha whole-edge, Coral flower (Jatropha integerrima)

Cordia Sebestena (Cordia sebestena)

Tropical sprawling evergreen tree, growing under natural conditions up to 7 m high and the same in diameter, originally from Florida, the West Indies, from the north of South America.

Large (up to 17 cm long) rough dark green leaves (alternate, simple, wavy, heart-shaped or oval) resemble sandpaper. Clusters of dark orange tubular flowers (each up to 5 cm in diameter) bloom at the ends of branches throughout the year. Following the spectacular flowers, pear-shaped fruits 2.5-5 cm long appear. They have a pleasant aroma, but are not very tasty. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties. They are used to treat respiratory diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, headaches, colds, dysentery, spider bites, urinary incontinence, etc.

This beautiful plant is native to Florida and India. It has pale green rounded leaves and small, tubular red-orange flowers. Flowering is very beautiful and lasts all year round, flowers grow in clusters, all over the bush, covering it completely.

Chamelia fruits are edible and have a refreshing, sour taste; in Mexico, delicious drinks are made from the berries. The fire bush also has healing properties. The peoples of tropical America used the juice from the leaves to treat all skin conditions, and studies have shown that the juice of the leaves has antifungal and antibacterial properties. The fruit syrup was used in India for dysentery.

Rousselia horsetail, Coral fern(Russelia equisetiformis)

This is a low-growing shrub native to Mexico, characterized by arcuate bending under its own weight, thin, horsetail-like stems, up to 1.5 m long.

They are named after the Scottish naturalist A. Roussel, but very often romantic names accompany rousel - “coral necklace”, “coral spray”, “firework plant” or “coral fern”.

Each plant has many branches. Small bright red tubular flowers, collected in racemes, cover the stems in abundance. In a tropical climate, rousselia adorns relief flower beds and rocky gardens, where the beauty of the plant is especially clearly revealed.

Couroupita Guianensis (lat. Couroupita guianensis)

The Guianan curupita looks a little unusual. This tall tree, growing up to 35 meters, can consist of several trunks, which are formed from branches hanging and fused to the ground. If there is only one trunk, then it is all covered with various notches. Long and narrow leaves are located at the ends of the main branches.

Couroupita guianensis (lat. Couroupita guianensis), tree

Hanging brushes grow directly from the trunk, on which large yellow-pink flowers bloom during the flowering period.

Couroupita Guianensis (lat. Couroupita guianensis), buds

Such an inflorescence can reach a length of 3 meters. The spectacle is incredible. In addition, a pleasant sweetish aroma begins to spread around the area. These flowers are pollinated by bats.

Couroupita guianensis (lat. Couroupita guianensis), flower

After pollination, fruits are formed - "cannonballs". But in the early stages of their growth, they are nothing special - ordinary round green fruits. They grow for a long time and gradually, after 8-9 months they reach a diameter of about 20 centimeters. After their ripening, the fruits begin to fall to the ground. At the same time, during the impact on the ground, a roar is emitted, comparable to a volley of a cannon. A white jelly-like pulp with many seeds flows out of a broken nut. But after a while, from contact with air, it begins to turn blue and smell unpleasant.

Couroupita Guianensis (lat. Couroupita guianensis), fruit

Adenium, Adenium

Adenium is often called the Desert Rose, due to the fact that its flowers resemble a rose.

The plant has earned popularity due to bright scarlet flowers. Adenium is a beautiful and at the same time poisonous plant; when cut, it secretes milky juice.

The mouth of the flower is usually lighter. Flowers are pink, yellow, white, red-black. Simple and terry.

Adeniums appeared in Thailand about 25 years ago, having got there thanks to those Thais who worked at that time in Saudi Arabia, Libya and Yemen. Most of the adenium species grown in Thailand are Adenium arabicum and obesum.

After many years, a small number of plants have been obtained that have slow growth (grow much more slowly than true Arabicums) and, growing up, form a bonsai-type appearance with a bushy crown, good caudex and an abundant root system.

bonsai from adenium

Euphorbia Mil, Euphorbia milii

Euphorbia Mil, Euphorbia milii

Other names: Euphorbia Mil, Euphorbia beautiful, "crown of thorns." The name is given by the name of Baron Mil, who brought this plant to France. It is believed that it was the beautiful Euphorbia that served as the crown of thorns to Jesus Christ. The stem is covered with sharp thorns. The succulent that is common in our rooms in Thailand grows outdoors.

Akalifa bristly-hairy (Acalypha hispida Burm. f.)

Akalifa bristly-hairy (Acalypha hispida)

This is a graceful evergreen shrub native to Polynesia, reaching up to three meters in height in nature. It blooms with beautiful bright red pubescent drooping spike-shaped inflorescences, reaching a length of up to 50 cm. With good care, flowering is year-round. The name of the genus comes from the ancient Greek name for nettle: by the similarity of leaves.

Ginger zerumbet, Zingiber zerumbet

Ginger zerumbet, Zingiber zerumbet

The plant is a relative of ginger, the root of which is a spice. In zerumbet ginger, in addition to beautiful inflorescences, leaves and petioles can be used as a seasoning, and the fragrant liquid collected in inflorescences was previously used as a shampoo.

Etlingera high, Etlíngera elatior

Etlingera high, Etlíngera elatior

Torch Ginger, Flame Lily, Porcelain Rose, Philippine Wax Flower, Rock Rose, Emperor's Torch. Another plant from the ginger family. Folk names reflect the appearance of the flower, which is very unusual: bright red flowers, as if covered with wax, on long

Kvamoklit pinnate, “cypress liana” -Ipomoea quamoclit

Pinnate quamoclit, “cypress liana” - Ipomoea quamoclit

Curly liana, with openwork dark green leaves and bright elegant flowers. The flowers are numerous, star-shaped, 2 to 3 cm. Usually the corollas are carmine red, but variations with white and pink flowers are known. Flowering time: from August to late autumn.

Ipomoea aquatica - Water spinach

The plant is a relative of our morning glory, she is a bindweed. In Europe, it is grown for the sake of delicate flowers, and in Asia - for the sake of no less delicate leaves. is a very popular green vegetable in Thailand.

Passionflower, Passiflora, Passíflōra

passion fruit flower

Luxurious evergreen liana with flowers of unprecedented beauty, once you see it, you remember it for the rest of your life. Passiflora has large bright flowers, shaped like a star. The Spaniards associate this flower with the crown of thorns, the Japanese - with the clock, and in Russia they gave it the name "cavalier star", which, perhaps, most accurately defines its essence.

flower passiflora coccenia

Some species have edible fruits - grenadilla,.

Orchid tree, orchid of the poor.

An evergreen legume tree with purple-red flowers. Its relative, bauhinia blanca, is the national flower of Hong Kong and is depicted on the flag.

Bauhinia purpurea is valued not only for its luxurious flowers, but also for its unusual leaves, resembling a heart or a butterfly in shape.

bauhinia leaves resemble a heart or a butterfly

Purple Allamanda, Cherry Allamanda, Allamanda blanchetii (Allamanda violacea) Cherry Jubilee

Curly slow growing liana with elliptical, densely pubescent, leaves 10-15 cm long, arranged in 4. Two or three light purple flowers are usually concentrated on the tops of the shoots. Carefully! Milky juice can cause skin and eye irritation. All parts of the plant are poisonous if swallowed.

Gomphrena spherical, Gomphrena globosa

A small plant of the amaranth family. In appearance, it most of all resembles a large clover with white patches.

Carambola, Averrhoa carambola

An evergreen tree five meters tall with pink flowers. Fruit -.

A low shrub with lush panicles of pinkish five-petal speckled flowers.

The genus Ruellia belongs to the acanthus family. He
named after the French physician and botanist F. de la Ruelle (life 1474-1537).

A straight-growing ruellia about 50 cm high, its feature is the presence of tuberous-thickened rhizomes with a thickness of a finger. The leaves are lanceolate, the flowers are large lilac with a darker purple throat.

Triple clitoria, Clitoria ternatea

Butterfly pea ("moth peas"), pigeon wings ("pigeon wings"). The Thai name for the plant is anchan.

The scientific name of the genus comes from the Latin word clitoris ("clitoris"). This name was given by the great Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus - he found a boat in the corolla of this plant similar to the mentioned intimate female organ.

It is from the flowers of this plant that they are made.

Nymphaea water lily, Nymphaea

Nymphaea water lily, Nymphaea

This plant, which is also often called a lotus, is actually a water lily or nymphaeum.

Nymphaea water lily, Nymphaea

As is known from Greek mythology, nymphs are the deities of nature: forests, mountains, lakes, rivers and seas. No wonder the flowers named after them are beautiful.

Nymphaea water lily, Nymphaea

Nymphaeum leaves are rounded or heart-shaped, with a deep cut at the base, floating on the surface of the water. The flowers are large, surprisingly beautiful star-shaped or cup-shaped. They can be of all kinds of colors - white, cream, dazzling yellow, orange, pink, dark red and even blue. There are varieties with simple, semi-double and double flowers.

Nymphaea water lily, Nymphaea

They grow everywhere, opening with the sunrise and closing at night.

Gilt or Plumbago ear-shaped / Plumbago auriculata

Name from lat. lead names Plumbum, because. Plumbago was thought to be an antidote for lead poisoning. In addition, the juice of the root of this plant has a blue-gray coloring effect.

Evergreen shrub with spreading branches, sometimes liana-shaped. The inflorescences look like blue phloxes.

Bacopa caroline is a perennial creeping plant with succulent stems and leaves. Grows in salt or fresh water, beyond the water level blooms with pale blue small flowers.

Chinese Violet, Ganges Primrose, Creeping Foxglove. An evergreen shrub up to 1 m high. It blooms in white, cream, blue and purple with blue or purple veins. The micrant form blooms with medium-sized (2.5 cm) white flowers with a purple mark on the lower petal.

It is grown to decorate plots and park areas, and the people of Africa and Asia use the leaves of this shrub in salads.

Asystasia, Asystasia gangetica micrantha

Winter is coming in Russia, snow is falling, so the story of tropical flowers will remind you of bright colors, sunny days and wonderful smells. And hopefully it lifts your spirits!

Wood frangipani (Plumeria) grows throughout Southeast Asia, although it is believed to be native to Mexico and Central America. Apparently, he came along with the missionaries, and took root so much that he is sure to be planted near Hindu and Buddhist temples. In English, it is called "temple tree" (temple tree).

Frangipani captivates with its delicate flowers that smell wonderful. The sense of smell plays a big role in religious cults. During the ceremonies, sticks, aromatic oils and essences are used. Therefore, the frangipani had to go to the temple court.

For the island of Bali () the frangipani flower is a symbol. A garland around the neck or one flower behind the ear is offered to guests as a greeting.

Local women wear it behind the ear, put it in offerings to the gods and spirits.

A home temple stands in every Balinese courtyard, a frangipani tree is planted nearby, and its flowers are used daily. In a tropical climate, flowering does not stop, the tree is always in bloom. Caring housewives, who have many trees, dry the flowers in the sun in the yard, so that the dried ones can be used in religious ceremonies.

The most commonly used are white with a yellow center, but there are varieties with flowers of pink, apricot, raspberry and yellow-red.

The frangipani tree (Plumeria) is unpretentious and lives for hundreds of years. It is customary to plant frangipani trees with raspberry flowers in pots and decorate the yard with them.

Spas in Bali place freshly picked flowers in a bowl of water for beauty and fragrance. A traditional Balinese massage is done with oil, which can also smell like frangipani.

If you bring a cutting from the tropics, you can try to grow a house tree at home in Russia. And the smell of flowers will be the same, maybe a little weaker. In a tropical climate, flowers smell so strongly because of competition, there are many of them, and you need to attract attention. And in the Russian climate, a faint unusual aroma will also be very noticeable.

Many perfumes contain the scent of frangipani flowers. Their aroma makes you feel like you are somewhere in the tropics, in a deck chair on white sand under palm trees, on the shores of the azure ocean.

Even in the tropics bloom all year round acacia . There are a lot of different types. The common thing is that on every tree there is a sea of ​​flowers. And there are all kinds of colors: pink, red, white, yellow, lilac.

There are no seasons, the same tree has both mature pods and flowers.

Cactus euphorbia (Euphorbia) common among flower growers in Russia. It is a succulent, strongly branched with erect branches, it has from 3 to 8 ribs. Along the edge of the ribs are tubercles, from which new light green leaves grow. On the windowsill in a small pot, it grows more than a meter high, giving numerous branches on the sides.

In our foyer of the house of culture, in a huge container, the euphorbium cactus was under the ceiling, several meters. And for the New Year he was dressed up like a Christmas tree.

Euphorbia, in fact, - spurge . If you break off a branch, a white, milky juice will stand out. This milkweed juice is used in perfumery, it is added to whitening creams and freckle lotions. Whitening creams, by the way, are very popular among dark-skinned local residents of sunny countries. And, for us, the peoples of the north, a tan seems to be a symbol of health and a well-spent vacation.

So, in the tropics, euphorbias look like trees. Of these, planted in a row, a prickly hedge is obtained.

Some of the species are edible, their branches with thorns removed are sold in markets and supermarkets.

Another type of milkweed in the tropics exists as a shrub, which is planted in front of the gate because of its continuous flowering, for decoration.

bougainvillea - a liana with bright colors of different shades grows not only in the tropics, but also in any warm climate. For example, in the south of Europe. But, closer to the equator, it becomes so magnificent that it looks like an independent tree with colored foliage.

Does the nature of people depend on their environment?

If you are always around, regardless of the season, flowering trees and fruits, and their sweet delicate aroma, can you just enjoy and live today without worrying about the future?

People from countries lying in the tropics, it seems to me, can.

In Thailand, bright, eye-catching plants grow everywhere! This is not surprising for the tropics. I have collected a small selection that grow in our yard, as well as along roadsides. The most popular flower of the land of smiles is considered to be frangipani or whatever it is called plumeria. We have a lot of greenery and plants in our yard, including bushes with plumeria - soft pink near the house, near the pool - white flowers with a yellow center. The subtle and delicate aroma of these flowers captivated me from the first second! I would really like a perfume or aromatic oil with such a scent. Now Thailand for me is forever associated with the unique aroma of frangipani flowers that grow everywhere here!

The plumeria plant belongs to the Kurtaceae family and is distributed mainly in tropical countries. In Indonesia, on the island of Bali, these delicate flowers are indispensable companions of wedding ceremonies and religious rites. Plumeria is a tree with dense oval leaves of dark green color, with visible veins. And on this wonderful tree, flowers with an incredibly pleasant aroma are comfortably clustered! With such a divine floral aroma, there are already perfumes created by an Italian named Frangipani (the flower was also named after him). Plumeria flowers can be not only white or pink, there are also more saturated shades of pink, yellow and even red. Frangipani is sometimes called red jasmine, and in India this plant is called the Tree of Life.

Beyond frangipani in Thailand on Koh Samui I saw many beautiful tropical flowers, including Bougainvillea. This photo shows how brightly lilac bougainvillea flowers stuck around the neighbor's fence! All the rest, unfortunately, remained anonymous for me. I couldn't find any names on the internet. Perhaps someone knows what these wonderful flowers are? I would be happy if you share the names in the comments

With the help of Oleg's comment, I found out that this beautiful tropical flower is called hibiscus. That's why I see it is familiar to me, but my mother once grew one. Hibiscus tea is also brewed from its petals, another name for the flower is Sudanese rose, Chinese rose.

Tree strewn with different bougainvillea flowers