The flowers are hidden inside the waxy, specialized, bright leaves called bracts. The hanging row of inflorescences is called a panicle. Commonly known as lobster-claws and toucan beaks, these red and yellow oddities can be found in our Kapnick Brazilian Garden. Often mistaken for bananas, plants from the Heliconia genus have some of the strangest flowers in the Garden.

You can find Colville’s Glory in Irma’s Garden it is best observed from the Chuck and Jane Berger Shop in the Garden entrance.

The tree thrives in Southwest Florida as our dry and wet seasons mimic the conditions of its native habitat. The foot-long clusters open to show off varying shades of red and yellow. You can enjoy them even before they bloom, as the buds themselves are bright orange. These are Colville’s glory ( Colvillea racemosa), native to the woodlands of Madagascar. Take a walk through the Garden in late fall to early winter, and you may see beautiful bunches of orange flowers. Tucked amid the foliage are reds, yellows, and oranges. The downside: no fall colors - or are there?Įxamine the Garden closely during the fall months. South Florida is the land of perpetual summer.

Red button ginger edible