tropical tree, shurb and vine photos and descriptions athttp://www.flowersofindia.net/index.htmlWhile the site is Indian, like the Philippines, tropical plants from all over the world are enjoyed there. We love our copy of the bookTropical Plants for Home and Gardenby William Warren and published by Thames and Hudson.

Morning Glory Bush (Ipomoea carnea), San Juan Street, Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines. Thanks to Wendy for the ID!

Peacock Flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), San Juan Street, Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines

Peacock Flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), San Juan Street, Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines

Flame Tree (Delonix regia) San Juan Street, Iloilo City Philippines

Acacia tree in blossom, March 2013, Bagumbayan, Tigbauan, Iloilo Philippines

Flame Tree (Delonix regia) San Juan Street, Iloilo City Philippines

Golden Shower Tree (Cassia fistula) Silay, Negros Occidental, Philippines. In the Philippines known asKanya Pistula, Lombayong or Bistula.

Guava, San Miguel, Iloilo, Philippines

Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalenis), Nogas Island, Antique Province, PhilippinesGiant Balete Tree on Nogas Island. Also called Ficus or Banyan tree Lunok in Ilonggo. Continue walking beyond the Nogas Island lighthouse and youll come to this tree. This tree is thought by many Filipinos to be a home to various spirit beings, mostly troublesome. My urbane Ilonggo companions seemed a bit uncomfortable and repeatedly asked the spirits to excuse them (tabi, tabi, tabi) for intruding.

Dwarf Coconut trees line the Tigbauan-Leon Road, Tigbauan, Iloilo. PhilippinesThe dwarf coconut trees are amazingly fast growing. The trees shown above are probably about three years old. They may flower and produce a prodigious number of fruit per year, as much as 250.

Yellow Bells, Yellow Trumpet Tree (Tecoma stans), Rizal Avenue, Arevalo, Iloilo City, Philippines

Indonesian Jasmine, San Juan Street, Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines

Bougainvillea, Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, PhilippinesBougainvillea is named for the French navigator Louis de Bougainville who found the plant in Brazil during the 18th century.

Bougainvillea covered wall, Alta Vista, Cebu City, Philippines

Caryota or Fishtail Palm, Bacolod, Philippines

Manila or Christmas Palm

Screw Pine (Pandanus), Nogas Island, Antique Province, Philippines

Ixora (in the Philippines, Santan). Native to India. A very common low hedge in the Philippines.

Firecracker Plant (Coral Plant) Russelia equisetiformis, Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines. Native to Mexico.

Heliconia, Hanging Lobsterclaw (Heliconia rostrata).Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines

Heliconia Golden Torch, incorrectly called Bird of Paradise? Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines

Purple Allamanda (A. violacea), a close relative of the Golden Trumpet. San Juan St., Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines

Desert Rose (Adenium obesum). Native to Arabia. Highly toxic sap. Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines

Golden Trumpet (Allamanda), a vigorous vine, very popular in the Philippines. Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines

Bengal Trumpet Vine (Thunbergia grandiflora). Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines, the only place Ive seen this plant.

Hibiscus called Gumamela in the Philippines.

Hibiscus a thousand variants of this popular and prolific flowering plant in the Philippines

Canna Lily, Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines. A native of the Americas but popular in Philippine gardens and roadsides.

Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), native to America.

Water Lily (Nymphaea capensis), Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City, Philippines

Pink Olasiman (Portulaca oleracea) aka Gulasiman, Sahikan or Ngalug in the Philippines. Guimaras Island

Purple Wreath, Queens Wreath or Sandpaper Vine (Petrea volubilis).

Bromeliads, one of them is Bromeliad Vriesea Evita.Ayala North, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines

Orchid (Dendrobium?), San Miguel, Iloilo, Philippines

Kang Kong (Ipomea aquatica)flowers on our Tigbauan property not a garden flower exactly! The native Kang Kong have thepurplish flowers shown here whereas our Chinese Kang Kong has white blossoms. Kang Kong grows profusely here and is a popular vegetable cooked in a variety of ways. Other names in other places: Kankon (Japanese); ung choi (Cantonese Chinese); toongsin tsai (Mandarin Chinese); ong choy, ungtsai, tung choy (China); kang kong (Filipino, Malaysian); kang kung, rau muong (Vietnamese); pak bung (Thai).

Madagascar Periwinkle (Vinca rosea)This hardyperennial is everywherein Tigbauan. We transplanted this one to our lot.

Galphimia Vine (Tristellateia australasiae)We bought this shrub in Villa, Iloilo. Its planted on our Tigbauan property. We love it. It just blooms and blooms. Does anyone know the local name?

Golden Arrow or Gilded Spoon (Plumeria pudica). In the Philippines, we call Plumeria flowers Kalachuchi/kalatsutsi regardless of specie/variety.In our garden, Tigbauan, Iloilo. Ours grow to about 7 tall. When they are that tall the beautiful white blooms are hard to see. Perhaps they should be pruned to a more bushy shape.

Another view of Plumeria pudica Frangipani

Lantana (our garden, Tigbauan, Iloilo)

Mansoa alliacea Garlic Vine Our garden, Tigbauan Iloilo. One of the mostspectaculargarden vines. Originally from the American tropics.

We get back from the Pavia Garden shop

The annual Jaro Flower Show is a great place to buy flowers and shrubs. Its held in early February every year at the Jaro plazaWe bought this plant at a wonderful roadside rest area on the National Highway between San Jose Antique and Iloilo City, in the municipality of Hamtic. The rest area has parking and clean restrooms. What a rare pleasure. They also sell plants. Bob spotted this one and its now planted in our garden. We have no idea what it is. Any suggestions?

Blue Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata). Originally from South Africa, his flower is very common in our part of the Philippines, especially in hanging planters. Thanks to Rosalie Bulandos for ID of this flower.rosalie bulandosrosalie bulandos

Heliconia Firebird, Guimaras Island

Fruit of our Kafir lime tree

Young cassava plant

Cassava tubers from our garden

Carol grating cassava root to make cassava suman glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, and steamed in banana leaves

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia panciflora). Its VERY fragrant. On first day is lavender, fades to almost pure white after three days. In our Tigbauan, Iloilo garden.

Kopsia (Kopsia fruticosa). Locally called a jasmine. Pleasing open shape. About 6 high. In our Tigbauan, Iloilo garden.

Heliconia wagneriana our garden in Tigbauan, IloiloCroton Stoplight (?) Crotons are native to India. An almost endless number of varieties are available in the Philippines.

Breadfruit fruit. We had long wanted to have a breadfruit tree on our lot as they are an exceptionally beautiful tree, with big multi-lobe leaves. We had been unable to find one for sale. On a trip to Iloilo City, we saw a big breadfruit tree. Carol spied a breadfruit lying on the sidewalk below it. I slammed on the brakes and got out of the car to get the fruit. Some guys were lounging there who had two more of the fruits. They gave them to me with a smile and would not accept any payment. We were excited to get home,extractthe seeds and plant them. Carol sliced the fruit open. There were no seeds! A bit of internet research told us that that somebreadfruitvarietiesare seedless and have to be propagated by other means. A few weeks later we saw a breadfruit at the market. This one proved to be the seeded type. We planted the seeds and the germinated quickly.

Our baby breadfruit tree, in a few years hopefully it will grow up to be a beautiful shade tree in our front yard.