Website updated:
07/04/2009
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What is in the Exotic Rainforest? ....and a whole lot more!
The International Aroid Society Show and Sale
September 19th & 20, 2009
Need help finding what you are seeking? Here are some
suggestions:
If you are seeking information on a specific plant, either by common name or the scientific name, click on Plants in the Collection in the gold box at the top of this homepage, a list will pop up. You may need to read carefully to find the common name since we always list the scientific name first. For an overview of our private botanical garden, click on the the Rain Forest Tour. Most people are very surprised to find a flourishing tropical rain forest in NW Arkansas since we have hosted as many as 60 people on weekends! There is never a charge! If a search engine brought you here the chances are high the information you seek is here. You may simply need to look around a bit! Sorry, the Exotic Rainforest does not sell plants.
Firefox users: For
some reason Firefox scrambles some pages.
The Exotic
Rainforest
We collect: Click the image for a larger view!
Our newest display....an epiphytic tree!
Many plant articles are listed to the right just below.
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A Rainforest in Arkansas? If you would like to see larger versions of the photos below, simply click on the rain forest tour at the completion of this introduction.
The jungles and rain forests of the Caribbean, South America, Central
America,
S.E. Asia and the tropical Pacific are alive with a varied selection of unusual
and often rare plants. Regrettably, too many of the
world's rain forests
are being destroyed and my grandchildren may never see one. Fortunately, my work as a commercial and
underwater photographer took me on journeys to many of these exotic destinations. In the years that followed
our first visit I was privileged to
make hundreds of flights to countries around the world that still have living,
thriving rain forests.
Living in Miami, Florida at the time I had the
perfect location to house my collection of plant species. Everything lived in my yard,
and
my entire ½ acre was landscaped with three tropical ponds with flowering water
lilies and hundreds upon hundreds of
exotic aroids and other rare plants.
The vast majority of our specimens are planted in the ground which was specially
prepared to be "tropical" before planting.
You can read how we created it by clicking here.
We have not only exotic plants, but also tropical birds, tropical tree
frogs, tropical anoles (small
We don't attempt to make a living from the sale of specimens. This site was created to give my adult daughters some insight as to "what is what" in the collection since I know I won't be here to care for them forever. The site was designed to give them a "note book" to which they can refer along with my photos. Hopefully you will find the information of value as well.
I attempt to verify all my facts botanically, but I'm not a botanist. I'm also certain I make errors. If you find one please drop me a note and I'll research it further. I sometimes get email telling me the name I use or some fact is in error. That's possible, but virtually all have been verified from botanical sources and many pages are proofed by botanists. I rarely use the internet for an ID since many plants are incorrectly identified on the net and I certainly don't use some of the "popular" plant books including Exotica and Tropica which are known by botanists to be filled with ID errors. Mr. Graf, who was the writer of both, was a horticulturist and collector, not a botanist. He did a great thing by making all of us aware of the thousands of tropical species in the world, but regrettably his texts are filled with errors that his publishers make no effort to correct. Mr. Graf has been deceased for many years, but his books continue in popularity. I'll gladly give you botanical sources that will verify the fact a great deal of his information is inaccurate and many names simply do not exist in science. They were simply "made up" by someone! You will find I often point out "bad name" errors on the pages of this site.
There are still approximately 100
plant species in the collection not
photographed and
If you are visiting, or live near the Northwest Arkansas area, and you love exotic plants as much as we do you are welcome to visit. On the more than 350 pages on this website you'll find information including tips on how to care for many of the Philodendron, Anthurium, orchids, aroids and others we collect. If you plan to visit NW Arkansas call anytime to see what's in bloom. There is no charge to visit the garden. And by the way Tom. I built the Exotic Rainforest! Our private rain forest is now a living feature in NW Arkansas!
A kind word from Robert
Vincent Sims, The Garden Rebel:
The Exotic Rainforest is primarily
a rare plant collection!
Photographs on The Exotic
Rainforest
Steve & Janice Lucas
Email:
MAPS AND DIRECTIONS to the Exotic Rainforest * The background sounds of the Exotic Rainforest Private Botanical Garden are professionally recorded and used with the permission of Andrew Skeoch & Sarah Koschak's Listening Earth. You can listen to samples and CD's of many different rainforest sounds on their website: http://www.listeningearth.com.au/
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Philodendron mamei André
Philodendron cordatum Common names: Philodendron Angra dos Reis, Heart Leaf Philodendron (not Philodendron scandens, not Philodendron oxycardium Philodendron 'Marijke' A putative hybrid of Philodendron goeldii G.M. Barroso and Philodendron solimoesense A.C. Sm. (Albert Charles Smith) from the collection of Joep Moonen in French Guiana
Philodendron
martianum
Engl.
Philodendron
cordatum
Kunth
Synonym: Arum cordatum Common names" Philodendron 'Angra dos Reis' and Heart Leaf Philodendron (not Philodendron scandens, nor Philodendron oxycardium) Non-scientific names found on the internet: Huperzia nummularifolius Lycopodium nummularifolia Common names: Tassel Fern, Club Moss, Fir Moss
Philodendron williamsii
Articles you may enjoy
reading on the
Learn about the
Rare Thailand Parrot Flower
Growing Anthurium Species
Are
Philodendron sp. Poisonous? Can
Some Tropical Plants Really Harm You? Confused about the real name for Philodendron micans and Philodendron scandens? Read how we found out. Are Philodendron panduriforme and Philodendron bipennifolium the same plant?
The
Confusion over
Natural variation and
morphogenesis within species. Anthurium hookeri Maybe you're growing it...... and maybe you aren't! A verified photograph, and the berries aren't red! Trying to Buy Anthurium seeds? Need Help with a Tropical Plant? We may be able to help!
Is
the plant you bought really Philodendron spiritus-sancti? Not
Likely! (Click here)
The Curse of the Common Name!
Will Green Light Kill
Your Plants?
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