My Rain Forrest Adventure

I have been on vacation for for the past 10 days making a stop in Belize, Honduras, and Grand Cayman. I have taken 100's of pictures and will be doing each location as a post starting with Belize. 5 years ago I met Reggie in Belize he picked us up and gave us the tour of the country.3 trips back now and Reggie picks us up and gives us and adventure every time. This time I told him I wanted to go in the Rain Forrest and explore. That is what he gave me! WOW just 5 days ago I was stomping thru the Jungle! And now here I am back in the office in my house.

The road to the parkAttalea cohune
American Oil Palm

Bromeliad growing on the side of a Attalea cohune

Myself with an NOID yet Sabal

And the next few palms are still not IDed yet. Feel free to name that palm.

This is the trunk of the palm above. It had a nice little Bromeliad growing on it

Belize national Flower the Black OrchidThe entrance to a cave we tube downTermite nestbromeliad growing in the jungle

Pictures from the river we tubed down

New Palms Seeds and Spouts

Over the past few weeks I have collected seeds from several palms, I have traded seeds with my new friend Brian in the O-Town, and also a friend from India named Kris mailed me seeds. So I have had lots of preperation to do. I have open the seed room back up for the winter and have a heater on a thermostat that I can set for 80 degrees. I have a thermometer showing a 80-81.7 degrees in the old shower stall. Here are my pictures they have been taken over the past few weeks.

Seed Stall

The first trade with Brian netted 10 Old Man Palm Seeds along with the other named seeds

The Corypha macropoda seeds from Kris in India.

Syagrus schizophylla seeds and a pot of Livistona australis seeds

Seed List started 11/17/08

Livistona australis seeds

Chamaedorea seifrizii and Chamaedorea costaricana

Ptychosperma elegans Solitaire Palm

This has Copernicia alba top left, Thrinax radiata top right, Sabal causiarum bottom right, Vietchia ??? bottom left

Syagrus schizophylla Arikury seeds germinated!

Coccothrinax crinita Old Man Palm seeds germinated!

Chamaedorea microspadix Hardy Bamboo Palm sprouts!

A Few Blooming Vanda Orchids

These Vanda orchids are growing in the Crapemyrtle tree on the SE corner of the house. I have posted these orchids separately a few other times but I have 3 blooming at the same time for the first time with another in spike. Here are the pictures of these beautiful Blooming Vanda Orchids!

Vanda Pachara Delight

Ascocenda Betty May Steel x Vanda Kasem's Delight Blue hybrid

Vanda Kinzwueker x Ascocenda Guo Chai Long

The Secret Palm Garden...Trip 2 part 1

I was fortunate enough to make another trip to the Secret Palm Garden. I met the lady in charge of maintaining the property. She was so nice. I have arranged with her to help id all of the palms in the community. In exchange for collecting some of the seeds. I have a specialist in mind to bring back with me on the next trip back to confirm id's with me. There are palms scattered everywhere. The community was advertised in the 80's as live in a botanical garden. This place is packed full of the rare and unusual plants and palms. I have taken some more pics of palms I came across this trip. There is still much more to explore. I will id the the few that I know as I go.

Walking to the entrance of 1 of the trails.

The trees that border the homes and the trail

The entrance to 1 of the walking trailsThen you exit to the clubhouse entrance

Copernicia baileyana - Bailey Palm

Copernicia macroglossa - Cuban Petticoat Palm

Just an assortmentPhoenix rupicola - Cliff Date PalmPhoenix reclinata - Senegal Date Palm

Latania Palm ???