Exotic Edibles
Plants verified safe for pets and exotic animals
Apple or Manzano Banana – Musa spp. Origin: Asia (Probably) The name of this wonderful banana pretty much says it all…delicious! Living in the northern climes has pretty much discouraged any ideas that I had about growing bananas which actually…
Areca Palm – Chrysalidocarpus lutescenss Origin: Madagascar Also known as the Yellow Palm or Butterfly Palm, the Areca Palm is one of the most popular houseplants. Rightly so since this graceful palm is very tolerant of living indoors. It also…
Purple Majesty Ornamental Millet – Pennisetum glaucum Origin: USA This winner of the 2003 All-America Selections committee is indeed a very special plant. Not only did this millet win the Gold Medal, which is awarded typically only once or twice…
Wild Ginger – Asarum canadense Origin: North America Traditionally one of the mainstays during holiday times is gingerbread…houses, men, etc. I’m going to put a new spin on things by suggesting gingerbread with a twist, Wild Gingerbread. To get the…
Winter Squash – Cucurbita maxima Origin: Mexico This month will focus on a particular group of plants within a genus, the winter squash. They differ from summer squash in that it is harvested and consumed in the mature stage, when…
Ice Cream “Blue Java” Banana – Musa spp. Origin: Unknown One of the best tasting bananas….ever! The fruit when ripe looks like ice cream with just enough acidity to offset the sweetness for a really interesting taste. The Ice…
Chive: Allium schoenoprasum Origin: Unknown, possibly Asia Each spring I’m surprised to find my little pot of chive has survived another long cold winter. Over the years, I’ve done little or no mulching but my trusty chive plant not only…
White Dragonflower:Physostegia virginiana alba Origin: Virginia, USA Want to attract butterflies to your garden? Then why not add White Dragonflowers to your outdoor plantings this spring. An easy care perennial, this attractive plant will produce spikes of unusual snapdragon-like white…
Dwarf Korean Lilac – Syringa meyeri Origin: China In my part of the country, we are finally starting to dig out from underneath the snow. One of the events that signals Spring has officially arrived is the blooming of the…
Orchid Trees – Bauhinia ssp. Origin: India, China, and Madagascar Here’s a genus of plants that are definitely favorites. Bauhinias were named in honor of the brothers Bauhin, who were Swiss botanists of the 16th to 17th century. The common…
Stevia – Stevia rebaudiana Also known as Caa’he-e (Ca-he-he) by South American Indians Origin – Paraguay and Brazil This herb which grows wild as a small shrub is one of the world’s sweetest kept secrets. It’s leaves have been used…
Bolivian Rainbow Chile Pepper – Capsicum frutescens Origin: South America These versatile veggies are definitely for the birds! In addition to being rich in vitamins A & C, peppers have been recognized as containing digestive aids, anti-inflammatory properties,and arthritic relief.…