Madeira. Susanne Lipps
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hairs. The shining blossoms hang down in dense panicles that reach up to 6 cm (2,5‘‘) long and resemble tubes or funnels.
Site:
On Madeira, the Golden Shower is most likely to be cultivated on walls, fences and pergolas. It grows mainly in the south of the island, up to an altitude of about 350 m (385 yd.). You will often find it both in private gardens and in pub-lic parks (e.g. Botanical Garden, Funchal, 190).
Interesting to know:
The Golden Shower is native to Brazil. Now-adays it is cultivated globally in tropical and subtropical countries. Golden Shower is part of the Bignonia family (Bignoniaceae). The Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis), plant native to South Africa, which blossoms all year round, is as well assigned to this group. You can also find this poorly climbing shrub being cultivated on Madeira, often next to the Golden Show-er. Its leaves are organized in groups of 6-9; its blossoms are also forming dense panicles. They grow upright and open to showy funnels.
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In the Gardens
Mexican Bread fruit
Monstera deliciosa
Bloom time
From June to September.
Characteristics
Branches of this climber can be more than 10 m (11 yd.) tall and develop numerous aerial roots. The giant leaves are firstly heart-shaped, later they become perforated with holes or pinnately lobed. The cream-coloured spadix is up to 25 cm (10‘‘) long and half cov-ered with a thick, white bract.
Site:
In the south of Madeira you will frequently see the Mexican Bread Fruit in various parks and private gardens up to an altitude of 400 m (440 yd.). You can for example encounter it in the Jardim Municipal (198) and in the Botanical Garden (190) in Funchal. It does not only climb along trees but also along walls and fences.
Interesting to know:
The plant is native to Mexico. In summer, the plant develops an edible spadix out of each in-florescence. In Portugal, this fruit is called “fruto delicioso” (delicious fruit) and valued as a deli-cacy. The spadix consists of numerous fleshy, hexagonal cells that mature little by little from the bottom to the top. The taste ranges be-tween a banana and a pineapple. Nevertheless you have to take care: the fruit contains oxalic acid that might cause irritations of the mucous membrances. On the market in Funchal the fruits are offered to the tourist for tidy prices.
45
In the Gardens
Fan Aloe
Aloe plicatilis
Bloom time
April and May.
Characteristics
The plant only grows up to 2 m (6,6‘) tall but develops a thick trunk from which emerge numerous branch-es with a crest of long, fleshy, grey-green leaves at the end of each. The leaves are organized in two oppo-site files. The red racemes resemble pointed cones and grow upright on thin stalks.
Site:
The Fan Aloe origins from South Africa. In the south of Madeira it is cultivated up to an altitude of 400 m (440 yd.) and decorates both private gar-dens and parks. Some especially beautiful spec-imens are growing in the succulent plants sec-tion in the Botanical Garden (190) of Funchal.
Interesting to know:
The Fan Aloe was already introduced to Europe in the 17th century and since then has been very popular as a container plant. Outdoors it only flourishes all year round in habitats without any frost. Together with Barbados Aloe (85), the Fan Aloe counts among the species from which aloe resin is extracted. The resin is produced by squeezing the sap from the leaves and thickening it. Mixed with sulphuric acid the aloe resin can be employed as dye. Occasionally it is still used as a laxative. For this effect it was indispensable in former times when defeca-tion was the basis of every medical treatment.
46
In the Gardens
Sword Aloe
Aloe arborescens
Bloom time
From October to February.
Characteristics
The slender, fleshy leaves have serrated margins. They are organized in dense rosettes with a diameter of about 50 cm (20‘‘). Several rosettes are situated on each of the short, branched trunks. Long stalks with various cone-shaped, shining red flowers emerge out of every rosette.
Site:
In the southern coastal regions the Sword Aloe is one of the most popular ornamen-tal plants lining the roadsides (up to an alti-tude of 600 m (656 yd.), although mostly on a lower level). It is often cultivated in gar-dens, parks and around special points of view. Sometimes it becomes wild in fallow land.
Interesting to know:
The Sword Aloe is native to South Africa. The remaining 200 Aloe species are also originating from Africa, Madagascar and Arabia. Although on the first sight you may observe a striking sim-ilarity with Agaves, the two genera are only dis-tant relatives. The latter’s habitat is restricted on the regions between the south of the U. S. A. and South America. Anyway, both genera were lead independently to similar adaptations and to a similar outer appearance by comparable living conditions in interim habitats between savannah and desert (thorn bush savannah).
47
In the Gardens
Bear’s Breech
Acanthus mollis
Bloom time
From May to July.
Characteristics
The herbal plant develops candle-shaped inflorescences that grow up to 1 m (3,3‘) tall. The tongue-shaped single blooms are whitish with pur-ple veins. The superior lobe of the calyx is remarkably enlarged. The large, dark green leaves are strongly lobed and have substantial leaf veins.
Site:
You will mostly find Bear’s Breech in gardens in the south of the island, up to an altitude