Wild Brugmansia in Trinidad's rainforest plus other flora!

14 years ago

Hii guys, I went to the Asa Wright Nature Center and Lodge today which is located deep in the rainforest of Trinidad's Northern (mountain) range. One of the main attractions at the Center is the six different types of hummers that inhabit this area. I tried getting pictures of these birds that come to the feeders which are within one foot of visitors, but the pics were all blurred. (Sorry, these hummers just wouldn't stay still). However, on the way there and at the center, I was able to get lots of pics of tropical rainforest plants for you guys. So hope you enjoy these pics as much as I did when I saw them:

Wild costus

I think this is firebush, not sure.

Birds feeding at the centre

Strange plant, first time im seeing this! Seems to resemble a minature medillina magnifica. Grows profusely in the forest.

Monkey vine encountered on one nature trail.

Most exclusively; very hard to find "hot lips"

3 types of ferns

young tree fern

tree fern (if you can see it clearly)

Firespike, not indigenous to Trinidad, naturalized at the center.

wild vervain

another fern that loves to grow along river banks.

Heliconia "Balisier" found everywhere throughout Trinidad and Tobago, wild and uncontrolled.

First time i have seen this species costus with green bracts and white flowers. very tall.

This pic shows one of the panoramic views of the rain forest while on my way. "Christophene" plantation can be seen on the lower part of this pic.

wild begonia

wildflower growing along the roadside.

Chaconia flower (Trinidad's national flower) close up.

More Chaconia

Meandering roads along the slopes of the northern range reveals beautiful chaconias scrambling up the dangerous steep rocky hillsides and in the inaccessible steep valleys in between. However i did manage to get some of the dried flowers, not sure if they contain any seeds yet.

Much anticipated wild brugmansia. (yes and i smuggled a cutting or two :P )

Small waterfall at Asa Wright Nature center.

Siam.

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Comments (23)

daniellalell
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
O man!!! I wanna go!!!! No, I wanna LIVE there!! I'd det up camp right next to that water! lol!
Are you allowed to go for a swim down by the waterfall?? I would SOOO be in there! I am soooo jealous!!
Everything is beautiful, esp the brug!!

thank you so much for sharing your tour and pix with us..amazing!
sibhskylvr
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
lol@ (yes and i smuggled a cutting or two :P ) Trust me Siam - I would have smuggled a cutting or two myself! rofl! Of course - I may have tried for the ENTIRE plant! lol! Beautiful pics! And what a variety of them! Wow! Love the waterfall pics! Nice! Looks like it could be a very quiet & calm place to be! Thanks for sharing your trip with us! Much appreciated!

Mike

PS: the valley pic - awesome!! Lush!
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givelittle_getlots
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
oh Siam...you are sharing a world with us that we or at least I will never get to see. Unless I come visit you after all lol.

You sure do know how to make a gardeners heart beat faster!!
That is amazing of all he beautiful plants that grow wild in your homeland.

THANK YOU for thinking of us again and cross my fingers for the cuttings to root ;-)

Lucy
karyn1
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What wonderful pics. I think I'd have had to help myself to some seed and cuttings as well. lol The medinilla looking plant looks like it could be a Tibouchina but I can't see the flowers well and can't enlarge the pic. BTW my medinilla is in bloom for the first time. The Hot Lips is a very cool looking flower.
rigo74
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sweet!When are we booking the next trip? You can count me in and I know Daniella is in.Plus I want a cutting of everything!LOL Thanks for making my evening with such wonderful pics.

Rigo
eloise_ca
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, thanks Siam for posting your pictures! Truly beautiful, with all that green and blooming flowers! I really like that fern with new red leaves (think I have a similar one trying to keep alive here in this hot place). I bet those hummers were beautiful up-close.
tommysmommy
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey Daniella could I be your roommate when you move down there? Now those pix are the stuff of dreams, esp when you live in Colorado. I'm longing for my yard when I lived in Tampa 15 yrs ago. Siam, you're gonna have to keep us updated on your smuggled cuttings' progress.
siam_cannas
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yes you all should come visit!
Daniella yes you are allowed to go for a swim! Im sure the cuttings would grow :) The hummers were great, i was surprise at how close the were to humans. I have some hummingbird attractive plants at home and there are 1 or 2 that visit my garden daily, but now im gonna start using a feeder as well, hopefully it will attract more, if i can get them to use the feeder. any tips?
rock_oak_deer
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That is amazingly beautiful! Thanks for sharing your pictures with us.
marquest
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Ohhh siam that looks as close to paradise as you can get. Thanks for the pic. I feel calm and happy just looking at the beautiful pics.
givelittle_getlots
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Siam I bought the ready mix packages for hummers. But if I am right, then all they really need is sugar water? The only thing is that they are attracted to RED...food color? But I am sure I read at our forum that someone just uses regular sugar water and they come also.

Hummer pros can you jump in please?

Lucy
rock_oak_deer
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Lucy, most sites recommend against the red dye now although there is some disagreement about whether it is harmful or not. Most feeders for hummers have red trim to attract them. The hummers in my yard are attracted flowers of all colors and right now the light pink salvia and purple ruellia are real hummer magnets.
pearlgirl
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Oooh...Siam! Those pics/plants are so beautiful. I'm
definitely on my way. It has to be like paradise there.
Margaret
givelittle_getlots
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
see I knew someone knows better then I do. I mean I would not use red dye anyways. That was just one of MY THOUGHTS lol.

Glad you chimed in :-)

Besides Siam you have so many Canna's etc. This morning I looked out the window where the canna's are and there they were. The hummers feeding on the canna blooms too :-)

Lucy
siam_cannas
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yep i read its 4 parts water to 1 part sugar, the red colouring is not recommended.

Lucy, yes i know hummingbirds are supposed to be attracted to cannas but strangely, the hummingbirds dont visit my cannas, they only visit my clerodendrum paniculatum. But other small birds visit the cannas, i guess they eat the pollen?

Siam.
figara
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sure it does look like paradise.
Margaret, take me with you.
Thanks Siam for posting the pictures.

Pat
givelittle_getlots
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Siam I guess it is like this...If you have a choice on what to eat from...then the hummers too will go to the one plant that they like better. So in your case it might be just that ;-)

I would just be happy that you do have them around :-)

Lucy
PKponder TX Z7B
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, what a wonderful place to live! Thanks for sharing the beautiful plants and scenery with us!

Pam
gardenpaw
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Siam, Thank you for sharing your pictures with us!
They are gorgeous!
For the hummers I use two cups of water to one cup of sugar
put all in a kettle heat just untill it starts to boil then
remove from the heat and let it cool and fill the feeder.
Karen
marquest
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That is funny I had the red plastic feeder hanging above the cannas and the hummers all went to the cannas. They really liked Bengal Tiger orange flower.
tommysmommy
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey Lucy, chiming in on hummers (although mine are all gone south now), they get sugar water every year starting in May when they come back, 4 parts water to one part sugar, and come back reliably. Both feeders I use have red bases. Later in the season when the flowers are blooming they almost seem to prefer the flowers. I've taken to planting salvias in all shades of red, plus they really love black and blue salvia. Occasionally I'd see them on the passionflowers too, tho, which are lavendar.
Diane
karyn1
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I don't use feeders anymore and honestly get more hummers now then when I used to use them. They seem to go for any tubular/trumpet shaped blooms. They'll be gone from here in a few weeks. Too bad, I love watching them.
sibhskylvr
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Siam

Had to come back & take another look at the 'panoramic views of the rain forest!' I love that pic! lol! Thanks again for posting it/them!

Mike

Wild Brugmansia in Trinidad's rainforest plus other flora!

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