San Felipe is the center of a living museum that has witnessed the passage of a continuum of men, women and children for the past 2- to 3,000 years. Whereas evidence of their existence remains in most of the canyons draining the nearby Sierra San Pedro Martir, it stands in abundance in shell mounds lining […]
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Petr Myska probably didn’t think that the book he was writing would be threatened with extinction even before some of the species that were featured in his publication. Myska’s work was published in 2007 as A Field Guide to the Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals of Western Mexico. In short form, it is known as “Viva Natura.” […]
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As the world’s environment deteriorates, some of Mexico’s streets and plazas are stepping back toward better ecosystems by going native. Curiously, most ornamental plant species in many Mexican cities are not at all Mexican, but rather, introduced, or exotic, species. However, that’s changing as some Mexican city planners are going native and helping their cities […]
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Nochebuena, the Mexican name of the flower English-speakers call poinsettia, was discovered in Taxco and the valleys surrounding Cuernavaca. Known by the Aztecs in their native Nahuatl language as cuetlaxochitl, it is believed that they brought the plant from the tropical climate of Cuernavaca to their Aztec highlands for cultivation in special nurseries. Prized in […]
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The masses of beautiful violet and yellow flowers of the water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes) add an attractive splash of colour in the Lake Chapala landscape during the rainy season but the lirio as the locals call it, is a serious problem for many of their economic activities. The hyacinth was first described in 1824, in Brazil. In […]
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Blue can be compelling as the neon flash of a bird’s wing, or quiet as a cloud, but it is never unnerving, always drawing the viewer to relax and witness its timeless grace. In music, blues are associated with longing, unfortunate choices, and heartbreak. Fortunately, the color blue often alludes to much more positive things […]
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The next time you find yourself in a tropical or subtropical zone, take a closer look at some of the large and lovely foliage. One of the most delightful surprises of any tropical vacation is recognizing familiar faces in new surroundings. When it comes to the familiar “faces” of your houseplants, you may do a […]
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Three beautiful options for your tropical garden in Mexico are the acalypha, anthurium and sago palm. Family: Euphorbiaceae Alternate Names: Beefsteak Plant, Red Hot Cat’s Tail, Fire Dragon Plant, Copper Leaf Use: This is an eye-catching hedge or background plant, including the A. hispida (photograph) and the A. wilkesiana, a tall shrub with variegated leaves related to the poinsettia. The copper leaf […]
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Three beautiful options for your tropical garden in Mexico are the allamanda, tulipan and zamia. Family: Apocynaceae Alternate Names: Golden Trumpet, Bush Allamanda Use: The allamanda is grown as an informal fence in tropical climates, and as a houseplant elsewhere. It is excellent for use in planter boxes, especially when used with other brightly colored flowers for contrast. […]
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Three beautiful options for your tropical garden in Mexico are the triangle palm, yucca and thunbergia. Family: Arecaceae Alternate Names: Neodypsis decari Use: Bold and formal, this fast growing palm makes an excellent accent plant in open space. Its three planed leaf base provides the name, for the leaves emerge from a triangular formation. The leaves are a […]
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