The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-01-18
BY a. II. ANDREWS. Editor
rhe American Eagle" Estero. Fla.

Yields the Kapok of commerce),
with a trunk diameter of fully
two feet and spread of more
than fifty feet. The leaves, al
most without exception, are COM
prised of seven evenly spaced
leaflets. A characteristic of this
species is the heavily buttresSed
trunk, the long tapering surface
roots extending many feet along
the ground level like writing
serpentS. This species is seldom
encountered in Florida, though l
know of four other members of
the Bombacaceae family that are
more commonly met with, these
being Bombax malabaricum, the
ChoriSia, the Pachira and the Bal
sa. The Chorisia is often mistak-
en- for a true Ceiba by people who
call it the "Kapok Tree.
Also noted along the parkway
between sidewalk and curb was
a Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans)
in bloom, if bloom it may be call
ed. Here and there beneath the
leaves were noted small red fruits,
about the size and appearance of
an immature blackberry, for you
know that, according to accepted
usage, it is entirely correct to
state that blackberry is usually
red when it's green. The sap and
the fruits are said to be poison
Gus, even causing blindness when
coming in contact with the eye.
Round, flattened seedpods later
form, reminding one much of two
cupped together. When
fully ripe they explode with
loud noise, scattering the seeds in.
every direction. Trunk of the
tree is armored with blunt spines,
much resembling those of the
Chorisia.
Aside from the Breadfruit Tree
saw nothing different from the
tropical flora that is found in
sheltered areas of the South
mainland, though in this
area they grow to ire
nendous size,-well branched
Cacti of several varieties, 20 feet
nigh; a Frangipani Tree usually
A bush with uS) with trunk ten
inches in diameter and fully
twenty feet high; a fine Geiger
Tree in full bloom with its snowy
orange red flowers,-native of the
over Florida coastal hammocks, |
out seldom seen in cultivation.
Visitors Enthuse
In wandering about without a |
,uide to point out the outstand-
ng horticultural features one is |
greatly handicapped and loses
much time. You can't observe
in detail when driving
and you may walk your legs off
n Strolling block after block ind
his quite sizeable city and miss
many an interesting sight. There
are some, no doubt, with Suffi-
Gent knowledge of plant lore who
could act in the capacity of guides,
if one knew where to find them, !
out for the most part Key West l
residents take their horticulturall
n marian
course. 1t is mainly the visitors
who enthuSe.
In desperation l sought infor-
nation as to the whereabouts of
some outstanding tropical garden
and finally learned that that of
Mrs. A. J. Mills on Angela Street
was one of the show places of the
town. l phoned the lady, identi-
flying myself as a perpleXed and
scribe in a strange city
who desired to behold the tropical
beauty of her garden and was
kindly granted the freedom of the
premises.
Though near the heart of the
city with its busy passing throng,
once within the confines of this
old walled garden one feels an
from the noise and
hustle of city streets in the quiet
and peaceful pastoral scene. The
charm of the place is in the in
formality of the landScaping,-
nothing in stiff, straight lines like
soldiers on parade, but maSSed
paintings of Shrubbery in varying
around the outer walls,
with little wooded strands and
open viStaS here and there toward
the center of the plot. giving the
not of artificiality, but
like TopSy, that it 'jes' growed."
The piece de resistance" of
this garden is doubtless the
Breadfruit Tree, to my mind one
of the most outstanding beautiful
tropical fruiting trees. with foil
age somewhat resembling gigantic
oak leaves, some twelve or more
inches in length and of a light
gloosy green shade. This and
several other specimens are said
to have fruited in Key West. They
are very tender, however, and
none, as far as known, have grown
to maturity on the mainland of
Florida.
Names Plants
| took no notes at the time. but
among the many plants that l re-
call at this late date as having
seen in this tropical garden were:
ParkinSonia, CariSSa, Governors
Plum. Surinam Cherry. Sausage