The Seedy Business explores the tropics, seeking out the seeds of rare and beautiful plants.
02/19/2023
Bougainvillea, a genus of vine-like shrubs, splashes color throughout Lamu Island. Native to South America, the tropical plant has inconspicuous flowers that are surrounded by large bracts (modified leaves) in bright shades like magenta, growing into chromatic cascades.
02/10/2023
A donkey lounges on the island of Lamu.
01/28/2023
Kevo's first pizza!
01/15/2023
Always stimulating to consider the pendulous fruit of the sausage tree, Kigelia africana! This species is mostly pollinated by bats, with its maroon flowers adapted to the shape of their fuzzy snouts.
Fresh seeds now available: theseedybusiness.com/seeds/kigelia-africana
01/05/2023
Caught a view of Lake Victoria from this back road through Daraja Mbili.
01/22/2022
With a picturesque umbrella-shaped crown often wider than the tree's height, Vachellia sieberiana has a magnificent silhouette on the African savanna.
Seeds now available at theseedybusiness.com/seeds/vachellia-sieberiana
01/22/2022
Widely used in traditional medicine, Kigelia africana is also known as the sausage tree for its pendulous, sausage-shaped fruits that can weigh up to 30 lbs!
Seeds now available at theseedybusiness.com/seeds/kigelia-africana
08/09/2021
Fresh seeds of the iroko tree (Milicia excelsa) are now available! This sought-after timber tree has another power: it can turn sunlight into stone through the process of biomineralization. Read more about this ecologically important species in “A Tree Made of Stone: Milicia excelsa”, linked below.
theseedybusiness.com/seeds/milicia-excelsa
theseedybusiness.com/blog/a-tree-made-of-stone-milicia-excelsa
06/08/2021
Telfairia pedata seeds are available again for a limited time! This East African liana is known for its edible seeds called oysternuts, and the pink-fringed flowers make it a desirable ornamental.
theseedybusiness.com/seeds/telfairia-pedata
03/15/2020
Endemic to the volcanic mountains of Costa Rica, the tree Parmentiera valerii is known for its abundance of large, elongated fruits that grow directly out of its trunk. The fruit is also a favorite meal for tapirs in the region. Seeds now available!
theseedybusiness.com/seeds/parmentiera-valerii
11/01/2019
The crepe ginger (Cheilocostus speciosus), named for the crinkled texture of its flowers resembling crepe paper, grows spirals of leaves on corkscrew-shaped stems. Translucent white flowers emerge from maroon cone-shaped bracts.
Seeds now available at theseedybusiness.com/seeds/cheilocostus-speciosus