What is a banana republic?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
November 30, 2001
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killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading—>Click here.
Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here. Naturalized Shade Garden—>Click here.
Killer Picks: Tropical Thatch Umbrella Cover, Thatch-Roofed Tiki Bar—>Click here.
Polly in Paradise Parrot Sculpture, Village Garden Well—>Click here.
Tropical Pitcher Plant, Hardy Banana, Windmill Hardy Palm—>Click here.
The banana was unknown in the U.S. until 1870 when Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker purchased 160 bunches in Jamaica and sailed for Jersey City. The bananas were an instant hit and retailed for 10 cents each. (See Plants that Changed History, November 27, 2001)
Minor C. Keith saw dollar signs and went to Costa Rica. There he built a railroad and planted bananas along the railroad easement. He took bananas to the coast, loaded them on ships, and sent them to the U.S and European markets. By 1891, Minor Keith was Major Banana.
Keith then joined with Captain Baker and Andrew Preston to form the Boston Fruit Company. The companies merged by 1899 to form the world's biggest banana--the United Fruit Company. Along with rail lines, the company had telegraph lines and plantations all over Central America. United Fruit owned a fleet of white steamships cleverly called the Great White Fleet.
In 1901, the Guatemalan dictator, Cabrera, granted United Fruit exclusive rights to transport mail between Guatemala and the U.S. Keith formed a subsidiary of United Fruit and built a railroad between Puerto Barrios and the capital, Guatemala City. Cabrera allowed UFCO to purchase land very reasonably and gave the company a land grant 500 yards wide and one mile long on either side of the docks of Puerto Barrios.
If someone wanted to travel in Guatemala, they traveled on UFCO trains. If they wanted to send messages, they telegraphed on UFCO lines. If they wanted to mail a letter, they paid UFCO postage. If they wanted to get on or off a ship in Puerto Barrios, they paid a UFCO tariff to cross those 500 yards. And UFCO was exempt from taxes for 99 years. Whenever there was a change in dictator, Keith made sure the dictator belonged to UFCO.
By 1944, the Guatemalans had...had...it...up...to...here. They overthrew the dictatorship and held an election. They wrote a constitution, set up schools, and began redistributing UFCO land to citizens. By 1954, United Fruit had the U.S. State Department under John Foster Dulles and the CIA under Allen Dulles all upset about those "Communists" practically on the U.S. doorstep.
The Dulles boys really did not need convincing, since Allen had also served on the UFCO Board of Trustees. But they had to sell the President and U.S. taxpayers on a reason for invading Guatemala. And they did!
The University of Pennsylvania has more information about the Guatemalan coup in 1954, click on the link:
http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/guatemala.html
To read more about UFCO and their banana republic from the Guatemalan point of view, click on the link:
http://www.mayaparadise.com/ufc1e.htm
Series: | 1 | | 2 |
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
What is the Fruit of the Wise Men? Herbal Folklore - November 26, 2001
What do bananas and ski resorts have in common? Plants that Changed History - Nov. 27, 2001
Why is the banana like a mule? Weird Plants - November 29, 2001
A tale of fireflies, monkeys, mangroves, bananas, and bats Renfield's Garden - November 28, 2001
Why were bananas sacred? Herbal Folklore - August 25, 2003
Killer Savings Links:
Breck's Bulbs -$25 off—>Click here.
Gurney's Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Henry Fields Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.
Gardens Alive! -$20 off—>Click here.
Michigan Bulb -$20 off—>Click here.
Unique Professionally Designed Gardens
Springhill Nursery®
Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you.
Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
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Tropical Thatch Umbrella Cover
Design Toscano®
Our authentic palm thatch transforms your backyard into a tropical getaway!
Create a lush hideaway in an instant with our one-of-a-kind, hand-tied palm cover that fits over outdoor umbrellas up to 9 feet wide. Imagine yourself transported to an island beach resort, lounging in the cool shade of hand-woven fronds as you watch the mesmerizing tropical waters. Hand-crafted with 14 pounds of real palm fronds, our tropical shade goes great with a weekend mai tai!
Approx. 10 feet dia. 14 lbs.
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Thatch-Roofed Tiki Bar with Four Stools
Design Toscano®
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Imagine yourself festively serving Mai Tais in retro Polynesian style
We were truly amazed that this dead-ringer for bamboo and thatch is actually durable PVC that weathers beautifully through the seasons and the merriment of party guests! Beneath the 7½-foot-tall faux thatched roof, guests will enjoy the Polynesian spirit while perching atop one of the four 30"-tall stools placed along the expansive bar. Amidst details like woven corners and faux bamboo columns, you can conveniently pull stemware down from the glass rack or grab bottles from the storage shelf below.
Set Includes: Bar & 4 Stools
Bar: 60''Wx40"Dx90''H. 190 lbs.
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Polly in Paradise Parrot Sculpture on Ring Perch
Design Toscano®
Create your own colorful tropical paradise with our “Polly” parrot hanging from her own metal ring and chain. Perfect hung near the pool, patio or sunroom, this life-size designer resin sculpture is meticulously hand-painted in all the colors of the rainbow. A Toscano exclusive.
15''Wx5''Dx17½''H. 6 lbs.
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Easter Island Moai Monolith Sculpture
Design Toscano®
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Inspired by the 380 A.D. originals weighing more than 10 tons!
Assumed to be depictions of local chiefs, heroes, or gods, the giant statues on Easter Island are some of the world’s most intriguing archeological artifacts.
Cast in quality designer resin and finished to look like rough, chiseled stone, this exclusive replica sculpture adds a South Seas accent in your home or garden.
Garden: 12½''Wx13''Dx24½''H. 12 lbs.
Click here.
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Tropical Pitcher Plant
Spring Hill Nursery®
This carnivorous tropical plant has long, straplike leaves with red-tinged green pitchers hanging from the tips. The pitchers secrete nectar, attracting insects to them.
An easy-to-grow variety, it provides an exotic look for a container on a deck or patio.
Nepenthes ventricosa
Shipped in 3'' pot.
Zone 10.
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Tropical Pitcher Plant Ships In The Spring
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Unique Characteristics: A tropical plant native to the Highlands of the Philippines. Long strap like leaves with facinating reddish green pitchers hanging from the tips of the leaves. The rim of the pitchers secrete a nectar that attracts insects and has a small 'lid' to keep out excessive rain. Carnivorous plants were once thought to be difficult to grow, but this variety is easy to grow and provides an exotic look for a deck or patio setting in the summer months. Provide bright light and keep evenly moist and you will be rewarded with a tropical beauty.
Additional Information: Don’t use clay pots, they tend to dry out too quickly and salts from the water can accumulate and damage the plants. Rain water or distilled water is best.
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Hardy Banana
Spring Hill Nursery®
Bring the Tropics to your garden! With winter mulching, you can grow this impressive small tree even where temps drop to -20 degrees. Grows 8-10' tall with an equal spread. The Hardy Banana has pale yellow, springtime flowers are followed by decorative (inedible) yellowish-green fruit in summer.
Shipped in 4'' pot.
Musa basjoo Zone 5 to 10.
Hardy Banana Ships In The Spring
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Windmill Hardy Palm
Michigan Bulb®
Highly ornamental fanlike leaves can measure up to 3' wide and create a tropical look for a feature planting.
Grows 15 to 35 feet. Inflorescence 2-3' long. Male and female flowers born on separate plants (dioescious). Potted.
Zones 7 - 10 (sheltered in zone 7).
Plant in a protected site with adequate moisture. Common areas are sheltered courtyards and entryways
This Item Ships In The Spring
Click here - $20 off your first order of $50 or more at Michigan Bulb!
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Unique Characteristics: Tropical palm that can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees F. Highly ornamental palm perfect for a feature planting in a highly visible area. Enjoy tropical looking leaves to create a mediterranean garden. Does not like extremely hot, dry locations as one might think. Can also be planted in large containers. Native to China.
Additional Information: Photo used in the catalog with snow covered palm was taken north of Olympia Washington, January 1998.
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Naturalized Shade Garden
Springhill Nursery®
For tranquil beauty, there's nothing to compare with a naturalized garden in some shady spot—a display that feels as though Mother Nature herself had chosen a complementary selection of shade-loving plants. For this Naturalized Shade Garden, Spring Hill has combined 39 special plants which can transform any shady area of approx. 60 sq. ft. into an island of serene beauty—a blend of textures with inspiring touches of color.
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Included in this garden are three different varieties of hosta, which are delightful in combination with the arching fronds of hardy Ostrich Plume Fern. And for color, there are shade-loving plants which will be in bloom from spring well into late summer. All are easy to plant, and like a true naturalized garden, require only a minimum of care to provide years of charm and beauty. These coordinated plants can be arranged as a border, bed or to bring beauty to a north-facing corner or foundation - a place where you thought nothing except weeds would ever grow!
In this collection you will receive:
3 Ostrich Plume Ferns
1 Pink Bleeding Heart
15 Perennial Lily Bargain Bag
7 Daylily Bargain Bag
3 Mixed Monarda
1 Blue Hosta
1 Green and White Hosta
1 Royal Standard Hosta
1 Pink Dwarf Bleeding Heart
3 Chantreyland Violas
6 Lily-of-the-Valley
3 Forget-Me-Nots
3 Red Coral Bells
1 Garden equals 48 prime-quality plants
(A $151.85 Catalog Value.)
Naturalized Shade Garden Ships In The Spring
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This collection includes:
- Ostrich Plume Fern (3), Luxuriant, graceful fronds reach a length of 24-36'' long and are 18'' wide.
- Pink Bleeding Heart (1), Long, arching sprays drip with dozens of inflated pink heart-shaped flowers with dainty white tears.
- Perennial Lily Bargain Bag (15), Asiatic lily varieties produce rich colored blooms.
- Daylily Bargain Bag (7), The mainstay of the summer garden!
- Mixed Monarda (3), A delightful mixture of white, pink, purple and red flower heads adorn gardens and borders for weeks.
- Blue Hosta (1), Unusually large, blue-green leaves. Lavender blooms. This is a low maintenance ground cover.
- Green and White Hosta (1), Two-tone ornamental with lilac flowers grows 15-20'' tall. Is a low maintenance ground cover.
- Royal Standard Hosta (1), Shapely, lush foliage. Scented white flowers. Grows 24-30'' tall, 48'' across. Is a low maintenance ground cover.
- Pink Dwarf Bleeding Heart (1), Super-hardy, carefree plant is covered with pink pendant flowers spring through early summer, again in fall.
- Chantreyland Viola (3), "Everblooming" variety brings reliable rays of sunshine from early spring through summer.
- Lily-of-the-Valley (6), Clusters of fragrant white bells on 8-10'' stems appear in mid to late spring amid emerald-green leaves.
- Forget-Me-Nots (3), Decorative, low-growing perennial is loaded with hundreds of bright blue flowers.
- Red Coral Bells (3), Graceful 15-20'' spikes with crimson flowers above mounds of light foliage .
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