Category Archives: Vegetation

African Daisy

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African Daisy

Don’t get dazy with daisies.

  • African daisies are flowering plants from the sunflower and daisy family, Calenduleae and include approximately 50 species.
  • African daisies are also known as South African, Cape or blue eyed daisies.
  • The scientific name of the African daisy is Osteospermum and all plants in this species are perennials although they do not like freezing conditions.
  • The scientific name of the African daisy, Osteospermum, comes from the Greek and Latin words ‘osteon’, meaning bone, and  ‘spermum’,  meaning seed.
  • African daisies have white, cream, pink, purple, mauve or yellow flowers

African Daisy, Cape, Pink, White, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • The perennial African daisies, Osteospermum, are often confused with the annual, Dimorphotheca, which have a more orange and yellow flower colour range.
  • African daisies are native to Africa.
  • Some cultivars of the African daisy have fascinating spoon shaped petals.
  • African daisies thrive in sunny and warm habitats.
  • New species of the African daisy are still been discovered.
Bibliography:
Osteospermun 19 January 2013 , Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteospermum>

Grevillea

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Grevillea

There not the best brush!

  • There are over 360 species of grevillea.
  • Grevillea are evergreen, flowering plants from the family “Proteaceae’.
  • Grevillea can grow from 50 cm (20 inches) to 35 meters (115 feet) tall.
  • Grevillea is native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Sulawesi and Indonesia.
  • Grevillea is also known as spider flower, silky oak and toothbrush plant.

Grevillia, Orange, Yellow, Brush, Flowers, Quensland, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • The flowers of grevillea are long and brush like and can be yellow, orange or red in colour.
  • Grevillea is named after Charles Francis Greville, one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society.
  • Grevillea flowers contains a sweet nectar that humans can drink, depending on the cultivar, as some of them have nectar containing poisonous cyanide.
  • Grevillea flowers attract many birds and insects, especially honeyeaters.
  • Grevillea bloom all year round and are popular garden plants.
Bibliography:
Grevillea 8 December 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevillea>

Lantana

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Lantana

Nasty and nice!

  • Lantana is a perennial shrub consisting of approximately 150 species.
  • Lantana belongs to the verbena family, ‘Verbenaceae’ and range in size from 50 cm (1.6 ft) to 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall.
  • The flowers of the Lantana are in small clusters, and can be yellow, orange, red, pink, purple and white or a mixture of these.
  • Lantana blooms most or all of  the year depending on the plant species and the weather.
  • The fruits of Lantana are black with one seed and are prized by birds, which is one of the major causes of the spread of the plant.

Lantana, White, Flowers, Weed, Queensland. Australia, Ten Random Facts, Many

  • Lantana was introduced to Australia before the 1850s, and has become one of its major pests.
  • The leaves from Lantana are poisonous to most animals.
  • In Australia, lantana covers millions of hectares of pasture, natural bushland and  forests.
  • Lantana flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies , and some types of weaver birds use them to decorate their nests.
  • Lantana is native to the tropical regions of North and South America and Africa.
Bibliography:
Lantana n.d, Weeds Australia, <http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=S03>

Gardenia

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Gardenia

Named after a ‘Garden’.

  • Gardenia are small evergreen trees or shrubs, and grow between 1-15 meters (3.3-49 feet) tall.
  • 142 species have been discovered in the gardenia family.
  • Gardenia are native to Africa, Australasia and Oceania tropics.
  • Gardenias belong to the coffee plant family, ‘Rubiaceae’.
  • Gardenia flowers have a strong, pretty, sweet smell.

Gardenia, Australia, White Flowers, Pretty, Garden, Ten Random Facts

  • The gardenia flower is the national flower of Pakistan.
  • The gardenia was named after Dr Alexander Garden, a famous botanist, who was also a zoologist and physician.
  • The fruit of the gardenia is sometimes used in Chinese medicine.
  • If water touches gardenia flowers, the flowers will turn a coffee coloured brown.
  • Flowers of the gardenia are typically white or pale yellow.
Bibliography:
Gardenia 13 November 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardenia>

Crepe Myrtle

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Crepe Myrtle

It flowers and makes you gasp.

  • Crepe myrtle are deciduous or evergreen, flowering trees or shrubs and are among the best flowering trees.
  • Crepe myrtle is also known as the crape myrtle, and its scientific name is Lagerstroemia.
  • There are approximately 50 species of crepe myrtle.
  • The crepe myrtle is native to south east Asia and northern parts of Australia and Oceania.
  • The crepe myrtle is part of the Lythracae family, also known as loosestrife.

Crepe Myrtle, Pink and White Flowers, Branches, Tree, Small, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Crepe myrtle derives its name from the crepe like look and texture of the flowers.
  • Most crepe myrtles shed their bark during the year.
  • Different species of crepe myrtle can be as little as 30 cm (1 foot) in height and can be as tall as 30 m (100 feet).
  • The colour of crepe myrtle flowers come in almost any shade of purple, pink, red or white.
  • Crepe myrtles are popular due to their long lasting flowers, which bloom in Summer and Autumn.
Bibliography:
Lagerstroemia 7 December 2012, Wikipedia,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia>

Holly

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Holly

Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer, the playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.

  • Holly is generally a slow growing, evergreen or deciduous tree, shrub or climber.
  • Holly have fruit called berries or drupe, and are slightly poisonous to humans, but are commonly eaten by birds and other wildlife.
  • The colour of the leaves of holly are green, and the fruit are red; brown or black, and more uncommonly, yellow or green.
  • ‘Illex’, the proper name for holly, means holm or evergreen oak.
  • Holly is mainly found in North and South America and South East Asia.

Holly, Illex, Fake, Green Leaves, Red Berries, Single, Ten Random Factsf

  • At least two species of holly have become extinct quite recently, and many are struggling to survive.
  • Some species of holly are used in tea due to their caffeine content, and traditionally the wood of some species was used to make special Scottish bagpipes.
  • Holly has been a symbol of Christianity since medieval times, representing the blood and thorns of Jesus Christ.
  • Druids wore holly on their heads because they believed it had magical powers.
  • There are a lot of superstitions, beliefs and symbolism traditionally associated with holly and as a result, it has become a common, Christmas decoration.  It has been used in celebrations for centuries.
Bibliography:
Holly 19 December 2012, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly>
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