Author Archives: Cris

Agapanthus

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Agapanthus

The agapanthus are high above all the rest.

  • Agapanthus have been recently placed in the Amaryllidaceae family, which is the family of amaryllis, that contains three subfamilies – Allioideae (onion family), Amaryllidoideae (amaryllis family) and Agapanthoideae (agapanthus family).
  • ‘Agapanthus’ are also known as the ‘lily of the Nile’ and the ‘African lily’ even though they are not a lily.
  • Agapanthus generally have clustered bell shaped flowers, that bloom mainly in the summer months on tall stems.
  • Agapanthus are native to South Africa and there are between six and ten species of the plant.
  • ‘Agapanthus’ comes from the Greek words ‘agape’ and ‘anthus’, and when put together, mean ‘love flower’, although it is not certain why they are so named .

Agapanthus, pueple, large, flowering, stem, row, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • During the flowering period, agapanthus can grow up to 2 metres (6.6 feet) in height, although the main part of the plant, the leaves, are usually around 60 cm (23.6 inches) tall.
  • Agapanthus flowers are usually blue, purple or white in colour, although a variety with pink tips is also available.
  • Agapanthus are grown from seed or division of their roots and are classified as an invasive weed in some countries such as New Zealand.
  • Agapanthus prefer sunny conditions and do not like cold, and are often potted in warm areas during these months.
  • Agapanthus are best grown close together, producing a spectacular wave of colour in a garden and are great plants to grow along fences and driveways.
Bibliography:
Agapanthus, 2013, The Flower Expert, http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/flowersandseasons/agapanthus
Agapanthus, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agapanthus

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Pumpkin (Winter Squash)

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Pumpkin (Winter Squash)

Pumpkin… a versatile vegetable.

  • Pumpkins are also known as ‘winter squash’ depending on where you live, and are part of the Cucurbita genus, which also includes gourds and summer squash.
  • Pumpkins are typically roundish-flat with indented stripes, have thick skins that allows them to be stored longer than summer squash, and generally deep orange to strong yellow, but sometimes red, green, greenish blue, cream or white, in colour.
  • Pumpkins are from the family Cucurbitaceae, which is the family of gourds, and are mostly native to Central America, especially Mexico.
  • Pumpkins are generally eaten cooked, and can be served as a cooked vegetable, or be made into soup, puree, baked goods like bread, or a sweet pie.
  • Pumpkins are commonly carved, and lighted, to make Jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween, or made into pie for Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.

Pumpkin, multiple, Orange, Spherical, Seven, Box,Ten Random Facts, Halloween, Australia

  • Pumpkins grown on large vines, usually on the ground, and once a fruit has matured it will generally weigh between 2.7 to 8.2 kilograms (6 to 18 pounds), depending on the species.
  • ‘Pumpkin’ came from the word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’ in Greek.
  • Pumpkin weighing competitions are common across the globe, with a world record set in 2012 for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown, being 911.3 kilograms (2009 pounds) in mass, and was grown by Ron Wallace from Rhode Island, United States.
  • Pumpkins are made up of approximately 90% water and are extremely high in vitamin A, and a good source of vitamin C.
  • The flowers of pumpkin plants are sometimes eaten, and the seeds are commonly consumed as a snack, and they can also be ground into meal or flour and used in baking.
Bibliography:
Curcubita, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita
Pumpkins, n.d, Hospitality Services Group, http://www.hsgpurchasing.com/Articles/pumpkin.htm

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Lint Remover

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Lint Remover

Are you sick of the lint? Try a lint remover!

  • Lint removers are objects that when rolled or brushed on fabric, remove lint and other foreign fibres.
  • A type of lint remover, a lint roller, features a handle and a small barrel usually coated with sticky adhesive, that is rolled over fabric to remove lint and other fibres, and is disposable or is able to be refilled with more sticky adhesive.
  • Prior to especially designed lint removers, clothes brushes were used to clean and remove lint from clothes.
  • A lint brush, a type of lint remover that lasts a long time, is a cushioned brush covered in fibrous material that collects lint and other fibres and sometimes they have a swivel head so that the brush can be used in either direction.
  • Lint removers are common items among pet owners, since the remover easily collects fur or dead skin off pets.

Lint remover

  • It is commonly believed that Nicholas McKay from the United States invented the first lint remover in 1956, however, there are number of patents filed years earlier for lint rollers and brushes, most notably Charles F Slater and Homer T Clark, who both filed patents in the US for lint rollers in January 1944.
  • Different types of lint removers are suited to different materials as some may cause damage or wear to the fabric.
  • Lint should be cleaned or removed from lint removers regularly to avoid lint being put back onto the fabric.
  • Lint removers are best used by lightly, rather than firmly, brushing or rolling.
  • Lint removers are commonly used by those that regularly wear black suits or other dark formal clothes, as lint can easily be seen on dark fabrics.
Bibliography:
Lint Brushes, 2010, Lint Brush Online, http://www.lintbrushonline.com/lint-brushes/
Nicholas McKay (inventor), 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_McKay_(inventor)
What is a lint brush?, 2013, Wise-GEEK, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-lint-brush.htm

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Thomas Edison

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Thomas Edison

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” – Thomas Edison

  • Thomas Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, United States on February 11, 1847, and his full name was ‘Thomas Alva Edison’ and was also known as the ‘Wizard of Menlo Park’.
  • Thomas Edison was an American inventor who invented the practical electrical light bulb, the phonograph and other communication items, including moving images, although these were only some of Edison’s 1000 inventions.
  • Many of Thomas Edison’s inventions shaped the way we live today which caused him to be dubbed ‘the greatest inventor ever’, and during his lifetime he was the most prolific inventor in known history, a position he held through the 1900s.
  • Thomas Edison became a telegraph operator as a young teenager, due to receiving the training as a reward for saving a young boy from death by a train, and he went on to become a successful businessman, founding 14 companies during his lifetime.
  • Thomas Edison caught scarlet fever when he was young, which contributed to poor hearing, and later, deafness.

Thomas Edison, Image, Portrait, Many, Inventor, Lightbulb, Ten Random Facts, Ohio, America, Flickr

Portraits
Image courtesy of Intel Free Press/Flickr
  • In 2013, Thomas Edison ranked 4th for ‘the most prolific inventor in the world’, with 1093 patents.
  • Thomas Edison married Mary Stilwell in 1871, who died later in 1884, and had three children, and after Mary’s death, married Mina Miller in 1886, and had three more children.
  • Thomas Edison constructed a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, named the ‘Menlo Park Laboratory’, which contained virtually every material available and he was the recipient of a number of various medals and awards during his lifetime.
  • Thomas Edison, the youngest of 7, was a very curious child, and ended up being schooled at home by his mother due to his wandering mind and many questions which weren’t welcome at the school he attended for 3 months.
  • Thomas Edison died aged 84, on 18 October 1931 from complications of diabetes, in the house that was his wedding gift to his wife Mina, in West Orange, New Jersey, United States.
Bibliography:
Beals G, The Bibliography of Thomas Edison, 1999, Thomas Edison.com, http://www.thomasedison.com/biography.html
Thomas Edison, 2013, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

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Pufferfish

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Pufferfish

This pufferfish will pop like crazy.

  • ‘Pufferfish’ are also known as ‘puffers’, ‘blowfish’, ‘toadfish’, ‘bubblefish’, ‘balloonfish’, ‘swellfish’, ‘sea squabs’, and ‘globefish’.
  • ‘Pufferfish’ is the common name of the fish that belong to the ‘Tetraodontidae’ family, and are part of the Tetraodontiformes order, which contains fish that are ray-finned.
  • Pufferfish include 19 genera, covering 120 different species, that are mainly found in the tropical oceans, and depending on the species, sometimes in fresh water rivers.
  • Pufferfish expand their stomachs when chased or provoked by inhaling water and air, making them much larger than their normal size.
  • Pufferfish are generally extremely poisonous, often described as the second most poisonous vertebrate, with the deadliest parts being the organs and sometimes skin, which contain the poison tetrodotoxin.

Pufferfish, blowfish, spine, small, deflated, Ten Random Facts, Philippines, Batangas, National Geographic

Pufferfish Image courtesy of National Geographic
  • Depending on the species and environment, pufferfish can change their coloured appearance, and most are normally a dull colour.
  • One of the main systems of defence of a pufferfish is it’s rudder like tail and ability to move at quick bursts, even though they generally swim very slowly.
  • Although pufferfish are usually highly toxic, Japanese, Chinese and Korean chefs make carefully prepared special dishes using the meat that is considered a delicacy, however a single mistake in processing can cause fatal poisoning in a consumer.
  • Pufferfish species vary in colour, can be as small as 2.5 cm (1 inch) or can grow up to one metre (three feet) in length, and may have spines or spikes that can be poisonous and not visible unless threatened.
  • Pufferfish are carnivores and mainly consume water creatures, algae, and sometimes shellfish, that they use their tough teeth to crush.
Bibliography: Pufferfish, 2013, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/pufferfish/
Tetraodontidae, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraodontidae

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Viburnum

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Viburnum

There are so many versions of viburnums!

  • Viburnums are evergreen or deciduous flowering shrubs or small trees and there are at least 150 different species.
  • Viburnums are from the family Adoxaceae, which is the family of moschatels and they were originally part of the honeysuckle family, the Caprifoliaceae family.
  • Viburnums are mostly native to the northern parts of the world, particularly those in mild climates.
  • Viburnums have small flowers with five petals, that are white, pink or cream in colour and grow in clusters.
  • In the past, long stems of some species of viburnum have been used as shafts for arrows, and they are still commonly used by archers.

Viburnum Tinus, Flowers, Clustered, White, Pink, Buds, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Ornamental plant

  • Viburnums have small, red, purple, blue or black round fruits, and depending on the species can be made into jam, although some species are toxic.
  • Viburnums grow from 1 to 6 metres (3 to 20 feet) in height and prefer to grow in sunlight, but can adapt to the shade.
  • Viburnums generally have appealing, green coloured foliage, and those species that lose their leaves in winter have attractive autumn coloured foliage.
  • Viburnums are popularly used as an ornamental plant since they do not attract many pests.
  • Viburnums flower during the spring months, and some species are quite fragrant.
Bibliography:
Twombly K, Viburnum are Versatile Plants, 2013, Fine Gardening, http://www.finegardening.com/plants/articles/viburnums-are-versatile-shrubs.aspx?id=81004
Viburnum, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viburnum

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