Category Archives: Vegetation

Rondeletia

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Rondeletia

The beautiful rondeletias sway in the garden.

  • Rondeletias are from the family Rubiaceae, which is the family of coffee or madder.
  • Rondeletias are often grown as a decorative garden plant, although they are not as common as they used to be.
  • Rondeletias are 160 species of hardy shrubs or trees with glossy, evergreen leaves.
  • Rondeletias grow up to three metres (10 feet) in height and are suitable to grow as a hedge.
  • Rondeletias have small flowers that grow in clusters and are typically orange-pink in colour.

Rondeletia, Pink, Flowers, Plant, Decorative, Garden, Ten Random Facts, Flower

  • Rondeletias are native to Central America, including countries such as Mexico, Panama and Cuba.
  • Some species of rondeletia are critically endangered, while others are common.
  • Rondeletias generally prefer sunny conditions and warm temperatures.
  • Rondeletias have fragrant flowers that attract butterflies and birds.
  • ‘Rondeletias’ are named after a French medical professor and scientist of the 1500s, Guillaume Rondelet, who specialised in botany and other areas.
Bibliography:
Rondeletia, n.d., Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/2001/archives/2001_archives/in_the_garden/flowering_plants_and_shrubs/rondeletia
Rondeletia (Plant), 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondeletia_(plant)

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Hydrangea

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Hydrangea

Hydrangeas may look like mops, but will not work like one.

  • Hydrangeas are generally flowering shrubs that grow from 1 to 3 metres (3 to 10 feet) in height, but some species are trees or climbers, with some climbing up tall trees.
  • Hydrangeas are mostly hardy plants that are also known as ‘hortensia’, and are from the family Hydrangeaceae.
  • There are over 70 species of hydrangeas, that either deciduous or evergreen, with the most commonly grown type, Hydrangea macrophylla, being deciduous.
  • Hydrangeas are native to east and south Asia, as well as north and south America.
  • Hydrangeas have flowers that are either pom-pom shaped or flat-headed, known as ‘Mopheads’ and ‘Lacecaps’ respectively.

Hydrangea, pom-pom, bloom, purple, pink, flower, plant, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • The flowers of hydrangeas can be white, blue, and pink, purple or red in colour, which are often determined by the soil the plant is planted in, with acidic soils producing blue flowers and alkaline soils bearing flowers in pink or red shades.
  • Hydrangeas are popular decorative and ornamental plants in the garden, and usually bloom in spring and summer.
  • Certain hydrangea species are poisonous, and can cause severe sickness or fatalities if consumed, and despite this, some parts are sometimes smoked.
  • Hydrangeas are mostly hardy plants and prefer semi-shaded areas.
  • Some species of hydrangeas have leaves that are used to make a sweet tea.
Bibliography:
Hydrangea, 2011, Gardening Australia, http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1866625.htm
Hydrangea, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea

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Jacaranda

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Jacaranda

The flowers continuously flutter down from the jacaranda tree.

  • Jacarandas are from the family Bignoniaceae, which is the family of bignonias, and are a group of 49 flowering shrubs and trees.
  • Jacaranda mimosifolia, a tree with purplish blue flowers, is the most popular and common species, that is sometimes called ‘Black Poui’, ‘Blue Jacaranda’, or ‘the fern tree’, although it is usually just called ‘Jacaranda’.
  • Jacarandas are native to Central and South America as well as some of the islands in that region, and can now be found in many tropical areas around the world.
  • ‘Jacaranda’ is said to mean ‘fragrant’ in a native South American dialect and have blue to purple or white coloured flowers, depending on the species.
  • Depending on the species, Jacarandas can grow up to 20 to 30 metres (66 to 98 feet) in height.

Jacaranda, Purple, Blue, Flowers, Carpet, Fall, Tree, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Jacaranda mimosifolia are popular trees used in landscaping, and they line streets in a number of towns and cities around the world.
  • Jacarandas have leaves that are used by the Chinese to make purple dye and the timber of some species is used in woodwork.
  • Jacaranda festivals are held in Pretoria, South Africa, and in a number of cities in Australia, during the peak blooming period.
  • Jacarandas generally flower in spring and summer, and the flowers commonly drop, making a carpet of purple or blue.
  • Jacarandas have hard, flattened, round seed pods that contain a number of seeds.
Bibliography:
Jacaranda, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacaranda
Jacarandas, 2007, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Flowering-Plants-and-Shrubs/Jacarandas/3083

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Prickly Poppy

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Prickly Poppy

This prickly poppy is not so delicate.

  • Prickly poppies are 32 species of generally prickly, herbacious plants often found in bushes, deserts and near rivers.
  • ‘Argemone’ is the scientific name of ‘Prickly poppies’ and they are also known as ‘argemony’.
  • Prickly poppies are from the family Papaveraceae, which is the poppy family.
  • Prickly poppies are native to Hawaii, North America and South America.
  • Prickly poppy flowers are often white, purple, red, or yellow in colour.

Prickly Poppy, prickle, spikey, white flower, river, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Prickly poppies have prickly or spiny leaves and prickly fruit that are coloured green.
  • Prickly poppy plants have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, and they have also been used as a drug that is smoked.
  • Prickly poppies are sometimes used as a garden plant, but they are an invasive weed in some countries.
  • The coloured sap contains latex and both the seeds and the sap of prickly poppies are potentially toxic.
  • Prickly poppies grow to 30 to 150 centimetres (1 to 5 feet) in height and generally bloom in spring and summer.

 

Bibliography:
Ownbey G, Prickly Poppy, n.d, Flora of North America, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=102532
Prickly Poppy, 2013, Britannica Encyclopaedia, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/475859/prickly-poppy

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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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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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