Category Archives: Vegetation

English Yew

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English Yew

English yews rank up there with other ancient trees.

  • English yews are a species of evergreen tree, native to North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
  • The scientific name of the English yew is Taxus baccata and it is from the family Taxaceae, the family of yews.
  • ‘English yews’ are also known as ‘European yews’ and ‘common yews’; and they are a type of conifer that have been commonly grown on church properties and in cemeteries.
  • English yew trees can grow to be 10 to 30 metres (33 to 98 feet) in height, while its trunk can be as large as 2 metres (6.6 ft) in diameter or more.
  • It is not uncommon for English yews to be 400 to 600 years old; however they can be much older, with trees in existence estimated to be 2000 years old or more.
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English Yew
Image courtesy of grassrootsgroundwell/Flickr
  • The English yew is used ornamentally in many gardens, often as a clipped hedge or topiary, and it can be grown as a bonsai.
  • English yews are best grown in sunny to partly shady locations; and they have small narrow leaves that are green in colour, that can grow to a length of 3 cm (1.2 inches).
  • The seed of an English yew is brown, with a bright red fleshy fruit surrounding it, and the fruit is roughly 0.8 to 1.5 centimetres (0.3 to 0.6 inches) in diameter.
  • The leaves, bark, seeds, and other parts of English yews, excluding the flesh of the red fruit, is very poisonous and potentially fatal to humans and animals, and they can cause headaches, rashes, breathing issues, joint pain and cardiac arrest, although symptoms may be absent.
  • The wood of English yews is a flexible, hard softwood, that is of a quality suitable for woodworking, including the construction of bows and musical instruments.
Bibliography:
English Yew, n.d, Encyclopaedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/plant/English-yew
Taxus baccata, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_baccata
Taxus baccata (Common Yew), n.d, KEW Royal Botanical Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/taxus-baccata-common-yew
Taxus baccata: Englisn Yew, 2015, University of Florida, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st624

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Jade Vine

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Jade Vine

The jade vine treasures its uniqueness in its beautiful colour.

  • Jade vines are perennial plants that grow as vines, found among the forests of the islands of the Philippines, in Southeast Asia.
  • ‘Jade vines’ are also known as ‘turquoise jade vines’, ’emerald creepers’, ‘blue jade vines’, ’emerald vines’, ‘jade climbers’, ‘flor de jade’ (‘jade flower’ in Spanish), and ‘tayabak’ in the native Filipino language.
  • The scientific name of the jade vine is Strongylodon macrobotrys and it is from the family Fabaceae, the family of legumes.
  • The claw-like blooms of jade vines are deep mint-green to turquoise in colour.
  • Jade vines can grow to lengths of 18 metres (59 feet), while the large flower clusters can reach 3 metres (10 feet) in length.
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A Jade Vine
Image courtesy of nauitokz/Flickr
  • Jade vines are commonly used as a decorative climbing plant due to its striking colours.
  • Jade vines are listed as vunerable, as a result of deforestation and a decline of its natural pollinators that feed on the flower nectar.
  • The seedpods of jade vines can be as long as 15 cm (6 inches) and are produced once the flowers are pollinated, typically by bats, and the pods can contain as many as twelve seeds.
  • Jade vines have historically been difficult to pollinate outside of their natural habitat, however in 1995, a successful technique was first used, that effectively mimicked bat pollination.
  • Jade vines grow best in sun or some shade, with its flowers blooming during the late winter months to early spring.
Bibliography:
Dyer M, Growing Jade Vines; Care of Jade Vines Indoors and Out, 2015, Gardening Knowhow, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/jade-vine/care-of-jade-vines.htm
Jade Climber, Jade Vine, Emerald Creeper, Flor-de-Jade, Blue Jade Vine, Turquois Jade Vine, 2016, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57259/#b
Strongylodon macrobotrys, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strongylodon_macrobotrys
Strongylodon Macrobotrys (Jade Vine), n.d, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/strongylodon-macrobotrys-jade-vine

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Wolfsbane

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Wolfsbane

Don’t let wolfsbane be the bane of your life!

  • Wolfsbane is a genus of highly toxic perennial plants, found in the mountainous regions across Asia, Europe and North America.
  • The scientific name of the wolfsbane is Aconitum and it is from the family Ranunculaceae, the family of buttercups.
  • ‘Wolfsbane’ is also known as ‘monkshood’, ‘aconite’, ‘blue rocket’, ‘devil’s helmet’ and ‘women’s bane’, among others; and it is said to have been used as a method of killing troublesome wolves, hence one of the plant’s common names.
  • Wolfsbane typically grows to be a height of 0.6 to 1.2 metres (2 to 4 feet), and it is often used ornamentally in the garden, especially towards the back of a garden bed.
  • The blooms of wolfsbane are grouped along tall stems, and they are generally a blue or purple colour, though they can also be pink, yellow or white.
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Wolfsbane
Image courtesy of Randi Hausken/Flickr
  • Wolfsbane flowers are similar in appearance to a monk’s hood, and what appears to be five petals, are actually sepals.
  • Wolfsbane consists of pseudaconitine, a toxin that is very poisonous, and a person (or animal) can be poisoned by consuming any part of the plant, though touching the plant may also be hazardous, especially if one has open cuts or abrasions.
  • Wolfsbane poisoning can cause vomiting or nausea early on, leading to a burning feeling, weakness and numbness, and it usually affects the heart, often causing death within a short time-frame if left untreated.
  • Sunny locations are preferred by wolfsbane plants, although they can still survive in shade, and they grow from tubers; or new plants can be started from seed.
  • The toxic attribute of wolfsbane plants has not been neglected throughout history, as it has been used for both hunting, particularly for poison arrows, and assassination.
Bibliography:
Aconitum, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum
Buchan U, How to Grow: Monkshood, 2015, The Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11215801/How-to-grow-Monkshood.html
Rhoades J, Aconitum Monkshood: What is the Best Way to Grow Monkshood in the Garden, Gardening Know How, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamenta l/flowers/monkshood/growing-monkshood-plants.htm

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Resurrection Plant

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Resurrection Plant

Sometimes, when you’re all curled up like the resurrection plant, there’s only one thing that will help you open back up.

  • Resurrection plants are a species of plant found in the habitat of the Chihuahuan Desert, located across the Mexican and United States border.
  • The scientific name of the resurrection plant is Selaginella lepidophylla and it is from the Selaginella genus which is the only family member of Selaginellaceae, the family of spikemoss.
  • ‘Resurrection plants’ are also known as ‘resurrection moss’, ‘dinosaur plants’, ‘flowers of stone’, and ‘roses of Jericho’, though they should not be confused with the Anastatica hierochuntica plant which is also known as ‘rose of Jericho’.
  • Resurrection plants are known for opening outwards when exposed to moisture, and being closed in a tight ball when dehydrated.
  • The colour of a dry resurrection plant is brown, while it turns green when moist, and the leaves, when unfurled, are fern-like.
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A Resurrection Plant
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • Resurrection plants can survive extensive periods without water, and when moisture is provided, it can appear to “resurrect” even from stages of extreme dryness.
  • The leaves and stems of the resurrection plant form a rosette shape, which assists in its ability to curl into a ball, and the plant grows from rhizomes.
  • Resurrection plants range from 15 to 30 centimetres (6 to 12 inches) in height and have a diameter up to 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 inches) when open.
  • A herbal tea can be made from the resurrection plant, which is used in traditional medicine to treat sore throats and colds.
  • Resurrection plants can be very difficult to grow unless they are in their native habitat, as the plant needs specific watering requirements and care, to maintain healthy plants.
Bibliography:
Anyone grow Selaginella Lepidophylla?, 2007, Houzz, http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1832787/anyone-grow-selaginella-lepidophylla
Rafsanjani A, Brule V, Western T & Pasini D, Hydro-Responsive Curling of the Resurrection Plant Selaginella lepidophylla, 2014, Scientific Reports, http://www.nature.com/articles/srep08064
Resurrection Plant, Rose of Jericho, Flower of Stone, 2016, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53493/#b
Selaginella lepidophylla, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selaginella_lepidophylla

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Venus Flytrap

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Venus Flytrap

Don’t get caught in the Venus flytrap!

  • Venus flytraps are a species of small insect-eating plants that grow from rhizomes, that are native to eastern subtropical United States.
  • The scientific name of the Venus flytrap is Dionaea muscipula, and it is from the Droseraceae family, the family of sundews; and the species is the only one in its genera.
  • ‘Venus flytraps’ are also known as ‘Venus fly traps’ and ‘Venus’ flytraps’; and they are of a bright green to red colour, with up to seven leaves that have a pink to red interior surface; and the plant grows to approximately 20 cm (7.9 inches) in diameter.
  • The traps of the Venus flytrap are also the leaves, and they are a hinged pair of almost semi-circles, with what look like eyelashes on the outer edges.
  • Two to five trigger hairs are found inside each part of the Venus flytrap trap, which triggers the trap to close on contact with an object, and they can close in less than a second, at approximately 100 milliseconds.
Venus Flytrap, Carnivorous, Pot, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Plant, Vegetation, BloomingA Venus Flytrap
Image courtesy of Alex Chief/Flickr
  • Once something is trapped, Venus flytraps exert digestion fluids to dissolve the inner body of the prey into an absorbable liquid, while the inedible exoskeleton is disposed of after the traps reopen.
  • To avoid closing from non-food triggers such as dust, Venus flytrap traps will only close if more than one of its trigger hairs is touched in a period of twenty seconds from the first touch.
  • Venus flytraps most often capture and eat ants and spiders, but they also catch other insects including beetles; and it takes from 5 to 12 days to digest its caught prey, the time dependent on the prey size and other conditions.
  • If an inedible object falls into a Venus flytrap trap, the trap will reopen and dispose of the object in about half a day after trapping.
  • Venus flytraps bloom small flowers coloured white, that cluster at the top of the plant, and after flowering the plant often produces many tiny seeds that are black in colour.
Bibliography:
Diaonaea muscipula (Venus Flytrap), n.d, KEW Royal Botanical Gardens, http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/dionaea-muscipula-venus-flytrap
The Mysterious Venus’ Flytrap, n.d, Botanical Society of America, http://botany.org/bsa/misc/carn.html
Venus Flytrap, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap

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White Bat Plant

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White Bat Plant

How many times did you glance at the white bat plant?

  • White bat plants are a species of relatively large flowering plants, notable for their blooms that have a particularly strange appearance.
  • ‘White bat plants’ are also known as ‘giant bat plants’, ‘giant batflowers’, ‘purple batflowers’, ‘white batflowers’ and ‘cat whiskers plants’.
  • The scientific name of the white bat plant is Tacca integrifolia and it is from the family Dioscoreaceae, the family of yams.
  • White bat plants are native to Southeast Asia, and they grow from rhizomes, in both tropical and subtropical habitats.
  • The flowers of white bat plants tend to resemble the face of a bat, featuring a purple, plum or brown main flower colour, white whisker-like appendages and large white with purple upper bracts.
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White Bat Plant
Image courtesy of Scott Zona/Flickr
  • White bat plants grow to be roughly 60 to 122 centimetres (24 to 48 inches) in height and their whiskers can grow as long as 71 centimetres (28 inches).
  • White bat plants are perennials that tend to die off in the winter months, and they grow best in partial or full shade.
  • Typically, white bat plants are grown for ornamental purposes, however they can be hard to obtain, and also difficult to care for.
  • White bat plants usually bloom during warm months, generally in spring and summer, with up to eight flowers blooming per plant each year.
  • The normally large, glossy green leaves of white bat plants, can turn black when the temperature is too cold.
Bibliography:
Black Bat Plant & White Bat Flower Plant, 2014, Daylilies in Australia, https://www.dayliliesinaustralia.com.au/black-bat-plant-white-bat-flower-plant/
Giant Bat Plant, 2009, Paradise Distributors, http://paraplants.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63%3Atip-of-the-week&Itemid=27
Tacca integrifolia, 2016, Nurseries Online, http://www.nurseriesonline.com.au/plant-index/tropical-plants/tacca-integrifolia/
VanZile J, White Batflower – Growing Tacca Integrifolia Indoors, 2015, About Home, http://houseplants.about.com/od/More_Plant_Profiles/p/White-Batflower-Growing-Tacca-Integrifolia-Indoors.htm
White Bat Plant, 2015, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/fact-sheets/in-the-garden/flowering-plants-shrubs/white-bat-plant/#.VxSTd_l96Uk

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