Tag Archives: Facts

Broadleaf Stonecrop

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Broadleaf Stonecrop

Broadleaf stonecrops certainly hide stones when growing among them.

  • A broadleaf stonecrop is a variety of a small, perennial and evergreen plant, and is classified as a succulent.
  • Broadleaf stonecrops are native to the rocky sections of mountainous regions in western parts of North America.
  • The scientific name of a broadleaf stonecrop is Sedum spathulifolium and it is from the family Crassulaceae, the family of stonecrops.
  • ‘Broadleaf stonecrops’ are also known as ‘Pacific stonecrops’,  ‘Purdy’s stonecrops’, ‘Yosemite stonecrops’, ‘spoon-leaved stonecrops’, and ‘blood leaf sedums’.
  • A variety of broadleaf stonecrop, the Cape Blanco, has received the Award of Garden Merit from the United Kingdom’s Royal Horticultural Society for its decorative nature, while the species in general is commonly grown as a ground cover.

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  • The leaves of broadleaf stonecrop plants are thick, powdery or waxy on touch, and range from green, to pink and red in colour, and they are roughly 1 to 2 centimetres (0.4 to 0.8 inches) in length.
  • The small broadleaf stonecrop flowers are star-like in shape, and are of a yellow colour, and they bloom throughout the summer months.
  • Broadleaf stonecrop plants grow roughly 10 to 15 centimetres (4 to 6 inches) in height, and they spread up to 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter.
  • A wide variety of soils can be used to grow broadleaf stonecrops, and the plant thrives best in full sun and is drought tolerant.
  • The leaves of broadleaf stonecrops can be eaten both cooked and raw in small quantities, best picked before the plant blooms, while the plant has been used for a number of medicinal purposes.
Bibliography:
Pacific Stonecrop, Broadleaf Stonecrop ‘Cape Blanco’, 2015, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/37066/#b
Sedum spathulifolium – Hook., Plant For A Future, http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Sedum+spathulifolium
Sedum Spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’, 2015, Perennials.com, http://www.perennials.com/plants/sedum-spathulifolium-cape-blanco.html
Sedum Spathulifolium, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedum_spathulifolium

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Salsa

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Salsa

Do you do a jig or does your mouth water when you hear of salsa?

  • Salsa is a condiment popularly used as a dip or flavouring in a variety of dishes, and it often has a spicy flavour.
  • ‘Salsa’ can be translated from Spanish as ‘sauce’ and the term originates from the same word in Latin, meaning ‘salt’.
  • Tomato and chili pepper are the typical primary ingredients of salsa, although the tomato can be substituted with ingredients like mango and pineapple, while onion, spices, avocado and corn are common additions.
  • Traditionally, salsa ingredients are crushed together using a mortar and pestle type tool, although many modern recipes use a blender, or are simply chopped instead.
  • Salsa can range from being a somewhat smooth and runny sauce, to quite a chunky mixture, and it is generally served cold or at room temperature.

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  • Salsa originated from at least as early as the 1500s by native people from regions in Central and South America.
  • Commercialised salsa was only first produced in the United States in 1916, by Charles Erath, from New Orleans, despite being so close in distance, to the fresh product’s origins centuries prior.
  • Salsa is most popularly used in Mexican dishes; and it is often served with meat and seafood; as a side; or with corn chips.
  • Salsa is sometimes cooked and packaged in containers made of glass, giving it a long shelf life, and it is readily available in supermarkets, while fresh salsa can often be found in shops in plastic containers.
  • Some salsa ingredients may be cooked prior to chopping or crushing, and sometimes the ingredients are cooked all together, prior to serving, while other recipes have all of the ingredients served raw.
Bibliography:
History of Salsa Sauce, 2015, Food Editorial, http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/snacks/dips_and_sauces/history_of_salsa_sauce_the_mexican_connection.html
The Origin of Salsa, 2013, Thornhill Capital, http://thornhillcapital.info/north-america/the-origin-of-salsa
Salsa (Sauce), 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsa_(sauce)
Santos-Neves C, The Art of Making Delicious Salsa, 2015, Epicurious, http://www.epicurious.com/archive/holidays/cincodemayo/mexican-salsa

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Bora Bora

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Bora Bora

Bora Bora is surrounded by beautiful blue.

  • Bora Bora is an island located in French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean, and it is one of the Leeward Islands situated on the western side of the Society Islands archipelago.
  • Bora Bora is surrounded by a reef and islets, creating a notable lagoon, and the main island features two mountain peaks created by a volcano that is now extinct.
  • The area of Bora Bora covers 29.3 square kilometres (11.3 square miles), and the peak of Mount Otemanu is the highest point at 727 metres (2385 feet).
  • In 1722, Jakob Roggeveen, a Dutch explorer, was the first known European to see the island of Bora Bora, while British explorer, Captain James Cook, landed on the island in 1770.
  • Bora Bora was used as a base for the United State’s Pacific operations for at least four years during World War II, housing thousands of military personnel, and it was significantly fortified but no attack was encountered.
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Part of Bora Bora
Image courtesy of Benoit Mahe/Flickr
  • Bora Bora thrives as a tourist destination due to its picturesque landscape; abundant resorts, most of which have bungalows projecting out into the lagoon water; and many water sport attractions, including scuba diving.
  • From 2007 to 2008, the total local population of Bora Bora was nearly nine thousand people.
  • Bora Bora is commonly considered the most beautiful island of the Pacific or even in the world, due to its scenic views, white beaches, abundant marine flora and fauna including manta rays, and turquoise coloured water.
  • ‘Bora Bora’ was originally known as ‘Pora Pora’ in the native Tahitian language, meaning ‘first born’.
  • An airport was constructed on one of the Bora Bora islets during World War II, and it has since been used by visitors to the island, while boats are commonly used for transportation purposes in the area.
Bibliography:
Bora Bora, 2015, The Islands of Tahiti, http://www.tahiti-tourisme.com/islands/borabora/bora-bora.asp
Bora Bora, 2015, Tahiti, http://www.tahiti.com/island/bora-bora
Bora Bora, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bora_Bora
Introducing Bora Bora, 2015, Lonely Planet, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/tahiti-and-french-polynesia/bora-bora

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Glass

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Glass

The facts are reinforced with a nice layer of glass.

  • Glass is a common material popularly used for the construction of an object or a building, and is frequently used to make various types of containers, windows, beads, toy marbles and sculpting.
  • Light can reflect, refract and pass through glass, while the material is also impervious to water, has a slow erosion rate and is resistant to chemicals.
  • Silica is generally used in the making of glass, which is most often derived from sand, and it typically has other chemical additives, most commonly limestone and soda ash, for ease of use, durability, and to improve its properties.
  • Glass-making practices originated in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia around 3500 BC, although material of volcanic origin, mainly obsidian, were utilised prior to this time; while containers made of the material were made from the 1500s BC.
  • Glass is generally transparent, although it can also be opaque, with colourings derived from foreign particles or ions that can include metals and oxides and other compounds, while brown and green colours are the most commonly used.

Glass, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Invention, Colour, Clear, Transparency, Material, Assortment

  • The Great Conservatory at Chatsworth, built in the 1830s, in England’s Derbyshire, was among the first buildings to use glass as a major construction material, and along with the 1851 Crystal Palace built in England’s London by the same designer, Joseph Paxton, it contributed to revolutionising the material for construction purposes.
  • The 1800s and 1900s saw the most innovation of glassmaking techniques, including laminating and frosting, along with a comeback of historical methods.
  • To make glass, appropriate materials are melted at extremely high temperatures, refined and then moulded or formed through methods including blowing and pressing.
  • The mass production of glass products increased from the late 1800s onwards, with the introduction of automated bottle and sheet making machinery.
  • As glass is 100% recyclable, it can be recycled over and over, and when it goes through the recycling process, it uses less natural resources and 75% less energy than if it was made from raw materials, and it reduces the quantity of rubbish going to landfill.
Bibliography:
Glass, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass
History of Glass, 2013, British Glass, http://www.britglass.org.uk/history-of-glass
History of Glass, n.d., History of Glass, http://www.historyofglass.com/

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Ixora

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Ixora

You will be able to notice an Ixora in even the darkest parts of a jungle.

  • Ixora is a group of shrubs and trees that are evergreen and produce flowers, and are mostly native to tropical parts of Asia.
  • The name ‘Ixora’ is a genus name, and it is from the family Rubiaceae, the family of madder and coffee, while commonly grown species in the genus include Ixora coccinea and Ixora chinensis.
  • ‘Ixora’ is the common name of a number of species from the genus with the same name, and they are also known as ‘flame-of-the-woods’, ‘jungle flames’, ‘West Indian jasmine’, and ‘jungle geraniums’.
  • The height of Ixora plants grow from 0.6 to 3.6 metres (2 to 12 feet), depending on the species, and they typically have glossy, mid to dark green leaves.
  • The flowers of Ixora have a tube-like appearance with four petals, and grow in groups of up to 60 in a cluster; and after flowering, the plant often produces red, to dark purple or black berries.

Ixora, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Flower, Pink, Red, Bud, Plant, Vegetation, Australia

  • Ixora flowers commonly bloom throughout the year in tropical areas, and they come in an assortment of colours including a range of white, pink, yellow, orange, and red shades.
  • There are more than 500 species of Ixora, and numerous varieties, and some species have been used as part of traditional medicine, while others have a tendency to have invasive roots.
  • Ixoras grow best in well-drained acidic soil, located in full sun, and if they are grown too close to concrete, the soil can become too alkaline, causing the leaves to turn yellow.
  • Ixora will fail to flower on the occasion that light levels are insufficient, and the plants prefer warm temperatures.
  • Ixora are commonly used for ornamental purposes, including bonsai and hedges, or individual specimens in the garden.
Bibliography:
Ixora, 2011, Panpit Garden Center, http://www.panpitgardencenter.com/other/ixora.html
Ixora Coccinea, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixora_coccinea
Ikora Facts and Growing Tips, 2015, Hub Pages, http://hubpages.com/living/Ixora-Facts-and-Growing-Tips

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Cane Toad

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Cane Toad

Cane toads are more than just a bump in the ecosystem.

  • Cane toads are a species of toad native to southern areas of North America, to the northern half of South America, and they are notoriously regarded as a pest in many other countries.
  • The scientific name of a cane toad is Rhinella marina, although previously listed as Bufo marinus, and it is from the family Bufonidae, the family of true toads.
  • ‘Cane toads’ are also known as ‘marine toads’, ‘giant toads’, ‘giant marine toads’ and ‘giant neotropical toads’.
  • Cane toads are generally 10 to 15 centimetres (4 to 6 inches) in length and weigh an average of 500 to 800 grams (1.1 to 1.7 pounds), however, they can grow to be more than double the average size.
  • The skin of cane toads is dry and has wart like bumps, and can vary in colour from shades of brown, grey, yellow or olive.

Cane Toad, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Amphibian, Brown, Pest, Australia, Domestic, Animal

  • Cane toads have been introduced in Australia, the Pacific, the United States and other countries, primarily to control pests on sugar cane, particularly the cane beetle, however, they have instead become highly invasive in some areas and fatal to native animals when eaten.
  • The diet of cane toads consists of insects, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and the odd vegetation, and they will also eat pet food.
  • The skin of cane toads, as well as the glands behind their head, contains bufotoxin, making them poisonous to touch or consume, to the extent of being fatal to many animals, and dangerous to humans.
  • Cane toad toxin has been collected and used as an arrow poison and a drug, while some parts, including skinned legs, are edible.
  • Female cane toads may produce from 8000 to 35,000 eggs every six months, breeding in water, and they have an average lifespan of five to ten years.
Bibliography:
Cameron E, Cane Toad, 2015, Australian Museum, http://australianmuseum.net.au/cane-toad
Cane Toad, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/amphibians/cane-toad/
Cane Toad, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toad
Draft risk assessment report to amend the Live Import List to include Cane Toads, n.d, Australian Government Department of the Environment, http://secure.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/invitecomment/pubs/draft-risk-assessment-report-bufo-marinus.pdf

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