Tag Archives: Plant

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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Garlic

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Garlic

These facts, like garlic, will scare the vampires.

  • Garlic is an edible bulb, containing around 84% water , and there are two main varieties – ‘hardnecks’ and ‘softnecks’, and ten main types that are distinguishable by size, shape, colour and taste, although most bulbs have a white, or white and purple outer skin.
  • The scientific name of garlic is Allium sativum and it is a species of Allium, which also includes onions, leeks, chives and shallots, that all belong to the Amaryllidaceae family, which is the family of amaryllis.
  • Garlic plants can grow to 1.2 metres (4 feet) tall are native to central Asia, although they have spread to other parts of Asia, Africa and Europe.
  • Garlic can be purchased whole and raw, or in separate cloves, and also comes crushed, powered or as dried flakes in jars and is used as a flavouring in oil, main meals, sauces, on bread to make garlic bread, and can be eaten raw, crushed or chopped, although leaves, flowers and heads are also edible.
  • China, in 2010, produced 13.7 million tonnes (15 million tons) of garlic, which was a total of 77% of the world’s production of 17.7 million tonnes (19.5 million tons).

Garlic

  • In the Ancient world, garlic was commonly used in many countries as medical treatments for a variety of ailments.
  • Garlic is very high in vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese, and is also high in many other vitamins and minerals.
  • The juice of garlic bulbs can be used to make glue that can adhere to glass, and the crushed cloves have antibiotic properties.
  • Garlic can cause foul breath, and sometimes a foul body smell, along with other effects and can cause allergic reactions in some people, with reactions such as nausea, diarrhoea and breathing problems.
  • In folk tales from England, and some other countries, garlic is used to protect from monsters, particularly vampires.

 

Bibliography:
Garlic, 2013, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=60
Garlic, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

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White Weeping Broom

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White Weeping Broom

White weeping brooms do not sweep or weep!

  • White weeping brooms are perennial woody shrubs from the family Fabaceae, which is the family of legumes.
  • The scientific name for the white weeping broom is Retama raetam, and it is also known as ‘White broom’.
  • White weeping brooms grow up to 3 metres (10 feet) in height and 6 (20 feet) metres in diameter.
  • In winter and spring, white weeping brooms bear numerous, clustered groups of 3 to 15 flowers that are small and coloured white .
  • White weeping brooms have small green seedpods often containing two seeds, and a single plant can produce thousands of seeds during its lifetime.

White weeping broom, white, flowers, drooping, weeping, Australia, weed, pest, Ten Random Facts

  • White weeping brooms have greyish-green foliage of droopy branches and small, mostly insignificant leaves.
  • White weeping brooms survive well during drought, possibly being the most tolerant of the three Retamas in the genus.
  • White weeping brooms are native to North Africa and the southern countries of Europe (Mediterranean countries).
  • White weeping brooms are classified as invasive weeds in some countries, particularly some parts of Australia.
  • White weeping broom seeds are often consumed by hares, who transport them to new locations, and the seeds can be seen in the ground a few years after they drop, and can readily germinate at that stage.
Bibliography:
White Weeping Broom, 2013, Lower Eyre Pest Management Group, http://www.pestandweeds.com/weed-profiles/trees-shrubs-weeds/white-weeping-broom/
White Weeping Broom (Ratama raetam), 2009, The Government of South Australia, http://www.senrm.sa.gov.au/Portals/10/Pest%20Plants%20and%20Pest%20Animals/white%20weeping%20broom%20NY%20fact%20sheet.pdf

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Asparagus

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Asparagus

Long asparagus.

  • Asparagus are long, spear-headed, edible vegetables that are popular across the globe.
  • Asparagus can be green, white or purple in colour, and is native to west Asia, north Africa and Europe.
  • The scientific name of asparagus is ‘asparagus officinalis’, which is one of the 300 species in the asparagaceae family, although some other asparagus species are edible.
  • Asparagus are the young shoots of the perennial plant with the same name that grows from 1 to 1.5 metres (3 to 5 feet) in height.
  • Historically, asparagus was commonly eaten in Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, Spain and Syria.

Asparagus, Green, Long, Sticks, Multiple, Spears, Lily, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Vegetable

  • Asparagus is is 93% water and very high in vitamin K, and is high in vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, folate and iron.
  • In 2010, China was by far the biggest producer of asparagus, harvesting nearly 7 million tonnes (7.6 million tons) of the vegetable.
  • The word ‘Asparagus’ has Latin, Greek and Persian origins, originally meaning ‘shoot’ or ‘sprout’ in Persian,  and was originally termed as ‘sperage’ in English.
  • After consumption, asparagus can cause a foul smell emitted from the consumer’s urine due to the organic chemicals found in the vegetable.
  • Asparagus is served and eaten in stirfries, soup, raw in salad, grilled, and pickled, and when raw or lightly cooked, it has a crunchy texture.
Bibliography:
Asparagus, 2013, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=12
Asparagus, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus

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Illawarra Flame Tree

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Illawarra Flame Tree

The Illawarra flame tree will not cause a fire!

  • Illawarra flame trees are big trees that grow to a typical height of 20 metres (66 feet), but can grow up to 40 metres (130 feet).
  • Illawarra flame trees are deciduous and are native to the eastern coastal areas of Australia.
  • Illawarra flame trees are from the family Malvaceae, which is the family of mallows, to which hibiscus, hollyhocks, cotton, cacao and okra all belong.
  • The scientific name of Illawarra flame trees is Brachychiton acerifolius, and they are one of the 31 species in the Brachychiton genus, which also includes bottle trees.
  • When Illawarra flame trees lose all of their leaves, the tree becomes shrouded in 1 to 2 centimetre (0.4 to 0.8 inches) long red coloured, bell shaped flowers.

illawarre flame tree, Red, Flowers, Australia, Bright, Tall, Large, Ten Random Facts

  • Illawarra flame trees gr0w 10 cm (4 inch) long, dark brown seed pods and green, maple-shaped leaves.
  • Illawarra flame tree seed pods are potentially hazardous as they contain hairs that can be inhaled, irritate on contact with skin, and in the worse-case scenario, cause blindness.
  • The yellow seeds of Illawarra flame tree seeds have been eaten by indigenous Australians, who would carefully toast the seeds.
  •  ‘Illawarra flame trees’ are also known as ‘kurrajongs’ or ‘flame trees’ and they grow best in temperatures that are warm.
  • The inner bark of Illawarra flame trees has been used to create fishing line.

 

Bibliography:
Brachychiton Acerifolius, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachychiton_acerifolius
Brachychiton Acerifolius, n.d, Royal Botanic Gardens, http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/education/Resources/bush_foods/Brachychiton_acerifolius

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Woolly Nightshade

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Woolly Nightshade

Woolly nightshades may look harmless, but they can be deadly.

  • Woolly nightshades are shrubs or small trees that generally grow up to 4 metres (33 feet) in height, however they can sometimes grow much taller than this.
  • Woolly nightshades are native to South America and can live up to 30 years.
  • Woolly nightshades have become an invasive weed where they were introduced as ornamental vegetation in New Zealand, and are also a significant problem in Australia, India, some countries of southern Africa, and many islands, particularly in the Pacific.
  • ‘Woolly nightshades’ are also known as ‘ear-leaved nightshades’, ‘flannel weeds’, ‘bugweeds’, ‘tobacco weeds’, ‘wild tobacco trees’, and ‘kerosene plants’.
  • The scientific name for woolly nightshade is Solanum mauritianum, and it comes from the Solanaceae family, which is the family of tomatoes, potatoes and nightshades.

Woolly Nightshade, green, plant, pest, weed, Ten Random Facts, Australia, Flower

  • Woolly nightshades have a hairy green stem, or trunk, with large leaves covered in very fine hairs  and smell like herbicide, especially when torn or scrunched.
  • Woolly nightshades have purple coloured flowers with yellow middles, which flower mostly in early spring, although they can flower throughout the year.
  • All parts of woolly nightshades are highly poisonous and can cause fatalities, particularly if the yellow berries are consumed, and the hairs can cause irritation to the skin.
  • Woolly nightshades can produce at least 2,000 seeds a year, which come from the yellow berries the plant produces, that are often dispersed by birds.
  • Woolly nightshades is a fast growing plant, and can be killed by cutting or uprooting the plant, and spraying with herbicide.

 

Bibliography:
Solanum mauritianum, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_mauritianum
Woolly Nightshade (Solanum mauritianum), n.d, Vegetation Specialists, http://www.vegetationspecialists.co.nz/woolly-nightshade.html

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