Tag Archives: Plant

Monstera Deliciosa

By | |
Leave a comment
Monstera Deliciosa

A unique flavour, the Monstera deliciosa.

  • Monstera deliciosa is a climbing, flowering plant that grows in tropical rainforests or other humid shady areas, and in the wild the grow up tall trees and send down aerial roots to the ground where they take root.
  • Monstera deliciosa are native to southern Mexico, central America and Columbia and are also known as the ‘Swiss cheese plant’, ‘cheese plant’, ‘fruit salad plant’, ‘monsterio delicio’, ‘monster fruit’, and ‘Mexican breadfruit’ among others.
  • Monstera deliciosa belongs to the genus Monstera, a genus of 40-60 species, and are from the family Araceae, which is the family of arums.
  • Monstera deliciosa can grow up to 20 meters (65 feet) in height, with large dark green leaves that have holes in them, which led to the name ‘Swiss cheese plant’, although young leaves have no holes in them and are small and heart shaped.
  • Monstera deliciosa does not tolerate frost unless sheltered, and will cease growing at temperatures of 10°C (50°F) and under.

Green plant, leaves, large, Monstera Deliciosa, Swiss cheese Plant, Fruit, Big, Australia, Vegetation, Ten Random Facts

  • Monstera deliciosa bear small flowers and a large bract that cloaks the fruit of the plant, and the fruit grow 25cm (9.8 inches) in length and is corn shaped with a green hexagonal tiled covering.
  • Monstera deliciosa fruits are edible but only when ripe, which can take a year, which is when the hexagonal tiles fall off, as an unripe fruit is poisonous with symptoms of throat irritation, swelling and pain.
  •  Monstera deliciosa fruit tastes a bit like a mix of pineapple, banana and mango, or jackfruit, among others, giving it a nickname of the fruit salad plant.
  • Monstera deliciosa grow towards the darkest spot first, until the find a tree to climb up, and then they head for the light.
  • In some native countries, Monstera deliciosa roots are used to make baskets and ropes, treating snakebites and along with the leaves, for treating arthritis, even though the plant is considered poisonous.
Bibliography:
Bruhl J, Monstera Deliciosa, 2002, NSW Department of Agriculture, <http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/119775/monsterosa-deliciosa.pdf>
Monstera Deliciosa, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monstera_deliciosa>

Amazon: 

Ground Asparagus

By | |
Leave a comment
Ground Asparagus

Ground asparagus… though not an asparagus bearer, though.

  • Ground asparagus is also known as basket asparagus, Sprenger’s asparagus and asparagus fern.
  • Ground asparagus is from the family Asparagaceae, which is the family of asparagus and flowering plants.
  • Ground asparagus have tiny bell like flowers that are white to palish pink in colour and bloom in spring and last until autumn.
  • Ground asparagus is a small perennial, low lying, scrambling shrub that has a number of  stems coming from the ground that have ferny looking cladodes (water storing leaf like segments) and small thorns attached.
  • Ground asparagus is easily grown from the rhizomes and through seeds that birds spread, making it an invasive weed in many areas.

Ground Asparagus, Red, Berry, Fern, Green, Basket, Weed, Invasive, Australia, Ten RandoM Facts, Aethiopicus, Long ways, Green, Evergreen, Vegetation, Plant

  • South Africa is the native home of ground asparagus, where it is found in coastal areas.
  • The scientific classification for ground asparagus is Asparagus aethiopicus, although it is often confused with Asparagus densiflorus, which it is often called, and is similar in appearance.
  • Ground asparagus have berries that start off green and ripen to a red colour, and grow to 5 to 8mm (0.2 to 0.3 inches) in diameter.
  • Although ground asparagus is known as an invasive weed in a number of countries in the world, especially Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the United States, it is still used for decoration in shady areas or rocky gardens.
  • The berries of ground asparagus are poisonous, causing symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. 
Bibliography:
Ground (Basket) Asparagus, n.d, Weeds Australia, <http://www.weeds.org.au/WoNS/asparagusweeds/docs/Asparagus_Weeds_BPMM-5.pdf>
Ground Asparagus, n.d, Weeds Australia, <http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&state=&s=&ibra=all&card=H03>

 

                                                                                              Amazon: 

 

Cypress Vine

By | |
2 Comments
Cypress Vine

A dainty vine.

  • Cypress vines are also known as ‘morning glories’, ‘star glories’, ‘cupid flower’s’  ‘cardinal creepers’, ‘cardinal vines’, and ‘hummingbird vines’.
  • Cypress vines are from the family Convolvulaceae, the family of morning glories, and the scientific name of Cypress vine is ‘Ipomoea quamoclit’.
  • Cypress vines are native to Central America, the northern tropics of South America and Mexico.
  • Cypress vines are perennial vines, though they are usually grown as annuals as they do not generally survive cold winters since the vine does not tolerate the cold very well.
  • Cypress vines grow from 1 to 9 meters (3 to 30 feet) high, and usually need a vertical support to grown on.

Cypress Vine, Morning Glory, red Trumpet Shaped Flower, Spikey Leaves, buds, droop, pretty, fern, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Cypress vines have a trumpet like flower, which can be red, pink or white in colour, which grows to 3 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 inches) long.
  • Cypress vines can be an invasive pest and are an environmental weed in some parts of Australia and other warm temperature areas in the world.
  • Cypress vines have green ferny leaves that grow to become 2 to 9 cm (0.8 to 3.5 inches) in length, and all parts of the plant are poisonous.
  • Cypress vines attract butterflies, bees and birds, most notably hummingbirds.
  • Cypress vine flowers usually bloom from late spring, through summer and autumn, and are easily grown from seed.
Bibliography:
Ipomoea Quamoclit, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_quamoclit>
PlantFiles: Cypress Vine, Star Glory, Hummingbird Vine, Ipomoea Quamoclit, 2013, Dave’s Garden, <http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/93/>

Camellia

By | |
2 Comments
Camellia

Beautiful flowers.

  • Camellias are flowering small trees or shrubs that are evergreen and are from the family Theaceae, the tea family.
  • Camellias are native to Eastern and Southern Asia, most notably China, Japan, Korea, India and Indonesia, and China’s native name for camellias means ‘tea flower’.
  • Camellia sinensis is usually called ‘tea plant’, as it is the most common plant in the world to be used to make tea, usually from young leaves that can be made into green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea and other types of tea.
  • Depending on the species, camellias generally grow no more than 6 metres (20 feet) in height and some species, especially sasanqua, can be grown as hedges, topiaries and espaliers.
  • Camellia flowers can be white, cream, pink, red, purple, yellow or variegated, and come in a variety of forms like single, double, rose, peony and so on.

Red Pink, Camellia, Two, Bloom, Bud, Lots, Leaves, Bush, Australia, Flower, Ten Random Facts, Tea Flower

  • The most popular type of camellias are sasanqua, japonica and reticulata, although their are approximately 300 species, as well as 3,000 cultivars and hybrids.
  • Rain and winter frost can often damage camellia flowers, and sometimes bud drop occurs, often due to the bush producing too many buds, and this is usually nothing to be concerned about.
  • Camellia flowers range in size from 1 – 13 cm (0.4 – 5 inches) and they bloom in autumn, winter and spring.
  • Camellia bushes can live up to 100 to 200 years, although the oldest living camellia, planted in 1347, can be found in China’s Panlong Monastry.
  • Camellias have dark, glossy leaves that can be attacked by red spider mites, which are nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Bibliography:
Camellia, 2013, Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia>
Camellia Care & Culture Notes, 2013, Camellia Glen, <4rewwww

Prickly Pear

By | |
Leave a comment
Prickly Pear

Prickly monster.

  • Prickly pear is also known as ‘nopal cactus’ and ‘paddle cactus’ and comes from the genus Opuntia which contains more than 150 species.
  • Prickly pears are from the family Cactaceae, which is the family of cacti and are native to North and South America and some of the surrounding islands.
  • Prickly pears have green, flat, oval shaped leaves called pads, that have long and short prickles that break off easily and irritate human skin.
  • Prickly pears have become an invasive weed in parts of Africa, Australia and Europe, where they were introduced as ornamental plants, fences and barriers, and for stock feed.
  • Prickly pears have edible fruit known as ‘cactus fruit’, ‘cactus fig’, ‘Indian fig’ and ‘tuna’, and are mainly red in colour, although other varieties include yellowy orange and green, and are high in Vitamin C.

 Prickly Pear, Invasive, Green, Fruit, Tall, Desert, Bare, Australia, Fruitful, Ten Random

  • Cochineal, a scale insect, is a common pest on prickly pear plants, and the insects are collected to make a valuable red dye called cochineal, which is used to dye fabric, cosmetics, and food.
  • The fruit and pads of prickly pears can be eaten, once the skin and prickles are removed, and the pads can be cooked like a vegetable and have been used in Mexican cooking for hundreds of years.
  • In 1788, prickly pears were introduced in Australia for the purpose of producing cochineal to dye the red coats required for the British army, however, by the 1920s prickly pears had invaded 58 million acres (24 million hectares) of land, much of it good farming land, so the cactoblastis moth was introduced to control the cactus, and was so effective, that much of the land was reclaimed.
  • The fruit of prickly pears are said to taste like a combination of bubblegum and watermelon, and can be made into candy, jam or beverages, or eaten raw, although some people do not like to eat the hard edible seeds.
  • A prickly pear can be found on the Mexican coat of arms and is said to symbolise the hard times and difficulties that have passed and will come.
Bibliography:
Opuntia, 2013, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia>

Moses-in-the-Cradle

By | |
4 Comments
Moses-in-the-Cradle

It’s actually a flowering plant.

  • Moses-in-the-cradle is a plant from the family Commelinaceae, which is the family of day flowers, wandering jew and spiderworts.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle is a perennial clumping plant native to southern Mexico, and Central America, and grows to approximately 30 cm (11.8 inches).
  • Moses-in-the-cradle’s scientific name was originally Rhoeo discolour, then Rhoeo spathacea and it is now Tradescantia spathacea.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle’s scientific name is named after John Tradescant senior and junior who were plant importers and collectors in the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle is also known by many other names, including ‘boat lily’; ‘cradle lily’, ‘oyster plant’ and other variations of ‘Moses-in-the-cradle’.

 Moses-in-a-Cradle, Plant, Green, Purple, white, Background, brick, stone, three, flowerless

  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants have attractive dark green leaves, with a purple underside, and are generally grown for their foliage.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants can be easily grown from cuttings, seeds or discarded or damaged plants, and are very hardy, although they don’t like frost.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants can self pollinate, and they develop small, white, three petalled flowers that open out of purple boat or cradle shaped bracts, at any time of the year, hence the name ‘Moses-in-the-cradle’.
  • Moses-in-the-cradle plants have been introduced in many parts of the world, and they have become an invasive pest in many areas, including Florida, United States and some parts of Australia, as they can grow almost anywhere and can even be found growing on walls.
  • The sap of Moses-in-the-cradle plants can cause stinging and will burn one’s mouth and throat if any of the plant is consumed.
Bibliography:
Tradescantia Spathacea, 2012, Some Magnetic Island Plants, <http://www.somemagneticislandplants.com.au/index.php/plants/374-tradescantia-spathacea>
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...