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Starfish Flower

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Starfish Flower

Starfish flowers really want to let you know when they are around.

  • Starfish flowers are a species of succulent, rather than a cactus, and they are flowering perennial plants, native to South Africa.
  • ‘Starfish flowers’ are also known as ‘giant toad plants’, ‘carrion plants’, ‘carrion flowers’, ‘giant zulus, and ‘starfish cacti’.
  • The scientific name of the starfish flower is Stapelia grandiflora and it is from the family Apocynaceae, the family of dogbanes, and is in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae.
  • Starfish flower plants produce large flowers with five petals, mostly in summer months, and the flowers resemble a starfish and grow to be 5 to 15 centimetres (2 to 6 inches) in diameter.
  • The blooms of starfish flowers tend to be purple, red, or brown in colour, sometimes with a tinge of orange, and they are covered with hairs that are coloured white, purple and/or red.
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A Starfish Flower
Image courtesy of Steve L Martin/Flickr
  • Starfish flowers generally release a stench that is likened to that of a dead animal, intended to attract insects such as flies to pollinate the flowers.
  • Warm climates are best for growing starfish flowers, and they prefer sunny to partly shady conditions.
  • Starfish flower plants are often used for ornamental purposes, however they can also be used to attract irritating insects away from living areas.
  • The green vegetation of starfish flower plants is multi-stemmed, and typically grows to 10 cm (4 inches) tall, while the plant can grow to a diameter of 50 cm (20 inches).
  • The centre of starfish flowers can be a breeding site for insects, such as flies, where their eggs are sometimes deposited.
Bibliography:
Carrion Plant, Starfish Flower, Starfish Cactus, 2016, Dave’s Garden, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59151/#b
Grant B, Starfish Flower Cactus: Tips For Growing Starfish Flowers Indoors, 2016, Gardening Know How, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/starfish-flower/growing-starfish-flowers.htm
Stapelia grandiflora, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stapelia_grandiflora
Stapelia grandiflora, n.d, Cactus Art, http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/STAPELIA/Stapelia_grandiflora/Stapelia_grandiflora/stapelia_grandiflora.htm

Santol

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Santol

Will you brave the exoticness of the santol?

  • Santols are a species of exotic fruit native to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaya, of Southeast Asia.
  • The scientific name of the santol tree is Sandoricum koetjape and it is from the family Meliaceae, the family of mahogany.
  • ‘Santols’ are also called ‘lolly fruits’, ‘cottonfruits’, and ‘ wild mangosteens’, and they are also known under a variety of local names.
  • Santols generally have a peachy orange coloured skin, that has a somewhat furry texture, sometimes with a slight red or yellow appearance, with flesh that is typically coloured white, while the rind surrounding the flesh is usually an orange colour.
  • The rind of santols can be thick or thin, depending on the variety, and the fruit has a fleshy, juicy centre that surrounds the seeds; and both the pulp and the rind are usually edible.
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Santols
Image courtesy of whologwhy/Flickr
  • Santols can have a sour or sweet taste, often depending on whether it is the red leaf variety or the yellow leaf variety, with the red leaf generally having a sour taste and a thicker rind, while the yellow leaf will typically have a sweet flavour and a thinner rind.
  • Santols can be eaten raw, preserved, made into a jam, candied, spiced, cooked in curries or alongside meat, or used to make a beverage.
  • The relatively large brown seeds of santols are not edible, and they should be avoided as they can get stuck in or even puncture the intestines.
  • Santol fruit range from 4 to 7.5 centimetres (1.6 to 3 inches) in diameter, and a single tree is said to be able to bear thousands of individual fruit in a single year.
  • Santols contain pectin, and are a good source of phosphorus and calcium, and they contain other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Morton J, Santol, 1987, Purdue Agriculture, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/santol.html
Santol, 2016, Fruits Info, http://www.fruitsinfo.com/Santol-Exotic-fruits.php
Snadoricum koetjape, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandoricum_koetjape

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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.
Resurrection Plant, Alive, Healthy, Open, Green, Flowers, Rose of Jericho, Ten Random Facts, Trivia
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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