Tag Archives: Vegetation

Hitachi Seaside Park

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Hitachi Seaside Park

Hitachi Seaside Park is a park of wonder.

  • Hitachi Seaside Park is a park located on the coast of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, in the city of Hitachinaka, in the Ibaraki Prefecture.
  • ‘Hitachi Seaside Park’ is known as ‘Kokuei Hitachi Kaihinkōen’ in Japanese.
  • Hitachi Seaside Park comprises of approximately 190 hectares (470 acres) of area, that includes a hill, forests, garden, entertainment area and other features.
  • Hitachi Seaside Park notably contains 4.5 million blue nemophila plants, 1 million daffodils and 170 different varieties of tulip, as well as many other flowering plants and vegetation.
  • Hitachi Seaside Park features a Ferris wheel that is a good way to gain great views of the park, as well as a rollercoaster, golf area, a labyrinth, a water playground and more.
Hitachi Seaside Park, Flowers, Blue, Blooming, Ferris Wheel, Japan, Garden, Public, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Hitachi Seaside Park
Image courtesy of Temaki/Flickr
  • Hitachi Seaside Park is the venue for the Rock in Japan Festival, the largest rock genre music festival in Japan, that is held each year in August.
  • Hitachi Seaside Park has entrance and parking fees, and pets on leashes are welcome, although they are restricted in some areas.
  • Hitachi Seaside Park contains numerous cycling tracks, public paths and recreation areas.
  • Although flowering occurs all year, the majority of flowers in Hitachi Seaside Park bloom in spring, notably the nemophilas, which led to the name ‘Nemophila Harmony’ for this period.
  • Since the Fukishima nuclear disaster of 2011, some areas of Hitachi Seaside Park have been closed at various times due to rising radiation levels, however, the levels are closely monitored and decontamination has occurred when necessary.
Bibliography:
Flower Paradise at Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan, 2012, Amusing Planet, http://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/06/flower-paradise-at-hitachi-seaside-park.html
Hitachi Seaside Park, 2013, Visit Ibaraki Japan, http://visitibaraki.net/hitachi-seaside-park-post.html
Hitachi Seaside Park, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitachi_Seaside_Park
Menu, 2014, Hitachi Seaside Park, http://hitachikaihin.go.jp/

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Choko

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Choko

Do not choke on these choko facts.

  • A choko is the fruit of a vine with the scientific name Sechium edule, that is a perennial and grows vigorously.
  • ‘Chokos’ are also known by eighteen other names, including ‘cho-cho’, ‘pear squash’, ‘mirliton’, ‘chayote’, ‘vegetable pear’ and ‘christophine’.
  • Chokos are native to Mexico, in southern North America, and they were later grown in Europe, other parts of America and Australasia.
  • Chokos are from the family Cucurbitaceae, the family of gourds, and the fruit of the plant, as well as the leaves, roots and seeds are edible.
  • Chokos are typically shaped as a pear with significant ridges and are a mid to light green colour.

Choko, Green, Gourd, Vegetable, Australian, Wrinkled, Ten Random Facts, Chayote

  • Chokos have a length ranging from 10 to 20 centimetres (4 to 8 inches) and are usually used as a vegetable and peeled before cooking.
  • Chokos are most often cooked, although they can be eaten raw, and are typically used in stir-fry, relish, soup, salads, seasoned or as side vegetables, and can also be used in baked goods.
  • It has been commonly suggested that the apple pies of Australia’s McDonald’s fast food outlets contain chokos, however, this is incorrect.
  • Chokos are high in folate and are a good source of vitamin C and manganese.
  • Chokos can positively affect the cardiovascular system and limit inflammation, while the leaves can be made into a tea for medicinal purposes.
Bibliography:
Chayote, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote
Choko, 2014, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/2001/archives/2001_archives?p=1320

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Papaya

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Papaya

No fruit salad is complete without papayas!

  • Papayas are fruit that grow on plants native to the American tropics, with the ‘trees’ that they grow being as tall as 5 to 10 metres (16 to 33 feet).
  • A ‘papaya’ is also known as a ‘pawpaw’ and a ‘papaw’.
  • Papayas come from a plant that has the scientific name Carica papaya and are from the family Caricaceae, a family of small trees and shrubs.
  • The largest producers of papayas in the 2008 to 2010 period, was India, producing approximately 38.6% of the world production.
  • Papayas commonly have green coloured skin that turns yellow or orange when ripe, and the flesh is either yellow, orange or red, depending on the species.

Papaya, Yellow, Fruit, Black, Half, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Papayas have soft and sweet musky flavoured flesh and are popularly eaten raw or cooked, in salads, curries or soups, and the black seeds can be used as black pepper replacements.
  • Papayas, when unripe, contain latex, which can cause allergic reactions and possibly miscarriages.
  • Papayas can grow up to 51 centimetres (20 inches) in length and are generally pear or round shaped.
  • Papayas are very high in vitamin C, and are high in folate, vitamin A and dietary fibre.
  • Papaya has been used in traditional medicine and in some hair products, and is commonly made into ointment for the treatment of cuts, rashes, burns and other skin conditions.

 

Bibliography:
Papaya, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya
Papaya, 2014, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=47

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Feathertop Grass

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Feathertop Grass

Tickle, tickle. Feathertop grass can tickle.

  • Feathertop grass is perennial grass native to northern Africa and part of the Middle East.
  • Feathertop grass has the scientific name of Pennisetum villosum.
  • Feathertop grass is from the family Poaceae, the family of true grasses, and the family is also referred to as the Gramineae family.
  • ‘Feathertop grass’ is also known as ‘feathertop’, ‘long-style feather grass’, ‘white foxtail’ and ‘purple squirrel tail grass’.
  • Feathertop grass grows to be 15 to 70 centimetres (6 to 27.5 inches) tall, and has thin green leaves.

Feathertop grass, white, clumps, invasive, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Feathertop grasses have soft looking feathery flower spikes that are white to green coloured, and sometimes have a touch of purple, that turn a creamy yellow or white colour when they age.
  • Feathertop grasses are classified as weeds in some countries and states, including states of Australia, and can often be seen growing en masse in fields or paddocks, along the roadside and in other areas.
  • Feathertop grasses bloom mainly in summer, although the flower spikes can also be seen in spring and autumn.
  • Feathertop grasses grow from rhizomes and spread via underground root systems, cuttings, and seed dispersal through water and waste systems and wind, among others.
  • Feathertop grass is grown as a decorative plant in non-invasive areas, and prefer sunny conditions and warm climates.
Bibliography:
Feathertop, 2011 Weeds of Australia, http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Pennisetum_villosum.htm
Pennisetum villosum, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennisetum_villosum

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Passionfruit

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Passionfruit

What is a fruit with passion? A passionfruit!

  • Passionfruit are fruit that grow up to 4 to 7.5 centimetres (1.5 to 3 inches) in diameter, and are native to South America.
  • ‘Passionfruit’ are also known as ‘passion fruit’, ‘granadilla’ and ‘purple granadilla’, and some of the varieties are ‘purple’, ‘yellow’, ‘panama’ and ‘banana’.
  • Passionfruit is roughly spherical or ovoid in shape, with skin coloured purple, pink or yellow when ripe, that is either smooth, or slightly wrinkled.
  • Passionfruit have yellow to orange pulp containing juice and many black edible seeds, and they generally have sweet flavoured juice and tart flavoured seeds.
  • Passionfruit can be eaten raw, added to fruit salad, used as a dessert topping and flavouring, made into a variety of beverages and used as a flavouring in icing or cream for baked goods.

Passionfruit, Halve, Whole, Yellow, Pulp, Black, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • Passionfruit grow on vines that have the scientific name of Passiflora edulis and are from the family Passifloraceae, a family of approximately 530 flowering plant species.
  • Passionfruit are often found in home gardens grown on fences or trellises, and are commercially grown in warm climates that are frost free.
  • Passionfruit, before ripening, have softer, green coloured skin, and when ripe, it is best to choose heavy fruit as they will contain more pulp and seeds.
  • ‘Passionfruit’ were named by Spanish missionaries in South America as the flowers were interpreted to symbolise ‘Christ’s passion (suffering) on the cross’.
  • Passionfruit are very high in vitamin C, vitamin A and dietary fibre, and also contain iron, potassium and other vitamins and minerals.

 

Bibliography:
Passiflora edulis, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passiflora_edulis
Passionfruit, 2011, Fresh for Kids, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/passionfruit/passionfruit.html
Passionfruit, 2014, Purdue Agriculture, https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/passionfruit.html

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Hibiscus

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Hibiscus

The hibiscus genus.

  • Hibiscus are perennial and annual flowering small trees and shrubs of the same-named genus, of which there are approximately 300 different species.
  • Hibiscus are from the family Malvaceae, the family of mallows, and they generally have glossy green leaves, and a distinct long stamen.
  • Hibiscus often have brightly coloured flowers that are sometimes variegated and can have double petals, in colours of pink, purple, white, yellow, orange and/or red.
  • Hibiscus flowers have at least 5 petals forming a trumpet, and spread 4 to 18 centimetres (1.5 to 7 inches) in diameter.
  • The word ‘hibiscus’ comes from ‘hibískos’, a Greek word named for the plant, and they are also known as ‘rose mallows’, with different species having other common names.

Hibiscus, flower, red, australia, orange, Decorative, Single, Ten Random Facts

  • Hibiscus plants grow to be around 1.5 to 3 metres (5 to 10 feet) in height, although there are some species that grow taller than this, and they are commonly used for ornamental or landscaping purposes in gardens.
  • Hibiscus flowers are commonly dried and can be made into tea, cold drinks, used as food colouring, added to salads, or be cooked and eaten, typically in Mexican cuisine.
  • Hibiscus are native to mainly warm areas around the world, with different species being native to specific areas, including Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands.
  • Hibiscus is the recognised national flower of Malaysia, South Korea and the Republic of Haiti.
  • Hibiscus can be made into shampoo and has been used medicinally, notably for lowering blood pressure.
Bibliography:
Hibiscus, 2002, Burke’s Backyard, http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Flowering-Plants-and-Shrubs/Hibiscus/107
Hibiscus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus

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