Tag Archives: Vegetation

Prickly Poppy

By | |
Leave a comment
Prickly Poppy

This prickly poppy is not so delicate.

  • Prickly poppies are 32 species of generally prickly, herbacious plants often found in bushes, deserts and near rivers.
  • ‘Argemone’ is the scientific name of ‘Prickly poppies’ and they are also known as ‘argemony’.
  • Prickly poppies are from the family Papaveraceae, which is the poppy family.
  • Prickly poppies are native to Hawaii, North America and South America.
  • Prickly poppy flowers are often white, purple, red, or yellow in colour.

Prickly Poppy, prickle, spikey, white flower, river, Australia, Ten Random Facts

  • Prickly poppies have prickly or spiny leaves and prickly fruit that are coloured green.
  • Prickly poppy plants have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, and they have also been used as a drug that is smoked.
  • Prickly poppies are sometimes used as a garden plant, but they are an invasive weed in some countries.
  • The coloured sap contains latex and both the seeds and the sap of prickly poppies are potentially toxic.
  • Prickly poppies grow to 30 to 150 centimetres (1 to 5 feet) in height and generally bloom in spring and summer.

 

Bibliography:
Ownbey G, Prickly Poppy, n.d, Flora of North America, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=102532
Prickly Poppy, 2013, Britannica Encyclopaedia, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/475859/prickly-poppy

Amazon:    

Agapanthus

By | |
Leave a comment
Agapanthus

The agapanthus are high above all the rest.

  • Agapanthus have been recently placed in the Amaryllidaceae family, which is the family of amaryllis, that contains three subfamilies – Allioideae (onion family), Amaryllidoideae (amaryllis family) and Agapanthoideae (agapanthus family).
  • ‘Agapanthus’ are also known as the ‘lily of the Nile’ and the ‘African lily’ even though they are not a lily.
  • Agapanthus generally have clustered bell shaped flowers, that bloom mainly in the summer months on tall stems.
  • Agapanthus are native to South Africa and there are between six and ten species of the plant.
  • ‘Agapanthus’ comes from the Greek words ‘agape’ and ‘anthus’, and when put together, mean ‘love flower’, although it is not certain why they are so named .

Agapanthus, pueple, large, flowering, stem, row, Ten Random Facts, Australia

  • During the flowering period, agapanthus can grow up to 2 metres (6.6 feet) in height, although the main part of the plant, the leaves, are usually around 60 cm (23.6 inches) tall.
  • Agapanthus flowers are usually blue, purple or white in colour, although a variety with pink tips is also available.
  • Agapanthus are grown from seed or division of their roots and are classified as an invasive weed in some countries such as New Zealand.
  • Agapanthus prefer sunny conditions and do not like cold, and are often potted in warm areas during these months.
  • Agapanthus are best grown close together, producing a spectacular wave of colour in a garden and are great plants to grow along fences and driveways.
Bibliography:
Agapanthus, 2013, The Flower Expert, http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/flowersandseasons/agapanthus
Agapanthus, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agapanthus

Amazon:     

Pumpkin (Winter Squash)

By | |
Leave a comment
Pumpkin (Winter Squash)

Pumpkin… a versatile vegetable.

  • Pumpkins are also known as ‘winter squash’ depending on where you live, and are part of the Cucurbita genus, which also includes gourds and summer squash.
  • Pumpkins are typically roundish-flat with indented stripes, have thick skins that allows them to be stored longer than summer squash, and generally deep orange to strong yellow, but sometimes red, green, greenish blue, cream or white, in colour.
  • Pumpkins are from the family Cucurbitaceae, which is the family of gourds, and are mostly native to Central America, especially Mexico.
  • Pumpkins are generally eaten cooked, and can be served as a cooked vegetable, or be made into soup, puree, baked goods like bread, or a sweet pie.
  • Pumpkins are commonly carved, and lighted, to make Jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween, or made into pie for Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.

Pumpkin, multiple, Orange, Spherical, Seven, Box,Ten Random Facts, Halloween, Australia

  • Pumpkins grown on large vines, usually on the ground, and once a fruit has matured it will generally weigh between 2.7 to 8.2 kilograms (6 to 18 pounds), depending on the species.
  • ‘Pumpkin’ came from the word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’ in Greek.
  • Pumpkin weighing competitions are common across the globe, with a world record set in 2012 for the heaviest pumpkin ever grown, being 911.3 kilograms (2009 pounds) in mass, and was grown by Ron Wallace from Rhode Island, United States.
  • Pumpkins are made up of approximately 90% water and are extremely high in vitamin A, and a good source of vitamin C.
  • The flowers of pumpkin plants are sometimes eaten, and the seeds are commonly consumed as a snack, and they can also be ground into meal or flour and used in baking.
Bibliography:
Curcubita, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita
Pumpkins, n.d, Hospitality Services Group, http://www.hsgpurchasing.com/Articles/pumpkin.htm

Amazon:     

Viburnum

By | |
Leave a comment
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

Amazon:     

Garlic

By | |
Leave a comment
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

Amazon:     

White Weeping Broom

By | |
Leave a comment
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

Amazon:    

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...