Tag Archives: Vegetation

Banana Passionfruit

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Banana Passionfruit

Banana passionfruit is the perfect fruit for a passionate fan.

  • Banana passionfruit are a variety of tropical fruit native to South America.
  • ‘Banana passionfruit’ is also called ‘curuba’, ‘tasco’, ‘tumbo’, ‘bananadilla’ and ‘banana pōka’.
  • There are two species of banana passionfruit, both very similar in appearance, and they have the scientific name Passiflora tarminiana and Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima, and they are from the family Passifloraceae, the family of passionfruit and other flowering plants.
  • Banana passionfruit are of a rounded cylindrical or somewhat ovoid shape, and are 5 to 14 centimetres (2 to 5.5 inches) in length.
  • Banana passionfruit has a light or whitish yellow to orange skin colour when ripe, and is a green colour when unripe, while the flesh is a translucent orange that surrounds numerous black edible seeds.
Banana Passionfruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Orange, Pulp, Green, Cut, Fruit, Culinary, Food
Banana Passionfruit
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
  • The vines of banana passionfruit typically produce 150 to 300 individuals fruits a year.
  • Banana passionfruit can be eaten fresh or added to desserts such as ice cream and fruit salads; or used as a flavouring, especially in beverages; much like other species of passionfruit.
  • In countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii, banana passionfruit is considered an invasive species, as it grows prolifically and chokes out native plant species.
  • The flavour of banana passionfruit is typically sweet and tart, comparable to other passionfruit; and the fruit is high in vitamin C and fibre.
  • The vine of banana fruits can reach a length of roughly 6 to 7 metres (20 to 23 feet), and they often use tall trees as a support.
Bibliography:
Banana Passion Fruit, 2013, Trade Winds Fruit, http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/content/banana-passion-fruit.htm
Banana Passionfruit, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_passionfruit
Banana Passionfruit, 2016, Specialty Produce, http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Banana_Passionfruit_9144.php
Banana Passionfruit, n.d, Purdue University, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/banana_passion_fruit.html
Passiflora tarminiana, 2016, Queensland Government, http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/passiflora_tarminiana.htm

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White Snakeroot

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White Snakeroot

White snakeroot is one root you do not want to eat.

  • White snakeroots are perennial plants, found in the eastern parts of Canada and the United States, in North America.
  • The scientific name of white snakeroot is Ageratina altissima and it is from the family Asteraceae, the family of daisies, and the plant was previously specified as Eupatorium rugosum.
  • ‘White snakeroots’ are less commonly known as ‘richweeds’, ‘tall bonesets’ and ‘white sanicles’, though other plant species may also be called these names.
  • White snakeroots grow in sunny to partly shady areas, typically to a height of 90 to 150 centimetres (3 to 5 feet).
  • The small flowers of white snakeroots are of a white colour and grow in clusters; and they bloom most commonly during the summer and autumn months.
White Snakeroot, Trivia, Ten Random facts, Vegetation, Toxic, Plant, Bright, Beauty
White Snakeroot
Image courtesy of White Wolf/Flickr
  • White snakeroots are poisonous to many livestock and humans, and symptoms can include trembling, intestinal pain and vomiting, and it can be fatal if left untreated.
  • White snakeroots plants grow from rhizomes that multiply, and they are easily grown from seeds that form after flowering.
  • Cows that have eaten white snakeroot will have toxic milk and meat, and this causes poisoning, or ‘milk sickness’ as it is known, in humans if they consume the products.
  • White snakeroot rhizomes have been historically been used to treat snakebites when made into poultice, hence its common name.
  • White snakeroots can be used ornamentally, prominently in cottage-themed gardens.
Bibliography:
Ageratina altissima, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageratina_altissima
Ageratina altissima, Missouri Botanical Garden, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a747
White Snakeroot, n.d, Illinois Wildflowers, http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/wh_snakeroot.htm

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Mamey Sapote

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Mamey Sapote

Mamey sapote is an exotic name for an exotic fruit.

  • Mamey sapote is a variety of tropical fruit, native to parts of Central America, and Mexico in North America.
  • ‘Mamey sapote’ is also known as ‘marmalade plum’, ‘mamee sapote’, ‘marmalade fruit’, ‘zapotillo’, ‘zapote’, ‘sapote’, and ‘mammee apple’, among other names.
  • The scientific name of the mamey sapote tree is Pouteria sapota and it is from the family Sapotaceae, a family of flowering trees and shrubs.
  • Mamey sapote can be ovoid or almost spherical in shape, and the fruit is usually between 7.5 and 23 centimetres (3 to 9 inches) long.
  • The skin of Mamey sapote fruit is generally somewhat rough to touch and brown in colour, while the flesh is soft when ripe, and pink, orange or red in colour.
Mamey Sapote, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Orange, Fruit, Culinary, Cut
Mamey Sapote
Image courtesy of I Like Plants/Flickr
  • The taste of mamey sapote is reminiscent of sweet potatoes, peaches, pumpkins and apricots.
  • Mamey sapote can be eaten fresh or frozen, used to flavour dairy-based products such as ice-cream or milkshakes, and can be made into jams and preserves.
  • A single mamey sapote fruit can weigh from 0.4 to 2.3 kilograms (0.9 to 5 pounds) in weight.
  • Despite its large size, mamey sapote is botanically considered a berry, and the fruit usually contains one large brown seed, though some varieties may have up to four.
  • Mamey sapote fruit are high in vitamin B6 and vitamin C, and contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Carle A, Cultivation of Mamey Sapote and Green Sapote, 1989, The Acrhives of The Rare Fruit Council of Australia, http://rfcarchives.org.au/Next/Fruits/MameySapote/MameyGreenSapote1-89.htm
 Mamey Sapote, n.d, Australian Tropical Foods, http://www.australiantropicalfoods.com/index.php/exotic-fruits/mamey-sapote/
Pouteria sapota, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pouteria_sapota
Sapote, 2016, Purdue University, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/sapote_ars.html

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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.
Starfish Flower, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Pink, Red, Vegetation, Plant, Large, Bloom, Attract
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.
Santols, Fruit, Orange, Vegetation, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Stalk, Whole, Unpeeled
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.
English Yew, Europe, Red, Toxic, Poisonous, Green, Vegetation, Plant, Berry, Vivid
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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