OCEANIA´S NATIONAL FLOWERS October 20, 2009

 AUSTRALIA

National flower is the golden wattle

       THE GOLDEN WATTLE

Acacia pycuantha- belongs to the mimosa family which is mainly tropical and subtropical . There are more than 900 species . It´s a shrub or small tree with plenty fragrant yellow flowers. It´s frost tolerant and grows well, but tends to be short lived cultivation. It   propagates from seeds. The flowers are used to make perfume.

     INDONESIA

National flower the rafflesia arnoldi.

 

   PAPUA NEW GUINEA

National flower the lotus.

 

       NEW ZEALAND

More people believes that kowhai is the national flower but really Indonesia does not have national flower.

     FIJI

National flower is the tagimaucia.

                  THE  TAGIMAUCIA

 

Tagimaucia flower is found only in the shores of the high mountains of Taveuni. It´s a wild flower with red flowers branches having a small white flower at the center.

 

  CHRISTMAS ISLAND

There is no national flower.

                               

                                 COCOS ISLAND

                                                

 National flower the tiare maori

 

                             TIARE MAORI

It´s a Tahitian gardenia , has a large waxy flowers and oval leaves . Has a beautiful white scented flower.

       CORAL  SEA ISLAND

There is no national flower.

 

 NORFOLK ISLAND

There is no national flower.

 

  NEW CALEDONIA ISLAND

There is no national flower.

 

        SOLOMON ISLAND

There is no national flower.

            VANUATU ISLAND

There is no national flower.

 

 See you in next post.

RARE CACTUS PHOTOS October 4, 2009

We want to share with you , some photos that we found in the web. This photos shows you rare cactus. We couldn´t find the names if someone know the names please let us know. Thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASIA AND MEADLE EAST NATIONAL FLOWERS -PART IV September 22, 2009

SOUTH KOREA

National flower is the hibiscus

SRI LANKA

National flower is the blue lotus

BLUE LOTUS

It´s an aquatic flower. The flower has a 10-15 cm diameter.They open in the morning rising the surface of the water, then close and sink dusk. They remind in the surface 2-3 days. It´s used in aroma therapy and gastronomy.

SYRIA

National flower the jasmine.

TAIWAN

National flower is the plum blossom

PLUM BLOSSOM

It´s the blossom of the ume tree unique and distinctive flower because it blooms in the death winter. The flowers emerge before the leaves and they are pale white oval-shaped petals- The fruit is actually more like and apricot than a plum.

TAJIKISTAN

There´s no national flower.

THAILAND

National flower is the golden shower tree.

GOLDEN SHOWER TREE

It´s a flowering plant that has 12-20 seeds per fruit. It´s a deciduous or semi-evergreen tree having scented sepia or yellow flowers , in dropping racemes and pods. Ornamental plant that grows in tropical or subtropical areas. Blooms in late spring.

TURKMENISTAN

National flower is the poppy.

UNITED ARABS EMIRATES

No national flower.

UZBEKISTAN

No national flower.

VIETNAM

National flower the red lotus

RED LOTUS

See information in this page.

YEMEN

National flower is the Arabian coffee.

ARABIAN COFFEE

It´s a small tree having an easy grown . Can be propagated by cuttings or grafting. It´s an evergreen house plant . Flowers are produced in dense clusters in the axils of the leaves. Are pure white colour. Each fruit contains 2 seeds, ” the coffee beans”.

FLOWERS AND PLANTS CURIOSITIES September 13, 2009

CACTUS

We are going to see the curiosities in the cactus world…………

FENESTRATE.LITHOPS.SSP

 

 

 

 

 This kind of cactus are from South Africa grows almost entirely subterranean. Has transparent leaves that grow below surface. The fenestrate  looks  like the stones allowing camouflage between the plant and the surface.

HAMATOCACTUS LONGIHAMATU

This cactus has an extra areolar gland that exudes nectar, to attract insects.Produce a lot of fragrant yellow flowers range eyed flowers at the top of the stems.

 

ECHINOCEREUS DAVISII VAR.BREVISPINUS

 

 

 

 

 

This cactus is the smallest  you can find.Has nice short spines and a lemon fragrant yellow flower.Plants are extremely diminutive and mostly subterranean.

CORYPHANTHA ECHINODEA.

This cactus has  extrafloral  nectaries

glands-red points- .Flowers are light yellow , followed by green fruits. You can find it in Mexico.

 

 

DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE SMALLEST CACTUS?

Yes, we talked about  it in this page and…………

THE BIGGEST CACTUS………THE SAGUARO

SAGUARO CACTUS

 

 

 

 

 

THE SAGUARO  belongs to the Sonora desert in Mexico, this is the only place you can find it. Has tall arms that can reach 65.6 feet (20 mts), roots are 98.4 feet (30 mts) long.Has a great water absorption it can absorbs 2387 gallons (10000 lts)of water. It can leave 200 years, but it´s a slow growing plant only reach 26.24 feet (8 mts) in 100 years.

Those are the cactus curiosities we brought to all of you .See you next

ASIA AND MEEDLE EAST NATIONAL FLOWERS – PART III September 10, 2009

We  are going to see the following countries……..

           MONGOLIA

There is no national flower as we know.

 

                        MYANMAR

National flower is the pterocarpus indicus

PTEROCARPUS INDICUS

It´s a big tree. The trunk has 7 mts in diameter at the base. The crowns are large with long branches that at first ascending, but eventually arch over, and sometimes drops at the end. The flowers are yellow ,fragrant and born in large axillary pinnacles. Flowers last for one day.

 

        NEPAL

 

The national flower is the rhododendron

 

 

         RHODODENDRON

Is a shrub and small to large trees. The leaves are spirally arranged. They may be evergreen or deciduous. Some of the species are noted for their clusters of large flowers. There are alpine species with small flowers and leaves.

 

      NORTH KOREA

National flower is the magnolia.

 

THE MAGNOLIA         

Magnolia blossoms grow at the end of a tree´s branches . They possess 3 sepals and 6-12 petals. People say the magnolia flowers are similar to some of the very first flowers. It´s a spring perennial.

 

         OMAN

There´s no national flower.

 

 

     PAKISTAN

National flower is the jasmine.

 

                 PHILIPPINES

National flowers is the sampaguita jasmine.

 

SAMPAGUITA JASMINE

 

 

It´ and evergreen vine or shrubs reaching up to 1-3 in tall. The leaves are ovate. Flowers are produced in clusters of 3-12 together . Flowers open at night and close in the morning. The fruit is a purple-black berry.

 

  QATAR

There is no national flower

 

  SAUDI ARABIA

There is no national flower.

 

 

    SINGAPORE

National flowers is the vanda Miss Joaquim

 

VANDA MISS JOAQUIM

It´s an epiphytic orchid. Has linear leaves on upright racemes in summer. Requires full light. Has an evergreen foliage. Flower with fragrant and the colors are pink and purple.

 

 

 

 

 

GARDEN DESIGN – PART II September 7, 2009

We continue with the points you have to considered to design a garden

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE TO EXPEND IN YOUR GARDEN?

The garden is a good place to expend money because you are going to live several moments in your garden alone or with friends. You can design it and do it in different stages, that will give you the possibility of

afford it. If you gave children grass will be predominant in your garden and is cheaper than plants, also if you use propagation you can have a lot of plants without expend money.

Some ideas for a children area.

THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR GARDEN-

If you want to have an easy care garden you have to avoid hedge and formal borders. Those elements requires cutting 2-5 times in a year.

Also it´s important to use perennial plants so they don´t change their leaves in Autumn and our grass will still clean.

GARDEN STYLES

That´s another item to be considered . You can find several styles see our post-garden style.

CHOOSE THE FEELING YOU WANT TO CREATE IN YOUR GARDEN DESIGN-

A fresh one with plenty trees, a romantic one with beautiful flowers, a mysterious garden, a zen garden so you can have a relaxing place.

HOW IS THE TEMPERATURE IN YOUR ZONE?

Knowing that you can choose the flowers and plants that are better for the area. Also you have to considered how much rain you have along the year, and how is the wind in that place.

HOW IS THE SOIL YOU HAVE?

Do you have an alkaline or acid soil, that is going to make a difference when you choose the plants for the garden. See a list of plants for each soil.

HOW THE WATER LIKES?

You can have hard water with to much lime or a salty water. In both cases the plants you can use are different.

HOW IS THE OROGRAPHY OF THE PLACE?

That ´s important because probably you have to make some ground movements in order to not accumulate water in the area-

We hope that this post encourage you to design your own garden. You can find more details in our blogs . Good luck!!!!

GARDEN DESIGN August 23, 2009

We have been talking about plants and flowers in different ways, but what we have to do if we want to create a garden? . We are going to help you with some considerations.

You have to considered this things to created a garden. First of all you have to decide the style  you will like in your garden. There ,you´ll select the plants and flowers that are better with your style, the elements to decorated such as fountains, rocks, statues, etc. . It´s good to choose floors and ornaments in the same material so we can give unity to the garden. Now we are going to see each point you have to considered.

WHICH ZONES DO YOU WANT IN YOUR GARDEN?

Here you have to take care about the grass zones you want to have in your garden also, the shady areas and bright light areas you have. If you want to have a place to take sun light or a pool , a place to read  etc. Take a sheet of paper and a pencil and draw the garden that you imagine you want to have.

We are going to help you with some ideas.

Near a swimming pool you can create a zone to take sun light with umbrellas and deckchairs.

Also you can have a pergola with benches to you can sit there to enjoy the place and read or take tea.

A place with grass so children can play better.

Statues and rocks making a mix between a Greek and a Japanese garden.

WHICH ELEMENTS WE ARE GOING TO INCLUDE IT IN OUR GARDEN?

Well as we think of our garden and we started with the design we talk about the elements we can put in our garden. But also we can considered a barbecue place, rows, lights, pots, etc.

WHICH KIND  OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS WE ARE GOING TO USE?

Here you can think in trees, palms, shrubs, flowers, perennials plants, fruit trees, water plants .

We continue in next post with other points to be considered. Now I´m going to give some garden photos to help you in your decision.

ASIA AND MEEADLE EAST NATIONAL FLOWERS- PART II August 21, 2009

IRAN

National flower the tulip

IRAK

National flower the rose

ISRAEL

National flower the cyclamen

JAPAN

They have two national flower.

cherry blossom is a popular one .

The imperial national flower is the chrysantemum.

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM

First was cultivated in China as a flowering herb.

The flower was brought to Japan in the 8th century and the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal. There is a Festival of Happiness in Japan to celebrate the flower. The flowers occurs in various forms and can be daisy like. It has several used as a tea and in gastronomy-see chrysanthemum. It is also a natural source of insecticide . You can have pyrenthrius from their seeds.Reduce indoors pollution and has medicine used.

JORDAN

National flower is the black iris

BLACK IRIS

It´s an herbaceous perennial with creeping rhizomes. Leaves grayish green to 70 Cm long. Flowering stems 25-50 Cm hollow. Flowers reddish violet to very dark violet . Bloom in June to July – growing in meadows,strum sides, hill sides and forest.

KAZAKHSTAN

There is no national flower.

KUWAIT

National flowers is the rhanterium epapposum

RHANTERIUM EPAPPOSUM

It´s a plant of the asteraceae family native to the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where it´s known locally as arfaj . This plant consists of a complicated network of branches with small leaves and bright yellow flowers.

KYRGYSTAN

There is no national flower.

MALDIVES

National flower pink rose

MALAYSIA

National flower the hibiscus

HIBISCUS

Leaves are alternate, simple ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. Flowers are large trumpet -shaped, with five or more petals. The fruit is a dry five-lobed cpsule,containing several seeds in each lobe. It

is used in gastronomy. see hibiscus

LAOS

National flower is the plumeria

THE PLUMERIA

Posses poisonous milk sap. It´s a small genus of 7-8 species native to tropical and subtropical areas. Are deciduous shrubs and trees. Flowers are fragrant at height, they don´t have nectar, simple dupe their pollination. Are easy to propagate by taking cutting of leafless stem in spring and allowing them to dry at the base before inserting into soil. In Laos they call it champa.

ASIA AND MEEADLE EAST NATIONAL FLOWERS August 8, 2009

AFGHANISTAN

There is no national flower.

BAHRAIN

There is no national flower.

BANGLADESH

The national flower is shapla dew.

SHAPLA DEW-

see information water Lily

BHUTAN

National flower is the blue poppy.

BRUNEI

National flower is the simpor

THE SIMPOR

It´s a small tree fairly common along the river side

on the White sand areas. The plant is known to have seeds that can establish an germinate in sand , it sends roots very deep down to reach the underground water sources. To the Bruneians the ” unique blossoming of the flower and the green color of its leaves symbolizes the development”

CAMBODIA

National flower is the romdul

ROMDUL

Has a yellowish white flower with a single alternative leaf. It gives out and attractive smell in the late afternoon. It is use because of the perfume to woman make-up and due to it´s perfume woman are compare to this flower.

CHINA

National flower is the tree peony

TREE PEONY

Tree peony are very hardly shrubs but they come into grow very early and may caught by frost. From late autumn until late winter they are in dormant season. They propagate from seed. Also vigorous plant may be suitable for division and layering.

EAST TIMOR

They do not have national flower.

EGYPT

National flower is the waterlily

INDIA

National flower is the waterlily.

INDONESIA

They have three national flowers, the melati, the anggrek bulan and rafflesia arnoldi

THE MELATI OR JASMINE

It´s native to tropical and warm temperate regions. Most species grows as climbers. The leaves can be evergreen or deciduous . Flowers open only at night. Jasmine is used in gastronomy and as essential oils. jasmine more information

THE ANGGREK BULAN -ORCHID

See information- orchid

also zodiac flower

RAFFLESIA ARNOLDI

It´s the largest flower in the world, weight

7 kg (15 pounds) and grows only in Indonesia. Petals grow to metre long and 2.5 cm thick. It is also called “corpse flower”.

PLANTS PROPAGATION – II

We continue with different kinds of propagation.

LAYERING

Stem still attached to their parent plant and it may form roots when their touch a medium. This generates a plant.

air layering – is used to propagate indoors plants with thick stem. examples: rubber plant,aralia ,ficus etc.

DIVISION

New plants form before they are detached from their parent plant. This kind of propagation its used for landscape plants that don´t have a single stem. Examples perennial flowers, mums, host as etc.

GRAFTING

The tissue of one plant is selected for its stems flowers or fruit and is called scion. The scion contains the desire gens to be duplicated . The scion is grafted onto the stock of another plant . When the scion has fused it is encouraged to grow by cutting out the stem above the new bud.

Grafting requires that a vascular connection take place between the two tissues.

EXAMPLES OF PLANTS PROPAGATION

COLEUS – Propagates for cutting stem. It takes 2-3 weeks to root.

GOLDFISH PLANT – propagates for stem cuttings and it takes 2-3 weeks to root.

JADE PLANT- It can propagate for stem cutting or leaves cutting. It takes 3-6 weeks to root. see for more information jade plant

ECHEVARIA

Propagation by leaves cuttings. 2-3 weeks to root.

MOTHER IN LAW TONGUE -Propagation by leaves section.

VELVET PLANT– stem cutting. takes 2-3 weeks to create roots.

DRAGON PLANT-

Stem cutting propagation. Roots takes 3-4 weeks to grow.

AFRICAN VIOLET-

Leaf cutting and division propagation. see African violet

ARROW HEAD-

Propagation by division and layering.

PRIMULA-

Propagates late in winter by division.

BEGONIA-

Leaf cutting propagation.

ENGLISH IVY-

Easy to root.

FUCHSIA-

Easy to root.

IMPATIENS

Root in water.