Bryophyllum

I found this useful link  -  http://www.bryophyllum.com/b/articles/id/ and now I am able to identify the two bryophyllums that I have. 

Number 1: Bryophyllum Houghton's Hybrid

My mother gave this plant to my son since he was so fascinated by it, and kept admiring it.  He was taking good care of it,  until he went off for his further studies, then the plant was left to my care.

Number 2 : Bryophyllum Crenatodaigremontianum

Believe it or not, I picked one of these plants of the pavement. There were a cluster of them growing along the pavement outside the row of shop houses.  I thought they looked kind of interesting, so decided to plant them. When they were growing on the pavement, they were miniaturized, but I suppose in a more conducive environment like my garden, they have grown so big.  

The Bryophyllums are actually easy to care for plants. Being succulent plants, they do not like excessive watering, and it is okay even if the soil dry up for a prolonged period.  They are actually very tough plants despite their rather delicate look.   They are alright either in direct  or partial sun. No fertilizing is required. All they need is some watering now and then. They also propagate fast. Notice the plant-lets (rosette type small plants growing from the edges of the leaves) ?  They will eventually  drop and  grow once on the ground. At times, assisted by the wind, they will disperse further from the mother plant and grow wherever there is a bit of soil.  So far I  have not seen them flower. Surprisingly they have rather shallow roots so they are really easy to pull out. I don't mind these plants growing anywhere they like in my garden .. lol !

Garden Croton (Codiaeum Variegatum)

These garden crotons are fascinating as their leathery leaves are so colorful.   Garden crotons come in different shapes and a rainbow of bold colors -  splashes of reds, magentas, yellows, rust, orange, and of course the green.  Shapes can be long and thin (like the ones I have), star shaped, oblong, short and broad, long and broad, curly and twisted, etc..  I have  only these two colors  - one with  the different splashes of red, orange, yellow (left hand side picture) and the other mostly just yellow (see below).

These garden crotons are so easy to propagate. Just cut stalks of  4 -8 inches long, insert them  into the ground and within two weeks or more, they will be sprouting new shoots.  I initially planted them in pots as I like the graceful drop of these colorful foliage,  but since then I decided to plant them  along the drain as hedges  

Garden crotons are really fuss free plants and pest free.  They like the hot sun.  They will drop their leaves if they do not have sufficient water, but they grow back again fast enough when watered sufficiently.  They like being pruned, new shoots grow fast after a pruning. These plants are really so easy to care for, being robust plants.   

Mini Cactus Collection

My collection of cactus is nothing to shout about.....and I stopped collecting them now. Anyway, have a peep at them since they do form a part of my gardening efforts.

Yes...  haha. .... the bears are cute ... , but so are my cactus....hehe !

I bought this bear set  water fountain display many years back, but there is a leak somewhere that could not be repaired.  I had it tucked away for years, might as well put it  to use  as a  decor set for my little cactus plants, rather than occupying space in my storeroom  ......!

Now how about this one?  "Have Shoes Can't Travel"  !! 
 

Yes, just trying to see if I can get different cactus to grow in a same pot.....

Well that is all folks  on  my mini  collection of cactus  ..... !

Hibiscus

Would I be accused of being non-patriotic if I do not have a Bunga Raya (Hibiscus) in my garden? After all the Bunga Raya (single petal Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ) is our national flower.  There are many species,  varieties  and hybrids  of Hibiscus. In my collection I have only a red and  a pink hibiscus,  both  are of the double petals rosa sinensis variety.  Take a look.

This red one is my earliest recollection of  what a  hibiscus is. There were about  three of four  bushes of this hibiscus planted along the driveway  to our old house, as were the Peacock  Shrubs. They were very old plants.  I took a cutting from  a neighbor  who has this  red hibiscus sometime  last December (2009). The cuttings take root easily.  I have three  cuttings  that  I planted on the same spot. I hope to grow a bush   They are  growing well but  slow, perhaps the location where I planted them is not so friendly, more exposed to the hot sun.  They started blooming  rather fast, which is surprising. 

Below is how my red hibiscus looks like after 10 months of growth. Soon I might prune them so they will grow bushy and compact, but it seems such a shame to disturb them now.

 The following  are pictures of my pink hibiscus.  The pink hibiscus grow faster, but are more susceptible to mealy bugs. I got to constantly watch out for these pests, pick them off the plant whenever I see clusters of them, as I dislike spraying chemicals.  I like the pink hibiscus very much and  have planted them in 3 various locations.
  

 The buds.

While the red hibiscus leaves are more pointy and narrow, the pink  ones  are more broad and less serration.  Hibiscus flowers are rather showy, being so big. The downside is they only bloom for a day. However the blooms are all year round. There are blooms almost daily once they are established.

Maybe I should collect more varieties of hibiscus to grow in my garden, after all they are so easy to care for and grow well in our climate.

Nilam Plant

At the nursery we asked the owner to recommend us some plants that gives off scent - she said the Nilam plant is a good plant to grow. The scent from the leaves is not unlike the pandan when they are dry. Freshly plucked, the scent from the leaf is very mild.  This sounded interesting so we  bought the plant .   The plant was not in very good shape as it was attacked by the mealy bugs. So I trimmed off some of the leaves and loose branches. Since it is a herbaceous plant, I  thought  the cuttings could grow, so I planted them as well..  While at the nursery the plant had been  left in the shade under some bigger plants, so I placed my new plant in the shade as well.  Sure enough the cuttings  did take root.  The  Nilam plant  was doing well with frequent watering.  I am worried about the mealy bugs, so still checked them on and off just in case.   Now and then  I left  some cut leaves in a container by window. Yes, the fragrant  scent  from the leaves gets progressively stronger each day.

As what I would normally do,  I surfed the net for some information on the Nilam plant.  Apparently this plant is grown commercially for the patchouli oil.  The patchouli   oil  from this Nilam plant  (Pogostemon cablin)   is a species from the genus   Pogostemon .  It is supposed to be related to the mint faimily.  However this herb is not edible.  The patchouli oil is widely used in cosmetic, toiletries, etc.  You can read more from this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patchouli.  To read more on the patchouli oil and uses, this is an interesting site,  http://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/patchouli.htm. 

Lotus Re-plant

My lotus plant did not seemed too healthy these days. I think it is high time I re-plant.  First, spread a plastic sheeting on the porch, as I figure it will be a messy job with all the mud. 

Look what  my daughter and I pulled out of the lotus pot! 

Then we trimmed of all the leaves.  Wearing rubber gloves and with a pair of pruning scissors, we get to work..... dig in, snip, snip.......

Then we chose the tuber that looks healthy.... now this looks like a good one...what do you think.?

Now having planted the tuber with some fresh heavy soil, we need to add water ......

Okay --- be back in a week or two with updates on the lotus progress.....!

What is My Name?

LOL ----- no, no don't get me wrong, I am referring to this plant ! Can anyone tell me what is this plant's name? It  is another one of those plants that belonged to  my childhood memories.  This plant is interesting because the bean pods sticks easily to clothing - skirts, pants, socks......! As children, my siblings and I enjoyed picking the bean pods and stick for fun ....all child's play then. Those days we did not  have  play station, electronic toys, computers ....etc ! We played with whatever that interests us.

Some years back a relative came by my mother's house and asked for this plant. She called it "Bua Cao".  (teochew dialect). Apparently somebody was getting married or something and this plant is one of those they used to ensure everything goes smoothly, a charm to ward off evil or bad omens sort of thing .   I am not too sure how they use it, as such superstitions do not interest  me.  For me if things are to happen, they will happen.  Anyway  my mother said having  this plant in the garden is good as it will protect the other plants. So,  when I caught sight of this plant in the market one day, I decided to buy it, none other than in memory of what my mother said, and partly for  the sake of childhood memory.  This herbaceous plant  won't grow too big and will not occupy much space. 

 

Actually this plant is  rather nice looking, look how shapely the leaves are, angular and pointed  at the tips, not to say very green, a  pleasant green. The plant has small flowers,  but nothing special. The bean pods are interesting though, they are so sticky which is their mode of distribution.  I have yet to see pests  near the plant, so it is pest free from those mealy buds, aphids, etc...  This plant grows easily from the dried seeds.

Well unless someone knows the name of this plant and informs me, I will continue searching for its name.  Meantime how about  calling it  " Stick Me Not " --  :-)  !

Ginger

A good friend suggested I put this article (sorry, reference not available, but circulating in the e-mail - I received this article from a few email friends) up for readers to appreciate, so hope you like it.  If ginger was not one of your favorites, maybe it is time to  think about accommodating it in your diet. As for me, I have always love the taste and smell of ginger. The best of ginger that I remember  as a child was the  its heavenly smell  in fried rice. Those days without a refrigerator,  left over rice was fried for breakfast the next morning. My mother said ginger would release the 'wind ' from overnight rice.  

I  would like to mention that ginger can be grown in the garden. They won't grow so well, but under some shade, on well drained soil, it would do okay. Just cut off some ginger that shows signs of growth and plant it. It is so convenient to dig up some fresh ginger from the garden whenever I need it.   

HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK

Did you know the benefits of Ginger?

Ginger is one of the world's seven most potent disease-fighting spices.  

Ginger has been used for its health benefits for over 5000 years and is a favorite medicinal as well as culinary herb.
 
 

Unlike most spices, the part that has the most medicinal value grows under ground. Often mistakenly called “ginger root” this is actually the rhizome of the plant which is more of a subterranean stem than a root. Although you can use dried ginger and powdered ginger for health benefits, fresh ginger is preferred.

 
 

The intake of ginger helps stimulate the secretion of mucus, quieting your cough and soothing any scratchiness in your throat.  
Ginger has been proven (in multiple studies) to treat feelings of nausea, particularly in the form of seasickness, morning sickness, motion sickness and as a side effect of chemotherapy.



 
 

In pregnancy is to be extra careful!! Never use any herb, including ginger, without first discussing it with your doctor!! As for those suffering from ulcer, or other very serious gastric problems, they should also consult their doctor.

 
 

Ginger contains anti viral, anti toxic, and anti fungal properties, and is used for the prevention of and treatment against the common cold.

 
 

Ginger acts as an antihistamine and
aids in the treatment of allergies.
 
 

Ginger displays anti inflammatory properties and can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and various other muscular disorders.

 
 

The chemical components of the root are instrumental in inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are responsible for causing inflammation.

 
 

Thus the root has proven to be a highly effective form of treatment, in some cases, even more so than the NSAID's that are traditionally prescribed.

 
 

So eating ginger may help to prevent
cancer and aging disorders.

 
 

Ginger contains special enzymes responsible for catalyzing the proteins in your food, thus aiding in digestion and the prevention of cramps.








 
 

Good for those with constipation!

 
 

The ancient Greeks used to eat ginger after a large meal,
in order to ease the digestion process.
 
 

Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol
levels and prevent the formation of blood clots.
 
As a mood enhancer, ginger's cineole content
may help contribute to stress relief.
Also used for migraine headache.


Ginger can also be used for reducing toothache and the discomfort which arises due to the infection in the upper respiratory tract due to its antibacterial and antifungal nature.


Chewing on fresh ginger,,
can help freshen the breath.

Being a warming herb, ginger can help knock out a fever. This property also makes it effective in stimulating circulation of the blood.

 
It can also help relax muscles around the blood vessels and is said to help prevent blood clots from forming. The warming effects make it a natural decongestant as well as an antihistamine, making it the perfect remedy for colds.

 
Some studies show that it can even help inhibit
the replication of the herpes simplex virus.

 
Recent studies show that ginger might also have a role in lowering LDL cholesterol because the spice can help reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed.

 
It has also been shown in animal trials to help slow
or even prevent cancerous tumor growth.

 
To discover the health benefits of ginger for yourself, simply make a tea by steeping about 5 slices of ginger in hot water.
 
If you prefer it in your food,

 
Ginger is excellent in many dishes and
is perfect when combined with garlic.

 
Ginger doesn't only spice up your food it can also help to put some extra spice in your intimate life too. It improves blood flow to your sexual organs, and contains Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium.


Wishing you   a happy healthy life.

Schefflera arboricola (Umbrella Plant)

When we stayed in Penang, there was this Umbrella Tree growing  beside the staircase going up to our flat. It was a big tree and it  bore flowers too. The flowers were nothing spectacular, but it somehow attracted many birds.. perhaps for the seeds.  My children used to love watching these birds from the balcony. The plant that I have now was actually  grown from a cutting from a plant at my mother's house.   I was not too sure if  I would be successful in propagating this plant  since the  plant was  in really bad shape.  The plant had been neglected sitting in a corner,  seems like everyone had forgotten about it.  It was almost all dried up,  hardly any leaves,  and the thin aerial roots running all over trying to look for water perhaps....(lol).  The soil was hardened and the plant had not been watered in ages.  I pruned the plant and its roots and replanted  using  fresh soil, and  luckily  being a tough plant, it  survived !  From the discards  I chose the ones that I  felt would  most likely able  to grow. 

I was relieved and amazed to see at least one cutting  take root and grow.  It took a while  to adjust  and in fact at one point I thought it  wasn't going to make it.  Now it is growing very  well.  It is now  more than a year old  and  see how well and healthy this plant is !   Notice how perfect and lovely the leaves formation is --- it is obvious  why they called it the Dwarf Umbrella Plant.  I like this plant a lot as it is forever green.  I have seen the variegated variety, and perhaps I might add that  to my collection one day.  Meantime I am really delighted with the one I have now. Perhaps it is high time I prune it to give it some shape, but I feel reluctant to do  so - seeing how well it is doing now.  

I placed this potted plant  exposed to the morning sun.  In the afternoon it has a bit of shade from the bigger plants beside it.  It takes to regular watering, but once a while it is okay  to let it dry out.