We just love surprises! Garden plants simply love throwing surprises and we simply enjoy receiving them! Such cheerful givers they are!

Oxalis triangularis :
Our potted plant was dead! We were pretty sure of that and thus just discarded the pot with its soil still intact at our backyard. But months later, maybe a little over two months, it suddenly sprang to life early last month! How wonderful and it wasn’t even cared for during the whole dormant period! Probably watered by the occasional rain and received sufficient heat/light from the filtered sun.

Name: Oxalis triangularis (Purple/Lucky Shamrock, Dark Leaf Shamrock, Purpleleaf False Shamrock).
A member of the Oxalidaceae family and native of Brazil, it is an ornamental herbaceous perennial (or annual in non-hardy region) grown popularly for its beautiful heart-shaped trifoliate leaves. Yay, we’ll get to enjoy them again!
Check here for more plant info.

Upon reflecting on how this beauty resurrected effortlessly, it’s inevitable that it reminded me of the lovely Bible text about trust in God, a gentle reminder not to worry needlessly :

Caladium bicolor (cultivar ID unknown) :
Another of our plant that was sort of written-off is the Caladium. We’ve observed for some time that Caladiums do undergo a rest period too in our tropical Malaysia, like those grown in the temperate region.
We’re most delighted to see them appearing again! Have a peep at its marvelous foliage variegation when fully matured here and you’ll understand its attraction.

Name: Unidentified cultivar of Caladium bicolor (Fancy-leafed Caladium).
Beside it, to the right, is Episcia cupreata ‘Frosty’ that is sprawling cheerfully with ample ground space for its restlessness, without any competition from its upright-growing neighbour! This cultivar has striking chili-red flowers that stand out beautifully against the fresh green and frosted foliage – simply fabulous!

Other surprises were a couple of lovely self-seeders that are much welcomed to our garden party, never intruding or imposing but blending well with the crowd! One such seedling is Christia verpertilionis and the other is Jatropha podagrica.

Name: Christia vespertilionis (Mariposa, Red Butterfly Wing, Island Pea, Aircraft/Bat Grass).
It just emerged unexpectedly last month, sharing pot space with the Calliandra emarginata (Powderpuff Plant). Like the Oxalis above, this herbaceous plant is noted for its impressive burgundy-coloured leaves that are uniquely shaped like the wings of a butterfly or aircraft, hence the common names. It belongs to the Fabaceae family and is indigenous to Brazil and Southeast Asia. Know more about this plant here.

Name: Jatropha podagrica (Gout Plant/Stick, Buddha Belly Plant, Bottleplant Shrub, Goutystalk).
Though unexpected, it was wonderful to find a seedling next to the parent plant. Usually, its highly dehiscent seedpod will explode when ripened and scatter its seeds several meters away. Find out more about Jatropha podagrica, an exotic member of the Euphorbiaceae family that is native to Central America.

Dieffenbachias are very much loved as houseplants for homes and offices, simply because of their irresistible foliar beauty and their great tolerance for shade. Their splendid foliage variegation is so extensive that gardeners are now spoilt for choice!

One cultivar worthy of mention is Dieffenbachia bowmannii Cariere that offers something else too. Truly an outstanding bloomer that will flower ever so frequently to cheer you! How about seeking out this floriferous beauty, yes?

Even when not flowering, its handsome and beautifully spotted foliage will present a spotlight for your indoors or outdoors! Moreover, it’s so easy to grow, needing little care and is known to purify and clean the air around.
Aren’t these reasons enough to make you want to grow it?

We’ve been growing several varieties of dieffenbachias for many years as we just love these green friends! But, never knew that they can produce flowers until D. bowmannii Carriere joined our garden in July 2006 as a young plant and surprisingly flowered 8 months later and ever since then. Over the years, we’ve observed it flowering repeatedly after every third month or after the emergence of a set of 3-4 new leaves. Remarkably, it seems to be blooming non-stop year round as the long-lasting flowers last about 2 months with 4-5 buds bursting forth in succession from start to finish!

How marvelously rewarding it is, growing this eye-catching bloomer that enjoys showing its gratitude! We bought it for just RM5.00 but we got more than our money’s worth!

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Dieffenbachia bowmannii Carriere (Heterotypic synonym: Dieffenbachia latimaculata, Dieffenbachia baumannii. Ref: World checklist and bibliography of Araceae)
• Common Name: Dumb Cane, Spotted Dumbcane, Leopard Lily, Mother-in-law’s Tongue (as used for Sansevierias too)
• Family name: Araceae
• Etymology: Dieffenbachia is named in honour of Herr J.F. Dieffenbach who oversaw the imperial gardens at Schonbrunn Castle in Vienna in the 19th century. Its common name, Dumb Cane came about due to the temporary mouth numbness that result from ingesting its leaves or stem that contain raphides, a poison that swells the tongue and throat.
• Origin: Colombia to N. Brazil
• Plant type: Tropical herbaceous ornamental foliage plant
• Features: ‘Carriere’ is a named cultivar of Dieffenbachia bowmannii, one of the numerous species of the genus, Dieffenbachia. A gorgeous dumbcane specimen, slow to moderate-growing, with an upright growth habit and can reach 2-3 meters tall if attached to a support and spread out about a meter wide. It is an evergreen perennial in the tropics and an annual in non-hardy regions, grown for its ornamental foliage beauty.
  Typical of the traditional large-leaved dumbcanes, Dieffenbachia bowmannii Carriere has a fairly broad and erect, cane-like herbaceous stem, bearing large and arching petioled-leaves that are dramatically variegated and fabulously mottled and veined in varying shades of green and white splotches. Impressive and eye-catching foliage indeed!
  Leaf variegation will change slightly due to the intensity of light received. Nonetheless, a newly emerged blade starts off in fresher green and gradually deepen to a darker green with bluish tinge as it ages. The large glossy and textured blade is slenderly ovate, approximately 30-45cm long and 15-20cm across at its broadest. Papery and simple, the leaf has a slightly undulated margin, faintly veined, and an underside that is rather dull colour-wise.
  Lower leaves are lost with age, hence resulting in the stem being leggy and top-heavy, and may need a stake for support. The plant does sometimes throw out suckers.
  In favourable conditions, it will produce long-lasting flowers periodically throughout the year. Being characteristic of plants in the Araceae family, its inflorescence held on a short peduncle, comprises of a whitish cylindrical spadix bearing tiny inconspicuous flowers and a light green spathe, with its top half resembling a hood while the lower half (female floral chamber) is tubular-shaped and somewhat constricted in between. Usually a whorl of 4-5 inflorescences is borne centrally atop the stem during each blooming event, rather unusual we think! Check Exotic Rainforest’s site to know further about the make-up of an aroid’s inflorescence and pollination.
  Beware: All parts of Dieffenbachia contain the poisonous, raphides, that if ingested, may irritate the mucous membranes and cause swelling and inflammation of the tongue and throat. Know more about the effects of its toxicity at eMedicine MedScape and MedLine Plus. And it is toxic to cats and dogs as well!

• Culture (Care): This spotted dumbcane, Dieffenbachia bowmannii Carriere is an easy plant to grow and maintain. With favourable conditions, it can last for several years.
  Light: Bright light or filtered sunlight for best foliage coloration and vigorous growth. Avoid direct sun that will scorch its leaves. Tolerates low-light to shade, but it will cause leaf variegation to fade, similarly too if light levels are too high. Maintain warm to moderate conditions at all times.
  Moisture: Water moderately and regularly, keeping it evenly moist but not water-logged. Allow the surface to dry out slightly between waterings. It enjoys high humidity, so mist the plant regularly or stand potted houseplant on a saucer of pebbles filled with water to just below the base of the pot to prevent browning of leaf margins caused by dry air. And, to further maintain humidity for houseplants, keep the leaves dust-free by wiping them with a moist cloth. If grown outdoors, give it a regular shower with a garden hose to wash off the dust in hot seasons.
  Soil: Tolerable to any kind of well-drained potting medium, though humus-enriched soil is beneficial.
  Others: Try to provide bright light for best growth and foliage colouration. Always use caution when handling the plant or cuttings as its poisonous sap can irritate the skin or cause allergic reaction. Best to wear a glove if necessary and avoid touching your eyes when handling any Dieffenbachia species. Remove burnt or withered leaves to keep tidy. When plant becomes leggy, cut back the stem to within 10cm from base to rejuvenate it, whereby new shoot will sprout at the point where it’s cut and use the cuttings to propagate new plants.
  Feed with a liquid fertilizer for foliage houseplants once every fortnightly during growing season and sparingly in cooler climate.
  Dumbcanes are generally free from serious pests or diseases, but do check for scales, mealy bugs and aphids that may infest it occasionally.
  For subtropical regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 10b-11. Avoid too cool conditions, drafts and fluctuating temperatures indoors that may cause yellowing and wilting of lower leaves. Low light may retard growth and dull the leaf variegation, so provide bright light indoors for optimum growth. Water regularly in hot summers but sparingly in cooler seasons as with less feeding in winter. Repot if necessary in spring and propagate new plants from mid-spring to early summer. It’s not frost hardy, so best to grow it in a container that can be overwintered indoors.

• Propagation: Easily by tip cuttings, stem cuttings or removing suckers that emerge occasionally from the base and grow as new plants.

• Usage: Dieffenbachia bowmannii Carriere is an excellent choice as decorative houseplants for homes, offices and public places or in greenhouses. Great for container gardening.
  Ideal too when ground-grown as a shrubby plant in gardens as an accent or single specimen, and even as lovely as a feature in mixed displays for added interest and attraction.
  Besides, it’s also widely known to purify and cleanse indoor air! Check at Wikipedia for the list of air filtering plants and here’s an interesting read on FAQ on indoor air pollution by Wolverton Environmental Services, Inc.

Other External links:

• Clemson University, HGIC
• Wikipedia
• Portland Nursery

Two other large-leaved Dieffenbachia that we grow in our garden are :

Dieffenbachia amoena ‘Tropic Snow’

Dieffenbachia maculata

No wonder this showy Fittonia species is aptly nicknamed Mosaic Plant! Its intricately-designed leaves with contrasting coloured veins will provide a marvelous mosaic display that will attract and captivate all season through!

These beautiful ornamental foliage plants make great houseplants, especially if displayed on bathroom shelves or bookshelves in shallow containers with their branches cascading down! Also wonderful when grown outdoors as plant fillers for garden beds or as groundcovers in tropical and warmer regions!

Calling it Mosaic Plant or Nerve Plant with features that resemble its showy appearance is so much easier than by its tongue-twisting botanical names! Researching to write this post really got us so confused…is it Fittonia albivenis, verschafeltii, argyroneura or what? Humph…so many conflicting info online as usual!

Anyway, we’d rather fall back on the dependable, reliable and well-researched GRIN Taxonomy provided by USDA ARS, National Genetic Resources Program here.

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Fittonia albivenis (Lindl. ex hort. Veitch) Brummitt
  (synonyms: Adelaster albivenis (basionym), Fittonia argyroneura, Fittonia verschaffeltii, Fittonia verschaffeltii var. argyroneura, Gymnostachyum verschaffeltii)
• Common Name: Mosaic Plant, Nerve Plant, Painted Net Leaf, Silver Fittonia, Silver Net Leaf/Plant, Silver Nerve, Silver Threads, Snakeskinplant
• Family name: Acanthaceae
• Origin: Brazil, Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru
• Plant type: Perennial ornamental herb
• Features: Fittonia albivenis belongs to the genus Fittonia which consists of fifteen known species. It’s a compact, low-growing creeping perennial from the moist tropical rainforests of South America, reaching typically between 15-30cm in height and branching out to about 30cm wide. It has a tendency to vine when larger.
  An evergreen herbaceous plant that is popularly cultivated for its lush and attractive mosaic or net-patterned foliage. Now, numerous cultivars have emerged with fabulous variegation and some varieties have crenate or wavy leaf margins too. The beautiful variegated leaves, entire and opposite, attached to fuzzy stems are typically olive, dark green or lighter and distinctly veined in white to deep pink, in marvelous contrast. The size of its textured blades varies between 3-10cm long, depending on the varieties. The miniature compact forms have oval-shaped leaves with pointed tips while the larger leaves of the standard forms are broadly ovate and obtuse.
  These beauties are classified into two groups: the variety ‘Argyroneura’ with medium green leaves and white or silver veins, while ‘Verschaffeltii’ has dark green leaves with pink to rose-red veins.
  Fittonia albivenis produces a greenish spiky-shaped inflorescence with tiny insignificant flowers, white to yellowish in colour, appearing occasionally in good growing conditions.

• Culture (Care): Fittonia albivenis or Mosaic Plant, though known to require a little more extra care to grow, is well worth the trying! Just remember, it’s most happy with constant warmth, high humidity and bright light!
  Light: Best in bright indirect light or filtered sunlight but avoid direct sun that may ruin the foliage.
  Moisture: Water regularly, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. It’s sensitive to overwatering or underwatering. Yellowing of leaves resulting in browning and eventual dropping may indicate overwatering. A ‘fainting’ plant indicates it needs to be quenched whereby a quick watering will do the trick to revive it! It enjoys high humidity, so mist it as often as possible or alternatively, stand the pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water to just below the pot’s base. Withering of leaves may signify the need to increase humidity.
  Soil: Prefers an organic-enriched potting soil that retains water yet drains well.
  Others: Remove withered leaves and emerging flower spikes that are insignificant, if any. Occasionally pinch off ends of growing stems to maintain height and shape, as well as to promote more branching and denser foliage. Feed every two weeks with a general liquid houseplant fertilizer during active growth but sparingly during cooler clime. Mosaic/Nerve Plants rarely require repotting as they have shallow roots and grows well in small pots. When potbound, repot them in spring or when plants become straggly over the years, repropagate to rejuvenate them.
  Relatively free from serious pests and diseases, though watch out for mealy bugs, spider mites, snails and slugs.
  For subtropical and temperate regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 11-12. These plants are happy with warm to moderate and draft-free conditions, so try to provide even room temperatures between 18-24°C. Good light, high humidity and sufficient watering are its main needs too. But be cautious with watering which should be reduced slightly from spring to late winter and feeding done sparingly in winter. It is frost-sensitive, so best to plant in containers that can be easily overwintered indoors for non-hardy regions.

• Propagation: Propagated by tip or stem cuttings that root easily in moist potting soil and located in a warm, humid spot. Alternatively, propagate by division.

• Usage: Fittonia albivenis is a great choice for terrariums and bottle gardens due to its need for high humidity, and being small, neat and compact in size, it’s just perfect. It’ll be an excellent colourful houseplant too, to brighten homes or offices, indoors. And, suitable for growing in a greenhouse or conservatory and even lovely to let it cascade over a hanging basket or window boxes. Great as a container plant or outdoors, as a groundcover in garden beds or borders.
  It’s used as a traditional medicine by the natives of the Ecuadorian Amazon. According to the Neurologist, Dr. Ethan B. Russo, the natives use the decoction of the bruised and boiled plant to relieve headache or muscle pains, and a leaf tea to ease urinary pain or difficulty.

Some named cultivars of Fittonia albivenis (F. verschaffeltii) are:

• cv. ‘Minima’ (dwarf variety): has smaller medium-green leaves with silver-white veining; blades are more ovate with pointed tips
• cv. ‘Nana’ (dwarf variety): has small medium-green leaves with silver-white veining; blades slightly larger and less pointed at tips than the above variety
• cv. ‘Superba’: has very large leaves and ivory-white veining
• cv. ‘Pink Star’: has small pink leaves with green margins and spots; wavy leaf margins
• cv. ‘Red Star’: has small pink to red leaves with green margins and spots
• var. pearci ‘Superba Red’: has dark-green, pink-veined leaves

The newer range of neat and compact-growing cultivars with their explosive foliar colour variegation on undulated and crenate leaves, never seen before, will surely surprise and delight many as it did me, when I chanced upon their loveliness at Garden Voices

Other external links:

• TopTropicals
• Missouri Botanical Garden
• University of Florida, IFAS
• Guide to Houseplants

Do enjoy a couple more Nerve Plant pictures, taken from a local garden nursery:

Comparing the delightful scenes above, you’d noticed that most of the hanging pots of orchids and spider plants at the roof’s eave were removed. The Tricolor Dracaena on the left and the White Mussaenda tree on the right were shooting skywards unrestrained and have to be cut back too.

Some pots were reshuffled to other positions and a great number of potted plants, especially housed in large pots were disposed or given away.

All in all, the aim is to cut down the number of our plants which can be heartbreaking. This tedious task is gradual and on-going as it’s not only difficult to make choices on which goes and which stays but we have to be very careful in not injuring our aged backs in the process. The decision to reduce our plants is because my beloved John has been diagnosed with having lumbar spondylosis (multi-level degenerative discs) and have been advised to avoid carrying heavy loads and reduce garden activity of bending and lifting. I, on the other hand have osteopenia, though not threatening but best to be cautious too.

Meanwhile, these are some of our garden pictures taken during the last two months of June and July. Enjoy!

Our frontyard garden in July 2010
This section always gives us a sense of joy and satisfaction. At any one time, there are at least a couple of plants flowering. Even if not blossoming, the lush greenery itself is calming and therapeutic.

Tristellateia australasiae (Shower of Gold Climber, Galphimia Vine)
The Golden Vine became the belle of our garden last month when it finally flowered again after an absence of more than a year. Strangely, it must have understood my remarks to it in frustration as I gave it a crew-cut. I said, “Last chance – no flower, no stay! Rangoon Creeper will replace you!”

Lo and behold, two to three months later, it presented us with some strikingly beautiful golden clusters! Though the flower bunches weren’t many but enough to make us so happy! Thank you, my pretty lady!

Other flowering delights and a baby lizard:

Hydrangea macrophylla (Mophead/Bigleaf/French Hydrangea, Hortensia) – this blue beauty never fails to uplift our spirits. We enjoy watching it gradually changing the colour of its dress from blue to a darker shade of pink as it ages.

Torenia fournieri – these are such happy-go-lucky annuals that self-seed so readily to please us. We just love these plant fillers, so do the mealy bugs! So watch out for those tiny ‘moisture-sucking’ pests!

Heliconia stricta ‘Carli’s Sharonii’ – a very hardy and reliable beauty that doesn’t tire producing spectacular and long-lasting blooms, endlessly year round.

Calotes versicolor (Garden Fence Lizard, Changeable Lizard) – delightful little fellow that just posed willingly for 2 dozen shots taken within 15 minutes. How engaging! This species is a frequent visitor to our garden.

Euphorbia milii ‘Red Dwarf’ (Crown of Thorns), a dwarf cultivar with tiny red flowers, 1-1.5cm across. Its parent succumbed to mealy bug attack but we managed to salvage 2 young shoots – just 10cm-tall but flowered for the first time in May and has been blooming almost non-stop ever since. Amazing!

Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) with deep orange-red bracts. This is the standard variety and bloom colour will gradually lighten to salmon as it ages.

An attractive plant with clusters of brightly coloured trumpet-shaped flowers, standing tall above its elegant and symmetrically arranged foliage. It’s considered as the ‘Queen of Houseplants’ for its striking beauty, durability and reliability.

Typical floral colour is a brilliant orange with yellowish throat that contrast fabulously with its dark green foliage. But, of course, other pastel and darker shades are available too and as catchy.

Simply beautiful and spectacular as an indoor plant or outdoors in the garden. And, it’s popularly sought after because of its ease of care.

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Clivia miniata
• Common Name: Bush Lily, Kaffir Lily, Clivia Lily, St John’s Lily, Fire Lily
• Family name: Amaryllidaceae
• Etymology: The genus name, Clivia, was named by John Lindley in 1828 to honour the Duchess of Northumberland, Lady Charlotte Clive who first cultivated the type specimen in England. Miniata, refers to the red-lead colour of the species’ flowers. Learn more about the history of Clivia from the Clivia Society, South Africa.
• Origin: Native to Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Swaziland in southern Africa.
• Plant type: Perennial ornamental herb
• Features: Clivia miniata belongs to the genus Clivia which consists of six known species and it is the most widely cultivated species among the lot. Though endemic to the moist and shady forest floors of southern Africa, they’re popularly cultivated worldwide for their beautiful and long-lasting blossoms. To date, there are numerous hybrids and cultivars due to extensive breeding over the centuries.
  It is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial that suckers freely and reaches to a height of about 80cm. An evergreen beauty that produces glossy and dark green leaves which arise from a thickened underground stem with fleshy or bulbous root system. Its elegant and arching leaves are strap-shaped with tapering tips, varying in width and length that range between 5-9cm wide and 60-90cm long. These dense tufts of sessile leaves appear in opposite and alternating sequence, distichously arranged in a beautiful fan-like appearance and creating a stout pseudo-trunk at the base, similar to Agapanthus (African/Blue Lily), another beautiful native of South Africa.
  Its striking clusters of trumpet-shaped blossoms are borne on an erect and thick flowering scape, up to 60cm tall or more. The large and showy umbels will typically comprise of between 12-20 flowers, though has known to number in excess of 40 flowers, in varying shades. Beside the usual brilliant orange with yellowish centers, flower colours vary from the pastel shades of white, cream, yellow, apricot and peach to the darker shades of yellow, orange, orange-red, scarlet, dark red and salmon. Flower shapes and number of petals differ too, depending on the cultivars.
  In the tropics, it blooms sporadically year round but in frost-free regions, from early spring to early summer.
  Fruits are produced after flowering, taking almost a year to turn to a bright orange and ripen, and contain seeds that can be sowed.
  It contains small amounts of the poisonous alkaloid lycorine in its bulbous roots where ingestion of large quantities may cause symptoms of toxicity. Find out more at Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility

• Culture (Care): Clivia miniata is an easy-to-culture plant that needs minimal attention yet rewards handsomely with catchy flower clusters.
  Light: Partial to full shade. Indoors, it needs bright light for healthy growth and flowering, and outdoors in dappled shade, preferably filtered morning sunlight. Strictly no direct sunlight which will scorch and yellow its foliage.
  Moisture: Average water needs. Water regularly during the growing season, allowing the top half of soil to dry out between deep watering. Do not overwater, it dislikes wet feet and soggy conditions that can cause rot. It dislikes high temperatures too but tolerates dry air, so misting is unnecessary.
  Soil: Prefers a humus or organic-enriched potting medium that must be well-drained and can provide good aeration which is essential for its best growth.
  Others: Plant with the crown just below soil surface level, never too deep. Feed once monthly with a liquid flowering houseplant fertilizer during active growth and flowering. Remove spent flowering stalks at the base, as well as withered or scorched leaves. Clivia miniata flowers best when potbound and dislike root disturbance that may temporarily stop flower production. So, repot only when necessary after flowering, probably every 6-10 years when it becomes overcrowded with the fleshy roots pushed way up above the potting mix. If flowering scape fails to elongate, with flowers blooming between basal leaves (as seen in one of the photos above), it’s probably due to improper rest period or potassium deficiency.
  Relatively free from serious pests and diseases, though watch out for mealy bug and scale.
  For subtropical and temperate regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 9-10, where it grows well outdoors in frost-free regions. It is frost-sensitive, so best to plant in containers that can be overwintered easily indoors for non-hardy regions. During its active growing season in early spring through fall, water regularly, feed monthly and maintain moderate temperatures. In winter, during its resting period, water sparingly, withhold feeding and keep it cool. Read about growing/cultivating C. miniata from gardeners at various USDA Zones at Dave’s Garden and from the Gay Gardener.

• Propagation: By seeds which will take up to 3 months to germinate and probably more than 3 years to flower. An easier alternative method of propagation is by division of clumps or by removing the suckers (offsets) when repotting, which is best done when plant is potbound.

• Usage: Clivia miniata make ideal groundcovers in garden beds and borders, located beneath shady trees or any shady site, giving interest, brightness and beauty to the landscape. Excellent ornamental houseplant in containers to decorate and brighten homes or indoors, window sills, patios and decks. Its long-lasting flowers which has a vase-life of about 2 weeks are ideal as cut flowers.
  In South Africa, Clivia miniata is known to be used for traditional medicine – the rhizomes or tuberous roots are used to relief fever and an infusion of its leaves to induce labour and speed contractions. Also, used as a snakebite remedy and to relieve pain. More at Royal College of Physicians and NCBI-PubMed.

Other external links:

• SA National Biodiversity Institute
• Clivia Society, on Clivia miniata and do explore the site for more insights.
• White Flower Farm
• Growing Clivia – FAQ

is one of the most beautiful and striking clumping palm that’s admired by many. A must-have exotic palm specimen if you have the garden space!

Last October, while taking photos of the Lipstick Palm trees that were growing in our church’s compound to include in our article here, John and I noticed that there were numerous suckers just waiting to be adopted.

So we approached James, the gardener, to give us some with the hope to propagate them for sale at our SFA Church’s Sunday Bazaar in aid of an ongoing church-building fund project.

He gave us 4 young plants as seen in the first image below but sadly, only the one that had a couple of roots survived. And that successful one sure took its own sweet time to let us know that it’s kicking and about. Since it was pointless to follow through with our earlier plan with just a single plant, we decided reluctantly to keep the loner for our garden instead!

Not that we’re not captivated by this stunning and majestic Lipstick Palm with its vibrant red stems and its lush green foliage, but we’re fully aware that it grows best on the ground. That’s something our young plant will miss as our ground is mostly paved and in the pot it’s forced to stay, restricted and contained…poor darling!

Learn how to propagate Crytostachys renda (Red Sealing Wax Palm, Lipstick Palm, Rajah Palm) :

A. Easily by seeds:

1. Collect some seeds, best fresh seeds that will germinate between 1-4 months. Dried seeds can be used too but may take up to 9 months or later to germinate.
2. Soak the seeds for 1-2 days, preferably in warm water or scarify them to speed germination.
3. Then, scatter or plant them with their top partially exposed above the soil, into your garden bed or in a container filled with humus-enriched potting medium.
4. Site them at a sunny spot. With good heat and sunshine, plus regular watering, seeds should germinate successfully.
   
   More details on how to propagate palms in general by seed germination here.

B. By division of suckers

1. Suckers will emerge freely in abundance from a single parent plant, eventually forming a clump of them. Use appropriate gardening tools, such as a very sharp spade or shovel to cut through and divide the clump. Then, grow the divided clumps separately as newly grouped plants in garden soil that is enriched with humus and well-drained.
2. Best to divide the clumping plants when they are young, otherwise it’ll be one very tough job to tackle, as seen in this post on propagating the Rhapis excelsa (Lady Palm), another clumping palm.

C. By severing the suckers (i.e. separating the side shoots individually)

1. Use appropriate digging and cutting tools, like the hoe or ‘cangkul’ (Malaysia’s equivalent of a hoe) and a sharp knife/pruner, to sever the side suckers or shoots from the main plant. Make sure that each young plant has a healthy set of roots otherwise it’s doomed to fail as we’ve experienced in this project that was started on 10 November 2009.
   
2. Replant them singly or 2 shoots together, in a container or directly into the ground, using good-draining and humus-enriched potting medium. Plant each shoot with its crown at the previous soil level and firm the soil well around its stem. Then, wet through thoroughly.
   
3. Best to site them at a sunny spot and with good sunlight and generous watering regularly, they should flourish well as new plants that will eventually produce new shoots too.
   The left photo below shows its progress about 5½ months later. Height hardly increased but it had produced a new leaf and a teeny-weeny shoot had emerged! 2 months later, it had added another new leaf as seen in the right image.
   
4. It’s normal for these newly propagated young shoots to grow ever so slowly, remaining small and will begin to pick up growth-pace gradually.
   The photo below illustrates how slow the young plant had grown within 8½ months – just added 2 new leaves and 3 shoots, with hardly any change in height.
   
   If it’s planted in a small pot, it’ll probably take up to a year or more for them to be pot-bound. Repot it when the time is right, especially if roots are popping out from the drainage holes – choose a heavy and fairly deep container that can support the weight and expansion of the clump. One where the palm can reside for several years without needing to be repotted unnecessarily. Or simply transfer the palm directly into the ground.
   
   This propagation technique of severing or separating the side shoots can be used for other clustering palms too, such as the Macarthur Palm and Lady Palm.

These Umbrella Plants are so easily re-propagated! A single plant can provide material to last many many years. A lifetime, so to speak, as it suckers rather rapidly, forming dense clusters effortlessly.

Check on Umbrella Plant profile here, if you’re interested.

Some of the many ways to propagate Cyperus involucratus are:

• By dividing the clumps or root ball. Wherever possible, remove the dead crown within the divisions before replanting them. This is by far the quickest and easiest method. John and I normally choose this method as it’s an opportunity to spring-clean, repot and rejuvenate our pot-bound plants!
• By germinating seeds, if available. Umbrella Plant self-sows readily too.
• By tip cuttings. Either inverse them in a bottle/tray of water or plant directly on soil in a pot or ground.
• By bending down the tip end of a stem with its leaf bracts pinned down into the moistened soil. With regular watering, a new plant will eventually emerge within a few weeks from beneath.

Here, we’d like to share just 2 methods of vegetative reproduction which we’ve experimented:

A. How to propagate by tip cuttings, planted in potting soil:

1. Cut off a whole stem from the plant. Then, take only the tip cutting of about 10cm long and shorten the length of the leaf bracts as well.
2. Plant the tip cutting upside down in moistened potting medium. Push it down and cover with soil.
   
3. Place it at a sunny spot and with regular watering, a new plant should emerge within a month or so.
   

B. How to propagate by tip cuttings, inversed in water:

1. Cut off a whole stem from the plant. Then, take only the tip cutting of about 10-15cm long and shorten the length of the leaves as well.
   
2. Invert with its head plunge into a bottle or tray of water.
3. Site it at a sunny spot (to maintain warm temperature for best result) and roots will form at the center of the ‘upside-down umbrella’ and eventually a new plant will emerge and grow upward in about a month.
4. You can then plant it in potting medium – carefully snip off the old leaves of the tip cutting, being mindful not to damage the newly-formed roots and plant the new plant, either in a pot or in the ground. Best if plant can get morning sun or filtered sunlight for optimum growth.
5. This photo below illustrates how the plants are faring on July 12, more than 3 months later.
   

Enjoy…hope the tips have been useful!

Thanks for asking, James…that was about 10 months ago and I’m touched that you remembered it at all!

Well, due to space constraint and lack of proper support for the passiflora vines, we decided to maintain only one of the cuttings for our front yard. And, of course we chose the tallest amongst the three seedlings as seen in the left image!

Besides that, the first seedling that was presented to us by a wonderful friend last July as pictured on the left, remains potted at the backyard.

On the whole, both the vines are flourishing fairly well as they received sufficient sunlight and are watered regularly.

These purple passiflora vines are vigorous climbers, scrambling all over the backyard chain-link fencing and even the Lady Palm canes close-by for support. In the front, it’s vining onto a steel wire netting. Climbing far and wide, the vine with its tendrils will cling or twirl around whatever they can grab onto.

In less than a year, both the vines have reached between 4-5 m or more in length, with haphazard branching.

Too bad though, that the vines are top heavy with the lower part of the main stem, bald and leafless. We’ve decided not to prune them until after flowering…we’re still waiting eagerly for that first bloom! Wonder how soon will they flower and bear fruits?

Meanwhile, the foliage of this purple Passiflora Vine had us really confused for quite a while! The following leaf characteristics were observed on one single plant :

• Leaves come in all shapes and sizes. It can be 3-lobed or simple, ovate to heart-shaped or lance-shaped, broad to narrow, small to large. Some are flat, while others, recurved or curved inwardly.
• The young leaves will start off simple, serrated and without lobes. But, later as the stem or branch continues its growth length, newer leaves will become 3-lobed. Amazing, we didn’t know that this change will occur!
• Some of the leaves are even 2-lobed! That’s strange, and we thought they were deformed, probably due to some deficiency?
• Leaves may develop spots, blotches or have tiny bumps, and blades discoloured with yellow patches too. We assumed they were diseased and started removing them to nip the problem in the bud, but had ceased that since the ‘disease’ didn’t spread and seem to be concentrated on certain obviously exposed foliage only.

Of course, these strange observations led me to research online curiously for the reasons for such diverse leaf shapes and changes on the Passiflora foliage. And, we’re glad to be finally educated and enlightened further on the matter, hopefully able to better tend them now, without confusion and wrong assumptions.

It’s proven that Passion Flower Vine is a master of disguises and exhibit diverse characteristics on its foliage for various reasons such as these :

• Different leaf shapes are used as a means to camouflage and keep the insect pests such as passionvine-eating butterflies from finding them. Sometimes, the Passiflora will mimic the leaf shape of other nearby plants too to escape detection from butterflies.
• Most young leaves differ in shape from mature ones so that the vine can grow unhindered before caterpillars gnaw on the foliage.
• Some leaves will display tiny bumps (extrafloral nectaries) to mimic butterfly eggs as visual deterrent, hoping to confuse potential butterflies into thinking that they’re already taken by other females. Smart trick, huh?

Learn more interesting Passiflora facts from Virtual Herbarium of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, on shape shifters.

And, be mesmerized by the fantastic microscopic images of Passiflora x belotti by Brian Johnston! Thank you, Brian for that awesome sharing!

We’re absolutely thrilled to find out and learn about these marvelous self-defence mechanisms of the Passiflora! God The Almighty is so awesome!

The Elephant Conservation Centre at Kuala Gandah, located within the bio-diversified wilds and protected region of Krau Wildlife Reserve, was established in 1989 by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) as a permanent base for the Elephant Capture and Translocation Team that began the elephant translocation programme in 1974.

The only one of its kind in Malaysia, this Team is dedicated to locating, subduing and translocating wild elephants where their habitats were encroached by plantations or other human development, to other suitable habitats throughout the Peninsular such as Taman Negara. The dedicated team has helped to prevent the further decline of these gentle mammals, the Asian Elephant (Elephus maximus) and relocated more than 500 wild elephants thus far.

At the visitors information centre of Kuala Gandah Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary (its other popular name as orphaned elephants in the wild are captured and tendered here too), you get to enjoy a video presentation on issues affecting the wild elephants, their diminishing habitat and translocation, as well as glimpse through informative wall posters on various elephant-related topics/activities.

One such poster is on the objectives of the Centre :

Overall

• The conservation of the elephant and its habitat through sustainable management, in tandem with the aspirations of the nation

Immediate

• Ensuring the protection and management of the elephant and its habitat
• Enhancing the public’s knowledge, awareness and support on the importance of elephant conservation
• Managing the Elephant Conservation Centre as a center for research, education, as well as economic and eco-tourism activities

Visitors to the Elephant Sanctuary are welcomed to participate in the daily activities, like elephant-riding, feeding and grooming the elephants or helping with the bathing of the animals in the nearby stream. The latter being done around 3pm, so we had to miss out on this event as David had to return home early for other engagement. These activities usually commence from 12.30pm onwards.

We were fortunate that a busload of Japanese tourists coincided with our visit that weekday morning, otherwise just the three of us wouldn’t have been much fun, I think! Hence, we were all properly attended to by one of the centre’s staff who explained much about the Centre, its establishment, mission and efforts, etc. with a loud hailer and led us through the other activities available.

Four young elephants with their respective trainer were led close-by to show us some tricks and basic commands that they’ve learnt. Amazing to observe each trainer whispering the commands into the elephant’s ear…intelligent creatures, huh! Really fun to see these gigantic creatures up-close, the minute details unseen usually from afar and to feel their roughened and bristled skin, not to discount the many precious photos captured. Lovely too to see the excitement and thrill on the faces of the visiting crowd, especially the ladies with their giggles, smiles and chattering as they ‘queued for photo shoot’.

Fun-time included feeding the larger elephants, four of them that were under the covered shelter. More giggles and laughter followed as we took turns feeding the elephants with sugar-canes! Incidentally, I just love this candid shot (the left picture below) of my beloved hubby being given a body pat by the gentle and grateful elephant after being fed with a piece of sugar-cane…such a loving and sweet gesture by the largest mammal among the lot seen that morning!

Activities continued with the elephant rides with further excitement from the Japanese crowd. Though we didn’t opt to ride the elephant, it was fun just watching and taking snapshots!

We left the Elephant Sanctuary before midday and headed straight for Karak for lunch at Restaurant Yik Kee that is popular for its roasted duck and durian-filled pastries.

For John, my beloved and I, it was truly an enjoyable and enriching half-day trip, well-spent too with our loving son, David who had been to this Elephant Sanctuary, three times before.

A big thank you to the dedicated staff of the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre for their timeless dedication and caring efforts for God’s gentle and magnificent creatures, The Elephant!

National Elephant Conservation Centre
Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Kuala Gandah
(Jabatan Perhilitan Kuala Gandah)
28500 Lanchang
Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia.
(Tel: 09-279 0391; Fax: 09-279 0398)

Opening hours: The Centre is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm daily but activities mostly begin from 12.30pm onwards to 3.45pm.
Entrance is free though donations are most welcome. Advisable to make prior reservations or visit early for elephant rides and bathes activities as quota per day is 120 persons only for these two activities.

Getting there :
From Kuala Lumpur, take the Karak Highway heading towards Lancang District, passing the Karak Village along the way. At Lancang, turn left into the road just before the BP station, then follow the ample direction signage towards the Elephant Sanctuary. You will pass an Orang Asli settlement before reaching the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. The 160km road journey from Kuala Lumpur takes about 2-2.5 hours.

Sir David Attenborough said, "If elephants are to survive, human beings will have to be convinced that these magnificent, intelligent creatures are entitled to retain some share of the living space left on earth."


There are two main species of elephants in the world, that is, the African Elephant (Loxodonta africana, the largest land mammal) and the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) which is slightly smaller than its African relatives.

Currently, the Asian Elephant is listed as a critically endangered speices, with less than 40,000 wild elephants in Asia and a maximum of 1,200 in Peninsula Malaysia.

Some information on the endangered Asian Elephant, the largest living land animal in Asia:

• Scientific name: Elephas maximus
• Common name: Asian Elephant
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Proboscidae
• Family: Elephantidae
• Genus: Elephas
• Species: E. maximus
• Distribution: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Indochina, Nepal, Indonesia (primarily Borneo), Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, China, Bhutan and Sumatra the Asian continent of China, Sri Lanka, India, Sumatra, Philippines and Peninsula Malaysia
• Shoulder height: 2-3.6 m
• Weight: 3,000-5,000 kg
• Tusk: Most males have tusks though some have no tusks. The female usually has none, and if present at all, it’s barely visible.
• Breeding: Gestation period is about 18-22 months with one calf per birth or occasionally twins
• Weaning: 2-3 years
• Life span: On an average of 60 years in the wild and 80 in captivity
• More info: @ Wikipedia, including comparisons between the two main elephant species

Last edited: June 2, 2010

We almost couldn’t locate the place as the receptionist at Felda Residence Hot Springs sent us on a merry-go-round when she directed us to the Convention Centre of Felda Residence Trolak instead! Gosh…how could she had mistook ‘conservation centre’ as ‘convention centre’ which has no relevance to wildlife at all?

Anyway, we did manage to reach our destination almost noon after asking for the correct direction from some locals at Trolak and Sungkai.

Known as Pusat Pemuliharaan Hidup Liar in Malay, Sungkai Wildlife Conservation Centre is managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Jabatan Perhilitan) in Sungkai, Perak. The centre which spans over 50 hectares was opened in 1971 and it’s primary conservation effort to prevent extinction of endangered wildlife is focus on captive breeding programmes for the gaur, sambar deer and several indigenous pheasant species.

Surprisingly, we were the only 2 visitors that noon and nobody was available to guide us around that vast area. I supposed it’s a free and easy tour, where one is expected to do-it-yourself kind of thing. Whatever, we did enjoy our visit extremely, spending about one and a half hours at the wildlife reserve, gazing with amazement and wonder at whatever were available and left happily with some photos captured for remembrance.

Malayan Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor equinus)
The spacious wildlife oasis with lush green surroundings and huge shady trees is just perfect for the Sambar deers, seen roaming unrestrained and appeared so at home, as if in their own natural habitat. The Malayan subspecies of sambar is the smallest in body and antler size as compared with the Indian Sambar Deer or the Sri Lankan ones that are rated as the largest in the genus ‘Cervus’.
What a pity that we missed out on the Timor Deers and Mousedeers, being unaware then of their existence at the wildlife reserve.

Some information on the Malayan Sambar Deer:

• Scientific name: Cervus unicolor equinus (syn. Rusa unicolor equinus)
• Common name: Malayan Sambar Deer, Rusa Sambar in Malay
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Family: Cervidae
• Genus: Cervus (syn: Rusa)
• Species: C. unicolor (syn: R. unicolor)
• Colour: Dark brown background with black tail
• Body length: 94-143 cm (male), 74-210 cm (female)
• Height: 94-143 cm (male), 100-180 cm (female)
• Weight: 74-200 kg
• Male antlers: 29-56 cm in length
• Distribution: In the Asian continent of China, Sri Lanka, India, Sumatra, Philippines and Peninsula Malaysia
• Breeding: Sambars usually mate between September to January. Gestation period is about 240-270 days with one calf per birth
• Weaning: 8-9 months
• Life span: 12-13 years
• More info: @ Wikipedia

Malayan Gaur (Bos Gaurus hubbacki)
This extensive wildlife reserve is also a sanctuary for the endangered Malayan Gaur, the largest species of cattle, bigger than the Cape Buffalo, water buffalo and bison. Malayan Gaur or Seladang in Malay, is the smallest among the 3 subspecies of gaur that includes the Southeast Asian Gaur (Bos gaurus laosiensis) and the Indian Bison (Bos gaurus gaurus).

We were advised by one of the staff not to get too close as these huge and gigantic animals can be easily agitated with unfamiliar scent and faces. They looked threatening, no doubt about that. But, being properly contained within iron fences, we were a little brave to move close enough to marvel and enjoy them! Looking like water buffalo in front and like the domestic cattle at the back, they appear menacingly powerful with a highly muscular body and a pair of horns at both sides of the head. Both sexes have these horns that curve upwards and bend inward and slightly backward at the tips. The bulls are substantially larger in size than the cows.

Some information on the Malayan Gaur:

• Scientific name: Bos gaurus hubbacki
• Common name: Malayan Gaur, Seladang in Malay
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Family: Bovidae
• Genus: Bos
• Species: B. gaurus
• Colour: body – glossy black (male), dark brown (female); knee downwards whitish to dirty yellow
• Body length: 250-330 cm
• Shoulder Height: 170-220 cm
• Weight: 1000-1300 kg
• Distribution: Thailand and Malaysia
• Breeding: Year-round, but typically peaks between December and June. Gestation period is about 275 days with one calf per birth, rarely two
• Weaning: 7-12 months
• Sexual maturity: in the 2nd or 3rd year
• Life span: about 30 years
• More info: @ Wikipedia

Pheasants and Hornbills
This area was quite a disappointment as the huge cages that housed these beauties are covered with tightly spaced wire-netting materials that not only hinder proper viewing but photography too. Rather frustrating as we were unable to enjoy the full beauty of these birds and have clear shots of them.

Pheasant species seen there include the following:

• Great Argus (Argusianus argus; Kuang Raya in Malay)
• Malaysian Peacock (Polyplectron malacense; Merak Pongsu)
• Mountain Peacock (Polyplectron inopinatium; Kuang Cermin)
• Crestless Fireback (Lophura erythrophthalma; Merah Mata)
• Crested Fireback (Lophura ignita; Pegar)
• Green Peafowl (Pavo muticus; Merak Hijau)

The Great Argus (Argusianus argus), was such a delight to watch. Frequently opening its beautiful and fabulously patterned wings to show off, as if displaying specially for us. Simply lovely!
This pheasant is large, measuring up to 2 m in length, with long tail feathers and secondary wing feathers that are distinctly decorated with large eye-spots. Plumage generally rusty brown with intricate pattern and spots of chestnut, brown, white, black and grey. It has a small head with blue bare skin on its head and neck, short black crest, rufous red upper breast and red legs.

Some information on the Great Argus:

• Scientific name: Argusianus argus
• Common name: Great Argus, Argus Pheasant, Kuang Raya in Malay
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Aves
• Order: Galliformes
• Family: Phasianidae
• Genus: Argusianus
• Species: A. argus
• Distribution: Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsula Malaysia
• Habitat: Jungle and forests, from sea-level to 4,000 feet
• More info: @ Wikipedia

Hornbill species residing there include these below:

• Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris convexus; Enggang Lilin)
• Black Hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus; Enggang Hitam)
• White Crown Hornbill (Berenicornis comatus; Enggang Jambul Putih)
• Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros; Enggang Badak)
• Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis; Enggang Papan)

Sorry, no hornbill pictures to share here except the one below but you can enjoy them at Hornbills Photo Gallery by Wong Tsu Shi.

An Oriental Pied Hornbill suddenly flew overhead and landed on a tree branch within our view unannounced. How very fortunate! I was extremely thrilled and happy…gotcha on candid camera!

Some information on the Oriental Pied Hornbill:

• Scientific name: Anthracoceros albirostris convexus
• Common name: Oriental Pied Hornbill, Malaysian Pied Hornbill, Enggang Lilin in Malay
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Aves
• Order: Coraciiformes
• Family: Bucerotidae
• Genus: Anthracoceros
• Species: A. albirostris
• Distribution: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
• Habitat: Tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests.
• More info: @ Wikipedia and Forest Department, Sarawak

Other related links:
- Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Peninsula Malaysia
- JourneyMalaysia.com

Address:
Pusat Pemuliharaan Hidup Liar
Jabatan Perhilitan Sungkai
35600 Sungkai
Perak.
Tel: +605 438 9482

Getting there by car:
Take the North-South Highway and head for Sungkai toll exit 128, then turn right at the junction which will lead to Sungkai town. Sungkai Wildlife Censervation Centre is located about 15 km from Sungkai.
Look out for the Menderang signage on the left and a little further the Shell Petrol Station on the right. Turn right before the Shell station and just continue traveling the narrow and dusty road until you notice the signage of Sungkai Wildlife Conservation Centre welcoming you in.