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.

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

Want an attractive and colourful floral display in your home?

Choose the Gerber Daisies that will surely lend beauty and brightness, inside the home or out in the garden. They’re such a cheerful and vibrant lot and you’ll be spoilt for choice of floral colours that come in an extensive array of dazzling colours.

Truly kaleidoscopic and explosive in nature!

Barberton Daisies are an on-and-off attraction in our garden. Since they’re reasonably priced, we buy them on impulse whenever their spectacular and brightly-coloured blooms shout for attention during our nursery visits or at the superstores. The potted plants are value for money, lasting longer than the cut flowers, and fabulous for a temporary display at home, lasting probably between 4-6 weeks. When plants are finished flowering, they can be transplanted into flowers beds outdoors and may even last for several months or a few years with proper care, being mindful that the indoor plants should first be introduced to direct sunlight gradually.

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Gerbera jamesonii
• Common Name: Gerbera Daisy, Gerber Daisy, Transvaal Daisy, Barberton Daisy, African Daisy
• Family name: Asteraceae
• Etymology: The genus Gerbera was named after Traugott Gerber, the 18th-century German naturalist. And, the species named after its founder, Robert Jameson, a Scotsman who rediscovered it in 1884 near Barberton in South Africa, thus attributing to the common names, Barberton Daisy and African Daisy.
• Origin: Native to the Transvaal and Cape Province of South Africa.
• Plant type: Perennial ornamental herb
• Features: Gerbera jamesonii belongs to the genus Gerbera that has approximately 30 species in the wild, ranging from South America, Africa, Madagascar and tropical Asia. A highly versatile species that has been extensively hybridized over the decades and presently has several hundred varieties and hybrids.
  An evergreen herbaceous perennial in the tropics and an annual in colder climes, it has a low-mounding and clump-forming habit with variable height. Depending on the hybrids and varieties, it varies between 20-60 cm tall and spread almost as wide, with a rather moderate-growing rate.
  Petioled leaves in deep green emerge from the crown in basal rosettes with coarse and oblong-shaped blades that are deeply lobed, measuring between 20-25 cm in length and half in width.
  A single brilliantly-coloured flower is produced and held terminally on each flowering scape, typically up to 45 cm tall, that sprouts from the ground and towers above the green foliage in lovely contrast. It is covered with extremely fine hairs and fuzzy to the touch. Green sepals that connect the stalk to the back of the flower are similarly matted with fine whitish hairs.
  The flower-head structure of the Gerber Daisy is easily distinguishable, comprising of hundreds of individual flowers, but collectively appearing as a single flower. It possess composite flowers with 3 flower types, that is, the central disk contains the disk florets, then surrounded by a ring of intermediate trans florets and the outermost petals constitute the final ring(s) of ray florets. The colourful rays and its central disk may be of almost similar or contrasting shade. Its reproductive system is located in the disk florets (female) and trans florets (male).
  The Gerbera Daisy flowers are impressively large, 10-12.7 cm diameter, roundish and come in an awesome array of diverse colours that have evolved over decades of hybridizing. Commonly seen are the red and crimson to pink, cream and yellow to deep orange in various hues and less frequently the whites and violet, but never blue (?). Blooms can be in single or double forms, and even with serrated or frilly petals, of differing width and length, and mottled or variegated too. Amazing! No wonder, Gerber/African Daisies are highly sought by florists and gardeners alike!

• Culture (Care): An easy-to-culture plant, Gerbera jamesonii needs minimal attention.
  Light: Full sun to light shade.
  Moisture: Average water needs. Do not overwater as overly wet or soggy conditions can cause crown rot. Avoid overhead watering as it’s susceptible to powdery mildew and best to water it early in the day. Indoor plants may need misting on leaves but not on the blooms.
  Soil: Prefers a sandy or loam medium that is humus or organic-enriched and must be well-drained.
  Others: Do not plant Gerber Daisy too deeply or kept too wet as susceptible to crown rot. Feed once monthly with a balanced fertilizer during active growth and flowering. Remove spent flowers and stems, as well as withered or scorched leaves. Watch out for pests like aphids and whitefly. Gerbera Daisy is susceptible to several diseases, such as powdery mildew, grey mildew and black root rot.
  For subtropical and temperate regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 9-11, it is grown a perennial but elsewhere, an annual. It can tolerate some frost but not freezing temperatures that will kill plants to the roots. Best to grow in containers in non-hardy regions to overwinter plants indoors easily. Nevertheless, Zone 8 gardeners have succeeded in growing them as perennials if properly mulched and sheltered from freezing winds. Water sparingly in winter and reduce feeding to once every two months. To propagate, divide the clumps and repot them in spring. They’ll flower throughout the year if grown in the greenhouse.

• Propagation: By division of clumps, which is the quicker, easier and better alternative to propagating by seeds where plants generally do not come true in form and colour. If by seeds, they should germinate between two to three weeks, otherwise not viable if longer than that.

• Usage: Gerbera jamesonii make ideal ornamental groundcovers in garden beds and borders or as edging and in landscaping. Excellent flowering plant in containers to decorate and brighten homes or indoors, window sills, patios and decks. Can be grown in greenhouses for year-round flowering. Even as lovely in mixed planters with Gerbera Daisies of other shade or join a crowd of other plants with complementary colours. Plant them in your garden to attract bees, butterflies and birds.
  You can use Gerbera jamesonii to purify or cleanse the air. In the NASA Clean Air Study, this plant was proven effective in remove benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. Check the list of air filtering plants at Wikipedia.
  With a vase-life of about 2 weeks, they’re widely and popularly used as cut flowers for floral arrangement, indoor decor, gifts for special occasions, wedding bouquets and the like. It is ranked as the fifth most popularly used cut flower worldwide and hence an important commodity.
  Also, it is widely used as a model organism when studying flower formation.

Other external links:

• Gerbera.org
• Microscopy of Gerbera Daisy by Brian Johnston, and another by Brittany Richardson, a must visit to enjoy its beauty!
• Hortchat on Gerbera Daisy, including Q&A
• Floridata on Gerbera jamesonii
• Bachman’s Floral Gift & Garden on Gerbera Plant Care
• Garden Guides on Gerbera Diseases
• About.com on landscaping with Gerbera Daisies

More Gerbera jamesonii (Barberton/Gerber/Transvaal Daisy) pictures to enjoy!

Gerber Daisy – white ray flowers, pink disk

Gerber Daisy – white ray flowers, black disk

Gerber Daisy – pink ray flowers, brown disk

Gerber Daisy – pink ray flowers, black disk

Gerber Daisy – pink flowers, yellow disk

Gerber Daisy – deep orange flowers, black disk

Gerber Daisy – rich yellow flowers, black disk

Gerber Daisy – orange flowers with yellow blotches, black disk

Gerber Daisy – light yellow flowers, black disk

Gerber Daisy – light orange flowers, yellowish-green disk

What a beautiful sight indeed! Live and flaming red flowers decorating the vining stems of Scarlet Passion Flower that were draped on a trellis built of dexon steel bars!

It was sighted at the Church of St Paul The Apostle in Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor during our pilgrimage tour to that church last year. Our first time seeing this gorgeous vine with brilliant red blooms in Malaysia! Never knew that this stunning tendril climber did exist in our tropical country before that. How ignorant!

And, just less than one and a half months later, we got to enjoy the Red Granadilla again at Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden, Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Such a wonderful surprise and it looked strikingly beautiful as it draped over a 4.5 m tall pole! Truly an outstanding ornamental specimen in the courtyard of Malaysia’s world-renowned ‘Forest of Knowledge’, the Botanic Garden’s other name in English!

If you’re searching for a vine, one with exotic and drazzling blooms in vibrant scarlet red and uniquely structured, then look no further but allow this tropical beauty, the Red Passion Flower, to enchant you and welcome her into your garden.

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Passiflora miniata Vanderplank (synonym: Passiflora coccinea hort.)
  Note: for decades, it was erroneously known worldwide as P. coccinea Aubl. but found to be a different species from the true P. coccinea by John Vanderplank in 2006 who correctly described and published its new name as P. miniata Vanderplank.
• Common Name: Red Granadilla, Red Passion Flower, Scarlet Passion Flower, Passionflower, Passion Vine, Monkey Guzzle (Bolivia), Thome Assu (Brazil)
• Family name: Passifloraceae
• Etymology and name: The common name of Passion Flower was instituted by the Spanish Christian missionaries to South America in the 15th-16th centuries who interpreted various structures of the plant as symbolic of the last days of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion. Check at Wikipedia to know more of this religious symbolism and other names adopted in Europe and elsewhere.
• Origin: Native to Southern America – Bolivia, Colombia and Peru in Western South America and Brazil.
• Plant type: Tropical perennial vine with striking red flowers and edible fruits
• Features: Passiflora miniata Vanderplank is a one of the most beautiful species of the genus Passiflora that has about 500 species of tropical vines.
  A large, hardy and vigorous climber, it is fast-growing and can reach a height of 3-6 m or more, clinging with tendrils to anything it touches and covers structures fairly rapidly under favourable conditions. If ground-grown, it can become invasive, spreading by suckers and rooted vines.
  Needing sturdy support, it’s great if grown on trellises, arbors, chain-link or garden fences, poles with wire-netting, and the like. An evergreen perennial vine in warm and frost-free regions and semi-evergreen in colder clime.
  It has a lush and dark green foliage that blends well with its strikingly beautiful scarlet red flowers. The leaves are simple and not lobed, oval to oblong-shaped with double-toothed margins and arranged alternately on the wiry and angular stem. Spiral-like tendrils are produced in the leaf axils to aid its aggressive climb.
  The flowers are spectacular, opening from torpedo-shaped oval buds that are encased in reddish bracts and will bloom abundantly throughout the year in the tropics or from summer to fall in temperate climes.
  Its flower structure is truly fascinating! The 10-petaled flower consists of 5 petals and 5 sepals, strap-like, in bright scarlet red that bent backwards like a reverse bowl, 6-10 cm in diameter.
  Emerging centrally, in front of the petals are three series of corona filaments with the outer series in dark purple and slightly oblique outward and the other 2 inner ones in white, different from the true P. coccinea that has white or pale pink corona filaments in two series. A glabrous tube protrude upwards from within the throat, and sitting atop it is seen a yellowish ovary that is fused with 3 reddish-pink styles and stigmas above, and 5 red-spotted filaments tipped with yellow-green anthers below. Very captivating, somewhat resembling a colourful propeller.
  No wonder, the Red Granadilla or Scarlet Passionflower is a wonderful attractant for wildlife, such as the hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. Also, a host plant for caterpillars that will gorge its leaves, making them holey and unsightly.
  Flowers will eventually develop into roundish melon-like delectable fruits, with variegated skin that is mottled in green and yellow and contain numerous seeds inside. The passion fruit (up to 5 cm in diameter) with edible pulp is pendent, unlike erect in P. coccinea. View how the fruits look like at Flickr images.

• Culture (Care): Passiflora miniata Vanderplank (Passiflora coccinea hort.) is an easy to grow vine with low maintenance.
  Light: Enjoys full sun to light shade. In very hot regions, semi-shade is preferred, otherwise the foliage may scorch in direct sunlight. It blooms best with good sunlight. Protect it from strong wind.
  Moisture: Average water needs. Water moderately and regularly, keeping it evenly moist. More water during hot seasons and when fruits are maturing to prevent them from shriveling and falling prematurely. Less water during cooler temperatures, allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings.
  Soil: Well-drained humus soil with a mix of coarse sand and loam.
  Others: Requires regular pruning to keep it within control, as well as to encourage more blooms with new branches as flowers appear on new growth. The vine is hardy and can tolerate hard-pruning. Periodically, prune out inner growth to maintain good air circulation to discourage fungal diseases and keep it healthy. Feed once fortnightly with a balanced fertilizer during active growth. Repot only when necessary as it tends to flower more freely when pot-bound or top-dress instead to rejuvenate growth. Relatively free from serious pests and diseases, though attractive to caterpillars that feed on its leaves.
  For subtropical regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 10-12. Grow this tropical vine in containers if not winter-hardy, as it will not tolerate prolonged frost and freezing temperatures. A tender evergreen that is semi-deciduous to deciduous in colder regions. Blooms all summer long till fall. Prune vine as needed in early spring. Propagate by stem cuttings in late spring or early summer.

• Propagation: Can be propagated by seeds (it does self-seed too) or cuttings, the latter being a simpler and faster way. Check here on how to propagate a passiflora vine from cuttings …hehe, our success story.
  Branches that become rooted at leaf nodes when grown as groundcovers can be used to propagate new plants too.

• Usage: Grow Passiflora miniata or Scarlet Passion Flower to cover and decorate garden fences, trellises, arbors, pergolas and arches. Can be trained up a pole, enclosed with wire-netting as a stand-alone garden specimen for added beauty and interest. Use as a ground cover or espaliered on walls for the brilliant red flowers. If you’re a nature lover, use them to attract wildlife, such as bees, butterflies and birds to your garden. Or plant them in containers to overwinter plants indoors in non-hardy regions or simply to enjoy the beauty of their exotic flowers or edible fruits as an added bonus.

Some red-flowered Passiflora species that are quite similar to one another, just for added interest :

1. Passiflora miniata Vanderplank, as described above
2. Passiflora coccinea Aubl., the most common Passiflora species in the Amazon region and Guianas with large and bright scarlet red flowers, 2 series of white or pale pink corona filaments with the outer ones held oblique inward. Leaves ovate to oblong-shaped and biserrate, and fruits are erect, pear-shaped and coloured golden-brown. (Regrettably, there’s no suitable link to an image that best represent the flower’s white corona filaments except one seen in the pdf file of the link at #3 below)
3. Passiflora tecta, as described and published by Christian Feuillet. Bright scarlet red flowers with 3 rows of corona filaments in bright red, and with the outer filaments held nearly erect and slightly oblique inward. It has ovate and bi-serrate leaves.
4. Passiflora manicata, with bright scarlet 9-cm diameter flowers, dark bluish-purple corona filaments and dark green 3-lobed leaves.
5. Passiflora vitifolia, with large scarlet red flowers, 3 series of corona filaments with outer row coloured scarlet and slightly oblique outward and the 2 inner ones white. It has dark green 3-lobed leaves.

Other references:

• GRIN
• UBC Botanical Garden – botany photo of the day
• Missouri Botanical Garden
• Learn2grow
• University of Saskatchewan, Extension Division
• Microscopy of P. caerulea & P. coccinea x incarnata by Brian Johnston

Last edit: 20100701

Kalanchoe uniflora (probable ID) :
Lovely unexpected addition to our garden! We walked into a nursery mid-March, hoping to get a pot of Christmas Kalanchoe blossfeldiana at a lesser price after the Chinese New Year festive season but there weren’t any to be seen. A blessing in disguise as there was another more catchy Kalanchoe variety which we’ve never seen before and it was an instant hit with us.

Kalanchoe ‘Wendy’ is its name, I think, after having google-searched its identity. A pot of this showy succulent with numerous clusters of hanging, bell-shaped rose-pink flowers costs only RM8.00, pretty cheap, huh! The best part is their beautiful flowers will last between 4-6 weeks and I read that Kalanchoe can be easily propagated. Yippee, value for money…I’ve just experimented with leaf cuttings this morning and hope to get more plants! Will try to propagate by tip cuttings when I deadhead our plant eventually.

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Bantel’s Sensation’ (White Sansevieria) :
What a marvelous March surprise! After a long lapse in flowering for 2 whole years, our White Sansevieria finally decided to treat us again. It is known to flower very rarely, hence we’re thankful to be able to enjoy its beautiful pearly-white and sweetly fragrant blooms on a 27-inch upright stalk for about 2 weeks.

A pair of White-browed Bulbul’s desire to set home :
My darling John and I were really excited when we saw a pair of lovers attempted to build their nest on our potted Lady Palm trees (Rhapis excelsa) at our garden porch in early March. We had hope to experience once again the joy of following the breeding event by the same bird species, Pycnonotus luteolus on the same potted plants nearly 2 years ago.
First try in early March failed as the nest was wishy-washy, made from too much soft cotton wool and lacked binding twigs. It was abandoned after a few days.

Then the birds returned about 2 weeks later on March 21st and attempted to repair the nest, working on it with determination for 2-3 days. Delighted to have capture some shots to show one of them surveying and testing its home.

The couple was very noisy over their finished job, probably congratulating each other with lots of sweet birdie dialogue. Same noisy sounds continued over 1-2 days later, but subsequently, there was total silence and the birds weren’t sighted at all. Sad to see the nest abandoned the second time. Both, our joy and theirs, seemed so short-lived!

Upon checking, I observed that the nest was squashed. It was doomed to fail as the whole nest was held precariously at one side and attached to a single palm stem by just a few twigs, like holding a cup of tea with the little finger. Another failed attempt…poor dear young ones, so sad!

More grief followed 2 weeks later, when John discovered a piece of egg shell in a pot of Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) that was located below the palms. We deduced that the female bird did lay an egg after all but probably misfired, resulting in fallen and broken egg. It really broke our hearts as we can empathize with their loss, having suffered a miscarriage during my first pregnancy. Gosh, what sorrow!

Nevertheless, we’re positive for this young couple. As I’m drafting this post, I can see them through our lace curtains, occasionally visiting the same potted Lady Palm trees which had been shifted to the corner of our porch recently. They sure seem resourceful!
Wish you much success, sweet young ones!!

Garden retail centers would naturally know the kind of colourful flowering plants that could entice their customers during the festive seasons!

In our tropical country, Malaysia, especially during the Chinese New Year in January or February, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a must in their list of favourites, besides Florist’s Gloxinia, Jerusalem Cherry, African Daisies and Violets, to name a few.

We’ve always been charmed by the colourful display of Florist Kalanchoe during those times. What an amazing feast for our eyes! Such brilliant and splendid colours, and bountiful blooms and buds in countless clusters as well!

In the temperate countries though, their beautiful and charming flowers will explode in psychedelic colours, primarily in winter, hence its name, Christmas Kalanchoe.
Here again, it’s the work of professional growers who knows how to get them to flower for the festive season to be marketed widely.

Nonetheless, it is known to flower during other times too, even year round with the right culture and climate.

We’ve planted this succulent twice previously, but inadvertently killed it due to overwatering. John and I may probably attempt a third time since we’re a little wiser now having researched about its culture!

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (synonym: Kalanchoe globulifera var. coccinea)
• Common Name: Christmas Kalanchoe, Florist Kalanchoe, Flaming Katy
• Family name: Crassulaceae
• Etymology: Plant was introduced in Potsdam, Germany, by Robert Blossfeld in 1932
• Origin: Madagascar
• Plant type: Perennial succulent that is popular for its ornamental beauty
• Features: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, a species of the genus Kalanchoe, is a herbaceous succulent plant with numerous hybrids and varieties, varying in sizes and floral colors. It is moderate-growing, with glabrous stems and can reach to about 30-45 cm tall, depending on the variety.
  It produces dark green leaves that are oval to oblong-ovate in shape, fleshy and waxy, with scalloped margins. Blade-size vary, ranging up to 7.6 cm in length and 3.8 cm in width.
  In marvelous contrast, dancing above its green foliage and emerging at terminal stems, are long-stalked flowerheads with 20-50 small and brilliantly coloured flowers. Colours are so extensive and in various hues of red to scarlet, magenta and pink, or purple to orange, yellow and white.
  
  The pretty flowers can be of the 4-petaled single flowering variety as seen in the two images above or the double flowering type with many petals as photos illustrated below. It has a long blooming period that usually lasts between 4-8 weeks.
  

• Culture (Care): Kalanchoe blossfeldiana or Florist Kalanchoe are easy to grow and needs minimal care. With the right culture, it can be so rewarding, flowering in abundance all year round in the tropics and seasonally in the cooler regions.
  Light: Requires good light to do well, best with morning sun or very bright indirect light. Plant becomes leggy, weak and may not flower with insufficient light. Thrives well in moderate to warm temperatures but frost sensitive.
  Moisture: Water well and carefully, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings. Leaves can rot if overwatered or shriveled when underwatered. As succulent plants, kalanchoes need no misting as they can tolerate low humidity.
  Soil: Use a succulent or cactus soil mixture. Alternatively, any potting medium with a generous mix of coarse sand for good drainage will do. A fast draining soil mix is essential.
  Others: To encourage the plant to flower for an extended period, remove older flowers as they wither and new ones open, and since flowering emerge at terminal stems, beneficial to snip off 1-2 sets of top leaves as well to promote new growth. After flowering season is over, cut back the plant as low as you wish to maintain its compact size and shape, as well as to encourage bushiness. Then, feed once monthly during the growing period with a balanced fertilizer.
  Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is photoperiodic, whereby its blossoming is dependent on the duration of its daily exposure to light and darkness. To encourage budding, give the plant 10 hours of daylight followed by complete darkness (preferably 14 hours) every day, over a period of two to three months, during which no feeding is required. Once the new buds emerge above the leaves, the night darkness can be relaxed.
  Some gardeners prefer to start new plants again from leaf or stem cuttings which can be so easily done rather than keeping plants that have already flowered. Kalanchoes are generally free from pests, but do check occasionally for mealy bug and aphids. Read more about potential problems with this succulent at GardenGuides.com.
  For temperate regions: Hardiness: USDA 10-11. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana tolerates temperatures from hot to just above freezing and is frost sensitive. Water and feed the plant as normal during the growing season in spring and summer. Then, from mid-fall, stop feeding and provide it 14 hours of continuous darkness every day to encourage it to start budding and should be blooming when winter approaches.

• Propagation: Easily propagated by leaf cuttings or stem cuttings that root easily in soil. Also, can be grown from its very tiny seeds that germinate better with light and will take about 9-10 months to mature and flower.

• Usage: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is excellent as an ornamental potted indoor or house plant to decorate and beautify your home, office or greenhouses. Great too as container plant for decks and patio by itself or in mixed plantings with other succulents and cacti for added colour and interest. Can be ground-grown in garden beds in the tropics or frost-free regions.

Other External links:

• Plant of the Week – Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
• Dave’s Garden
• My Indoor Houseplants

Spectacular plant with large colourful blooms sitting atop its handsome green foliage.

These eye-catching beauties in such a marvelous array of colours are usually offered for sale as gift plants or decorative houseplants around festive seasons in garden centres and hypermarkets.

Hence, I grabbed the opportunity to capture some shots of them, displayed at a nearby Tesco Store a few weeks before the 2010 Lunar New Year.

With proper care and attention, Sinningia speciosa can flourish and churn out fabulous blooms to brighten and decorate your home or office.

We’ve never grown Florist’s Gloxinias before. So far, John and I have avoided bringing any Gloxinia home, regardless of how beautifully attractive or tempting they may be. That doesn’t mean we’ve ceased admiring them.

Having failed previously in our attempt to grow African Violets which are closely related, we just can’t bear loosing them sooner than expected!

Nevertheless, having researched for this article, and know a little better about Gloxinia care and culture, we now have second thoughts. Should we desire one, must remember to choose a plant with healthy leaves and plenty of flower-buds to start off!

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Sinningia speciosa (syn. Gloxinia speciosa)
• Common Name: Gloxinia, Florist’s Gloxinia, Brazalian Gloxinia, Violet Slipper Gloxinia
• Family name: Gesneriaceae
• Etymology: Named after Benjamin P. Gloxin, an 18th-century German physician and botanist who first described it.
• Origin: Southern Brazil in South America
• Plant type: Herbaceous perennial cultivated as an indoor or house plant for its decorative beauty
• Features: Sinningia speciosa, originally classified under the genus name, Gloxinia, is now a species of Sinningia, a genus of perennial tuberous herbs and shrubs of Central and South America.
  A herbaceous plant that grows to about 30 cm tall or more and has fuzzy-textured green leaves with serrated margins. The large blades are oblong and paddle-shaped, deeply veined and tightly packed along the stem.
  Over the years, numerous hybrids and varieties have emerged due to extensive hybridization. The present day hybrids of S. speciosa, Florist Gloxinia bear little resemblance to the ancestral or true species. They are more compact and produce large blooms held on long petioles, in gorgeous colours. They can either be in solid colours or two-toned, speckled or otherwise with deeply coloured or spotted throat, and appear in various forms too.
  
  Colours range from varying intensity of red, scarlet, magenta, pink, purple, blue-violet, lavender, white or near white. Bell-shaped and velvety textured blooms can be single or double flowering types, with plain and smooth or wavy and ruffled petals.
  Not unusual at all for a large and mature plant to have 2 dozen or more large flowers (over 3 inches across) blooming at any one time. Healthy plants will keep producing numerous buds as the earlier ones fully bloom and wither, over an extended period of 2 months or more. After flowering, the plant and tuber will enter a dormant stage where the leaves begin to yellow and die back, lasting about 6-9 weeks, and then with proper care come back afresh as new plants from its tuber.

• Culture (Care): Sinningia speciosa or Florist’s Gloxinia can be grown as gorgeous house plants, living for several years if given proper care and attention.
  Light: Bright indirect light but strictly no direct sun, or florescent lights for 12-14 hours per day to promote good flowering. For best growth, the ideal daytime temperature is 75°F and a nighttime temperature of 65°F or warmer. Avoid cold drafts as these are warm-loving plants.
  Moisture: Water carefully, keeping it evenly moist. Do not over-water or allow soil to be waterlogged that may lead to crown rotting. Water directly on soil and never on flowers and leaves, as water causes unsightly marks/spots/holes on them. It requires high humidity which can be maintained by standing the pot on some pebbles in a tray of water or use a humidifier.
  Soil: Fertile humus soil with a mix of coarse sand that can retain water, yet drains well. The pH should be 5.5-6.5.
  Others: Feed every 2 weeks with a balanced fertilizer for houseplants (15-15-15) until the flowering season ends where feeding should cease in preparation for dormancy period (refer to link below about winter-rest). Remove spent flowers and withered foliage. Plants do not like to be root-bound, so repot when necessary. To encourage bushiness and flowers to develop together for an impressive display, pinch off the first 2 flowers as they start to develop. Florist’s Gloxinia are generally free from pests, but do check occasionally for mites and thrips.
  For subtropical regions: Hardiness: not applicable as they can be grown indoors. Gloxinia requires a period of dormancy or winter-rest after flowering, usually around October/November in Northern Hemisphere until spring. During this time, water should be gradually reduced and feeding stopped to allow the soil to dry out and then store the pot in a cool place, ideally with temperature around 55-60°F. When tuber show sign of new growth in early spring, pot it in fresh soil with hollow side up and level with the medium’s surface, and start watering gradually. Learn about caring for Gloxinia during the winter-rest.

• Propagation: By sowing seeds that will eventually flower in 6-9 months or even as early as 4-5 months if provided with optimum growing conditions. Sowing the seeds over a staggered period will ensure a succession of blooming plants throughout most time of the year.
  Other methods of propagating are by leaf cuttings, crown or stem cuttings snipped with a sharp knife or shears and inserted into potting medium. Tuber division is another alternative way of propagating and will flower in about 4 months. Learn how-to propagate Gloxinia at Plant-Care.com

• Usage: Grow Gloxinia as an ornamental potted indoor or house plant to decorate and beautify your homes and offices or in greenhouses.

Other External links:

• ChestOfBooks: The Gardener V1 by William Thomson
• Clemson University Cooperative Extension, on Gloxinias
• Hortiscope by Dr. Ron Smith on Gloxinias (Q&A)
• University of Illinois Extension, Gardener’s Corner: growing Gloxinia
• Be inspired to grow Gloxinias at Senior Gardening!
• Gesneriad Reference Web – Sinningia and an awesome photo gallery on its species

Of course, sun-loving plants in our tropical garden like the Bougainvilleas, Madagascar Periwinkles, White Mussaenda, Euphorbia milii, Ponytail Plant and Yucca, to name a few just love the heat while the Norfolk Pine, Macarthur Palm and Dracaena Lisa had some of their foliage ‘roasted’…poor thing!

Here’s sharing some of our garden photos, taken in February, mostly from our front yard and a couple from the backyard. Enjoy please!

A section of our garden in the front yard, to the right of the driveway and facing the public road.

A section of our frontyard garden

Heliconia psittacorum ‘Sassy’

Bougainvillea ‘Aiskrim’ (syn: B. ‘Surprise’, B. ‘Miss Universe’)

Bougainvillea ‘Millionaire’ and B. ‘Mrs Eva Mauve Variegata’

Calliandra emarginata ‘Red’ (Dwarf Powder Puff, Powderpuff Plant)

Dendrobium phalaenopsis ‘Sonia’

Dieffenbachia bowmannii ‘Carriere’ (Dumb Cane, Spotted Dumbcane, Leopard Lily)

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ (Mophead Hydrangea, Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea, Hortensia)

Catharanthus roseus, in purplish-pink (Madagascar Periwinkle, Cape Periwinkle, Rose/Rosy Periwinkle, Vinca)

Catharanthus roseus, in white (Madagascar Periwinkle, Cape Periwinkle, Rose/Rosy Periwinkle, Vinca)

Purple Vanda Orchid

Hymenocallis caribaea (Caribbean Spiderlily, Spider Lily, White Lily)

Ixora chinensis ‘Singapore Yellow’ (Jungle Flame/Geranium, Needle Flower) – just to show there’s yellow flowers too, though not in its best form…sorry!

Heliconia stricta ‘Carli’s Sharonii’

Now, we’ll have more than enough Red Ti Plants to adorn our frontyard and backyard. Their beautiful variegated foliage in pink to purplish red will be such a welcome sight for added attraction and will definitely brighten our garden scene…love them!

Another plant that decided to smile for us in February is Jatropha podagrica (Gout Plant, Buddha Belly Plant), an 8 cm-tall seedling that was found by the roadside, uprooted and brought home last September 28th.

We never expected to enjoy its first flowering so soon…a little over 4 months and to see them developing into fruits as quick too!

Hmm…flowering and fruiting occurring within a couple of weeks apart and within the same month, as if impatient to be a mother! Simply fantastic!


Hope to be able to gather its matured seedpods before they explode to scatter the seeds several meters away as they’re known to be highly dehiscent when ripened to blackish-brown in colour. Got to watch them like a hawk if I desire to capture their seeds for propagation as an experiment!