This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

rare plants rambling

i love many plant families that i cannot grow due to lack of space or
because they would really be happier in a greenhouse.  among them, i love
plants in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) and heliconias
(Heliconiaceae) which i would grow by the barrel if i had the room. 
another group i would grow by the dozen would be south african bulbs
(mostly Iridaceae) if i had the conditions for them.

another family i like very much is the hibiscus family (Malvaceae).  i
have 4 in that group, 

Pavonia multiflora, which i love, it blooms all the time, pink-reddish
calices with purple flowers that don't fully open but the stamens and
stigmas protrude out like eyeshadow applicator (is that what's called,
the cosmetic instrument for eye lashes?); 

Goethea cauliflora, which has small flowers nestled in pink calices with
gorgeous markings, the flowers bloom from the trunk of the plant (like a
cacao tree), mine unfortunately has not bloomed yet; 

Hibiscus schizopetalus which has upside-down flowers, with pink petals
that are frilled and curved backwards (unfortunately a shy bloomer); and 

Malvaviscus arboreus mexicanus, with nodding bright red flowers that
don't fully open.

i once had Tibouchina urvilleana and Medinilla magnifica, both gorgeous
shrubs in the Melastomataceae family.  unfortunately, they have both gone
to that big garden in the sky :-)

and of course, if i really had the room, i would grow palm trees in my
living room...

tsuh yang chen, new york city

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index