This blog is for gardeners above, beyond, and below the surface. For those interested in botanical names, inventories, collection and else.

Not recommended for gardeners depending only on nurseries for the practice.

Monday, May 28, 2012

BOTANICAL INVENTORY REVISITED 2012

MY views on the necessity and benefits to keep a strict botanical inventory are part of my training and practice. However, I understand many gardeners do not give a flying fart about botanical names.  

Lately, I use a new method to simplify the issues...if you do not know the botanical, go to search: botanical name for: orange. That will do in most cases. Except when a fruit, for example, in your own country has 3 common names...

Finally, I reiterate, with these names you can solve any problem regarding planting, propagating, diseases, insect pests, conditions for adequate growth and else, without the need to ask foolish questions in public or the web. 

It is not only copy an paste Allamanda was in 2010 so with Chamamansa, one is gone the second has returned. in 2012.





Allium
Alocasia cucullata
Aglaonema Commutatum
Arashis hypogea
Amarilys
Anthurium
Asparagus sprengeri/meyeri
Aloe vera
Alternatera brasiliana
Asystacia gangetica
Andropogon citratum
Antigonon leptopus
Bryophylum pinnatum
Bauhinia monandra
Brunfelsia pausiflora
Barleria repens
Bouganvillea buttiana
Bixa orellana
Cestrum diurnum
Calathea loeseneri
Calledium hortulanum
Capsicum florescens
Carica papaya
Chayamansa

Citrus sinensis
Citrus aurantifolia
Clitoria ternatea
Costus malortanus
Chrysothemis pulchella
Coccoloba uvifera
Clerodendrum quadriculare ***
Clorophytum comosum ***
Clorophytum diurnum
Calliandra haemathocephala
Catharantus roseus
Cosmos sulphureous
Commelina elegans
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Crinum asiaticum
Centrosema pubescens
Datura stramonium
Dipteracanthus prostratus **
Dracaena marginata
Diffenbachia amoena
Daylilly
Duranta repens
Eucharis amazonica
Euphorbia tirucallis/pulcherrima
Epiphylum oxypetalum
Gardenia augusta
Guaicum officinale
Gloriosa rothschildiana
Hibiscus cannabinus
Hemerocallis
Hippobroma longiflora
Ixora
Ipomoea aegiptia/quamoclit
Jasminum undulatum

Lipia micromera
Hippeastrum reticulatum
Manihot esculenta
Merremia quinquefolia
Merremia umbelata
Murraya paniculata
Mirabilis siciliana
Malpighia glabra/coccigera
Myosotis
Neomarica caerulea
Nephrolepsis
Ochna thomasiana
Oxalis
Origanum vulgare
Phalaenopsis
Passiflora foetida/pallida l./edulis
Peperomia pellucida
Petroselinum crispum
Pandanus utilis
Pereskia bleo
Proiphys amboinensis
Pithelobium dulce
Pseuderantemum reticulatum
Pleomeles reflexa
Polyscia balfouriana/fruticosa
Plectantrus amboinicus
Pedilanthus thithymaloides/tuberose
Plumeria rubra/alba

Rosmarinus officinale
Ruellia officinale/brittoniana/
tuberosa
Sanseveria trifasciata/cylindrica
Scadoxus
Syngonium
Serpol tuymusser pyllum
Solanum lycopersicum 
Stigmaphyllon floribundum
Thilandsia
Thumbergia alata/erecta
Trimezia martinisencis
Tulbagia violacea


Turnera ulmifolia/diffusa/subulata
Tradescantia pallida/zebrina
Urena lobata
Wedelia trilobata
Zephirantes nelsoni/citrina/grandiflora
Zingiber officinalis
Zammia






 
To be continued...



** Rediscovered on 02/02/2011
*** Added on 03/16/2011

Monday, May 21, 2012

TWO MALPIGHIAS

MALPIGHIA is a genus of 25 to 40 shrubs and tree species found from the southwestern United States to Peru, some cultivated for their edible fruits (acerola, M. glabra Linnaeus, for example) and some as ornamentals.

The two Malpighias featured are not common at all in the urban context. I have seen them rarely in  Puerto Rico, country side or the dominant concrete/asphalt.  You may have your own criteria to determine rarity, uniqueness. Mine is simple.

The story is short. The fruit of Malpighia glabra is  tangy, nice looking fruit, almost fire engine red.  Most people brag about the amount of vitamin C and many cliches they hear and repeat through their life as if it is a big deal.

Never mind about that. I think it is attractive with dropping branches and small leaves.  This shrub belongs to the less than ten plants club, in the over 100 collection, bought in a nursery.

The other, Malpighia coccigera, is an exchange. I noticed it two houses down, in Blondie's front yard.  I talked to Myrta, a nice lady and maid. The deal was done with a Gardenia.  Besides this house in restoration almost as long as the Gaudi cathedral, to become a bed and breakfast,  I have seen it just 
once after that, in Ponce de Leon avenue.  

that is that











Tuesday, May 15, 2012

SOMEWHAT AT RANDOM POST

WHEN I look at the local scene, trees wise, it seems four out of five are foreigners, at least in  the Santurce area where i operate.  Asia and the South Pacific neck of the woods dominate in edibles and not.

Altocarpus altilis, Mangifera indica, Tamarindus indicus, Calliandra haemathophalla, the Ficus pest, and our hero Pterocarpus indicus are just a few.

The latter grows a huge canopy, with lots of organic waste, mostly seeds. But it has charm. The yellow 'flowers'
brighten our days, in the third person, not only with their color, but their fragrance. Just, like most flowers for a short period and unlike my favorite, Plumerias, for a longer one.


At any rate, most Pterocarpus in this concrete and asphalt isle,  are planted in the wrong context, as those presented here. Such trees should always be in the front lines, not the rearguard of any installation. Lucky me.

The sweet, subtle fragrance reminds your humble servant of that of Cananga odorata, certainly and ugly name. This tree is one of the ugliest I have observed, I do not care about its looks, in any way, shape or form, to use a cliche. Many people love that overwhelming, tilted towards vanilla, fragrance of Canangas.. Pterocarpus is nice, but not superior in my subjective smell perception than either Gardenia augusta, Plumeria or  Poliantes tuberosa, in my collection, not necessarily in that order.


If it seems that I have a tendency to constantly evaluate the individuals in the garden by this or that, you are correct. Gardening should be an activity full of pleasure, after the constant effort and sweat of the chores. More pleasure with less sweat implies more time to enjoy the fruit of the work, by yourself or in the company of other flora and fauna making it possible for all.


 


Saturday, May 5, 2012

A RATHER SHORT POST

THE fun of gardening beyond the hole, digging and such is the research, finding what, why, how, at least in me neck of the concrete/asphalt woods.

This time is the nice looking white moth with pink spots found one early morning while sweeping the beautiful paper like Bouganvillea flowers in the west garden.

It was the first time in years I have seen it. Took the photos, went to the web and nothing...All the info was from people in cold climates. Nothing from my region. It seems down here bloggers mostly infatuated with: palms, turf, Ficus, Ixoras, orchids bromelias, heliconias and gingers do not research or investigate satisfied with their provincial installations watching from their rocking chairs.

The hell with that thought yours truly after 30 minutes of: white moth of Bouganvillea and nothing...Yet I found an ugly as hell moth I have never encountered down this sandy, salty ecoregion.

As a bonus, before and after. One of the corners in my garden.  When you live in a mostly concrete regtangle, corners become focal points and/or conversation pieces, at least in my imagination. 


You surely know  the name of the plants and will agree with me wife who had been requesting that I got rid of the certainly ugly succulent,  providing some contrast.


If interested..

.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7741396/5_gardening_blogs_you_should_read.html?cat=32


http://www.guiaverde.com/blog/destacadas/jardin-tropical-en-puerto-rico