Phalaenopsis Venosa; This is a rescue orchid which I took from a friend. It has bright light green leafs and small dark red blooms. One of the distinctive feature of this species is flowers are smelly and blooms last quite long. Although its a young plant, it has a very big flower spike this year.
As the spring begins, all my Phalaenopsis begun to bloom collectively. I always find fascinating how plants rule their vital cycles by hormones and get affected by each other. As one single citrus tree can trigger to all field, my orchids are also decided to bloom in the same time :)
As can be understood by it's name, this giant species of Strelitzia is impressive plant with it's colossal perfect shaped leaves and gigantic blooms. It is one of the few species among the thousands of plants that I enjoy to see under cultivation. The reason is, you can stumble upon this plants in one of the steel-glass greenhouse where the roof reaches the highest point or in a well designed - high ceiling house with beautiful leave-crown, one main mother plant with upcoming siblings around, a couple of dark purple - white flowers are hanging. However in habitat, they live in big groups and they naturally maintain previous years damaged-ripped folliages which make them look like bunch of hobo. As its very popular tropical plant, you can see them in city landscapes, gardens or even jungles in 3D adventure movies.
image source: www.flickriver.com
Like most Strelitzia species, they have similar growing conditions with banana family. Warm climate, moist but well-drained soil, feeding regulary will give you happy plant. Young plants can be grown under strong day light or partial sun light however, their resistance to sunlight will increase within age and size. Like all strelitzia's, this plants need big space for roots, that is why I would like to plant them to the ground inside of wide-glassed saloon and have a small jungle next to my sofa.
Here in my town, you can find them in many private gardens or front of prominant buildings. It is possible to say that we have subtropic climate in south of Turkey, so many plant produce seed pods. Last autumn, I have collected some dry seeds. You will see little tiny cute orange furs attached on seeds. I prefer to remove this part in case they inhibit the germination. Sowing seeds in warm loam based soil after few weeks cool dormancy simplifys germination.
Dry flowers and seed pods, I love the colors :)
When the seed pods are dried up and open, orange-black seeds appear among the dried flowers. My theory, this flamboyant colors may attract animals and help plant spread on landscape in habitat.
Above empty seed pods, separated orange furs and 8mm seeds
And here my little seedlings of this spring. I hope in few years, they will be in my garden and shaking their big leafs with wind..
The amazon has always had an aura of mystery. Amazon... The world's largest forest! The difference in most people that she acted when she had the opportunity. There are too many people who have dreams and they do nothing about it. Why? The lack of adventure spirit.. The biologist Gilberto Castro tell us about her eagerly with these words. Personally, l always felt immense admiration to British explorers thus, l wanted to write about botanical artist Margeret Mee today.
She was highly passioned with tropical plants and she used her talent in illustration to add new species to bothany world and taxonomy. After completing her education on art and craft, she moved to Brazil and participated San Paulo's Instituto Botanica in 1958. During her career as lecturer in faculty, she realised many excurtions to deep forest of Amazon, she worked with local trace hunters and villagers.
One of her mayor discovery was on the most rare species of Amazon, Selenicereus Witti, a semi-epiphyte climbing cactus, which blooms in an only one night of the year. She followed the seasonal cycle of this "Dennise and the Melace plant", observed the blooming habit during the nights alone in a savage forest.
She was fastinated, vivid and brave british lady. One of her local friend tells that she rejected when he called her to sleep in hub and wait the rain falls;
- No, no.. go to your hubs and sleep there. I can stay here alone. I've even slept with jaguar!
She stayed in Brazil over 36 years. During the period, she opened more than 15 exhibitions. Her drawings have archived in Kew gardens, London. Each year, Margaret Mee Fellowship Program provied a scholarship to researches who works in Brazil. She is inspirational, I wish I can walk on forest ground one day and feel her legacy in Amazon. :)
