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. :)
Unlike some species which became wretched decoration tools in supermarkets, paphiopedium orchids are quite savage, odd and captivating. Everytime l see a giant, mostly single bloom with stunning colors among the modest leafs, l look them with great admiration. First time l saw one was at Paris in a very snowy day. l was wandering at the city, lingering to not get into the home and come across with one p. insigne in small parisien flower shop. Afterwards l decided to give trial and since 3 years l have one! This year l also bought also one p. villosum which has a bit more humble color in family. They are not difficult plants infact but you should know specificly what they need and providing relevant environment is essential. Thus, l'd like to write about paphiopediums in nature also. Paphiopediums are native plants of southeast Asia. Thailand, Endonasia, Malesia and Vietnam are main countries whish they are wide-spreed. My favorite species p. insigne is native of Bangladesh and Nepal. They generally locate in organic layers that contacts with inorganic componants of landscape. Thats why, although generally they are terresterial, there are some species grow on tree trunks or among the lime stone cracks. They generally can be found over 900-1200m height, partly shade forests.
Tips: After flower spike died, l repot my paph (this is the abbreviation in literature) to mix of 1/2 finebark, 1/4 moss, 1/6 charcoal, 1/4 perlite, 1/6 cork ( l went to one vine house to beg few cork and it was fuuny ). Keeping roots always moist, giving attention not let the plant soaked is very inportant. We can gather paphs generally in two groups. Straight-light green ones, which have more tolerance to sunlight. Second group have mottled-dark green leafs. l find this plants a bit baroque actually, maybe this is the reason l dont prefer to grow them ::) Some species like p. insigne needs amounth of calcium. l think thats why they live as lithophyt on limestone cliffs. l added some mineral stones to the mixture. As l read on related articles, low night temperature is necessary to induce blooming in early spring. l dont have enough experience to give advise but l need to say that last year our heating system was malfunction for 10 days. Just right after l saw small flower spike on my plant, so worth to try :)
You dont need to go so far to Malaysia to see Nepenthes pitchers or to Japan to see Cycad family. Best thing about botanical gardens - thanks to mostly english people's traveller spirit - they collect immense quantitiy of different species and they creat a native habitat with local opportunities. l sould admit that each time l see a giant Echino in cacti part or a Catthleya with captivating blooms, l see those people as personal guru! Personally, it is the first discovery on my mind when l visit a city in my travels. In this blog, l will also share many visuals from botanical gardens from all around the world, as long as l have enough money for travelling :) Copenhagen city itself, one of the most beautiful human settlement l have ever seen in my life. However, the botanical garden is also amazing! it has two wild lakes, vast land of outdoor plants and many glass greenhouses. The main glasshouse consist of three sections like subtropics, tropics and cool climates. Stairs that allows you to reach roof promenade in art nouveau style are stunning. They have a massive cactus collection and staff is very friendly. They have a comprehensive seed collection in main office building, to see that you should be a bit curious and talkative :P
There is one spiral stair for climbing up, and one for climb down in tropical part. Seeinf all those palms and ivys, trees with massive leafs really worth to climb..
Victoria Amazonica, the biggest species of nymphaea family. l need a baby to put on it!
It is the first time l saw this plant, big leafs and semi-ivy form makes this plant beautiful. l will try to buy some seeds from ebay :)
There is one of my favorite neighborhood named Eminönü, which you can come across with many bizarre things in chaotic atmosphere spontaneously. It locates on the european part of the city, at the center of historical peninsula, narrow streets are full of tiny shops sailing spices, foods, animals and surely plants :) From time to time, when l have free time to spend in the city, l enjoy to stop by and check my favorite shops and try to catch new species. On my last visit, l went to this cactus sailer (interior looks like an hoarder more than flower shop) maybe l should make a proper post here just for him,, l found this monster which was quite startling.
Personally, more than seeing them as weirdos which are able to catch moving objects and digest them, l think their subtle forms of traps, prominent height of flower spikes and same colour pattern in herd makes them beautiful. The one that l bought is the species with bigger red traps. l could never find chance to propagate them by seed therefore, l would like to have wide surface transformed to dionea carpet ::)
Description: Dionaea Muscipula, native to wetlands of Carolina USA, 4cm traps supported by inner hair to trigger reflex by constant vibrations and catch flys for nutrition. Poor acidic soil is perfect for cultivation. They always need to be in wet soil and cold winter dormancy is essential for healty plants. Seed propagation and dividing siblings are convenient ways to have to many Dionaeas!!
