************************************************************* WHAT’S IN A NAME? BY
Our ancestors must have had a good time naming their plants. Not
the scientific ones but the fun ones.
Sometimes it was something they saw in the flower, or the root, or
even the leaf. One that is
easy to grow in
I was introduced to “Cup and Saucer” Vine (Cobea scandens) by a
friend who had it growing up a brick garage wall. It looks like its name.
Coming from
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) looks like its name.
Each flower hangs down from a stem coming out of the center of the
“heart” and then hanging from the pointed tip is the “dripping
blood” usually white. The stems are long and slender so in a breeze the
flowers will all move slightly. They
start up early in the spring, reddish in color, and grow up to Bloody Sorrel (Rumex sanguineous) is so named because its veins are red. It is a Dock so any part may cause a stomach upset if eaten, and some people’s skin is irritated by the foliage. Bloody stays down fairly low so makes a nice edging plant in sun or part shade. It is listed as a perennial but for me seldom lasts more than 2 years. The seed is not always easy to find as most people have not seen it but when I do it is usually in the herb section. It does re-seed itself after the second year but rather sparsely so I hunt for “lost” seedlings in the area and move them where I want them to be. They move very easy. The flowers are so small you will probably not see them, but the leaves are gorgeous, up to 18 inches long with the wild red veins. Some years I direct seed them and others start them easily under lights.
The Star Flower, also known as (aka) Star Cluster (Penta lanceolata),
fits its name with a cluster of 5 point pink, red, or white flowers-1/2 to
1 inch across. There are some who grow as tall as 6 feet but seedlings one
gets in Copyright 2009 ************************************************************* TIPS FOR JANUARY BY 1. To continue flower production of Christmas Cactus, continue growing conditions of no extra light at night along with cool night temperatures in the 50’s 2. Move African Violets to the brightest window to continue flowering during winter. African Violets bloom in relation to the quality and quantity of light which they receive. 3.
Remember our feathered friends, especially with all the snow we
have had. Feed the birds in your garden with a bird food specifically
blended for species of birds found in your area. Also remember, some will
eat from large feeders, some from platform feeders, and others, like
Junco’s, like to feed off the ground. Do not let sunflower seed hulls
collect under your feeder as they are toxic to the soil if allowed to
accumulate. |