Clove buds
Clove is one of the best known spices in the world. The clove tree is an evergreen tree which grows up to 10-12 meters and the spice itself is the flowering bud of the tree. The green, unopened buds grow in a bunch and are harvested when bright red. When dried the buds become dark brown and are used as a spice in numerous cuisines of the world.
Ficus Auriculata Tree
The Elephant Ear Fig tree is a semi-deciduous tree with large leaves and reddish fruits on its branches. The tree grows up to 1500 meters. It is commonly planted in villages. The leaves of this tree are an important fodder source due to its good nutritional qualities. Farmers consider this as better than other fodders.
Heliconia pendula are the herbaceous plants that grows up to the height of 0.5 to 4.5 meters. Heliconia are native to Central America and the Caribbean islands. An “exotic” in India, these are mostly found growing in the Western Ghats above 900m. The long leaves of this flower are nearly 15-300cm and grow opposite to one another on a non-woody stalk. Continue reading
The fuchsia flower is a beautiful ornamental exotic flower with striking colors which is widely grown in the Western Ghats. The majority of fuchsia species are native to Central and South America. There are almost 110 varieties of this species.
Native to the New World Tropics, the Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) is an ornamental tree that grows up to 18 meters. The tree is renowned for its clusters of fragrant purple trumpet shaped blossoms that bloom from March to May.
Ficus religiosa is a semi-evergreen tree that grows up to 30 meters in height with wonderful wide spreading branches. It is commonly known as Peepal tree, but is also known as Bodhi tree, Bo-tree and Holy tree. The fruit of the sacred fig is a favorite food for birds, monkeys, squirrels and fruit bats.
According to Buddhism (one of the religions of India), the Peepal is sacred because it is believed that Lord Buddha found enlightenment beneath this tree. Continue reading
The Country Fig is a moderate sized tree with spreading branches and smooth, reddish brown bark. The most distinctive aspect of this tree are the red, furry figs which grow directly out of its trunk in tight clusters. The tree grows abundantly in the southern parts of India, especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where it is known as Athi.
Photo: Robert Barker / Cornell University
At risk of being labeled a “horticultural geek” I feel compelled to continue Audrey‘s story. (Although I surely should stop calling the plant by that name, but once again, I can’t seem to help myself.)
Most plants in cultivation require human pollination in order to remain genetically viable. The Titan Arum is no acception. In fact, this plant actually can’t self pollinate because the 450 female flowers that ring the base of the column-like structure (spadix) are receptive days before the the 500 to 1,000 male flowers above them are ready to shed their pollen. (Even in botany females mature earlier than males!) Continue reading
Last week I posted about an upcoming blessed event at the Kenneth Post Lab Greenhouses at Cornell University.
Due to the 9.5 hour time difference between US Eastern Standard Time and India Standard Time I wasn’t always able to watch the “Greenhouse Cam” while it was filming, but I checked in whenever there was overlap.
You can tell from the looks on people’s faces, it’s really starting to stink.
What a quote to wake up to!
Indian Laburnum (Cassia fistula) is a medium sized deciduous tree which grows up to 10-20 meters in height. Indian laburnum is also known as “Golden Shower” tree native to Southern Asia.
It’s big. It’s green. Its growth is rapid. And even before it actually blooms it easily brings “Audrey”, the plant from The Little Shop of Horrors to mind. An extremely rare titan arum, also called the corpse plant, is expected to bloom at the Kenneth Post Lab Greenhouses at Cornell University this week.
Titan arum, also known as Amorphophallus titanum, is a plant that grows in the wild only in the rainforests of Sumatra and rarely blooms in cultivation. Many universities and botanical gardens have specimens, but there have been approximately only 140 such cultivated blooms in recorded history. Continue reading
Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) is an erect multi-branched shrub that grows up to 30-60cms in height which in Kerala is commonly known as Tulsi. The holy basil is highly valued for Hindu religious traditions and also for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda.
The Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) is an ornamental tree which grows up to 30 to 40ft in height. In India, it is widely known as the Gulmohar tree which means “peacock flower” due to its abundant color. Continue reading
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a deciduous shrub which is a fruit bearing plant. The flowers may be solitary or grouped in twos and threes at the ends of the branches. The pomegranate juice can range from very sweet and sour, but most fruits are moderate in taste.
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is an ornamental shrub which grows up to heights of 10 to 16 ft. The plant’s attractive red colouring is actually the leaf shaped bracts. The flowers themselves are the tiny yellow bunches at the base of leaf structures. Continue reading
I happened to meet Mr.Madhu Menon who is a Director of ANALA (Ahmedabad Nature Lover’s Association) when he came to Cardamom County for a property visit on the 25th of Feb. He happily shared his nature loving photos with us.
Golden Dew Drop is an ornamental plant which is a fast growing shrub that can easily reach 5-10ft tall. The clustered flowers are light blue or lavender in color grows and bloom almost all year long. The fruit are like golden balls that hang off the branches. Continue reading
The Blood Flower (Asclepias curassavica) is one of the food plants for the many butterflies which can be seen in and around the Western Ghats. In our butterfly garden it attracts the Plain Tiger butterfly and bees, among other nectar feeding insects. Continue reading
Two days ago, when I went for a morning walk in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the spectacular show of bright crimson flowers attracted my eyes and forced me to stop and take photos. Due to the change of seasons, the trees are shedding their leaves and putting their energy into blooming flowers–and the results are fabulously picturesque.
Kerala’s hill districts are a historical hub of trade and culture – George discussed a bit of that history in his previous post. But spice plantations, which are one of the region’s main economic assets, are not very similar to most people’s view of agriculture. Enormous flat fields of rigidly regimented plants are not a common sight here (except for rice paddies), and spice plantations are quite different from this doctrine. Continue reading
Organikos 