Aloe maculata

Aloe maculata (synonym Aloe saponaria; commonly known as the Soap Aloe or Zebra Aloe) is a Southern African species of aloe.



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Aloe maculata - previously Aloe sapinaria

Aloe maculata - previously Aloe sapinaria

flowers pineapple

not a flower but just as pretty,

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Chinese Zodiac, Year of the goat/sheep

The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle. Each year of the 12 year cycle is named after one of the original 12 animals. Each animal has a different personality and different characteristics. The animal is believed to be the main factor in each person's life that gives them their traits, success, and happiness in their lifetime. A person may not remember the year he was born, but he definitely what animal he is.

The Chinese zodiac refers to a pure calendrical cycle.
The animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_astrology

Today, I taught my students of the legend why the cat is not included in the Zodiac.


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Pitcher plants in New Zealand

These pitcher plants are found in the Winter Gardens of Auckland Domain.

flower cobra lily, carnivorous plant

 cobra lily, carnivorous plant selling in my local garden centre.
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Flowers Aster.

What is the difference between a mum and an aster?

They look pretty much the same to me.

Actually the Chrysanthemum family has been redivided into several over the last 10 years or so. But the common mums you are probably thinking about vary in flower type (cushion, daisy, button, football, spider, and spoon petal), has a wide range of colors, and plant sizes from compact to 3' or more (footballs). The leaves are deeply lobed and somewhat serrated, while the color foliage is an olive to medium green. Bloom time is early fall. Best if pinched each spring to encourage branching. Also best if divided every couple of years and replanted.
Asters blooms pretty much fall into the daisy form, most are small, but some to 2" The color range is more limited with blues, lavenders, and purples dominant, but pinks and whites also available. The Aster foliage is darker green, almost a blue green, and usually with a small slender leaf. There are compact varieties to about 18" but many get 3' or more. In most areas, they are hardier perennials, requiring less maintenance. They bloom usually at the end of summer, prior to fall. 

 

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080901072335AAyQMFl 

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North Borneo Orchid: Hybrid

beautiful yellow colour

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Terrarium

Terrarium

 

  4th February 2015

I experimented with my Terrarium

castor oil plant (Ricinus communis)

The plant grows very well in Auckland, a very bushy one at Morningside. I was attracted by it's burgundy red which reminds me of a similar plant we used to call false rambutan in Borneo.


The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It belongs to a monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae.

Usually described as absolutely deadly in the tiniest of amounts; 50,000 tonnes a year being produced; usually said to be reasonably easy to extract from the plant.

Many women in the West would know what it is  or rather what castor oil does.

In New Zealand pregnant women  are giving a spoonful, helps to clean inside so when you push, only baby comes out.

Then after you have the baby, you are afraid to push because of the pain, you are given castor oil so you don't feel the pain when you go to the toilet. Everything slides out.

Castor oil from from the castor bean. For ages, it is a cure for constipation. For childbirth, they say it is a stimulant to the bowels, irritates the uterus and starts contractions.

I had 3 babies in New Zealand, and I know what I am talking about. I had my youngest in Singapore, they didn't give me castor oil, and I know the difference.

http://rubytuesdaytoo.blogspot.co.nz/

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castor oil: poisonous plants

Rather than look for my archives of photos of my castor oil bush, I downloaded these three from google.  The plant grows very well in Auckland, a very bushy one at Morningside. I was attracted by it's burgundy red which reminds me of a similar plant we used to call false rambutan in Borneo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gii698-rApM
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gii698-rApM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkKVX0KhUvM

The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It belongs to a monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae.

Usually described as absolutely deadly in the tiniest of amounts; 50,000 tonnes a year being produced; usually said to be reasonably easy to extract from the plant.

Many women in the West would know what it is  or rather what castor oil does.

In New Zealand pregnant women  are giving a spoonful, helps to clean inside so when you push, only baby comes out.

Then after you have the baby, you are afraid to push because of the pain, you are given castor oil so you don't feel the pain when you go to the toilet. Everything slides out.

Castor oil from from the castor bean. For ages, it is a cure for constipation. For childbirth, they say it is a stimulant to the bowels, irritates the uterus and starts contractions.

I had 3 babies in New Zealand, and I know what I am talking about. I had my youngest in Singapore, they didn't give me castor oil, and I know the difference.

:Costus spicatus in Singapore

Costus spicatus, also known as Spiked Spiral flag Ginger or Indian Head Ginger. I took this photo in a friend's garden in Singapore.
http://rubytuesdaytoo.blogspot.co.nz/

http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/

flowers Oncidium hybrid

When I was young in the 60s, dad grew orchids. One of them was the Golden shower. We didn't value it was it was common. When I grew up, I saw these yellow orchids on display in hotels in Singapore.

The other day, I saw this, the colour was quite unusual. It was only when I got home, that I saw the shape is quite similar to the golden shower, except it is twice the size. My friend tells me it is an oncidium hybrid.

  the golden shower, oncidium that I knew as a child. Courtesy Flickr: umbertoboni's Photostream




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: Crinum moorei variegated

The poor crinum plant is going to hibernate  in January

hibernating  in winter.

Crinums are a large family, belonging to the amaryllidaceae group.

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cacti flower

My daughter's little cacti plant has a lovely flower. The cacti is the size of a hen's egg, and the flower is less than 1/3 inch in diameter.

Tradescantia plant / duckling grass

Each time I watch Jamie Oliver talk about organic farming, I think of Mum and her farming. When we were little, we used to collect this Tradescantia plant, chop it up and feed it to our ducklings. We called this plant "Duckling grass." or ARP ZAI CHO.

This grows in my garden, and makes me wish I can rear ducklings in my own back yard, the way Mum did in Borneo. My colleagues told me to catch some at Western Springs.

***I took my new friend W. from Hong Kong to Western Springs. She was frightened by the geese and swans. Tradescantia grows very fast and ismajor plant pest when it has escaped into bush land, A member of the spiderwort family, tradescantia flumensis is native to South America; its name commemorates the discoverer of the species, John Tradescant, a 16th century English naturalist, gardener, and intrepid plant collector. The succulent green stems and oval leaves of this plant are accompanied by simple white flowers, but no seeds are produced. Instead, the tiniest stem or leaf is capable of sprouting leaves, and forming a new plant which grows rapidly. Tradescantia plants thrive in solid shade and form a dense mat completely inhibiting the survival of native plant seedlings or ferns. I grew it in my worm farm in school, and it has pushed out the lid. The kids love it.