Plants That Can Survive The Dark

 Many of us love to have indoor plants , but unfortunately they lose their plants in only a couple of weeks.

So if you’re in a similar position, feeling that you have no luck with plants, don’t worry. It’s pretty hard to grow plants in the dark, but you’ll increase your odds if you pick plants that don’t need much light. You will be sad if you try to grow succulents in the dark. Also, we tried to pick plants that don’t remind you of the doctor’s office or, really, any office for that matter. If you’re looking for more common house plants, hereafter you will see what plants will be able to survive with you

5 Interesting Low Light Plants:

• Maidenhair Ferns are a great option because they have frilly fun leaves that vary from the usual thick leaves of indoor plants. Most Ferns do well inside with low light (and ferns look great in terrariums) so check out others like Silver Lace Fern with variegated leaves.

• Begonias: These plants offer a wide range of leaf colors and shapes and if you get a Rex Begonia, it will live quite happily without any direct light. Just make sure you don’t overwater it. Soak it and let it dry out, soak and dry.

• Mint: Mint will normally grow in a bog, so as long as you keep it moist and it gets a little bit of light, you should be able to harvest mint for tea, for fruit salads and it has the added advantage of giving off a nice scent indoors.

• Swedish Ivy: This plant has an old fashioned look that sort of reminds us of gramma, but consider a new way to grow it, like as a part of a vertical garden.

• A Moss Terrarium: If you seriously have very little light, consider creating a terrarium of moss. It just needs moisture and glances of light, position it near a window where it will get bounced light and it should thrive. If you don’t know where to start, consider a kit to get you going.

Hope everyone will finally have his own indoor plant. 

How to Plant your own Vegetable Garden

 Why Plant a Garden with Vegetables?

Starting a vegetable garden at home is an easy way to save money. Planting a garden with vegetables also gives you the pleasure of savoring a delicious, sun-warmed tomato fresh from the garden. In almost every case, the flavor and texture of varieties you can grow far exceed the best grocery store produce. Plus, growing vegetables can be fun. It’s a great way to spend time with children or have a place to get away and spend time outdoors in the sun. Learning what to plant in a garden with vegetables, and how to tend them for the best harvest, is probably easier than you think. If you plan it right, you can enjoy a beautiful garden full of the fruits of your labor — without having to spend hours and hours tending it. Planting a garden that includes vegetables and flowers means you’ve combined natural companions, and that can turn a potential eyesore into an attractive landscape feature.

Deciding What to Plant in a Garden with Vegetables

At first, when deciding what to plant in a garden with vegetables, it’s best to start small. Many gardeners get a little too excited at the beginning of the season and plant more than they need — and end up wasting food and feeling overwhelmed by their garden. So first, take a look at how much your family will eat when you think about how to plan a vegetable garden. Keep in mind that vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash keep providing throughout the season — so you may not need many plants to serve your needs. Other vegetables, such as carrots, radishes, and corn, produce only once. You may need to plant more of these.

Determining How Much Space You Need

Once you know what you want to plant, you can figure out how plan a vegetable garden with the right amount of space. Keep in mind when figuring out what to plant in a garden with vegetables that you don’t need a large space to begin. If you choose to grow in containers, you don’t even need a yard — a deck or balcony may provide plenty of space. In fact, a well-tended 10×10-foot vegetable garden will usually produce more than a weed-filled or disease-ridden 25×50-foot bed. Picking the Perfect Spot No matter how big your vegetable garden is, or how you determine what to plant in a garden, there are three basic requirements for success: 1. Full sun. Most vegetables need at least 6-8 hours of direct sun. If they don’t get enough light, they won’t bear as much and they’ll be more susceptible to attack from insects or diseases. Here’s a hint: If you don’t have a spot in full sun to plant a garden with vegetables, you can still grow many leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. And if you’re in a hot-summer climate, cool-season varieties such as peas may do better in part shade. 2. Plenty of water. Because most vegetables aren’t very drought tolerant, you’ll need to give them a drink during dry spells. When thinking about how to plan a vegetable garden, remember: The closer your garden is to a source of water, the easier it will be for you. 3. Good soil. As with any kind of garden, success usually starts with the soil. Most vegetables do best in moist, well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter (such as compost or peat moss). Many gardeners like to have their vegetable gardens close to the house. This makes it easier to harvest fresh produce while you’re cooking. It can also be handy to keep a few favorite potted vegetables next to your grill.

How to Design and Plan Your Vegetable Garden 

There are two basic approaches to planning the layout of a vegetable garden: Row Cropping This is probably what comes to mind when you think of what to plant in a garden with vegetables: You place plants single file in rows, with a walking path between each row. Row cropping works best for large vegetable gardens, and it makes it easier to use mechanical equipment such as tillers to battle weeds. The downside of row cropping is that you don’t get as many vegetables in a small space, as much of the soil is used for footpaths rather than vegetable plants. Row cropping isn’t as visually interesting, either. Here’s a hint: Allow at least 18 inches between your rows so you have plenty of room to work between them. And as you sketch out your plan, place taller vegetables at the north side of the garden. This includes naturally tall plants — like tomatoes — and plants that can be grown on vertical supports — including snap peas, cucumbers, and pole beans. Intensive Cropping This type of planting a garden with vegetables means using in wide bands, generally 1-4 feet across and as long as you like. Intensive cropping reduces the amount of area needed for paths, but the closer spacing of the plants usually means you have to weed by hand. Because of the handwork required, when thinking how to plan a vegetable garden with rows remember: It is important not to make the bands wider than you can comfortably reach. Intensive cropping also allows you to design your vegetable garden, making it a good choice, for example, if you want to grow vegetables in your front yard. It’s a great solution for mixing vegetables with ornamentals, as well. A specialized version of intensive cropping is the “square-foot method.” This system divides the garden into small beds (typically 4×4 feet), that are further subdivided into 1-foot squares. Each 1-foot square is planted with one, four, nine, or 16 plants, depending on the size of the plant when it matures. It also makes sense to leave some areas of the garden unplanted at first. This allows you to plant a second crop to harvest later in the season. Lettuce, radishes, green onions, carrots, and bush beans are commonly planted several times during the season. Testing and Fixing Your Soil It’s best to test the soil before you begin planting a garden with vegetables. Check drainage by soaking the soil with a hose, waiting a day, then digging up a handful of soil. Squeeze the soil hard. If water streams out, you’ll probably want to add compost or organic matter to improve the drainage. Next, open your hand. If the soil hasn’t formed a ball, or if the ball falls apart at the slightest touch, the soil is probably too sandy. (Add organic matter to improve sandy soil.) If the ball holds together even if you poke it fairly hard, you have too much clay in your soil. (Organic matter improves clay soil, too.) But if the ball breaks into crumbs when you poke it — like a chocolate cake — rejoice! Your soil is ideal. If your soil doesn’t drain well, your best bet will probably be to install raised beds. Here’s a hint: Build raised beds on existing lawn by lining the bottom of frames with several layers of newspaper, then filling with soil. That way, you don’t have to dig! Digging Your Beds Loosen your soil before you plant a garden with vegetables. You can either use a tiller or dig by hand. Once the soil has been loosened, spread out soil amendments (such as compost) and work them into the soil. Avoid stepping on freshly tilled soil as much as possible. Otherwise, you’ll be compacting the soil and undoing all your hard work. When you’re done digging, smooth the surface with a rake, then water thoroughly. Allow the bed to rest for several days before you plant. Choosing Varieties Once you start deciding what to plant in a garden with vegetables, you’ll probably notice that the possibilities for are endless. There are thousands of tomato varieties alone! When selecting varieties, pay close attention to the description on the tag or in the catalog. Each variety will be a little different: Some produce smaller plants that are ideal for small gardens or containers, others offer great disease resistance, improved yields, better heat- or cold-tolerance, or other features. Seed catalogs are one of the best sources for vegetables. Once you narrow your choices to types of vegetables, pick two or three varieties that seem promising. That way if one variety doesn’t perform well, you’ll have other plants to make up for it. Next year, grow the best performer again, and choose another to try. Many vegetables can be started early indoors or purchased already started from a garden center. The benefit of this approach is that you can have a crop ready to harvest several weeks earlier than if you were to plant seeds in the ground. Starting vegetables indoors is not difficult, but it does require some time and attention. Seed packages list the options you have for planting particular seed. Care and Feeding Most vegetables like a steady supply of moisture, but not so much that they are standing in water. About an inch of water per week is usually sufficient, provided by you if Mother Nature fails to come through. Water when the top inch of soil is dry. For in-ground crops, that may mean watering once or twice a week; raised beds drain faster and may require watering every other day. Weeds compete with your vegetables for water and nutrients, so it’s important to keep them to a minimum. Use a hoe or hand fork to lightly stir (cultivate) the top inch of soil regularly to discourage weed seedlings. A mulch of clean straw, compost, or plastic can keep weeds at bay around larger plants like tomatoes. Fertilizing your crops is critical to maximizing yields. Organic gardeners often find that digging in high quality compost at planting time is all their vegetables need. Most gardeners, however, should consider applying a packaged vegetable fertilizer, following the directions on the box or bag. Don’t apply more than recommended as this can actually decrease yield. By using vining crops like pole beans and snap peas when planting a garden with vegetables, you can make use of vertical space in the garden and boost yield per square foot. Harvesting This is what it’s all about, so don’t be shy about picking your produce! Many vegetables can be harvested at several stages. Leaf lettuce, for example, can be picked as young as you like; snip some leaves and it will continue to grow and produce. Summer squash (zucchini) and cucumber can be harvested when the fruit is just a few inches long, or it can be allowed to grow to full size. The general rule: If it looks good enough to eat, it probably is. Give it a try. With many vegetables, the more you pick, the more the plant will produce.

Stopping Pests and Diseases

Pests and disease are ongoing problems for most vegetable gardeners. Although specific problems may require special solutions, there are some general principles you can follow. Deer and rabbits. Use fences to deter rabbits. Make sure the bottom of the fence extends about 6 inches under the soil to stop rabbits from digging underneath it. The fence needs to stand at least 8 feet above the ground to prevent deer from jumping over it. Spring insects. Row covers, which are lightweight sheets of translucent plastic, protect young crops against many common insects. Row covers are also helpful to prevent damage from light frosts. Fungal diseases. Reduce fungal diseases by watering the soil, not the leaves of plants. If you use a sprinkler, do it early in the day so the leaves will dry by nightfall. If a plant falls prey to a disease, remove it promptly and throw it in the trash; don’t add sick plants to your compost pile. Grow varieties that are listed as disease resistant. Garden catalogs and websites should tell you which varieties offer the most protection. Make it a habit to change the location of your plants each year. In other words, if you grew tomatoes in the northwest corner of your garden this year, put them in the northeast corner next year. This reduces the chances that pests will gain a permanent foothold in your garden. Summer insects. Pick larger insects and caterpillars by hand. Once you get over the “yuck!” factor, this is a safe and effective way to deal with limited infestations. Use insecticidal soap sprays to control harmful bugs. Most garden centers carry these products. Whatever pest control chemicals you use, read the label carefully and follow the directions to the letter.

Dioon edule

 Common name: Chestnut Dioon, Virgin’s Palm, Mexican Cycad, Mexican Blue Chamal

Family: Zamiaceae

Synonymous: Dioon aculeatum
Dioon imbricatum
Dioon strobilaceum
Dioon strobilosum
Macrozamia littoralis
Macrozamia pectinata
Platyzamia rigida
Zamia maeleni
Zamia friderici-guilielmi
Zamia macleani
Zamia rigida

Distribution and habitat: Dioon edule is endemic to the eastern coast of Mexico. It commonly grows in tropical deciduous thorn forests and oak woodlands. They are usually found at an altitude between sea-level and 1500m (5000 feet) in harsh areas including exposed, shallow soils. Most of the areas in which Dioon edule grows are subjected to very dry climates and frequent brush fires which impact their survival and distribution.

Description: Dioon edule is a medium-sized Cycad with rather stiff, straight, light to blue-green leaves 100-200cm (39-78 inch) long which, as in all Cycads, are large and divided, giving the plant the appearance of a palm or tree-fern. Each leaf bears 70 to 150 pairs of narrow leaflets, which measure around 12cm (5 inch) in length and are sometimes slightly hairy. Opposing leaflets are arranged at 180° on rachis, not overlaping. The basal leaflets are reduced to spines. The petiole is spine-free for the first 5cm (2 inch) from the base. The trunk is made up mainly of storage tissue, with very little true wood and in this species may either stand erect or lie on the ground. This trunk is usually unbranched or sparsely branched and may reach 4m (13 feet) of height under optimal conditions and 20-50cm (8-20 inch) in diameter. Dioon edule specifically has the ability to contract its stem underground as it grows — thus maintaining relativity in the amount of trunk exposed. As the plant gets older and grows a clump of taller trunk-stems, the leaf fronds are held more upright.

The Dioon edule are dioecious (presenting separate male and female plants) with a sex ratio distribution approximately 3:1 male/female. Male-gendered plants produce elongated woolly pollen cones, pale brown, 15-40cm (6-16 inch) long and 6-10cm (2.5-4 inch) diameter. Female cones are more egg-shaped, fuzzy, pale grey and very decorative, 20-35cm (8-14 inch) long and 12-20cm (5-8 inch) diameter. The seed cones entirely resemble a pineapple in form but the scales are feather-like and soft to the touch. A mature female cone may weigh 1-2kg and contain up to 200 or more seeds. The female cone cycle is approximately two years from initiation, pollination to dehiscence. Eventually the cone unravels to reveal nut sized seeds with a thin leathery skin. Seeds are ovoid, cream or white, 25-45mm long and 20-30mm wide.

Dioon edule is the most widely cultivated species in this genus.

Gardening: The leaflets of Dioon edule taper to a sharp point. It is recommended to plant it away from footpaths and walkways. Wear heavy gloves when handling or working close to Dioon eduleto avoid getting jabbed by the sharp points of the leaflets.

They are long lived and slow growing and a plant with 30cm (12 inch) of stem can be quite old (20-40 or more years). Dioon edule is considered easy to grow and a good choice for low-maintenance landscapes.

Position: Plant Dioon edule in sunny, well drained position in sub-tropical or temperate areas. It is light to moderate frost tolerant to about -12°C (10°F), but only for a short period of time (up to 4 days) and only when mature and well established plant. Dioon edule is one of the most cold hardy cycads.
They thrives and grows best in partial shade, especially in hotter climates.

Soil: They are very adaptable plants to just about any soil except muddy, non-draining clay. They prefer well drained, gritty soil with plenty of water, especially in dry weather.

Irrigation: In cultivation it prefers moist soil with good drainage for optimal growth. But they are eventually very drought resistant.
Watering during summer is beneficial and unimpeded air movement is important to avoid foliage being damaged by excessive wet.

Fertilising: Naturally undemanding for nutrients, Dioon edule responds very well to regular applications of fertilizer. Growth can be greatly improved through the application of fertilizers. Can be used slow release fertiliser to really kick them on. These plants will love a regular feed with liquid fertiliser, as it is both absorbed through the foliage and the soil.

Mulch well when plant them in the garden – mulch conditions the soil, protects roots and saves water.

Containers: Dioon edule does well in containers and can be kept for many years in the same container. Being pot-bound does not usually affect they health adversely, but is does tend to slow its growth. Although container grown plants are unlikely to produce any seed.

Using Dioon edule in planters require same consideration given to container grown plants.

Light: Dioon edule can be kept indoors in a brightly lit spot or in a conservatory or greenhouse.

Temperature: Dioon edule makes a perfect specimen plant for the brighter conservatory or glasshouse, tolerating dry air, high temperatures, occasional light frosts and periods neglect if necessary. Slowly adjust them to full sun and keep them protected from frost and wind if possible.

Watering: During the active growth period water these plants moderately, enough to make the mixture moist throughout at each watering and allowing the top 5cm (2 inch) or so of the mixture to dry out before watering again. During any rest period that occur in cold season, give the Dioon edule only enough water to prevent the potting mixture from drying out completely.

Please note that container grown plants will need more watering than plants in the ground.

Fertiliser: Applications of fertiliser should be made about every four weeks during the growing season.

Potting and repotting: Use a well draining potting mix. Can be added some sand, perlite or vermiculite to improve drainage or use a specific cacti & succulent potting mix. Repot these plants in containers one size larger in spring before the start of active growth only if needed. Do not choose a huge pot in the hope the plant will grow faster, as it would not. Most small plants will grow well in 8 or 10cm (3-4 inch) pots, medium plants will often be suited to 12 to 14cm (4.7-5.5 inch) pots, and large plants will need bigger pots to suit.

After repotting, water in the plants really well  to get air bubbles out of the soil, as roots die when they come into contact with air bubbles. This might cause them to die back, prohibits them from thriving and might even cause death. It is one of the most important things to do when repotting these plants.

Propagation: Dioon edule can be propagated by fresh seed. It is among the easiest plants to germinate.

Dioon edule can be also propagated by division and replanting of the offesets grown at the base of mature plants.

Problems:
Dioon edule problems are usually related to stem and root rot which is usually caused by over-watering or by planting Cycads in soil that does not drain freely. This problem is easily circumvented by carefully choosing planting locations and by watering efficiently.

Scale insects are the most common pest.
Treatment: Look over the plant often for scale and treat any infestation immediately with insecticide.

Caterpillars may chew on the foliage.
Treatment: Use an adequate insecticide.

Notes: Dioon edule are rarely seen in gardens and are an endangered species. These ‘living fossils’ have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, although they are no longer as numerous as they once were.
Dioon edule can live to be 1,500 years old and eventually achieve a trunk height of 3m (10 feet), this medium-sized cycad is very slow-growing.

Toxicity: Since the skin of Dioon edule seeds is reportedly carcinogenic it is strongly advisable to use gloves when handling the seeds and caution against eating any parts of any Cycad!

Uses: Dioon edule can be used in many ways in a landscape. Large paired plants in containers or feature beds that flank driveways, doorways or gates. A single large specimen makes an excellent feature plant in a landscape that emulates a tropical or desert setting. Use Dioon edule to substitute for a true palm where a large crown is desired, but without a tall trunk. It can be a spectacular accent in a small garden where space is limited. It also makes an impressive understory to a larger tree or structure that allows at least partial sunlight to filter through. It is a perfect addition to accent a xeric landscape. Also it makes a beautiful specimen for large tubs or containers.

Height: 3m (10 feet)        Width: 0.7 – 1.7m (2-5.5 feet)

 

Bryophyllum daigremontianum

 Common name: Mother of Thousands, Alligator Plant, Mexican Hat Plant, Devil’s Backbone

Family: Crassulaceae

Synonymous: Kalanchoe daigremontiana

Distribution and habitat: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is a succulent perennial plant native to the Fiherenana River valley and Androhibolava mountains in southwest Madagascar. It has been introduced to numerous tropical and subtropical regions, such as Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, parts of the Canary Islands and Australia. Like other members of the genus Bryophyllum, it is able to propagate vegetatively from plantlets (epiphyllous buds) that develop on the leaf edges. The plantlets that grow on the edges of each leaf fall easily and root wherever they land.
It is commonly found growing on gravelly and sandy soils. This succulent plant is a weed of bushland and disturbed sites such as roadsides, along fence lines, around rubbish tips and abandoned rural dwellings. It also occurs frequently along creeks and rivers where it is spread by floodwaters.

Description: Bryophyllum daigremontianum grows from a single unbranched stem 45-90cm (18-35 inch) tall, which carries opposite pairs of fleshy, shiny, lance-shaped leaves that are 10-25cm (4-10 inch) long. The leaves grow at an 8° angle to the stem and are bluish green with purple blotched undersides. The saw-toothed leaf edges curl slightly inward. The tiny plantlets that form in the gaps between the teeth often have tiny aerial roots attached. One leaf can carry as many as 50 such plantlets in a single season. Pink flowers, which bloom only on mature plant, are roughly tubular, 2cm (0.8 inch) long and pendent. They are carried in rather flat clusters at the top of 30cm (12 inch) tall stalks in late autumn and early winter. The plant dies after blooming. Flowering is, however, not an annual event and will occur sporadically if at all. Particularly in climates with distinct seasonal temperature differences, flowering is most frequently observed at the beginning of a warm season.
Bryophyllum daigremontianum take a year or two to mature.

Houseplant care: Bryophyllum daigremontianum requires minimal care and can tolerate dry conditions and high temperatures. It is an unusual, fast growing succulent.

Light: These plants like bright light; do not subject them to direct sunlight.

Temperature: Bryophyllum daigremontianum thrive in normal room temperature.

Watering: During the active growth period water moderately, but allow the top centimetre (0.4 inch) or so of the potting mixture to dry out between waterings. In the rest period water sparingly.

Feeding: Apply standard liquid fertiliser once a month during the active growth period.

Potting and repotting: Use a soil based potting mixture. Move small plants into pots one size larger every spring. A Bryophyllum daigremontianum big enough to need 15cm (6 inch) pot is usually unshapely and best discarded.

Gardening: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is not frost-hardy and typically dies if subjected to temperatures below freezing. Within its hardiness zone, Bryophyllum daigremontianum have the potential to escape from cultivation and spread into natural environments becoming a problematic weed. Therefore, precaution have to be taken when grow these plants in garden.
Newly transplanted Bryophyllum daigremontianum have the tendency to wilt. It is recommended to stake the taller ones to keep them growing straight until their roots are reestablished; these plants can be also planted deeper than the original root to give more support and promote more root growth. They will soon resume their growth.

Position: Plant Bryophyllum daigremontianum in full sun or partial shade. Leaves will develop a pinkish-red colour with lots of light, or will stay a greener coluor under less bright conditions.
It is very heat resistant, if planted in shade.

Soil: Bryophyllum daigremontianum thrive in well draining, sandy soil. The plants establish well in leaf litter or other debris on shallow soils.
Space the plants 15-25cm (6–10 inch) apart to make room for the leaves to display their plantlets.
To promote new plants, do not mulch the ground around Bryophyllum daigremontianum. The plantlets which loosen from the plant will grow much better if allowed to fall directly onto soil rather than onto mulch.

Irrigation: Water well when plant the Bryophyllum daigremontianum. After that these plants can be neglected or if watered, do so no more than once or twice a week. These succulent plants are adapted to dry conditions and can survive long periods of drought.

Fertilising: Use a water soluble fertiliser on Bryophyllum daigremontianum plants, following the directions given by the manufacturer.

Propagation: Plantlets growing at the base of the plants may be dug up at any time, replanted in 5-8cm (2-3 inch) pots of standard potting mixture and treated as mature plants. Or plantlets may be picked from the leaves and shallowly planted in standard potting mixture.

Problems: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is generally problem free, but their succulent leaves are a great attraction for insects like mealy bugs, scale or aphids.
Treatment: Control mealy bugs by wiping the infested leaves with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Remove brown scale insects by gently scraping them off. Aphids should be removed by hand. Isolate plants that show signs of insect pest infestation to prevent infestation of other plants.

Prune tall growth and old flower stems and allow plenty of air flow around your plant to avoid powdery mildew.
Treatment: If the plant becomes infected with powdery mildew, potassium bicarbonate can be used to control it.

If rot affects the plant, it normally starts at the root.
Treatment: It is recommended to discard affected plants and start new ones from plantlets.

Toxicity: All parts of the Bryophyllum daigremontianum plant are poisonous (they contain daigremontianin and other bufadienolides), which can even be fatal if ingested by infants or small pets. It is also poisonous to humans.

Note: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is a widespread weed of pastures, grasslands, open woodlands, waste areas, disturbed sites, fence lines, roadsides, embankments, and railways in subtropical, semi-arid, tropical and warmer temperate regions. It is commonly found growing in rocky sites or on poor soils. It prefers rocky outcrops in dry savannas and urban open spaces.
Bryophyllum daigremontianum has been introduced to many parts of the world as an ornamental plant. However, these uses cannot compensate for this plant’s overall negative impacts.

Uses and display: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is more ideal for container growing than landscape planting because it can be difficult to control in outdoor gardens. Both, its unusual leaves which carry the plantlets and its tubular cluster of flowers have ornamental value. Arranged with other succulents, Bryophyllum daigremontianum makes a lovely desert window sill planter. It is a great looking as specimen plant as well as mass planting or group planting.
Bryophyllum daigremontianum is growing in shallow rocky soils, so it is an excellent plant for rocky gardens and xeriscaping.

SUMMARY:

CHARACTERISTICS:
Foliage – green
Features – flowers
Shape – upright
Height: 90-120cm (36-48 inch)

PROPER CARE:
Watering in rest period – sparingly
Watering in active growth period – moderately
Light – bright
Temperature in rest period – min 16°C max 24°C (61-75°F)
Temperature in active growth period – min 16°C max 24°C (61-75°F)
Humidity – low

Ariocarpus lloydii

Origin and Habitat: It grows in central Mexico and ranges from southern Coahuila and adjacent Zacatecas to eastern Durango (Nazas, Peñon Blanco).
Habitat: These plants are characteristic of dry limestone ridges and low, rocky hills of limestone chips at an altitude of 500-1500 m among the Chihuahuan desert scrub.
Ecology: The stems are normally flush and well camouflaged with the soil surface resembling limestone chips in shape, colour, and texture, rendering the plants extremely cryptic. They are greyish-green in colour, sometimes taking on a yellowish tint with age. These cacti are difficult to spot in their natural habitat. When they are found, it is usually due to their pinkish flowers.
In times of severe drought, the whole above-ground portion of these plants can shrink and be covered by rock fragments, but the taproot remains alive. Many exist as only small, isolated populations, and are in danger of extinction because they sought by plant collectors. For this reason they are protected plants in the regions where they occur.

Synonyms:

• Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii (Rose) W.T.Marshall
• Ariocarpus fissuratus subs. lloydii (Rose) U.Guzmán
• Ariocarpus lloydii Rose
• Roseocactus lloydii (Rose) A.Berge

Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Star Rock, Living Rock, Living rock cactus, False Peyote, Chautle Living Rock
CHINESE (中文): 龜甲連山
SPANISH (Español): Sunami, Peyote Cimarron, Chautle, Chaute, Wanamé

Description: Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii is traditionally distinguished from var. fissuratus by its higher, somewhat rounded and more convex stem appearing above the ground.
Stem: Scarcely appearing above the ground, flat to somewhat rounded and sometime even columnar shaped in cultivation. In habitat the stems in adult specimens ranges from 10 to 15 cm in diameter.
Tubercles: The tubercles of var. lloydii are very different from those of the standard Ariocarpus fissuratus and easily recognizable. They are imbricated, ovate, broad at base and usually more rounded at the apex, about 2 to 3 cm wide. They lack edges and lateral longitudinal furrow (or are only weakly fissured). They are only finely rugose with quite coarse, often confluent papillae in the whole surface which form transversal ledges and irregularly warty.
Areoles: Filled with a dense mass of hairs, up to 3 mm wide, sometimes confined to middle of tubercle faces instead of extending to tips.
Flowers: These plants have a woolly crown, from which emerge 3 to 4 cm broad, white to purple (usually pink) 2 times wider than long when fully expanded. Inner perianth-segments oblong-oblanceolate; style and stigma-lobes white.
Blooming time: October, November. Flowers last for 3 to 4 days.
Fruit: Ovoidal, pale green.
Seeds: Black, tuberculate-roughened.
Root: Each plant has a large turnip-like taproot, which lies below the soil surface and serves for water storage.
Ariocarpus fissuratus, Ariocarpus lloydii and Ariocarpus intermedius
The Ariocarpus fissuratus is quite variable in shape of stems and tubercles for its wide area of distribution, ranging from USA (Big Bend region of Texas and along the Rio Grande) to Mexico ( Northern and central to southern Coahuila).
The typical A. fissuratus found on the northern part of it its range is very different from the southern form found in central Mexico that is characterized by rounder not fissured tubercles; this southern form was early described as A. lloydii. However in habitat this species species displays a continuum of characteristics over its range that make difficult to classify A. lloydii as a separate species. The more of less intermediate form found in northern Mexico ( Cuatro Cienegas in south-central Coahuila and Estacion Marte in southern Coahuila) was early named Ariocarpus intermedius.

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Ariocarpus fissuratus group

• Ariocarpus bravoanus H.M.Hern. & E.F.Anderson: It is particularly interesting as it represents a link between the former subgenera Ariocarpus with an undivided or fully divided areole and Roseocactus subgenus with the areolar fissure.
• Ariocarpus bravoanus subs. hintonii (Stuppy & N.P.Taylor) E.F.Anderson & W.A.Fitz Maur.
• Ariocarpus bravoanus subs. hintonii f. monstruosa rubra hort.: has soft rubbery textured red montrous stems, only a few centimeters across and plant looks more like some non-cactus succulent than a cactus.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus K.Schum. in Engl. & Prantl: Geophyte plant that produces a star-shaped rosette of fleshy, deltoid to hemispheric tubercles which are coarsely rugose and characteristically deeply fissured on either side of the central areolar groove.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus f. aurea: Mutant completely lacking chlorophyll pigment. The result is a completely yellow .
• Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii (Rose) W.T.Marshall: has higher, somewhat rounded and more convex stem appearing above the ground.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii f. aurea hort.: Mutant completely lacking chlorophyll pigment. The result is a completely yellow or orangish plant.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii f. cristata hort.: crested form.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii cv. latus
• Ariocarpus fissuratus f. monstruosus: It shows an abnormal, uncoordinated form of vegetative growth, with a multitude of condensed lateral proliferation, each areole originating a new stem only a few centimetres across.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus var. pailanus Halda
• Ariocarpus fissuratus f. pectinatus hort.: has long areoles that stretch out to the full length of the tubercle and uncommon short pectinated spines already present in young specimens. Distribution: Only known from cultivated specimen.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus f. rubra hort.: has notches ribs of a bright red colour due to the absence (or reduced production) of chlorophyll pigments.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus cv. Godzilla: Odd plant with strongly structured surface and the deep colour, but greener or woollier plants are in the variation range of this cultivar.
• Ariocarpus fissuratus cv. Godzilla (Cotton Flock Type): Very woolly form. The rough tubercles epidermis is almost concealed by the dense long hairs .
• Ariocarpus fissuratus cv. Godzilla aurata
• Ariocarpus fissuratus cv. Godzilla variegata
• Ariocarpus fissuratus cv. Green Coral: this cultivar must be considered the next step of "Godzilla" with larger and longer green warts on the tubercles surface.
• Ariocarpus intermedius (Backeb. & Kilian) M.Voldan: (A. fissuratus var. intermedius) intermediate form between Ariocarpus fissuratus and Ariocarpus lloydii.

Cultivation and Propagation: It is not too difficult in a greenhouse, although it grows extremely slowly. The plants need deep pots to accommodate the napiform unit formed by the stem base and the rootstock (or they will often simply crack your pots), and a loose mineral soil with a well-drained substrate. They need a good amount of light, a place near the roof of the greenhouse helps drying the pot after watering. This can be done weekly during the summertime, if the weather is sunny enough, with a little fertilizer added. Kept this way, plants will show a healthy, although slow growth. They are frost hardy to -10°C.
Propagation: By seeds, remembering that seedlings dislike strong light and dry conditions, and need to be repotted frequently. Eventually, as they become mature, they reach a maximum size of 25 to 27 cm. However, old plants become senile and have a tendency to succumb to disease and a weak root system. At this stage, as is well known, they die suddenly. So, after they reach 20 cm in diameter grow them slowly, and adopt a new repotting period, using intervals of every 2 - 3 years. Additionally grow them under drier conditions or with stronger sunlight. Plants are often grafted to accelerate growth, as they would generally take at least a decade to reach maturity on their own. But the grafted plants are typically rather tall- growing, compared with plants on their own roots, that are usually flatter to the ground. Ariocarpus fissuratus var. lloydii starts blooming at the age of 8-12 years.

Yungasocereus inquisivensis

 Yungasocereus inquisivensis is a species of cactus native to Bolivia(La Paz), the sole member of its genus, Yungasocereus.

It is a columnar cactus, appearing either as a tree or shrub, ranging up to 4-5 meters in height. The 6-7 cm diameter stems are dark green, with 6-10 ribs. The 1.5-3 cm spines are in groups of 4-12, with no differentiation into central and radial types, and range from a brownish to grayish color. The flowers are white, appearing in groups of 5-8 near the stem tips.

This cactus is known only from Yungas and Inquisivi provinces of La Paz Department, where it is found at elevations of around 2000m.

Cárdenas described the species in 1957 from Inquisivi, placing it in Samaipaticereus. Ritter later found the same species in Yungas, and in 1980 gave it its own genus Yungasocereus. After a period in Haageocereus, this was again separated into Yungasocereus

Water Requirements:

Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping

Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater

Sun Exposure:

Full Sun

Sun to Partial Shade

Danger:

Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling

Bloom Color:

White/Near White

Bloom Time:

Mid Summer

Propagation Methods:

From woody stem cuttings

From softwood cuttings

Allow cut surface to callous over before planting

From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse

From seed; direct sow after last frost

Seed Collecting:

Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds

Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds

Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored

Japanese Landscape Style

 The fashion for Japanese gardens existed for a long time, and still interest in this style is not waning. Fundamentals of Japanese style borrowed from the Chinese, which asians further developed in accordance with their world vision.

The first Japanese gardens created sages and philosophers. They believed that the disclosure of secrets of life lies in the understanding of nature and its contemplation. In addition, the Japanese have always worshiped the mountains, waterfalls and trees, placing them in a range with same creatures as humans and animals.

Japanese gardens are divided into several types, depending on the basis of accent. It can be gardens of stones, water, trees, seasons, or moss. Mixing these elements in a garden is allowed, herewith great importance is attached to the alignment of stones. Japanese believed that every stone has its own face, his character and placement. Positioning should be from right to left, it is considered that that this is way human’s eyes move.

The best-known example is the garden rock garden of the monastery Reandzi created in the late XV – early XVI century, in the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto. A garden has a rectangular area 23×9 meters, located in front of the house with a veranda. Verandah is a place of contemplation. The background has a low wall behind which groups of trees are located. On the ground, covered with white sand, there are groups of 15 stones. Sand is combed with special rake so that the grooves run parallel to the long side of the garden and form concentric circles around each group of 2-3 or 5 stones.

The most important is that if you look from every part of the veranda, of 15 stones can be simultaneously observed only 14.
In general, the garden creates an impression of the sea, washing the group of islands. Or it seems that you are high above the ground and watch the high mountain peaks through the clouds.

In the compositional and color Japanese gardens are closely associated with painting and need the perception of visual space by the laws of painting. The softness of colors, muted colors make these gardens look like paintings, made one-color ink. Paths, bridges, benches, lighting, fences and gates are integral parts of the garden. They are made of natural materials – bamboo, wood of different species, stone (the most common material), and sometimes of metal, usually iron. Any pained surface, closing the texture of the material, is excluded. “Old age” elements of the landscape are especially appreciated – moss or lichen on a stone, patina or rust on metal, dark-colored wood and Stuff

Licuala ramsayi

 Common names: Australian fan palm, daintree fan palm, mission beach fan palm, wedge-leaflet fan palm (English); palmera abanico de Australia, palmera de abanico australiana (Spanish); Australische Fächerpalme, Australische Schirmpalme (German).

Family : Arecaceae alt. Palmae

This plant is native to Australia (Queensland), where it grows in the pluvial forests along the north-eastern coasts, the banks of the rivers or in swampy areas.

It often forms large colonies, from the sea level up to about 600 m of altitude.

The name of the genus comes from the local name “leko wala”, given to this genus of palms in the Maluku Islands.

The species is honoured to the Australian botanist Edward Pearson Ramsay (1842-1916), who picked up the holotype.

The Licuala ramsayi (F.Muell.) Domin (1915) is a solitary plant, monoecious, with stems tall even 20 m, even if in cultivation they keep lower, and a diameter up to 20 cm, with a conical mass of aerial roots at the base, slightly enlarged, in the oldest plant.

The stem is grey or brown, almost smooth, with little evident foliar scars and small vertical cracks.

Close to the top, it is covered by the fibrous residuals of the foliar bases.

The leaves are almost circular, and may reach even the 2 m of diameter, divided till the base in 17-23 cuneiform segments with a variable width, with 5 to 15 nervations, truncated and indented at the apex, of glossy dark green colour on the upper side, rather opaque below.

The petioles are 1-2,5 m long, thin, equipped at the margins with blackish, 0,5 m long leaves for about one third of the length from the bottom.

The base, with fibrous reddish brown margins, surrounds only partially the stem.

The 1-3 m long inflorescences bear between the leaves. They are compound spikes, that is, formed by a main axis from which depart secondary ramifications (spikelets), distant each other about 15 cm.

They carry cream hermaphrodite flowers which have the pheno- menon of the proterandry.

The masculine organs, in fact, ripe before the feminine ones, thus avoiding the self-fecundation and helping the crossed pollination.

The fruits are ovoid or globular, of about 1,5 cm of diameter, orange or red when ripe.

The Licuala ramsayi easily reproduces by seed. When it is fresh, it quickly germinates, in a normal mould for sowing and coarse sand in equal parts, but then the growth is notoriously slow.

This palm, elegant and majestic, with the great circular leaves on long and thin petioles, would deserve a major diffusion as ornamental species.

Perhaps its slow growth and the dimensions of the top, not suitable for small gardens discourage its use compared to other species, less cumbersome, of the genus Licuala.

It grows well in the tropical and humid subtropical climate zones on soils rich of organic substance and well draining, possibly sandy.

It loves the shaded locations when young, then, adult, it bears even the full sun. In any case, it is sheltered from the wind.

Its cultivation in the temperate zones with particularly mild winters may be tried, as, when adult, it may resist to temperatures as down as -3 °C for short time, but with an even slower growth.

It needs abundant and frequent watering, especially in the warmest months; regular fertilizations may contribute to increase the speed of its growth.

It is to be placed isolated or in groups, leaving around enough room for giving the top the possibility to expand freely.

It has a great potential as pot plant for the decoration of interiors, the fact that it is perfectly comfortable in shade and the slow growth, which in open ground is a handicap, permit to maintain it for long years.

Kalanchoe daigremontiana

 Common name: Mother of Thousands, Alligator Plant, Mexican Hat Plant, Devil’s Backbone

Family: Crassulaceae

Synonymous: Kalanchoe daigremontiana

Distribution and habitat: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is a succulent perennial plant native to the Fiherenana River valley and Androhibolava mountains in southwest Madagascar. It has been introduced to numerous tropical and subtropical regions, such as Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, parts of the Canary Islands and Australia. Like other members of the genus Bryophyllum, it is able to propagate vegetatively from plantlets (epiphyllous buds) that develop on the leaf edges. The plantlets that grow on the edges of each leaf fall easily and root wherever they land.
It is commonly found growing on gravelly and sandy soils. This succulent plant is a weed of bushland and disturbed sites such as roadsides, along fence lines, around rubbish tips and abandoned rural dwellings. It also occurs frequently along creeks and rivers where it is spread by floodwaters.

Description: Bryophyllum daigremontianum grows from a single unbranched stem 45-90cm (18-35 inch) tall, which carries opposite pairs of fleshy, shiny, lance-shaped leaves that are 10-25cm (4-10 inch) long. The leaves grow at an 8° angle to the stem and are bluish green with purple blotched undersides. The saw-toothed leaf edges curl slightly inward. The tiny plantlets that form in the gaps between the teeth often have tiny aerial roots attached. One leaf can carry as many as 50 such plantlets in a single season. Pink flowers, which bloom only on mature plant, are roughly tubular, 2cm (0.8 inch) long and pendent. They are carried in rather flat clusters at the top of 30cm (12 inch) tall stalks in late autumn and early winter. The plant dies after blooming. Flowering is, however, not an annual event and will occur sporadically if at all. Particularly in climates with distinct seasonal temperature differences, flowering is most frequently observed at the beginning of a warm season.
Bryophyllum daigremontianum take a year or two to mature.

Houseplant care: Bryophyllum daigremontianum requires minimal care and can tolerate dry conditions and high temperatures. It is an unusual, fast growing succulent.

Light: These plants like bright light; do not subject them to direct sunlight.

Temperature: Bryophyllum daigremontianum thrive in normal room temperature.

Watering: During the active growth period water moderately, but allow the top centimetre (0.4 inch) or so of the potting mixture to dry out between waterings. In the rest period water sparingly.

Feeding: Apply standard liquid fertiliser once a month during the active growth period.

Potting and repotting: Use a soil based potting mixture. Move small plants into pots one size larger every spring. A Bryophyllum daigremontianum big enough to need 15cm (6 inch) pot is usually unshapely and best discarded.

Gardening: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is not frost-hardy and typically dies if subjected to temperatures below freezing. Within its hardiness zone, Bryophyllum daigremontianum have the potential to escape from cultivation and spread into natural environments becoming a problematic weed. Therefore, precaution have to be taken when grow these plants in garden.
Newly transplanted Bryophyllum daigremontianum have the tendency to wilt. It is recommended to stake the taller ones to keep them growing straight until their roots are reestablished; these plants can be also planted deeper than the original root to give more support and promote more root growth. They will soon resume their growth.

Position: Plant Bryophyllum daigremontianum in full sun or partial shade. Leaves will develop a pinkish-red colour with lots of light, or will stay a greener coluor under less bright conditions.
It is very heat resistant, if planted in shade.

Soil: Bryophyllum daigremontianum thrive in well draining, sandy soil. The plants establish well in leaf litter or other debris on shallow soils.
Space the plants 15-25cm (6–10 inch) apart to make room for the leaves to display their plantlets.
To promote new plants, do not mulch the ground around Bryophyllum daigremontianum. The plantlets which loosen from the plant will grow much better if allowed to fall directly onto soil rather than onto mulch.

Irrigation: Water well when plant the Bryophyllum daigremontianum. After that these plants can be neglected or if watered, do so no more than once or twice a week. These succulent plants are adapted to dry conditions and can survive long periods of drought.

Fertilising: Use a water soluble fertiliser on Bryophyllum daigremontianum plants, following the directions given by the manufacturer.

Propagation: Plantlets growing at the base of the plants may be dug up at any time, replanted in 5-8cm (2-3 inch) pots of standard potting mixture and treated as mature plants. Or plantlets may be picked from the leaves and shallowly planted in standard potting mixture.

Problems: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is generally problem free, but their succulent leaves are a great attraction for insects like mealy bugs, scale or aphids.
Treatment: Control mealy bugs by wiping the infested leaves with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Remove brown scale insects by gently scraping them off. Aphids should be removed by hand. Isolate plants that show signs of insect pest infestation to prevent infestation of other plants.

Prune tall growth and old flower stems and allow plenty of air flow around your plant to avoid powdery mildew.
Treatment: If the plant becomes infected with powdery mildew, potassium bicarbonate can be used to control it.

If rot affects the plant, it normally starts at the root.
Treatment: It is recommended to discard affected plants and start new ones from plantlets.

Toxicity: All parts of the Bryophyllum daigremontianum plant are poisonous (they contain daigremontianin and other bufadienolides), which can even be fatal if ingested by infants or small pets. It is also poisonous to humans.

Note: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is a widespread weed of pastures, grasslands, open woodlands, waste areas, disturbed sites, fence lines, roadsides, embankments, and railways in subtropical, semi-arid, tropical and warmer temperate regions. It is commonly found growing in rocky sites or on poor soils. It prefers rocky outcrops in dry savannas and urban open spaces.
Bryophyllum daigremontianum has been introduced to many parts of the world as an ornamental plant. However, these uses cannot compensate for this plant’s overall negative impacts.

Uses and display: Bryophyllum daigremontianum is more ideal for container growing than landscape planting because it can be difficult to control in outdoor gardens. Both, its unusual leaves which carry the plantlets and its tubular cluster of flowers have ornamental value. Arranged with other succulents, Bryophyllum daigremontianum makes a lovely desert window sill planter. It is a great looking as specimen plant as well as mass planting or group planting.
Bryophyllum daigremontianum is growing in shallow rocky soils, so it is an excellent plant for rocky gardens and xeriscaping.

SUMMARY:

CHARACTERISTICS:
Foliage – green
Features – flowers
Shape – upright
Height: 90-120cm (36-48 inch)

PROPER CARE:
Watering in rest period – sparingly
Watering in active growth period – moderately
Light – bright
Temperature in rest period – min 16°C max 24°C (61-75°F)
Temperature in active growth period – min 16°C max 24°C (61-75°F)
Humidity – low