Genista racemosa
28 Oct 2009 10 Comments
in 6. Wonderful Plants Tags: Genista racemosa, Hardy, Plant, Yellow flowers
Our G. racemosa at the entrance of the driveway
If you love bright yellow flowers, Genista racemosa can be the plant for you to grow. Last year’s long drought in Victoria (Australia) did not affect the performance of this tough plant. Now during the Australian spring time, it is showing off masses of pealike blooms that cover the whole plant. I have shaped it into a rounded topiary and year after year it awards me with a showy display of golden colour.
This hardy evergreen plant is also known as Sweet Broom, Canary Island Broom or Cystisus spachianus. Originally it is from Canary Islands. A very quick growing plant which can grow up to 2 meters (6 ft) high. It is perfect to make a topiary. It has a small compound leaves which consist of three oval leaflets. Best grown in warmer area and it needs very low maintenance. Will do well in average well drain soil with full sun position and it hardly needs any fertilizer.
It is said that this plant is regarded as an invasive weed, so it will affect the market availability in some area. However, I have grown G. racemosa for many years and I have never had any problem with growing seeds that invade my garden bed at all. In comparison, I have continuous problems with next door loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) where the seeds of the mature fruits grow everywhere in my garden bed and I have a problem of pulling them off the ground.
Useful Hint: If you have already planted it and you have problems with invasive new shoots around your garden bed, it is better to prune the finish flowers as quick as possible before the pods are mature. This way the possibility for the seeds to fall and to grow out of control will be completely reduced. Pruning and shaping G. racemosa after flowering will also give the plant a nice and compact shape and more flowers in following spring time.
Happy gardening.
Update March 23,2010
Our Genista racemosa was badly damaged by caterpilars. All of sudden I noticed that this supposedly evergreen little tree had become completely bare. When I looked closely I notice that the plant was practically covered by hundreds of tiny caterpilars. So quickly I sprayed it with Perythrum insecticide. Very quickly those nasty pests were wriggling themselves to death. Hopefully the plant will recover………..
Jan. 2010:
Link to other blogs about this plant:
http://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/genista-racemosa-after-the-attack/
http://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/genista-racemosa-follow-up/
My New Cymbidium Orchid
13 Oct 2009 2 Comments
in 3. Orchids Tags: Cymbidium, My new Orchid Collection, Plant, Sarah Jean 'Ice Cascade'
Few weeks ago, there was a stand from one of Orchids Societies/Clubs in Brandon Park Shopping Centre (Melbourne, Australia). There were many displays of the contest winning orchids which were not for sale, but they also sold other orchids which were mostly cymbidium varieties.
I wish I could grow orchids as good as those people. Only lately I could make my very few cymbidium orchids bloom. I found that Cymbidium orchids will grow better and will flower if I use orchid fertilizer and occasional feed of seaweed or fish emulsion. It has to be enough sunlight, if your orchid foliage is very luscious and too green but refuse to flower, it means it does not get enough sunlight. Cymbidiums that receive enough sunlight will tend to have slightly yellowish leaves. Also Cymbies will do better in a slightly crowded pot. If re-potting and dividing cymbidium orchid do not use pots that are too big.
Anyway, back to the stand from the Orchid Society in Brandon Park Shopping centre. I bought a small variety – Cymbidium Sarah Jean ‘Ice Cascade’. It is a cascading variety with small, almost pure white flowers. With compact growth habit and cascading blooms, this variety is perfect for hanging pots.
Labu Genit dan Labu Artistik
04 Oct 2009 6 Comments
in Nostalgic Food Tags: Beligo (winter melon), Labu botol (bottle gourd), Plant
Waktu berkunjung kerumah saudara di Solo, kulihat dirumah mereka ada beligo alias si-labu genit. Mereka bilang sedang musim dan harganya murah. Waktu melihat beligo yang seperti dibedakin seputih wajahnya Geisha itu aku langsung ingat blog-ku dulu mengenai jenis labu ini. Dibawah ini adalah link untuk membaca blog tentang beligo alias winter melon:
http://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/winter-melon/
Memang banyak jenis labu-labuan, tapi yang dinamakan beligo itu adalah yang kalau udah tua berwarna keputih-putihan seperti dibedakin. Warna daging beligo ini putih dan rasanya tawar. Biasanya dimasak untuk kolak atau kluwa beligo yaitu direbus dengan gula merah dan diberi daun pandan. Kluwa beligo ini amat segar dan bersifat mendinginkan badan jika dimakan selagi hari panas menyengat.
Berbicara mengenai labu, yang paling artistik bentuknya dan yang paling indah adalah labu botol. Dizaman dahulu waktu aku masih kecil, dirumah keluarga kami didaerah Solo terdapat tanaman beligo tapi sekarang yang dtanam adalah labu botol. Karena belum ada yang tua jadi photo yang kami ambil adalah yang masih muda berwarna kehijauan. Kalau sudah tua kulit berwarna coklat kekuningan.
Labu botol juga dikenal dengan nama bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd atau calabash gourd. Sedang nama Latin-nya adalah Lagenaria siceraria. Sama dengan beligo dan labu air, labu botol adalah termasuk dalam keluarga Cucurbitaceae.
Seringnya labu botol ini ditanam bukan untuk bahan pangan tapi digunakan untuk hiasan atau tempat menyimpan air. Setelah buah-nya tua, dikorek dalamnya dan dikeringkan. Untuk kerajinan atau hiasan, labu botol yang sudah kering dan kosong ini dicat atau di varnish.
Selain beligo (Benincasa hispida )yang genit ini dan labu botol (Lagenaria siceraria) yang artistic bentuknya, terdapat juga labu air yang juga termasuk jenis Lagenaria siceraria. Labu air ini panjangnya bisa se-meter. Kulit nya halus berwarna hijau muda dan umumnya labu jenis ini dipetik muda dan digunakan untuk sayur. Karena labu air yang panjang serta terlihat gemuk dan membengkak ini, gadis yang lengannya montok dinamakan mempunyai lengan labu. Ha…..
Sebagai bahan pangan labu labuan mengandung fibre/serat yang tinggi dan bersifat mendinginkan badan.
My Orchid Is Turning Green
14 Sep 2009 6 Comments
in 3. Orchids Tags: Changing Colour, Cymbidium, Gardening, Orchid, Plant
Help! My Cymbidium orchid is turning green this year. I hate green flowers!
Last year I bought this Cymbidium orchid in Caribbean market (in Melbourne, Australia)and the colour was bright yellow with dark red throat. The reason I bought it because I liked the colour and also it was quite cheap in the market.
I don’t know exactly what kind of Cymbidium orchid it is as the seller herself did not know the name for it. After flowering last year, I re-potted it as it had already over crowded and almost cracked the pot. I found that whoever grew it did not even bother to use orchid mix/medium. It was grown in ordinary soil and it had become so compacted so it was so hard to loosen the roots. I was so afraid that I damaged them. Anyway, I managed to transfer it to a slightly bigger pot and I used proper orchid mix which consists of old wooden chips.
A year later today, it is having five spikes of blooms. I have applied special fertilizer for orchids and I also used sea weed mixture. However, I can’t believe what I see! My Cymbies have turned green with only a very slight yellow tint. I am not really happy to see this colour as I don’t like green flowers.
Does anyone also have the same problem? What can cause Cymbidium orchid to change colour? Is it because of the amount of the sunlight , or is it the medium or the fertilizer? How can I make it yellow again?
Pohon Petai
08 Sep 2009 2 Comments
in Street Trees Tags: Bandung, Parkia speciosa, Petai, Plant
Waktu berkunjung kekota Bandung beberapa waktu yang lalu, aku ikutan jalan pagi. Jalan jalan disekitar perumahan Sumber Sari Indah memang unik. Orang kebanyakannya mengelilingi taman di bagian depan perumahan. Katanya kalau hari Minggu jalan masuk utama perumahan ini tak bisa dilewati karena berubah menjadi pasar makanan. Mereka yang gerak jalan kumpul dijalan masuk di pinggiran Jl. Sukarno Hatta dan ini dimanfaatkan oleh pedagang untuk berjualan disitu.
Nah apa hubungannya obrolanku ini dengan pohon pete? Waktu ikutan jalan pagi, diisalah satu jalan di Sumber Sari Indah aku lihat pohon yang aneh. Besar juga pohonnnya dan mempunyai bunga yang bentuknya seperti gasing. Pohon apa ya? Terus kupotret dan kakak-ku bilang itu adalah pohon pete. Yang bener? Seperti inikah yang namanya pohon pete?
Selama ini aku hidup lebih dari setengah abad baru sekarang aku lihat pohon pete. Aku sendiri tak begitu suka pete. Kalau makan sayur lodeh atau sambal goreng dan ada petenya aku tak pernah makan pete itu, jadi aku sisihkan potongan pete dipinggir piring berjejer. Ha….. Yang paling mengerikan dengan pete adalah baunya yang lama engga hilang. Kalau makan lalab pete, mulut dan kencing bau pete. Mana tahan itu wc-nya.
Petai (Parkia speciosa) juga biasa disebut dengan nama pete, yongchaa, zawngtah atau bahasa Inggrisnya adalah stink-bean. Selain di Indonesia dan Malaysia, rupanya petai juga menjadi kegemaran orang dari Thailand, Laos, Burma dan beberapa tempat di India.
Banyak orang menghubungkan petai dengan jengkol, walau mungkin baunya ada miripnya tapi petai dan jengkol itu berlainan jenisnya.
Jengkol adalah tanaman yang nama Latinnya adalah Archidendron pauciflorum / Pithecollobium jiringa / Pithecollobium labatum. Bagaimana dengan petai China yang bahasa Jawanya adalah mlanding atau lamtoro? Yang ini juga berbeda jenisnya dengan petai maupun jengkol dan istilah Latin-nya adalah Leucaena glauca.(Catatan: Walau petai, jengkol dan petai Cina berbeda jenisnya, ketiganya berasal dari keluarga yang sama yaitu Mimosoideae).
Ingat tentang petai China yang bijinya kecil kecil itu, paling enak kalau dimasak sebagai campuran bebotok kelapa. Sedap deh.
Kembali ke petai…… pohon petai bisa tumbuh setinggi 30 m dengan dedaunan yang rindang. Bunganya yang berbentuk seperti gasing atau bolam lampu akan rontok setelah polinasi dan dipucuk tangkainya yang masih dipohon akan tumbuh beberapa papan petai yang panjang panjang itu.
Aku pernah baca bahwa buah petai yang tua mengandung zat gula sucrose, fructose and glucose, jadi mereka yang suka makan petai akan mendapat tambahan energi apalagi kalau memakannya sebagai lalab…….
Senang juga aku bisa lihat pohon petai karena hobby-ku adalah tanaman. Bagi mereka yang tinggal disekitar Sumber Sari Indah di Bandung, tahukah anda pohon pete ini? Letaknya aku lupa jalan apa tapi kalau tak salah adalah. Sumber Resik (agak dibagian belakang perumahan). Kalau anda belum tahu tapi penasaran silahkan mencarinya sambil gerak jalan pagi….:)
Pohon Sukun di Bandung
06 Sep 2009 4 Comments
in Street Trees Tags: Bandung, Breadfruit trees, Plant, Sukun
Ditengah hiruk pikuk-nya lalu lintas dan padatnya penduduk, pohon pohon sukun didaerah perumahan Sumber Sari Indah, Bandung tampak tumbuh subur dan berbuah. Rupanya akhir akhir ini digalakkan penghijauan kota dengan menanam pohon pohon yang bisa menghasilkan makanan seperti misalnya pohon mangga, sukun, petai atau jengkol. Saya jadi heran siapa yang berhak memetik buah sukun itu karena pohon pohon ini tumbuh dipinggir jalan.
Tentang tanaman sukun:
Bahasa Inggrisnya tanaman/buah sukun adalah breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis). Tanaman ini berasal dari Asia Tenggara dan kepulauan Pacific barat. Buah sukun ini merupakan sumber makanan pokok di banyak daerah di kepulauan Pacific. Tanaman lain yang berasal dari jenis sama adalah kluwih/kluweh (Artocarpus artilis/ yang berbiji), nangka (Artocarpus heteropyllus) dan cempedak (Artocarpus polyphema).
Saya mencoba mencari info tentang perbedaan antara sukun dan kluwih. Ternyata kedua tanaman ini satu jenis (A. altilis), hanya kalau sukun itu tak berbiji sedangkan kluwih adalah yang jenis berbiji. Buah sukun di Indonesia seringnya dimasak sebagai makanan kecil, seringnya buah yang tua dan mengandung banyak tepung ini digoreng atau dibuat kolak (dengan santan dan gula merah) atau dijadikan keripik sukun. Sedangkan kluwih seringnya dipetik muda dan dijadikan sayur lodeh.
Saya ingat waktu masih kecil, tetangga sebelah punya pohon kluwih dan bunganya yang jantan kalau jatuh dan sudah kering, kalau dibakar akan berasap dan bisa berfungsi sebagai obat untuk mengusir nyamuk.
Melihat pohon pohon sukun di Bandung ini membangkitkan kembali kenangan masa kecilku. Dulu setiap kami pergi ke Yogya pasti beli sukun yang warnanya kekuning kuningan pertanda udah tua. Dizaman dulu rupanya buah sukun ini didaerah Jawa Tengah hanya bisa didapati dijual di Yogya. Setelah digoreng oleh mama, kami semua menyantapnya dengan minum teh manis. Sukun goreng ini garing luarnya dan empuk serta manis dalamnya. Ueenak sekali……. 
Australian Hibiscus A. huegelii
07 Jun 2009 4 Comments
in 6. Wonderful Plants Tags: Alyogyne huegelii, Australian Nativa Hibiscus, Plant
This Alyogyne huegelii plant is a newly addition to our garden. During the long drought last year some of our plants suffered and were dying. So we had replaced them with native plants that are more dry tolerance. I find that this species of Australian Native Hibiscus is thriving nicely.
Alyogyne huegelii which is also commonly known as Lilac hibiscus is found naturally growing in Southwest of Western Australia. It is one of many other species of Australian native hibiscus. Although it is the mauve colour that is commonly cultivated and sold for garden plant, there is another one with cream colour.
The plant can grow up to 4 meters high and it needs to be pruned regularly to keep it in a reasonably compact shape. The bright green leaves are divided into five sections with irregular margin. They are strongly veined and covered by fine hair (pubescent). Both the leaf and flower stems are also pubescent.
The single flowers have five soft and thin overlapping luminous petals, they almost look like crepe paper in appearance. The yellow center of the flowers is a pretty contrast to mauve petals. The flowercan grow up to 7 cm long.
Hibiscus A huegelii will grow best in sandy soil but it also grow well in any ordinary garden soil. It tolerates extremely dry condition and frost.
The name Huegelii was derived from the name of a German botanist and naturalist Baron Charles von Huegel (1795 – 1870) who was an avid collector of Australian native plants.
Like any other Australian native hibiscus, it is sometimes hard to find this plant in garden nurseries. Maybe you have to go to a special nursery for Australian native plants. However, once you find it and have it grown in your garden, it will be one of your very versatile plants with pretty purple flowers.
Happy Gardening!!
Some Plants in My Garden
01 May 2009 5 Comments
in 4. Seasonal Garden Notes Tags: Gardening, Life, Plant
Some Plants in My Garden
The magic of our garden is that they are always blooming all year around. I have deliberately chosen different plants which will flower in different season, some will flower in spring and summer and the others flower either in autumn or winter. Nowadays all plants are sold with descriptions on when they will flower. By carefully choosing the ones which will grow at different time, the garden will look not only colourful during spring and summer only, but even in the bleak winter time it will be full of blossoms and it not be so cold, dull and grey. Try to mix these plants when you grow them, do not grow the plants that flower at the same time only on one spot of the garden. Place them in a certain way so in every season there will be flowers distributed evenly all around……..
I like to have a garden that give an impression of well trimmed and neatly manicured. The trick is to grow plants which you can shape like for example: topiaries, diosma, or box. If you distributed these type of plants all around in good order among the other plants, and as long as you keep them well trim, the garden will have a manicured look. Also trim all other plant and make sure you don’t let the become over-grown.
Some of the plants in our garden which flower mostly in Spring and Summer:
- Browalia, long flowering through out spring and summer, colourful orange bells. Prune well after flowering to maintain compact shape.
- Pig Face (Mesembryanthemum): Very hardy succulents, coming in many choice of colour. In full sun position, they bear abundant of flowers covering the whole plants. Prune after flowering to keep them in nice compact shape.
- Pelargonium/Geranium: very hardy, coming in many bright colours, some species even flower all year around. Respond well to pruning after flowering.
- Camellia: Coming in many variations of flowers, single or double petals. Many choice of colours. Some species will flower during the winter.
- Lillium: These large bell shaped flowers will add beauty to any garden.
- Hibiscus: Tropical plants with deep green leaves and many different shape and colour of flowers.
Our plants which flower almost all year around:
- Roses, especially from floribunda species. Respond well to debutting dead flower to encourage new shoots which will bear more flowers and prune hard in winter after finish flowering. Prune other type of roses after the last batch of flowers usually late autumn as they don’t flower in winter or even if they flower the quality of the blooms are poor.
- Daisy: Daisies mainly flower in spring but if you prune well after finish flowering it will bear flower again in late autumn and in winter. Prune again after the autumn/winter flower finish to promote good flowers in warmer months.
- Azalea: Many azaleas flower twice a year in spring/summer and again in autumn/winter.
- Gardenia: Fragrant white blooms. Will grow better in the shade. It grows well in slightly acidic, cool, moist, well drained soil.
Autumn or winter flowering plants:
- Chrysanthemum: This mother’s day flower will flower in autumn (April/May). Colourful and coming in many choice of colours, single or double petals. Die down after flowering and flower again next autumn.
- Crasulla ovata/Jade/money plants: The Chinese believe this plant will bring good luck. The tiny white stars flowers almost cover the whole plant in late autumn and spring.
- Kniphophia: Also known as Red Hot Poker, growing from bulbs, green long spikes of leaves with tall brilliant red, orange or yellow pom-pom like flowers. Attract native birds.
Colourful evergreen shrubs to add colour all year around:
- Golden Diosma: This plant will show off it’s bright yellow colour in sunny position. If clipped and trimmed into round or egg shape, this hardy plant will add an impression of a manicured garden. This plant hates tropical heat.
- Nandina: Nandina grown in full sun will give a bright red colour all year a round.
- Red Aeonium: this colourful succulent has rosette shape, auburn red and will have bright yellow flowers in winter.
My Chrysants
25 Apr 2009 Leave a Comment
in 6. Wonderful Plants Tags: Chrysanthemums, Gardening, Plant
Just a quick addition to my blog about Chrysanthemums (March Archive).
These are pictures of the first blooms of my Chrysanthemum plants this year, the mauve ones. They haven’t fully open yet, and I have to cover them when we have too much rains. If too wet, they will rot quickly.
We had the worse dry spell in the last few months so I am afraid my other chrysanthemums will not flower as good.
White Angel’s Trumpet
24 Apr 2009 1 Comment
in Poems Tags: Angel's trumpet, Plant, Poem, Writing
Colour of white
An appearance of purity
They are hanging there
Dancing
Rocking
Blown by morning breeze
Brugmansia candida
What a beautiful name
The pretty angel
But beneath its beauty
Something sinister is hidden
Poison is flowing
Dangerous
Deadly…..
Thoughts:
The angel’s trumpet plant on the side of my house is blooming. From my window I can see the large white pendulous bell flowers dance following the rhythm of morning breeze. Who has ever thought that such beautiful flowers contain deadly poison? It is not only the flowers that are poisonous, but every parts of the plant are deadly.
I adore flowers and very often I compare them with human and mostly women. So many flowers out there. They have different look and different traits and personality. So have women. What kind of women portrays the look and characteristics of Brugmansia candida? Pretty on the outside but nasty on the inside…….
Have you known a woman who is sweet and friendly in front of you, but nasty behind you? This type of women enjoys gossips and cruel innuendos. They enjoy talking to everyone. Behind the friendliness, they are vindictive and envious. To get what they want, they will do everything, even if it means hurting other people. They are tricky, deceitful and dishonest.
Oh, pretty Angel’s trumpet blooms, I still see you gently dance out there, blown by the morning breeze………………
