IT'S ALL ABOUT PLANT!

Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as flowering plants, conifers, ferns, mosses, and green algae, but do not include seaweeds like kelp, nor fungi and bacteria. The group is also called green plants or Viridiplantae in Latin. -

HOUSEPLANTS

A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification. Plants used in this fashion are most commonly, though not always, tropical or semi-tropical. -

FLOWERING AND FOLIAGE SHRUBS

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m (15–20 ft) tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience. Small, low shrubs such as lavender, periwinkle and thyme are often termed subshrubs. -

TREES AND HERBS

In general use, herbs are any plants "with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or parts of "such a plant as used in cooking". In botanical use, the term "herb" is employed differently, for any non-woody flowering plant, regardless of its flavor, scent or other properties, and thus includes only grass-like plants and forbs -

AQUATIC PLANTS, VINES, CACTUS, etc.

A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, within the order Caryophyllales. Cacti have a variety of uses: some species are used as ornamental plants, others are grown for fodder or forage, others for food (particularly their fruit). Most cacti live in habitats which are subject to at least some degree of drought. -

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Freshwater Plants

The variety of plants that can live in and around fresh water all over the world is quite extensive. Plants that can survive and thrive in wet, marshy areas or that live in and on top of water are called aquatic or hydrophytic plants (hydrophytes). Some aquatic plants grow completely beneath the surface, and some grow partially beneath and partially above. Aquatic plants can grow in the wild, or in aquariums and man-made  ponds.


Requirements


In addition to the hydrogen, oxygen and carbon found in the water and air that they live in, aquatic plants also need the nutrients that are found in the rich soil that is in and around freshwater ecosystems. These nutrients include a large range of macro-elements such as magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Decomposing organic matter that surrounds freshwater areas adds to these nutrients.

Types
There are three major types of hydrophytic plants. There are plants that are rooted in the mud. These plants can have leaves that are either completely submerged in the water or that extend out of the water. The second type is floating plants whose roots do not attach to the bottom but float free in the water. The majority of these plants' leaves or flowers are above the surface. The third type is plants that are rooted in the mud along the edge of the water; they are somewhere between being an aquatic plant and a terrestrial plant.

1) Submerged Aquatic Plants

  • Anacharis
    Submerged aquatic plants help to produce oxygen in the water, and are very beneficial to aquatic life. For this reason, submerged plants are very popular with aquarium owners. There are many species of submerged aquatic plants, including Anacharis, Cabomba, Hornwort, Red Ludwigia and Vallisneria
Vallisneria spiralis

Amazon sword

Riccia fluitans



        2) Floating Aquatic Plants


        • Water Lettuce
          Floating aquatic plants also help to oxygenate and filter the water. Floating plants are a favorite of those who create their own backyard ponds and Koi ponds. Some examples of floating plants are Frogbit, Large Leaf Sensitive Plant, Parrot's Feather, Red Stemmed Parrot's Feather, Water Hyacinth, Jumbo Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce. The most popular versions of floating plants for the backyard Koi pond, mostly because of their beautiful blooms, are the Water Lily and the Lotus.
        Frogbit

        Salvinia natans

        Water hyacinth




          3) Bog Plants


          • Bengal Canna
            Aquatic plants that grow at the sides and on the banks of freshwater areas are sometimes called bog plants. These range from the grasses that grow in marshlands to Elephant Ears and Rushes. Some examples of bog plants are Arrowheads, Cattails and Reeds, Floating Hearts, Bog Irises, Louisiana Irises, Rushes, Cannas, Palms, Papyrus, Elephant Ear and Bog Taro.
          Moccasin flower orchid

          Acorus americanus

          Sarracenia

          Wednesday, December 28, 2011

          10 Amazing Fact About Tree

           
          1) Trees receive an estimated 90% of their nutrition from the atmosphere and only 10% from the soil. 


          2) Trees grow from the top, not from the bottom as is commonly believed. A branch's location on a tree will only move up the trunk a few inches in 1000 years. 



          3) No tree dies of old age. They are generally killed by insects, disease or by people. California Bristlecone Pines and Giant Sequoias are regarded as the oldest trees and have been known to live 4,000 to 5,000 years.



          4) There are about 20,000 tree species in the world. The United States has one of the largest tree treasuries second only to India.



          5) The largest area of forest in the tropics remains the Amazon Basin, amounting to 81.5 million acres.

            

          6) Arbor Day was first observed in Nebraska in 1872. That state is now home to one of the world's largest forests planted by people - over 200,000 acres of trees.

            

          7) Some trees can "talk" to each other. When willows are attacked by webworms and caterpillars, they emit a chemical that alerts nearby willow of the danger. The neighboring trees then respond by pumping more tannin into their leaves making it difficult for the insects to digest the leaves.

            

          8) Knocking on wood for good luck originated from primitive tree worship when rapping on trees was believed to summon protective spirits in the trees.

            

          9) Trees can induce rainfall by cooling the land and transpiring water into the sky from their leaves. An acre of maple trees can put as much as 20,000 gallons of water into the air each day.



          10) The most massive living thing on earth is the Giant Sequoia in the Redwood Forest of California. It stands nearly 30 stories tall and 82.3 feet in circumference. Its weight is estimated at 2,756 tons.

          Tuesday, December 27, 2011

          My Own Cactus & Succulent

          This time I would like to show you guys some of the cacti that I've repot recently. Some of these was bought during vacation on Cameron Highland last year. Actually I don't really know what their  names are and how to propagate them succesfully since I'm new in collecting all of this cactus and succulents. Anyway below are the cactus that I was talking about. Quite unique isn't it?! 













          Thursday, October 20, 2011

          Portulaca

           
          Dalam post kali ini, saya akan menulis berkenaan genus Portulaca dari famili Portulacaceae. Secara umum, semua spesies tumbuhan dari genus ini lebih dikenali dengan nama panggilan Rose Moss/Moss Roses atau pokok matahari (sun plant) walaupun masing-masing sebenarnya mempunyai nama dan sifatnya yang tersendiri. Dengan keindahan bunganya pelbagai warna yang terdiri daripada merah, kuning, merah jambu, putih, jingga atau ungu, ramai penggiat seni taman menjadikan Portulaca sebagai titik fokal kediaman.

          Portulaca adalah tumbuhan sukulen(berkebolehan menyimpan air) sebagaimana kaktus. Maka ia memerlukan persekitaran panas dan tanah yang tidak sentiasa basah untuk hidup subur dan berbunga. Tanaman tutup bumi ini mengeluarkan bunga sepanjang tahun dan boleh membesar antara 4-8inci tinggi sebarannya di tanah sepanjang 2kaki. Secara keseluruhannya, dianggarkan terdapat kira-kira 40-100 spesies yang boleh ditemui di negara-negara bersuhu panas atau beriklim tropika. Antara spesies terkenal yang biasa ditanam ialah Portulaca grandiflora, Portulaca oleraceae, Portulaca All Aglow, Portulaca intraterranea, Portulaca sedifolia, Portulaca bicolor dan Portulaca halimoides.
           
          PORTULACA ALL AGLOW HIBRID
          PORTULACA GRANDIFLORA
           Sesetengah tempat menganggapnya sebagai rumpai, manakala yang lain menjadikannya sebagai salah satu bahan masakan, sayuran, malah diekstrak minyaknya untuk penghasilan barangan kosmetik terutamanya bagi spesies Portulaca oleraceae atau nama lainnya Purslane. Disebabkan karakter Moss Roses yang memerlukan persekitaran panas untuk tumbuh subur, maka ia sangatlah elok ditanam di 'rock garden', sepanjang laluan pejalan kaki, petak penanaman, berhampiran tempat parkir kereta dan lain-lain yang sesuai. Moss Roses boleh dibiakkan sama ada dengan biji benih atau menggunakan keratan batangnya yang dipatahkan untuk terus ditanam.
          Portulaca grandiflora ditanam dalam kelompok besar
          PORTULACA OLERACEAE
          Portulaca oleraceae dalam hidangan Greek Salad

          Portulaca oleraceae/Purslane dimasak sebagai sayuran

          Wednesday, October 19, 2011

          Rain Lily


          Lili Hujan Putih
          Tanaman tutup bumi ini terkenal dengan keunikan bunganya yang pelbagai warna(merah jambu, kuning, putih,etc) dan mempunyai bentuk bunga yang sedikit berbeza antara spesiesnya. Disebabkan cirinya yang tumbuh secara berkelompok dan padat, Rain Lily amat sesuai ditanam menghiasi 'rock garden' serta lapangan tanah yang luas. Zephyranthes candida dalam nama saintifiknya, dikatakan berasal dari Rio de plata, Paraguay dan Chile. Kini tumbuhan ini dikenali dengan beberapa nama seperti Rain Lily, Fairy Lily, Zephyr Lily, August Rain Lily dan Lili Hujan dalam bahasa melayu.

          Pada kebiasaannya, Rain Lily mampu tumbuh sehingga ketinggian antara 152-254mm (6-10inci) serta boleh dibiakkan dengan cara belahan bebawang dan juga daripada biji benih. Rain Lily tumbuh dengan paling baik di bawah sinaran matahari penuh atau sedikit sahaja teduh dan dalam medium tanah lembap serta bersaliran baik. Dengan karakter warna daun hijau gelap(biasanya lebar daun 3mm), Rain Lily sememangnya sesuai ditanam di tanah lapang menggantikan rumput bagi menambahkan lagi  suasana tropika lebih-lebih lagi dengan keunikan bunganya yang memukau pandangan apabila kembang.
          Rain Lily Kuning

          Rain Lily Merah Jambu
            

          Tuesday, October 18, 2011

          Celosia Cristata

          Dikenali umum sebagai Bunga Balung Ayam bahasa melayu, tumbuhan yang tergolong dalam kumpulan pokok renek ini sangat mudah dijumpai tumbuh meliar di halaman-halaman kampung. Tumbuhan dari genus Celosia ini terbahagi kepada beberapa spesies seperti Celosia Plumosa, Celosia Spicata, Celosia Argentea dan Celosia Virgata. Keunikan pokok renek ini dilihat pada bentuk bunganya yang seakan-akan balung ayam dan juga pada variasi warna bunganya iaitu merah, kuning, jingga, merah jambu serta campuran 2 warna.

          Menanam daripada biji benih:
          Untuk penanaman Celosia Cristata, biji benihnya bolehlah dikumpulkan daripada bunga yang telah matang. Biji benihnya halus berwarna hitam dan dihasilkan dengan banyak dalam satu bunga oleh pokok induk. Bagi kawasan beriklim panas, benih boleh terus ditanam pada tanah dan bagi beriklim sejuk, perlu ditanam dalam bekas semaian dalam rumah terlebih dahulu. Tanaman Celosia ini mengambil masa selama kira-kira 90 hari untuk berbunga daripada benih ditanam dan memerlukan tanah yang bersuhu tinggi kira-kira 60darjah fahrenheit (16 celsius) atau lebih untuk mudah bercambah.

          Biji benih Celosia (zoom-in)

          Walaupun bunga balung ayam ini boleh tumbuh dalam kebanyakan jenis tanah (tanah pasir, tanah liat,tanah gambut) adalah lebih digalakkan membuat penanaman benih dalam tanah yang tinggi kandungan bahan organiknya serta yang bersaliran baik untuk hasil terbaik. Lakukan semaian biji benih dengan kedalaman tapak 1/4 inci dalam dan tanah berkeadaan lembap. Ia mengambil masa lebih kurang 11 hinga 14 hari untuk bercambah pada suhu tanah 70darjah fahrenheit (21celsius). Jarak penanaman antara tanaman pula adalah 18inci bagi spesies kecil dan 18-24inci bagi spesies besar. Ketinggian pokok matang adalah dalam lingkungan 10inci hingga 12kaki. Perlu diingat bahawa kawasan penanaman pokok renek ini mestilah sentiasa mendapat sinaran matahari penuh untuk pertumbuhan yang baik dan bunga yang cantik.

          Celosia Cristata berwarna kuning

          Aneka Warna Celosia Plumosa

          Celosia Plumosa

          Friday, October 14, 2011

          Panduan asas penjagaan Orkid

          1) Letakkan orkid di tempat yang mendapat cahaya matahari terang, tetapi bukan secara terus (direct sunlight). Lokasi sesuai seperti di bawah rumah orkid atau di bawah pokok.

          2) Sediakan kelembapan udara yang tinggi disekeliling orkid. Salah satu caranya ialah dengan meletakkannya secara rapat dalam satu kelompok orkid atau dengan tumbuhan lain.

          3) Jangan gunakan tanah sebagai medium penanaman orkid epifit kerana orkid ini telah mempunyai akar udara yg menyerap air daripada udara sekelilingnya.

          4) Elakkan tempat berangin kuat, namun peredaran udara yang baik diperlukan. (wap air/kelembapan akan hilang lebih cepat dengan tiupan angin kuat).

          5) Buat pemasuan semula orkid apabila pasu dipenuhi akar. Sentiasa gunakan campuran medium tanaman khas untuk orkid seperti yang terdapat di nurseri.

          6) Beri baja secara tetap dan kerap, misalnya seminggu sekali tetapi dalam kuantiti yang sedikit.

          7) Siram hanya apabila medium penanamannya hampir kering. (kebanyakan orkid mudah diserang kulat atau menjadi reput akar dalam medium yang sentiasa basah).

          Thursday, October 13, 2011

          JENIS ORKID

          Orkid merupakan salah satu tumbuhan kegemaran warga Malaysia dek kerana variasi bunganya dengan pelbagai bentuk, corak dan warna yang unik. Ramai yang menjadikannya penghias kediaman sama ada sebagai tanaman gantung, dekorasi meja dan lain-lain. Orkid terbahagi kepada beberapa jenis, namun boleh dibezakan dengan melihat kepada cara pertumbuhan daunnya yang dikenali sbg:

          1) SIMPODIUM:
          • biasanya pertumbuhan daunnya berakhir dengan pengeluaran bunga.
          • boleh tumbuh atas pokok (epifit) atau atas tanah (terrestrial).
          • genus orkid komersial [oncidium, cattleya, dendrobium] 

          2) MONOPODIUM:
          • cara pertumbuhan daunnya adalah sehala & tak berakhir dengan pengeluaran bunga.
          • ada sifat epifit, boleh tanam dlm pasu/atas tanah yg tak sentiasa lembap.
          • batangnya kecil & dilitupi upih daun.
          • tak bercabang dan boleh bertunas setelah dipotong.
          • genus orkid komersial [vanda, arachnis, renanthera, aranda, phalaenopsis, holttumara, mokara]

          SIMPODIUM
          Cattleya
          Oncidium
          Dendrobium
                                     
          MONOPODIUM

          Mokara


          Renanthera

          Arachnis

          Vanda




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          WWF Message (Forests for Life)

          WWF Message (Forests for Life)
          Plants are disappearing. Every year over 11.5 million hectares of tropical forest is cut and then burned to clear land for farming and cattle grazing. This kind of change is called deforestation. With fewer trees and other plants to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, too much carbon dioxide builds up. Deforestation is one cause of global warming. The conservation of plants and forests is now something more people and governments are beginning to discuss very seriously as one way to protect the environment.

          WWF Message (Before It's Too Late)

          WWF Message (Before It's Too Late)
          Plants are one of two major Kingdoms of life forms. There are about 300,000 plant species on Earth. Plants are the only life forms that can produce their own food using energy from sunlight. Plants produce almost all of the oxygen in the air that humans and other animals breathe. Plants are also an important source of food, building materials, and other resources that make life possible for Earth’s animals.

          International Aquatic Plant Layout Contest - 2012 Grand Prize

          International Aquatic Plant Layout Contest - 2012 Grand Prize