Melica racemosa

Melica racemosa is a grass species belonging to the family Poaceae that is endemic to Southern Africa which was described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1794.

Close up of spikelets of Melica racemosa

Distribution

Melica racemosa is native to Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa where it is found in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga,

Description

Melica racemosa is perennial and caespitose (forming a dense turf) with culms that are 30–60 centimetres in height.

The leaf-blades are erect, flat and are 4–30 centimetres long by 1.5–5 millimetres wide

The white flowers or spikelets as they are known in grasses are produced from September to April

Melica racemosa grows mostly in pure stands on hills, mountain slopes and east to south facing banks on road reserves.

Melica racemosa inflorescence

Cultivation

Melica racemosa prefers full sun where it will flower best but will also grow well in a half-shady situation where it will not flower in such profusion as it does in the full sun.

Melica racemosa prefers damp situations but will also grow where it is quite dry, it appears to be able to grow on a range of soils including heavy clay soils.

Melica racemosa displays allelopathic properties, which helps suppress weed growth in cultivation.

Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an organism produces one or more biochemicals known as allelochemicals that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms.

Corn gluten meal (CGM) is a natural pre-emergence weed control used in turfgrass, which reduces germination of many broadleaf and grass weeds.

I have had Melica racemosa growing very successfully in my grass garden for a number of years during which time it has spread a little out competing some of the grasses but none of the established grassland fobs such as Vernonia capensis and Vernonia natalensis have been affected.

Melica racemosa 

Propagation

Propagation as with most grasses is best done by seed but it can also be grown vegetatively by subdivision.

Landscaping

Melica racemosa is a very attractive grass in particular when it is in flower which displays characteristics that may make it a good subject for landscaping.

Melica racemosa growing naturally

Staggers grass Melica decumbens a close relative when eaten in large quantities has a narcotic effect on cattle and to a lesser degree on sheep.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

02.12.14

Please do not leave this page without clicking on the G+ button below if you do not have a Google profile it is about time that you registered for one

Jasminum multipartitum

Common names: 

English:         Starry wild jasmine

Zulu:             Imfohlafohlane

German:       Jasmin

Close up of the flower of Jasminum multipartitum

Jasminum multipartitum belongs to the plant family Oleaceae which has a number of members that are economically significant such as the olive (Olea europaea) which is important for its production of fruit as well as for the olive oil extracted from them. The ash  tree (Fraxinus) produces hard tough timber.

Forsythias, lilacs, jasmines and privets, are valued as ornamental plants in gardens and for landscaping.

Species of jasmine are the source of an essential oil. Their flowers are often added to tea.

Distribution

Jasminum multipartitum has a relatively small distribution being found only in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland.

In South Africa Jasminum multipartitum is found in the Eastern Cape, the drier parts of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as in the bushveld areas of Limpopo, northern Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

Natural Habitat

Jasminum multipartitum is found growing naturally on rocky slopes, in woodland and in bushy scrub in a variety of soils both in full sun as well as in semi-shade.

  

Description

Jasminum multipartitum is a scrambling, evergreen shrub with bright green, shiny leaves which produces masses of large white waxy, scented, star-shaped flowers after the first spring rain. The flowers have a delicate perfume during the day that becomes markedly stronger in the evening and at night. The flower buds are pink or tinted red.

The fruit consists of shiny bluish black twin berries. There is usually one quite large seed in each berry, the dark, plum-coloured flesh is very juicy.

Jasminum multipartitum

Ecological significance

The flowers of Jasminum multipartitum attract insects in particular Hawk moths which pollinate them.

The berries are eaten by birds and by people. Jasminum multipartitum are heavily browsed by game, indigenous goats and indigenous sheep.

The larvae of the Cambridge Vagrant Butterfly, the Variable Prince Moth, Oleander Hawk Moth, Death's Head Hawk Moth, and King Monkey Moth feed on Jasminum species.

  

Cultural uses

Jasminum multipartitum is used traditionally as a love charm.

Other uses

Jasminum multipartitum could be used to make a herbal tea, fragrance baths and pot-pourri. The foreign species of Jasmine are important for their horticultural value as lovely well-known ornamentals and popular garden plants so there is every reason to grow Jasminum multipartitum in South African gardens. Sprigs of this jasmine are delightful in flower arrangements as the buds open after they are picked and their scent pervades the house.

Growing Jasminum multipartitum

Jasminum multipartitum is a shrub or weak scrambler that will grow in a variety of soils even in very dry locations but will do best if it is supplied with plenty of well-rooted organic material and a little fertiliser.

If encouraged Jasminum multipartitum will climb up to 3 m, although not very strongly, and is best used as a shrub of up to 1.5 m high. Jasminum multipartitum is medium to fast growing.

Jasminum multipartitum flowers best when growing in the full sun in particular in years following a long dry winter so do not over water it.

Jasminum multipartitum is able to withstand some frost but in colder areas it will need a protected corner, generally it does best in regions that have milder winters. Once established, it is fairly drought tolerant.

Jasminum multipartitum takes well to pruning, either to shape it as desired, or to curb excessive growth. This is best done after flowering to encourage thick, compact growth.

 
Propagation

Jasminum multipartitum is easy to propagate by layering which is an easy and successful option, from seed and from semi-hardwood cuttings made in spring and summer when plants are actively growing. Cuttings do best placed under mist with bottom heat.

 Jasminum multipartitum growing on a hot dry bank in shale at Mount Moreland

Landscaping

Jasminum multipartitum is a delightful shrub, or weak climber which can be trained onto a trellis or fence, or even shaped into a hedge or screen, this species of jasmine is also an extremely successful container plant, which is attractive even without flowers. No frost free South African landscape or garden should be without this gem of a plant.

Although there are 10 indigenous Jasmine species in South Africa, many of which rival or exceed the exotic species for showiness and ease of cultivation, like most of our South African plants species they are seldom appreciated or grown here.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

25.19.14

Please do not leave this page without clicking on the G+ button below if you do not have a Google profile it is about time that you registered for one

Growing Eulophia petersii as a pot plant

Eulophia petersii 

Zulu. isaha

Note that the sepals and petals are spirally coiled with the tip innermost

Eulophia petersii is a terrestrial orchid belonging to the plant family Orchidaceae. It is found in amongst rocks in thickets in hot dry arid to very arid environments from the Arabian peninsular in the north down the eastern coast of Africa southwards as far as the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa.

Eulophia petersii is an unusual member of the orchid family in that it lives in a harsh environment. Where it has adapted to very arid environments and is among the few orchids genus’s to have evolved a truly desert living species

It is often found growing in acidic sandy soils or in rock outcroppings often in acid soil derived from decaying granite.

Eulophia petersii has many growth forms even within close proximity to one another.

Below I have shown two specimens that are growing next to one another in the sale growing medium one with medium length leaves and pseudo bulbs the other with extremely long leaves and long thin pseudo bulbs.

The leaves of Eulophia petersii are thick, fleshy and very fibrous and have a sharp serrated edge that vary considerably in length from short and broad to very long and narrow.

There are usually two to five leaves per pseudo bulb.

Eulophia petersii from the Weenen area with medium length leaves

The pseudo bulbs are green to yellowish with pronounced ribbing being almost smooth when fully engorged with water and highly ribbed when very dry the vary in length considerably.

Eulophia petersii from the Mapumulo area with extremely long leaves and long thin pseudo bulbs

The form that grows in Yemen on the southern tip of the Arabian peninsular is much smaller and more compact in habit.

The numerous flowers are widely spaced on a branched inflorescence that can be up to over 2 meters in length. The flowers are green with reddish brown markings with a wrinkled white lip with pink markings. There is quite a bit of variability in the colouration of flowers between plants. Often the sepals and petals are circinate, that is spirally coiled with the tip innermost as in the photo above.

Eulophia petersii showing an extensive healthy root system supporting a healthy plant

Eulophia petersii plants consist of clusters of squat, fat green to yellowish stems called pseudo bulbs connected by short rhizomes that bear a small number of succulent, sharp-edged leaves. The plants are evergreen and the leaves can persist for several years, but the actual growth of the plants is highly seasonal.

New pseudo bulbs and foliage are produced in spring and summer, and tall racemes of flowers are produced in mid-summer.

In the winter, the plants are dormant and can withstand long periods without water. 

Traditional uses

Eulophia petersii is used as a love charm

Growing Eulophia petersii

Eulophia petersii are very easy and rewarding plants to grow provided one follows a few simple rules. They are probably best grown indoors as pot plants in most localities that have high rainfall or very low temperatures. Eulophia petersii are very hardy and take very little time to care for and to produce good results making them an idea pot plant.

My own plants are grown in a mixture of coarse gravel derived from decaying granite, crushed brick, and clean river sand to which I add a small amount of well rotted leaf mould. They also do well in general purpose cactus and succulent mixes.

I grow my plants on a hot north facing windowsill indoors where they get plenty of sun so that I can protect them from the rain and the yellow orchid beetle Lema pectoralis which is a major pest which can badly damage a plant in the blink of an eyelid.

I do not over pot my plants but I do ensure they have enough space to develop a very good extensive root system this essential for good results.

.

Yellow orchid beetle Lema pectoralis

In summer I only water my plants when the growing medium has completely dried out for a week or so and I see that the pseudo bulbs have wilted a little then I completely soak the plants with water to which I have added a little liquid fertilizer. Never add more fertilizer per litre than the manufacturers recommendations, this has produced very good results for me. At least once a year in the summer I take the plants outdoors and soak them heavily with a hose pipe to flush any accumulated salts out of the growing medium. This can also be done indoors in a bathtub or basin.

In winter I keep my Eulophia petersii very dry I only water them when I see that the pseudo bulbs have shrunk considerably and the two halves of the leaves have started to fold together and then only enough to slightly wet the growing medium, after a day or two I add a little more water until the pseudo bulbs have regained not more than 50% of their full size. This ensures that the plants develop a very large and healthy root system as can be see in the accompanying photograph. I do not soak the plants.

In the spring when new growths appear I slowly increase the amount of water given until the new pseudo bulbs are well developed

Eulophia petersii do not do at all if well if they over watered in particular in winter and do not develop and maintain a good root system. The easiest way to check if your plant is being over watered or not is to gently tip it out of its growing container and to inspect the roots. A healthy well cared for plant will have and abundance healthy white roots with white tips while in active growth with no black marks or rot on them.

Eulophia petersii can be grown outside in the garden if grown in well drained soil and if they can be protected from mole rats and the yellow orchid beetle. When grown outdoors the must be grown in a hot sunny position or the new growths will tend to rot in the rainy season in places such as Durban and the natal coast.

Eulophia petersii has all the attributes of an excellent green roof plant and will no doubt make a very good green roof plant in areas with a suitable climate. I an yet to test Eulophia petersii under the conditions I experience at Mount Moreland but I am confident they will do well as I already have four species of Eulophia that grow under direr conditions that are thriving with no care whatsoever on my own roofs.

Eulophia petersii can easily be propagated by subdivision, which is probably best done at the end of winter when the first growth is noticed, just be careful not to damage the new growth.

Eulophia petersii plants set seed if pollinated, but as with most other orchids the seeds can mostly only successful grown in flasks on a special growing medium under sterile conditions.

I have never tried growing Eulophia petersii seeds in soil as I have successfully done with Eulophia speciosa but with a little experimenting under the correct conditions it is no doubt possible.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

25.19.14

Please do not leave this page without clicking on the G+ button below if you do not have a Google profile it is about time that you registered for one

Paintbrush Lily Scadoxus puniceus

English:        Snake Lily, Paintbrush Lily 

German:       Blutblume

Zulu:             isisphompho, umgola

Scadoxus puniceus growing in grassland in full sun in my garden at Mount Moreland north of Durban, note the leaves are almost absent at the time of flowering when growing in the full sun

Scadoxus puniceus is a bulbous plant belonging to the Family: Amaryllidaceae and the Subfamily: Amaryllidoideae which is native to eastern southern Africa. It has been recorded growing

in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, and South Africa.

Scadoxus puniceus are mostly found growing in the shade of coastal forests, where they grow in leaf litter often in dry localities. They are also found growing in scrub and in full sun in grasslands. When growing in full sun the leaves and in particular the bracts around the flowers are a much darker richer colour.

Growth habit

Produces lush shiny bright green leaves in the summer months after flowering. In the later summer the leaves turn yellow and die and the large bulb which is mostly above ground goes into winter dormancy flowering out of the bare ground in the middle to late winter in Durban. The flowers are pollinated by bees and olive sunbirds

The fruits are fleshy, shiny round red berries up to approximately 1cm in diameter. They have single soft pearl-like seeds inside. The ripe berries are eaten by birds in particular black eyed bulbul or common bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus  tricolor)

Black eyed bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus tricolor

Medicinal uses

Although the bulb is poisonous containing the alkaloids haemanthamines, haemanthidine, 6-?-hydroxycrinamine, scapunine, and scadoxucines it is used in traditional medicine to treat coughs, gastro-intestinal problems, febrile colds, asthma, leprosy, sprains and bruises, and as an antidote to poisons. It is also used as a diuretic. The leaves are applied to sores and ulcers to aid healing and act as an antiseptic. The plant is also traditionally consumed during pregnancy as part of an herbal regime to ensure safe labour.

Growing Scadoxus puniceus

This is one of my firm favourites, it is the first plant that I have recollection of growing as a child. The first specimens I dug out in the bush across the road from my parents house and planted in our garden at the age of about 5 years. Plants subdivided from those originally collected back in the late 1950´s were still growing in the garden in 2006 when my mother sold the house. Scadoxus puniceus are extremely easy to grow in our climate in particular if they are grown in the ground in well drained sandy soil enriched with a little organic matter in particular well rotted leaf mould. In the ground it will not need watering at all. It also does well planted in containers in well drained soil, do not over water, it is best to keep it a bit on the dry side to develop a good healthy root system.

Amaryllis lily borer Brithys crini can cause severe damage to the whole plant if not controlled.

Plants grown in the full sun however appear to be unaffected by Amaryllis lily borer which seldom lay their eggs on them and when they do from observation it would appear that plants grown in strong light develop toxins in the leaves that kill the young larvae soon after boring into the leaves.

A must for every indigenous garden in the areas where it grows naturally, it also makes a good indoor pot plant provided it gets enough light.

I photographed these Scadoxus puniceus growing well outdoors in New Zealand grown by David Brundell in his magnificent garden at Glenbrook Beach near Waiuku south of Auckland a must for anyone interested in plants to see if they are in the area. Viewing by appointment only see http://gardenza.co.nz/ for details.

Propagation

Scadoxus puniceus may be propagated vegetatively from the bulbs, by splitting off offsets and from seed which must have the flesh removed and planted as soon thereafter as possible.  The seed must be place on the surface of the sandy well drained growing medium and lightly pressed into the growing medium, do not cover the seed. Water but not too much as the young seedling will rot very easily if they are kept too wet. They are slow-growing and will take a few years before flowering but vast numbers can be propagated easily in this manner.

Cut flowers

Scadoxus puniceus makes a good very long lasting cut flower. If the water is changed regularly and if the flower is artificially pollinated it will set bright shiny green seeds which will in time ripen to a brilliant red in the vase. The flowers will also last a long time completely without water in a vase.

Landscaping

A magnificent very much overlooked plant in South African landscapes and interior plantscapes

Scadoxus puniceus is an excellent bedding plant with a net and tidy growth habit to brighten those shady, dull, dry areas under trees where nothing wants to grow with their brilliant lush green colour and spectacular flowers popping up through the mulch and fallen leaves in the middle of winter. No garden be it planted to exotics, a mixture of exotic or purely indigenous plants should be without this spectacular plant.

Like the other South African Scadoxus species it makes an excellent easy to care for pot plant.

Michael Hickman
Ecosystems Manager

Landscape Design Specialist

http://www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

20.10.14