Michelia figo
Posted by Phytopath on Oct 29, 2010
Michelia figo is known in Australia as Port Wine Magnolia and in the Northern Hemisphere as Banana shrub.
Wow, such a small flower that really ‘packs a punch.’
I am lucky enough to have two of these wonderful shrubs and each spring I am alerted to the fact that they are in flower, not by looking, but by the beautiful aroma as I step outside in to the garden.
It is a wondrous experience that almost parallels the double choc fudge brownie with double cream and caramel sauce that I had for lunch today.
The plant is in the Magnolia family, correctly known as Magnoliaceae and has had a couple of botanical names.
Synonyms for Michelia figo are Magnolia fuscata (found in old text books) and Michelia fuscata.
The plant was named after a 17th century botanist called Pietro Antonio Micheli.
I am unsure why it was named after him or if the divine aroma of the flowers had any significance. If any readers or botanists out there know, please share.
The genus Michelia consists of around fifty tropical and sub-tropical, evergreen flowering trees and shrubs. They are closely related to Magnolia and are native to Asia.
So you can guess from their place of origin that they prefer a warm temperate to sub-tropical climate and a fairly sheltered position, although they are reasonably cold tolerant.
Most books tell you that they prefer plenty of sun but I have found the extremely harsh, hot dry summers here in Australia are just too hot for them. My plants receive morning sun and afternoon shade and are located in a north facing position for winter warmth (south facing if you are in the Northern Hemisphere).
Keep the plants well watered during spring and summer and try not to relocate them after their initial planting. They don’t particularly like being moved.
Michelia figo is a compact shrub, (especially if it is pruned lightly after flowering), that is slow growing, reaching 3 to 5 metres (10 to 16 feet) depending on climate, soil etc.
The best planting time is spring but if that is not possible, the next best time to plant is when it suits you, or leave it in a pot. They do well in containers.
The soil should be moderately rich and have good drainage. Fertilize well and cover the soil with a generous amount of leaf litter.
If you would like a plant but don’t yet have one, but your neighbour does, propagation is by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings during summer and autumn.
All Michelias bear their flowers in the leaf axils. They are small and appear in spring, are heavily scented and appear to be a different colour depending on where they are grown.
In the Northern Hemisphere the flowers are described as cream with purple streaks and an aroma like bananas, hence the common name.
In the Southern Hemisphere the outside flower petals are the colour of a rich port wine (hence the common name here) and apparently smell like port.
I believe we each interpret smells differently and to my nose, the flowers smell like bubble gum – sweet and fruity.
The essential oil of Michelia champaca, a close relative of the Port Wine Magnolia, is used in perfumery. Perhaps the essential oil of Michelia figo is not used because the wearer wouldn’t know whether to dab it on or lick if off.
Gardening can be Dangerous
Posted by Phytopath on Oct 22, 2010
I was prompted to write today’s blog post after a visit yesterday by a brown snake taking a drink from my fish pond.
I regularly enjoy gardening activities, especially weeding because you don’t have to think too much and can just day dream while enjoying the warmth of the sun.
Complacency can be a threat to your health and well being in this great country.
Australia has a mighty impressive list when it comes to venomous snakes.
A great website (www.deadlyaustralians.com.au) lists information on Australia’s not so friendly fauna.
According to the website, of the World’s most venomous snakes, Australia has 20 of the top 22 in order of lethal potency, and number one to number eleven are Australian. That means that Australia has the top eleven deadliest snakes in the world.
From this list of 22 deadly snakes, four have been seen on my property and I still, pull knee- high weeds without wearing gardening gloves. (I think I’ve been in the sun too long).
The common brown snake (pictured here in my pond) is the World’s second most venomous snake. It grows to around 1.5 metres (5 foot something) long but some have been seen to grow up to 2.3 metres long (seven foot something).
They are usually found in dry areas and feed on mice, rats, frogs, small birds, lizards and other snakes. They lay up to 35 eggs which incubate for six to eight weeks.
Shortly after they hatch my cats seem to find them and bring them to the house to play with before eating (see photo). I always have to remember to keep the door closed to the house during summer or the cats would bring them inside.
Two of my cats have been bitten by brown snakes over the years. The first cat cost me around $500AUD at the vet for the anti-venom and an overnight stay (about four or five years ago). The second cat managed to survive the bite by lying very still for three consecutive days without eating or drinking (moving around too much pumps the venom through the system quicker).
Some cats are able to overcome the effects of the snake bite, if they have a lot of fur and the snake does not get a good strike, but most dogs are just too stupid, and they keep running around to pump that venom through their veins.
Another snake found on my property is the Tiger snake, the Word’s 4th most venomous snake. These snakes are frequently found near water and average about one metre (3 feet) in length.
Tiger snakes can be territorial, so if you see one, expect that they will probably hang around for a while. They are also nocturnal during warm weather (late spring, all of summer and early autumn), so no walking barefoot in the garden on a moonlit night. Oh – they are also aggressive and will attack if they are disturbed (must all be females, haha).
I recall a time when my girls were younger; having to calm them down after a tiger snake chased them when they were catching yabbies in the creek at the back of our house.
They feed on frogs, fish, small birds, rats, mice, lizards and other small animals. Their litter can be up to 60 young but more commonly around 35.
A visitor to my front door last summer was a red-bellied black snake. They are not as venomous as the snakes already listed, but still, I wouldn’t like to be bitten; the bite can be fatal if untreated.
As the name suggests, they have a red under belly and are shiny black on top (quite pretty really). Normally found near a source of water, they grow to around 1.5 m or 2.0 metres long (just over 6 feet).
They are not aggressive but will strike if they feel threatened. You can find them under timber and rubbish or down a rabbit hole (not that I am looking for them) and their preferred food is frogs, but they will also eat lizards, small mammals and other red-bellied black snakes (charming).
The introduction of the cane toad into Australia caused a decline in the number of red-bellied black snakes because the poison in the frogs was enough to kill the snake. Over time the snakes have become aware of this and now have altered their diet from frogs to rodents.
I read recently that Australia has 130 land-dwelling snakes, 70 of these are venomous and 25 of the 70 can cause death to humans. They don’t tell you that in the promotional material aimed at overseas visitors coming to Australia.
Anyway, I was going to talk about deadly spiders in the garden as well, but this blog post is becoming a bit lengthy, so I will mention them next post.
Happy gardening.
Growing Herbs, for the Home Gardener
Posted by Phytopath on Oct 14, 2010
An herb is any plant used whole or in part as an ingredient for health, flavour or fragrance. Herbs can be used to make teas; add flavour to cooked foods such as meats, vegetables, sauces, and soups; or to add flavour to vinegars, butters, dips, or mustards. Many herbs are grown for their fragrance and are used in potpourris, sachets, and nosegays; or to scent bath water, candles, oils or perfumes. More than 25% of our modern drugs contain plant extracts as active ingredients, and researchers continue to isolate valuable new medicines from plants and confirm the benefits of those used in traditional folk medicine.
Herbs as a group are relatively easy to grow. Begin your herb garden with the herbs you enjoy using the most. For example, choose basil, oregano, and fennel for Italian cooking; lavender and lemon verbena for making potpourri; or chamomile and peppermint if you plan to make your own teas.
The optimum growing conditions vary with each individual herb species. Some herbs such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, bay, marjoram, dill and oregano are native to the Mediterranean region. These herbs grow best in soils with good drainage, bright sun and moderate temperatures.
Plan your herb garden by grouping herbs according to water, light and soil requirements. Most herbs enjoy full sun, but a few tolerate shade. Herbs can be classified as either annual, biennial, or perennial. Be aware of the growth habits of the plants before you purchase them. Some herbs, such as borage, anise, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill and fennel, should be sown in situ, because they grow easily from seed or do not transplant well. Other herbs, such as mints, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon, should be purchased as plants and transplanted or propagated by cuttings to ensure production of the desired plant (do not come true from seeds).
Culinary Herbs
For fish bay, chervil, dill, fennel, lovage, parsley
For meat bay, basil, caraway, chervil, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme.
For salads bistort, chives, fennel, hyssop, lovage, orach, purslane, summer savory, salad burnet, sorrel, sweet cicely
For egg dishes basil, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, fennel, summer savory, sorrel, tarragon, lemon thyme
For vegetables basil, bay, borage, chervil, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, summer savory, tarragon, thyme
Fines herbes chervil, chives, parsley, tarragon
Bouquet garni bay, marjoram, parsley, thyme,
Herbs for Pot-pourri
Alecost, bergamot, sweet flag, lavender, apothecary’s rose, rosemary, sage, southernwood, lemon verbena
Herbs with Fragrant Leaves
Alecost, angelica, bergamot, catmint, chamomile, clary sage, coriander, curry plant, geranium (scented), hyssop, lavender, lavender cotton, lemon balm, lemon verbena, marjoram, mint, myrtle, rosemary, sage, savory, southernwood, sweet cicely, thyme, wormwood.
Shady Gardens
Posted by Phytopath on Oct 6, 2010
Is shade a problem in your garden?
And exactly what type of shade do you have?
When we talk about shade plants or shady gardens we need to be a little more specific if we are seeking advice.
The type of shade you have will influence the choice of plant to grow in that position.
The garden could be in dappled shade, part shade, full shade, wet shade, dry shade or seasonal shade. Let’s look at each one.
Dappled shade is normally found under large trees with an open or sparse canopy. The leaves block out some of the sunlight but not all of it and as the sun moves through the sky, the shade moves across the ground so that any one plant is not in the shade permanently
Part shade is a place in the garden that receives at least four hours of sunlight everyday but is also in the shade for part of the day.
This could possibly be an east facing direction or a west facing direction. That is, the plant receives either morning or afternoon sun and morning or afternoon shade. This can also happen on a southerly aspect (southern hemisphere) where the garden bed may be in the shade for most of the day but receives late afternoon sun (in summer) depending on your latitude.
Full shade is an area in the garden that does not receive any direct sunlight at all.
This can occur on the southern side of a building (southern hemisphere) between two houses or buildings. Full shade can also occur under the canopy of very dense evergreen trees.
Wet shade as the name suggests, is usually found in areas of full shade which also have heavy clay soil with poor drainage. The soil tends to stay wet, even waterlogged at times because there is little evaporation from the sun. These areas are certainly a challenge for the gardener but there are plants available that will grow in this environment.
Dry shade is extremely challenging when it comes to gardening. These areas often occur under trees with a dense canopy. The foliage blocks out light, dew and rain to the area below it.
Understory plants grown in this environment have to compete for light, water, nutrients and competition from tree roots.
In some situations it is best not to plant in these areas but to lay down some gravel, pavers or plants in pots.
Seasonal shade is often found under deciduous trees, or as mentioned earlier, on the southern side of a house (southern hemisphere) during summer.
Deciduous trees can be used to great advantage, providing winter warmth and summer shade to areas in the garden.
So how can you tell if a plant will grow in the shade?
Most shade loving plants do not have the same appearance as sun lovers do. Sun loving plants often have thick or small leaves, or a waxy or hairy coating.
Their vampire-like shade loving cousins frequently have large leaves that are also thin.
These leaves need to be energy efficient because of the low light levels (intensity and also duration) so some shade loving plants produce leaves that appear purple or reddish.
The purple/red leaves contain chemicals (anthocyanins) that perform the function of back-scattering light, which makes them absorb energy (through light) more efficiently.
Many shade tolerant plants originate from rainforests. The canopy in a rainforest can be very dense and plants found growing on the forest floor have adapted to low light levels.
If your garden has a micro-climate similar to a tropical or sub tropical rainforest, look at plants that naturally grow in those regions (assuming you also have the required amount of water they need).
If you live in an area where the climate is cooler, take a look at the plants that naturally grow in a cool temperate forest.
To create a shady garden, start planting trees NOW.
Many of the shade loving plants also like lots of water and high humidity, so keep the soil well mulched to retain moisture and plant densely to create a humid environment. Perhaps you could also install a fish pond or water feature to help to increase humidity levels.
Here is a short list of some plants that will grow in the shade. But remember to cross reference with soil pH, temperature and drainage.
Cycas revoluta (sago palm)
Nandina domestica (sacred bamboo)
Nephrolepis cordifolia (fishbone fern)
Cordyline spp.
Liriope muscari (liriope)
Platycerium superbum (staghorn)
Dicksonia antarctica (tree fern)
Clivea miniata (clivia)
Camellia spp.
Agapanthus sp.
Monstera deliciosa (fruit salad plant)
Philodendron sp.
Strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise)
Ajuga reptans (bugle)
Brachyscome multifida (cut-leaf daisy)
Bergenia cordifolia (bergenia)
Lomandra longifolia (mat rush)
Hibbertia obtusifolia (Guinea flower)
Dianella tasmanica (flax lily) can be very aggressive
Correa alba (white correa) makes a nice cup of tea
Acanthus mollis (oyster plant) can be weedy
Viola hederacea (native violet) oh cute
Ophiopogon japonicus (mondo grass)
Hedera sp. (ivy)
Lonicera sp. (honeysuckle)
Viburnum tinus (laurustinus)
Assorted Bromeliads
Of course there are many more, but I have to stop somewhere.
