Camellia is a perfect garden plant because it can easily get used to shade and soil that lacks limestone, if it is enriched with a compost of shrunken leaves. Its flowers come in colors such as red, pink white, simple or semi-double and have a number of 5 petals and yellow stamens in the middle.

      The most popular specie is the Camellia japonica, a plant that offers a numerous amount of choices in terms of color. This specie has around 2000 varieties that are very much appreciated in Japan because of the early flowering that starts at the end of winter.

      The propagation process can be done by cutting, layering or by division and, the plant, sensitive when talking about cultivation, needs a precise pot mixture in order to germinate. That is: four parts humus without calcium, two parts manure and one part sand. The perfect time for planting Camellias is the end of summer and from June till the end of August it can be used a fertilizer added in the water, once every three weeks.

      During flowering the watering process should be moderated and as soon as the flowers wither, should be removed.

      Camellias are really important plants, if seen from a commercial point of view, as the leaves of the plant are used in producing tea. Some of the species, and those are: Camellia sinensis and Camellia oleifera are used in producing tea oil. This oil has a sweet taste and it has culinary uses.

      Camellia can be sensitive to fungal diseases such as leaf blight, petal blight, dieback and canker, root rot or gal and to viral diseases such as the yellow mottle virus.

Camellia Pictures Gallery

      Lithops looks a lot like a living stone that has in its composition two leaves ready to detect and absorb any source of water existing in the atmosphere. This transformation of the leaves comes as a result of the natural habitat in which the plant grows and, as the rain is almost lacking, the water conservation is very important.

      The flowers produced by Lithops are similar in terms of aspect with the dandelions and have colors such as yellow or white depending on the species.

      Lithops is an ideal garden plant. Even though the growing process demands favorable conditions and the plant grows relatively slow, by combining the different existing species of Lithops, your garden will most definitely have an original, diversified look given by the varied palette of colors available in the case of leaves.

      If you consider growing Lithops as an interior plant, you should take great attention in the quantities of water that you administrate. The watering process is very important and has a lot to do with the long period that it needs in order to grow. If not paying attention to the watering process, Lithops will need years to reach maturity and the excess will most definitely kill the plant. Pay attention also at the periods of watering as it is forbidden to do this at the beginning of October or during winter and spring.

      When talking about planting Lithops it can be used any type of compost mixed with a bit of sand and, regarding fertilization, the process shouldn’t be repeated too often, as Lithops is a plant that needs a small quantity of nutrients.

      The flowering process depends on the quantity of light the plant receives during spring and summer but it is also important to know that too much sun will actually burn the plant.

Lithops Pictures Gallery

       The leaves, usually measuring 2 inches, are sustained by an erect or ascending stem, are lanceolate and the stalks are 1/5 to 4/5 inch long. One of the main characteristics of the leaves is the hair that makes them seem as made of red velvet.

      Salvia reflexa has, not only a beautiful smell, but also beautiful pale mauve flowers, 12 mm long that are usually grouped in pairs. If trying to describe the flower, you can say it looks like two lips, the lower lip being longer than the upper one. The blooming period of Salvia reflexa begins in October and ends in May.

      Salvia reflexa is widely known for its use in treating several external or internal diseases such as: bronchitis, asthma, indigestion, excessive sweating, diabetes, tumors or infected wounds. It is also used with the purpose of revigorating the organism after a stressful period or in order to keep the natural color of the hair and maintain its shine. In cases of sensitive skin or teeth that are not white and shiny, it is also recommended to use Salvia reflexa.

      Another important role of Salvia reflexa, known even from ancient times, is in maintaining young the memory as it has an antioxidant effect on brain cells. Because of this, Salvia reflexa is also used in treating Alzheimer.

       Some species of Salvia have been even banned in some places and America is one of them. Salvia divinorum, the only species having this effect on the human body, is not only considered a plant, but also a drug. If smoked, the most dangerous is the extract of leaves, as it can cause dramatic feelings such as fear or even captivity. Salvia divinorum has several ways of being administrated: by smoking, chewing or even drinking it by inhaling the hot vapors.

Salvia reflexa Pictures Gallery

      Stephanotis is a genus of garden plants very popular not only because of its delightful and strong fragrance but also because of its unusual waxy flowers shaped as stars. It is frequentely used in decorations or bridel bouquets and because of this many people know it as the flower of weddings.

      In the case of Stephanotis, the blooming period has two stages. The first blooming begins in January and lasts till May and the second one lasts from the beginning of summer till the beginning of autumn. Known as the most pleasant flower in the world in terms of fragrance, Stephanotis has flowers that can reach a diameter of 3 centimeters and that change their color from white to yellow after just a couple of days.

      Stephanotis is known to be related to one of the most popular wax plant and that is Hoya. Regarding the strong similarities between plants and in an atempt of explaining the name, Madagascar Jasmine, it is good to know that Stephanotis has a fragrance similar to that of Jasmine and that the plant is native to Madagascar.

      Stephanotis is not a very easy plant to grow. In order to maintain its health, the plant needs good light but does not stand total exposure to the sun as that might cause burnings to the leaves. The plant needs a temperature between 18 and 22 Celsius degrees and even though it can endure lower temperatures, they should never go under 8 Celsius degrees as cold is one of the most dangerous enemies.

      Regarding the watering process, it is strongly recommended not to exagerate as too much water may cause root rot and eventually death.

Stephanotis Pictures Gallery