Native to Western Australia, Eucalyptus has, not only eye-catching flowers, but also very interesting leaves. The foliage manages to reach almost the same degree of beauty as the flowers, transforming Eucalyptus into an inestimable treasure of nature.

      The leaves have an ovate- elliptical shape and a pale silvery- gray color that comes in perfect contrast with the astonishing red flowers, a contrast that also manages to underline their beauty.

      The flowers, having a diameter of 100 mm can have colors such as bright red or even pink-red. The blooming period begins in early spring and the last flowers may be seen in mid summer. Besides the flowers, that can definitely not pass unnoticed, there is another important detail represented by the impressive dimensions of the leaves.

      Eucalyptus macrocarpa has as growing environments those with dry soil and even if it can also grow in tropical areas, that climate is not recommended.

      Regarding the use of Eucalyptus in medicine, the plant was discovered in ancient times and used with the purpose of healing fever. Nowadays, Eucalyptus is used as ingredient in various drugs and it is widely known for its benefic action in treating diseases such as: bronchitis or rheumatism. Other problems in which the use of Eucalyptus is recommended are: minor aches, pains of muscles or nasal congestion.

      Even though Eucalyptus is recommended, there also are cases in which the poor amount of information offered by the manufacturers of herbs can lead to poisonings generated by overdoses.

      These unfortunate cases come as a result of unprofessional behavior and are most definitely life- threatening. Some of the symptoms are: drop of blood pressure, circulation problems, collapse and asphyxiation. In case you recognize these symptoms, do not hesitate to seek medical help immediately.

Eucalyptus macrocarpa Pictures Gallery

      Known to be a dwarf evergreen, the Winter Heath flower spreads itself over a 3 feet width and can reach up to 1 feet in height. The plant doesn’t require a difficult nurturing process, as it has been documented it can last up to 45 years without any special attention. Used with the harsh conditions, the Winter Heath adapts itself easily to any type of soil and to the lowest temperatures. Even if the temperature outside is measured at zero degrees Celsius; the flowers produced by the Winter Heath don’t frost or die out from the cold. Very resistant indeed, the Winter Heath can bloom starting with the winter season and also in the spring.

      Cultivators can recognize a mature Winter Heath plant by the size of its extension to the ground; if it’s spread on more than 2 feet on the ground then it means the flower has reached its maturity, if not, the flower tends to have a more erect appearance, its extension measuring less than 1 feet. The Winter Heath is easily recognizable through its full and abundant foliage of green leaves that give the impression of lance. The flowers are impressive and numerous and they usually occur on red, white or lilac. Because they are so numerous, the flowers can give the impression of being a sole one, like a bouquet.

      Cultivated worldwide as a garden-ornamental flower, the Winter Heath is not very pretentious as it can survive low temperatures and can make of any garden a vegetal paradise. Some conditions are yet to be respected if you want to grow a healthy Winter Heath flower. Some of these conditions are: a large space to give room for the plant to expand its foliage, sunlight to help it feed properly and last but not least, an unfertilized soil. Remember that this flower is renowned for its resistance and ability to reach maturity even if the best conditions are not provided.

      The story has it that this flower was brought to England by a woman who started cultivating this plant she found on the fields of the Italian Alps back in the 1920.What started as a floral experiment made by a Scotland woman has developed later into becoming today’s most cultivated heath. Most people preoccupied in gardening have at least one Winter Heath flower in their gardens, and also the plant is known to be used at decorating residential area, replacing the dull green hedge with the beautiful dense foliage and the bell-shaped colorful flowers of this evergreen.

      Due to its ability to bloom even in the wintertime, the Winter Heath flower has become very popular amongst cultivators, as they have find a way to preserve their gardens even in the harshest of conditions. The gardens during wintertime may seem a bit depressing and gray, but this flower somehow manages to bring life and color to your garden and also, to bring vegetation to your home. Amongst some popular cultivars we could mention the Ann Sparks Winter Heath or the Aurea Winter Heath, both of them approaching unique and attractive colors.

Winter Heath Pictures Gallery

      Native from Europe and Asia, Crocus is perfect for cultivating it in pots. The flowers have the shape of a cup with sharp or rounded petals and colors like red, white, bicoloured or with dots and striations. Depending on the specie, they can either bloom in spring or in fall.

      The cultivation process when talking about pots has strict rules regarding the pot combination. This should be a mixture between fertile soil, rotted leaves and sand and the bulbs have to be planted at a depth of 8 centimeters. The perfect period in which they should be planted is the beginning of fall or the beginning of august, depending on the blooming period. Regarding the propagation process, in the case of Crocus, the only way of doing it is by transplanting the small bulbs growing at the base of the main bulbs.

      The fact that the flower begins to bloom at the beginning of spring is perfectly explained by the waxy cuticle that protects the flower from frost. Other species related to Crocus are: Crocus chrysanthus, an ideal pot flower, Crocus flavus, Crocus sieberi, Crocus speciosus and Crocus tommasinianus.

      Autum Crocus, a species belonging to the Crocus genus, can become very dangerous if eaten. It contains a chemical known as colchicines that becomes even more dangerous if the leaves are previously boiled.

      Some of the symptoms that suggest a case of poisoning with Autum Crocus are: nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, increased blood pressure, respiratory failure, temporary hair loss and hemoglobinuria. The treatment should be prescribed and taken under the close supervision of a professional.

      Crocus is, as any other plant, sensitive to diseases or pests that can either harm or kill the plant. Some of these diseases and pests are: algae or slime, alphids, black sooty mould, fungal leaf spot, grey mould, rust, powdery mildew, cushion scale, caterpillars, coral spot, vine weevils and whitefly.

Crocus Pictures Gallery

      Inspired by the shape of the flower, in 1735, Carolus Linnaeus has symbolically named it Protea, after the Greek god Proteus known for the infinite amount of forms he could take.

      For those interested in planting Protea, one important aspect is the period in which the planting process should be done. As the plant is very sensitive to high differences of temperature between night and day, the perfect time for planting it is in spring or fall. Pay attention also to the seeds, as the plant needs a slightly acidic soil mixture.

      Protea is also sensitive to fungal infections and, in order to avoid losing your plant use fungicide solutions, not only for the seeds but also in the case of the plant that already reached maturity.

      The watering process should be carefully done, in order to avoid fungal infections. Besides the perfect time to do this, that is most definitely not in the evening, as this can generate even more chances of killing it, avoid also alkaline or salty water.

      The Protea genus gathers more than 92 species, subspecies and varieties such as: Protea compacta, Protea cynaroides, Protea magnifica, Protea nerifolia, Protea obtusifolia, Protea repend and various hybrids.

      Protea cynaroides also named by Linnaeus, was given this name because of the great resemblance between its bud and the artichoke vegetable.

      Protea is very popular among flowers used in dry flower arrangements, especially in wedding arrangements. The diversified genus gathering 92 species offers the possibility of creating astonishing, eye-catching bouquets.

      Even though all the existing species belonging to the genus are eye-catching and unique in terms of aspect, the most popular one when it comes to commercialization is Protea cynaroides.

Protea Pictures Gallery

      As a timber tree, Chestnut Oak is not really popular. In case the growing conditions are convenient, the tree becomes straighter and will not be branched as low as the ones receiving no attention. As a result, the tree becomes useful as a timber tree, offering a strong, resistant wood.

      The Chestnut Oak has 12 to 20 centimeters lobed leaves similar to those of Swamp Chestnut Oak or Chinkapin Oak. The difference between the three species is made by the bark color that in the case of the Chestnut Oak has a dark gray-brown color.

      The leaves have a yellow green or bronze color that changes, if it reaches maturity, to dark yellow green. In fall, the leaves turn to a more pale yellow that is to be transformed into a yellow brown.

      The bark passes through some stages until reaching maturity and the color is to underline this stages. At first, the bark of the Chestnut Oak has a bronze green color that changes into reddish brown and finally turns into a dark gray or brown hue. The wood has a dark brown color and it is characterized as being strong and durable.

      Chestnut Oak produces flowers and acorns. The flowers appear in May and have a pale yellow color and the acorns are: produced annually, have a reddish brown color and appear single or in pairs. The acorns are used as food by many wildlife species, such as: deer, turkeys, squirrels, chipmunks and mice and do not appear until the tree is around 20 years old.

Chestnut Oak Pictures Gallery

      This colorful endangered species has fragile features consisting of: a height of maximum 40 centimeters, hairy leaves that don’t go beyond eight centimeters and that have a light green color, and flowers that look like little discs made of gold.

      The reason because of which this species is considered endangered starting 1996, is the habitat destruction and conserving the few already existing habitats is the only way of making sure that the so many species that are in danger because of this unpleasant phenomenon, will continue to exist.

      In the first place, the Contra Costa Goldfields had as growing environments, the vernal pools of Alameda, Napa and Solano, Contra Costa and Mendocino. Nowadays, the list is compound of Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Solano counties. As you may see, even though there are new places where Contra Costa Goldfields has began to occur, Mendocino in no longer on the list of countries hosting Contra Costa Goldfields.

      The plant usually grows around the edges and, in late spring, they look like immense golden carpets. For a better growth, the vernal pools must be dry and in case they are inundated by rain, the plant enters a period of dormancy.

      In the case of Contra Costa Goldfields, the process of fertilization is made by insect pollination and the propagation is mainly based on gravity.

      Plants are important from so many reasons. Even though we talk about the importance some of them have as medicinal cures or just the aesthetic values, everybody should fight against habitat destruction. By not giving our interest in saving these plants we just harm ourselves, as most of them are found as ingredients in several important drugs used in curing cancer, juvenile leukemia, heart diseases or even malaria.

Contra Costa Goldfields Pictures Gallery

      Banksia robur is a plant able to reach a height of 2.5 meters and sometimes even more. As expected, the leaves are also impressively large and the flower consists of an astonashing spike that has as color, a mixture between red and brown, and pink if referring to the bud. From a certain point of view, the flowers also have a human aspect and that is the color of the flower that before fading, changes to grey.

      One spectacular thing about Banksia robur that can also become bothering is the caramel fragrance that, for some people, can be too strong and intense. The flower starts to bloom in January and does it until July.

      Regarding the cultivation process, Banksia robur prefers moist soil and usually occurs in environments that can offer it a sandy soil and big sun exposure. If planted in well-drained areas, the watering process should be given a lot of attention in order to avoid diseases. Even though Banksia robur prefers moist soils, it is good to know that there are also many species of Banksia that prefer well-drained areas.

      The propagation process is usually made by seeds but it can also be made by cuttings. In the case in which you choose to propagate it by seeds, a period of 3 years is needed until the firt bloom. Even though the most common period for them to bloom is from January to July, Banksia robur can bloom at any time of year.

      Being a plant used to living in open areas and especially pools, Banksia robur does not need special attention if planted in gardens. It can be your wild detail in the garden or it can just impress by its large size and beautiful colors.

Banksia robur Pictures Gallery

      The fertilization process differs depending on the season. Adequate for winter is a rich dose of humus that should be added to the soil and in the case of spring, potassium and nitrogen should definitely not lack from the irrigating water. This process should be repeated once every 25 days.

      The watering process is not very complicated, as the plant needs it once every 3 weeks and the soil should be given some time to dry before repeating the process. Too much water will kill the plant, as it can provoke root rot. It is recommended to stop watering the plant during winter and fertilizers should not be used either.

      Regarding the growing environment, Plectranthus verticillatus is not a very big fan of low temperatures. Therefore, in order to avoid frost, protect the stem by surrounding it with dry leaves and if you want to move them outside, do it after the temperatures start to reach 15 Celsius degrees.

      Plectranthus verticillatus are evergreen plants and that means that the leaves are green all year long. Just as Poppy, Plectranthus verticillatus is perfect for gardens because it manages to give the garden a vivid air even in late winter when most species have no leaves.

      Evergreen plants usually bloom almost all season long and Plectranthus verticillatus makes no exception. This beautiful garden plant has mauve, rose or even white flowers, colors that best shine in spring or late fall.

      The propagation process is, in the case of Plectranthus verticillatus made by division or by stem cuttings.

Plectranthus verticillatus 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

       The Hawthorn genus belongs to the Rosaceae family and it is specific to temperate climates. This plant can reach up to 15 meters when having reached maturity and it usually blooms in early spring, or in the month of May. The small shrub produces small white flowers with uncomplicated structure comprised of 5 petals, similar to those of the Apple Blossom. The Hawthorn plants usually have rigid branches which tend to spread over a considerable length and they are known to produce fruit, often called pomes, or haws.

      Given the fact that the Hawthorn can reach up certain dimensions, it’s very common for animals or birds to search for shelter in it against bad weather. Also, the Hawthorn can provide not only shelter, but also food for the animals, as the fruit produced by this small tree are edible. Also, the plant provides nutrition for bees and all sorts of insects through its beautiful white flowers which appear in early spring.

      The taxonomy of this genus is yet to be established, as botanists admit the fact that the Hawthorn bears under its classification numerous species, but also that some of the species included under this genus are misplaced. Nowadays, botanists have reached a consensus into considering almost 200 species as part of the Hawthorn genus.

      The Hawthorn has become a very popular plant due to its amazing qualities as substituting for hedges and ornamental plants. Gardeners have recurred to planting this genus especially to give the idea of abundance in their gardens, or to use it as bordering plant in residential area, national parks or other special venues.

      The decorative purpose is not the sole purpose of the Hawthorn, as the plant is known to have medicinal properties. The Hawthorn is used in the treatment of cardiac insufficiency through the substances extracted from its succulent leaves and from its flowers. Other affections of the body include high blood pressure, cholesterol or heart diseases, all illnesses proved to alleviate their gravity by administrating Hawthorn-based treatments.

      Another important significance of the Hawthorn is the folkloric one, where the Hawthorn either marks the month of May in England, or in Gaelic culture it marks the entrance to the otherworld. This strong symbolism surrounding the Hawthorn plant can only contribute to its notoriety, as the flower has become more and more cultivated and hybridized, not to mention is amazing international commercial distribution in florists.

Hawthorn – Crateagus Flower Pictures Gallery