Alexander Pollock’s Post

#FridayFlora - Today, we feature the geranium collection at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Hardy geraniums occur naturally in every country of the world, excluding Antarctica. Perennial forms, which make up the bulk of the genus, have a lengthy flowering season evident here from May to October. There are species adapted to sun, shade, and various soil conditions. Hardy geraniums usually clump plants, but their trailing stems make excellent groundcovers. A handful of them acquire colorful fall foliage, too. They are favored Midwest landscape plants with multiple attributes. The Garden has the largest number of Geranium taxa in the United States and acquires more yearly. The collection started in 2007 and comprised 160 identified/known taxa (including 118 cultivars). #GoPublicGardens #PublicGarden #PublicGardens #supportlocalgardens #communitygardens #FridayFlora #FloraFriday #Flora #geraniums #ChicagoBotanicGarden

A World Heritage Site full of wild Agaves The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, located in south-central Mexico, between the states of Oaxaca and Puebla, covers an area of 145,255 hectares. This region stands out for its remarkable biological, geological, cultural and historical diversity, which is why it was recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on 2 July 2018. Considered the arid or semi-arid zone with the greatest biodiversity in the Americas, the Valley is a key area for the diversification and speciation of plants, especially cacti. With around 3,000 vascular plants, 10% of which are endemic. The genus Agave stands out in its ethno-floristic richness due to its specific diversity and the various resources it provides to the local population. In the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, various uses of the Agave have been recorded, such as the production of mezcal from species such as A. angustifolia Haw., A. karwinskii, A. marmorata, A. potatorum, and A. salmiana. It is also used for the construction of roofs, fences and enclosures by arranging the flower spikes of species such as A. kerchovei, A. marmorata, A. potatorum, A. salmiana, A. scaposa and A. triangularis. It is also used for medicinal purposes, such as the use of the leaves of A. marmorata and A. scaposa for compresses, and fibre is obtained from the leaves of A. kerchovei. It is also used in religious celebrations using the scape of A. marmorata and as food from the flower buds of A. kerchovei, A. marmorata, A. potatorum, A. salmiana, A. scaposa and A. triangularis. It is important to note that most of these uses are carried out in situ and have no economic relevance, except in the last 5 years with regard to harvesting for mezcal production.

Dramatic research on the ecosystem effects of restoring these herbivore reptiles shows that rewilding even 2-3 giant tortoises per hectare can play a critical role in shaping plant communities - and all other species within them - by shifting landscapes from forests to the savannah-like grasslands they once were.

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 ‘𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 ‘ “ Curcuma hybrid ‘Sulee Sunshine ‘ is the second of the Sulee Series of Curcuma hybrids to be released by Annop Onsakul.  While is seems to be impossible to make an ugly hybrid from Curcuma aurantiaca x Curcuma petiolata , getting a narrow and more C. petiolata form does seem difficult.  ‘Sulee Sunshine’ has the more narrow and defined look of Curcuma petiolata, but in colors that don’t exist in that species!  The individual bracts are more open and a beautiful red.  And the top of the bloom is a clear and bright pink top.  A very elegant hybrid indeed. Grows to 2 feet in medium sun.  Hardy in Zone 8 and above. “ gingerwoodnursery .com “ Curcuma is a genus of plants in the family Zingiberaceae that contains such species as turmeric and Siam tulip. They are native to Southeast Asia, southern China, the Indian Subcontinent, New Guinea and northern Australia. Some species are reportedly naturalized in other warm parts of the world such as tropical Africa, Central America, Florida, and various islands of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Generally, most curcuma grows well in loose and sandy soil in shaded areas. “ wiki 📷 Curcuma hybrid ‘Sulee Sunshine’ Michael Ruth 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗶 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂! ⍗ https://lnkd.in/guYFaFha #tropicaltuesday #tropicaltuesdays #Curcumaaurantiaca #Curcumapetiolata #suleesunshine #suleerainbow #bicolorwonder #curcumabicolorwonder #curcuma #tumeric #rainbowplant #ginger #floweroftheday #vibrant #hybridplants #tropical #showyblooms #plantoftheday #plantid #plantapp #plantsnap

𝗟𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀 ( 𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗶 ) 📷 @florapalaestina ( ig ) “ Iris lortetii (also known as Lortet’s iris or in Israel as the Samarian iris) is a species in the genus Iris. It has straight grey-green leaves, a 30–50 cm tall stem, and large showy flowers in late spring or mid-summer that come in shades of pink, from white, lilac, pale lavender and grey-purple. It is veined and dotted pink or maroon. It has a signal patch that is deep maroon and a sparse and brown, purple-brown or reddish beard. Iris lortetii has been called perhaps the most beautiful Iris in the world. It grows on well drained, stony terra rossa, or rocky limestone slopes, with open shrubland and sometimes in rock crevices on limestone cliffs. It can also grow in pine forests, or Mediterranean woodlands and shrubland. As the iris is protected by the nature conservation laws in Israel, several conservation measures have been proposed to ensure the survival of the remaining populations; these include establishment of an iris reserve and active pollination and reseeding. “ wiki 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗶 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂! ⍗ https://dl.plantsnap.com ⍗ #Irislortetii #Lortetsiris #Israel #Samarianiris #iris #irisflowers #irises #irisflower #irissociety #dailyblooms #floweroftheday #colorfulflowers #springflowers #springgarden #bulbflowers #plantsnap