Plumeria pudica “Bridal Bouquet”

Botanical name: Plumeria pudica “Bridal Bouquet”

Got one too! What a beautiful plant this got to be. Instant gratification once planted. The leaves are beautiful.

Rare evergreen variety, bushy hedge growing with unusual hammer head shaped leaves, flowers are white with a small yellow dot at the center, flowers are bunched like a bouquet.

If you are in the US and want one, I found one here.

Unusual Ceropegia

Another unusual beauty I am contemplating on growing - well, that if I can locate it. This might even be growing in my area. What a perfect little gift this would make!

Ceropegia ampliata - Bushman's Pipe

Ceropegia ampliata is from southern Africa; it’s called horny wonder or bushman’s pipe. Nearly leafless rambling stems produce 3-inch inflated balloon like flowers. The thick, twining, succulent stems make this plant well-suited to hanging basket culture or trellising. This plant needs at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day and can withstand a fair amount of drought.


There are several varieties it seems, one pictured below...


Ceropegia sandersonii - Parachute plant, Umbrella Plant

Umbrella plant is also from southern Africa and belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae, and so is it closely related to the milkweed varieties that are grown as butterfly plants in gardens throughout the United States. It likes full, but not hot, sun and the potting medium should be kept moderately moist during the growing period. It doesn’t like wet feet, so allow it to dry slightly between watering. It is extremely sensitive to Malathion.

New South Wales Waratah, Australia

Success! 3 of the 10 seeds I bought germinated and we now have 3 healthy seedlings. This is exiting! This got to be one of the most stunning cut flower there is. Lets see how well it does in Texas climate

It is a slender, erect shrub, to 3 metres tall and about 1.5 metres across. It has stiff, wedge-shaped and usually coarsely toothed, dark green, leathery leaves to 15 cm long. In cultivation they can grow to about twice the size.

The ‘flower’ is in fact a conflorescence that comprises, depending on the species, as many as 240 individual flowers. It flowers during spring, October to November. It is a bird-attracting plant, providing large quantities of nectar for a variety of honeyeaters.

SOIL:

These plants are most particular in their requirements as they are very subject to root rot.Grow in deep, sandy, extremely well drained soil, friable and of good texture, but not highly acid. A mulch of leaf mould or compost is beneficial and will keep roots cool in summer. If adding other soil to the site, always incorporate it into the existing soil, building a raised bed or mound.

CLIMATE:

Cold to semi-tropical. Moderately frost resistant.

ASPECT:

Adaptable to various situations. Suitable for either full sun or dappled shade.Waratahs flower better in full sun, but must be protected from strong, hot westerly winds.

WATER:

Water liberally during spring and early summer when new growth develops but once established it can withstand dry periods. Water during hot or dry spells. Never let the soil dry out completely.

FEEDING:

Responds well to application of light to moderate application of fowl manure, blood and bone, other organic or slow release general purpose fertiliser in spring to established plants only, followed by liberal watering.

PRUNING:
Prune back as soon as flowering has finished to ensure good flowering in the following season. Some pruning is achieved by cutting flowers. Pruning also overcomes the natural tendency of the shrub to develop a straggly shape.

PROPAGATION:

Seed or cuttings. Waratahs can be grown from cuttings but the more usual way is from seed. Fresh seed germinates in 2-3 weeks after sowing. Sow seeds in a coarse sandy mixture and transplant seedlings into individual pots of similar soil. Fresh seeds germinate readily but the seedlings are prone to fungal disease, ‘damping off’, which may be reduced by exposing the seedlings to full light. Some shading is necessary after transplanting. Water every few days until fully established, but avoid water-logging. Allowing seed to set is not recommended as it saps a lot of strength from the plant.


-(Update 3/30/2009 - 2 of the seedlings died, shriveled up without known reason- the remaining one is doing fine so far)
-(Update 4/03/2009 - The remaining seedlings died, shriveled up. The seedling does not like temperature change of any kind)

Texas Olive Tree

This weekend we're going to plant a Texas Olive tree. The 3 ft plant we bought last year on a nursery plant special, survived the winter stay in the garage and is now with 5 ft in height, ready to be put in the ground. This heavy bloomer is a Hummingbird magnet. One of my plant friends has seen as many as 5 hummingbirds at once and that is very exciting news :) Common name: Texas Olive, Wild Olive, Anacahuita, White Geiger Botanical name: Cordia boissieri Family: Boraginaceae (Forget-me-not family) Texas Olive is an evergreen tree, growing to 20 ft tall, native to North America. The tree spread to 10-15 ft. This small tree is very rare found and believed to be close to extinction. The silvery green leaves have a velvety texture and the showy, white flowers appear all year round, given enough watering is available. Otherwise, the flowers appear from late spring to summer. Flowers are 3 inch wide, trumpet shaped, with yellow throats. The olive-like, white fruits have a sweet flesh popular with birds and other wildlife and, although edible to man, should not be eaten in quantities.

Seeds are only available in the fall and require stratification.

This Lady has sometimes, seeds, plants or cuttings

 

 

Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia rebaudiana

This will be my first experience with stevia growing from seeds, but since I do have some experience in germinating tropical seeds...I am hopeful and optimistic!

Stevia is a herb used as a sweetener. Stevioside is 3 times sweeter than sugar but without the calories. It can be used in place of sugar in drinks, baked goods, desserts, preserves, also plaque retardant and tooth decay inhibitor. Stevia comes originally from Paraguay.

Plant Height: 24" tall
Sunlight: Partial Shade

Planting Instructions: Seeds are expensive and need light to germinate. Do not cover with seed starting material. Just sprinkle the seeds on top. Germination is slow and erratic. Use lightweight sterilized seed starting material as seeds are very tiny. Keep soil damp but not soggy or seeds may rot. Maintain heat at 77 degrees F or higher to speed up germination. Bottom heat may speed up germination. Must be brought indoors during winter.

Soil Facts: Requires a well prepared soil. Use general purpose fertilizer when preparing soil.
Germination: 12-18 days

Amongst several other websites, fresh seeds can be purchased here

WANTED: Daun Pandan - Bai Toey

Someone somewhere posted something about this plant and after some research I found out that this is an incredible herb used in asian deserts and other dishes and I decided to buy one to try it out. I prefer fresh over frozen or dried herbs or vegies.

Well, guess what, it's nowhere to be found and I am now on a mission to grow this or at least try. Other people must be wanting fresh leafes too!!!

Pandanus odorus. This species is often referred to as daun pandan and grows 1-2 metres tall with lush-green, smooth-edged, blade leaves to 50cm long. The main stem is supported by numerous aerial roots.The leaf is ubiquitious in Southeast Asian cooking, especially in desserts. Pandan is used in curries and meat dishes, wrapped around chicken and fried, used to perfume rice and to flavor cakes, ice creams and popsicles. Light green pandan cakes are a popular dessert in Malaysia and Indonesia, similar to a chiffon cake. Pandan leaves are also woven into baskets baskets, which can be used for serving food. Pandan is not readily available in the U.S., which is why it's rarely seen on menus, but can sometimes be found frozen in Asian markets.

Be so kind and give me a live plant source here in the US, if you have one. Thanks!!

Yum Yum Pomelo

Saturday my sister inlaw brought by 2 huge bags of pomelo. This was my first ever citru jam. (pictures of the procedure to follow).

The jam turned out pretty good, given that it was the first time for me to made a citrus jam. The seed removal was a bit of a pain, but otherwise it took the usual 4 hours like most of my jams, jellies or salsa.

Also called Chinese grapefruit, shaddock, pumelo, pommelo, and pompelmous. The pummelo is an exotic large citrus fruit that is an ancient ancestor of the common grapefruit. It is the largest of the citrus fruits with a shape that can be fairly round or slightly pointed at one end (the fruit ranges from nearly round to oblate or pear-shaped). They range from cantaloupe-size to as large as a 25-pound watermelon and have very thick, soft rind. The skin is green to yellow and slightly bumpy; flesh color ranges from pink to rose.
Like grapefruits, they can range from almost seedless to very seedy, from juicy to dry, from sweet to sour. It is sweeter than a grapefruit and can be eaten fresh, although membranes around the segments should be peeled. Pummelos commonly have 16 to 18 segments, compared to most grapefruit that have about 12 segments. Be sure to refrigerate and use quickly. Use as you would grapefruit sections. They are also good for jams, jellies, marmalades and syrups.
It is grown in many eastern countries including China, Japan, India, Fiji, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is also now grown in the Caribbean and in the United States, in California and Florida. In season November through March, Pummelos are especially popular for Chinese New Year. The Chinese believe the delectable Pummelo is a sign of prosperity and good fortune - good things will happen if they eat it.
One-fourth of a Pummelo (152 grams) has 60 calories and provides 130% of the Vitamin C recommended for the day. It is sodium, fat and cholesterol free and is a source of potassium.

Banana Flower

A lot of people do not know or have never seen a banana flower. I was pretty stunned too the first time I saw one. Come to find out that they are eatable too.

The deep purplish-crimson-coloured banana flower is used as a vegetable from Sri Lanka to Laos. The flower is borne at the end of the stem. Long, slender, sterile male flowers with a faint sweet fragrance are lined up in tidy rows and protected by large reddish bracts. Higher up the stem are groups of female flowers which develop into fruit without fertilisation.

In Thailand, slices of tender banana flower are eaten raw with the pungent dip known as nam prik, or with fried noodles, or simmered in a hot sour soup with chicken, galangal and coconut milk. In the Philippines, banana blossom is added to the famous kari-kari, a rich beef stew. 'Banana blossom' or 'banana heart' are the favoured names in the Philippines and 'banana heart' in Indonesia purely because its colour and shape suggest a heart; (nothing to do with the 'heart' of the trunk used in Burma). In Sri Lanka, it is simply 'plantain flower'. In Australia it is known as 'banana bell'.

Purchasing and storing: Buy flowers which look fresh and bright. Often they are wrapped in transparent plastic, which keeps them from drying out too quickly. If they must be kept for a few days leave them in the wrapping and store in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.

Preparation: To prepare the flower for cooking, remove and discard outer bracts until the inner, paler portion is revealed. Some recipes advise steaming the whole blossom for 20 minutes or so before cutting into it. This may also be done in the microwave oven in a much shorter time by first putting the blossom on a dish and covering it with microwave-proof plastic wrap. Allow to cool before slicing.

Your own personal Avocado plant.

Many, including myself, wondered if it's possible to grow your own avocado plant. Here is an easy growing instruction for the challenged avocado mind. You start by buying an avocado, nice and ripe....

· Clean the seed. Using 4 toothpicks, suspend it broad end down over a water-filled glass to cover about an inch of the seed.
· Place in a warm place out of direct sunlight and replenish water as needed. First roots and stem sprout should show in about two to six weeks.
· When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to about 4 inches.
· When the roots are thick and the stem has leafed out again, plant it in a rich compost soil in a 8 inch pot, leaving the seed half exposed.
· Give it a frequent watering with an occasional deep soak. The soil should be moist but not saturated. The yellowing of leaves are a sign of too much water; let the plant dry out for a few days.
· Now you can move the plant into the sun. The more sunlight, the better.
· If leaves turn brown and fry at the tips, too much salt has accumulated in the soil. Flush the soil, meaning, let water run freely into the pot and drain for several minutes.
· When the stem is 12 inches high, cut it back to 6 inches to encourage the growth of new shoots, or leave it as is and expect a more uniqe


Don't expect your houseplant to bear fruit. Although this does occur occasionally, it usually requires grafting. A plant grown from seed without any grafting help, will take anywhere from five to 13 years to flower and bear fruit.

Happy Stuffed Champignons!

I meant to say Happy New Years!!

My question for your opinion today is.. Is a mushroom just a fungus or is it a vegetable? (It's a heated debate with my husband)

On the new years celebration finger food menu for today are:
( I had to mention it while I am waiting for stuff to cook......)

• Port Wine cheese with Ritz crackers
• French bread round rolls (the frozen kind), freshly baked to a crisp, stuffed with delicious spinach dip
• Peppered pork tenderloin, thinly sliced (served cold)
• and the most awesome meltinyourmouth stuffed mushrooms (family recipe)

And here is the mouth watering recipe...

12 - 15 large chamignion mushrooms
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small onion chopped
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash ground cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.
3. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.


REP TIME 25 Min
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 45 Min

Yum

Trumpets, Trumpets, Trumpets

This is my new garden project for 2009 - To have Angel Trumpets of all sorts of colors, all over the garden. Specifically trained or pruned small trees. Even though I already have pink, white, salmon, yellow and a variegated, I am still looking for shades of yellow and white, maybe double or shredded. My most desired cultivar is the double orange "Herrenhauser Garten" brugs pictured below of which I hope to get my hands on. A shrub with 12 inch double ruffled trumpets dangling show stopper. Rated extremely rare and challenging to grow. Whats time and patience for, right?

Price for the pinks, whites, yellow Brugmansia plants are aprox $10 per plant or cutting, but depending on the breed can be as much as $35. I found this to be the least expensive source.

Frogs on a Pad

It's getting cold outside and I have been working on indoor goodies.

Since it's garden related I've decided to post my Frogs on a Pad knitting needles on this blog. Each pair created is totally custom made and one of a kind. Hardwood Birch sanded, waxed, sanded and waxed again. Sanding and refinishing nude furniture was my first self supporting job in the US, so these lessons stuck with me.

In the works are currently Ladybug, Turtle and of course Flower themes :)
Hey Son of Mineimasoanxioustoseeforchristmas, you get to help me!!
Hehe just maybe..

If you are interested in a pair, let me know...but there aren't very many....

Thai Greater Galangal

Greater galangal: a tropical herbaceous plant of the ginger family reaching to about 2m (6 1/2ft). The blade-like leaves are long and wide, 50 x 9cm (18 x 31/2in); the flowers are greenish white with a dark-red veined tip. The fruits are red berries. The rhizomes are beige, orange to brown and ringed at intervals by the yellowish remnants of atrophied leaf bases.

What a nice spice. It resembles ginger in appearance. However, it tastes little like ginger; in its raw form, it has a soapy, earthy aroma and a pine-like flavor with a faint hint of citrus. Fantastic in seafood or fish dishes.

We have a Papaya Fruit !

It's been a long time coming. My son Alex helped me nurse the seedlings 2 years ago from seeds and look what we discovered this fall. One large Papaya and several babies. All of the 4-6 ft trees are still blooming like crazy and it's almost December! This makes me very happy because all my tomato plants fried this summer and harvest was pitiful. We had to buy tomatoes for Salsa this year.

There will be papaya sauce!


Scallops with Spicy Papaya Sauce

• 1 small papaya - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound sea scallops

In a medium bowl, combine papaya, red pepper, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, cilantro. Set aside.
Combine flour, black pepper in a sealable bag. Add scallops, and shake to coat.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add scallops; cook and stir until golden. Serve scallops over papaya sauce.

The Monarch

A picture from my favorite garden photographer. This pictures was taken at the Houston Zoo in Fall 2008.
We have tons of butterfly attracting plants in our garden too. Monarchs live there in abundance.

Monarch on a purple Butterfly bush.

Monarch Caterpillar

Giant Spider Lily Queen Emma

'Queen Emma' (Crinum augustum). Queen Emma was the wife of Kamehameha IV.

Our last visit to the Houston Zoo showed a great deal of magnificent plants. Ronnie took some great pictures. One of them was a 6 foot tall spider lily.

So I went web surfing for several weeks with a just a picture on hand, not knowing what it was, I found one on ebay Wohoo. I am not quite convinced this is for real because rare plants are rare plants and they usually cost more than $10 unless they are a pest "there".

Cross fingers we got lucky :)

Lion’s Ear

Lion's Ear Leonotis leonurus

We're told this plant was used in religious ceremonies by Zulu priests and that if you smoke the dried leaves it causes euphoria. We don’t know any Zulu priests so we couldn’t verify this information.

Lion’s ear can reach 6′ in height and 3′ across. It needs little water, so find a relatively dry location for it.

Hummingbirds and butterflies love this plant. They had already migrated through here before this plant bloomed so we’ll know better next year. I’ve also read it attracts many wild birds.

It will happily bloom in sun or shade, just less often in the shade. You will want to prune it back late winter to early spring to keep it looking nice, otherwise it will require little care. It will lose its leaves after a frost but should recuperate nicely.

Exotic acquaintance - a stunning Reptile

Look what we found on our weekly trip to our favorite Garden Center.

Definitely not somebody local. Ronnie managed to get a real good shot with his new camera.

What is it?

We're guessing it's a Red Neck Lizard, no pun intended. We are in Texas after all..... This one looks different. We are not reptile experts. Surely a stunning specimen.
Please drop us a line if you know what it is.

Magic Tower

Kalanchoe serrata
Several species of Kalanchoe may be found growing as houseplants in Canada & the USA. The young plantlets which grow along the leaf edges are easily dislodged to become new plants and can be found in profusion around the base of the adult plant. Very fast growing, drought tolerant small shrub. Tolerates almost any conditions. Spectacular bloomer!

The Scared Gardener - Saturday Night Live

Vote Plumeria !!!!

USA Elections 2008!

Vote Plumeria!!

Plumeria Puu Kahea

This weekend I managed to get my hands on a Plumeria Puu Kahea. This specimen is very hard to come by and runs in the online stores for $35 plus for an un-rooted cutting. The danger of it not rooting was to great for me therefore spending that much was not an option.
At the traders village was a nice gentleman that spends his retirement raising and rooting Plumeria. He had a nice assortment of rare named Plumeria and he offered a fully rooted 16 inch Puu Kahea plant for just $10!
Was it really the right stuff? Yes it was. He was armored with a catalogue and a bowl of fresh flowers of each variety. Each plant was nicely labeled with cutting date and name. And of all, he wore this huge 2 inch golden Plumeria around his neck.

And I found a huge fresh dragon fruit (Pitaya) as well.

That's my success story for today :)

Queen of Flowering Trees - Amherstia

Another Stunner!This one however I just want to point out. I don't think I'll ever have enough room to grow this one too but will post any place that has them available.

Amherstia (Amherstia nobilis) also known as orchid tree or queen of flowering trees is a rare fauna in Indian forests. It is also found in countries like Burma, where it is known as pride of Burma. The flowers are red, bright and attractive

National Flower of Trinidad

Look what the web dragged in. I stumbled across this beauty in a flower arrangement. But where can I find a plant?? Or a cutting??

Chaconia, (Warszewiczia coccinea), also popularly known as the Wild Poinsettia, or Pride of Trinidad and Tobago, is the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago.
Having been referred to as the wild poinsettia, Chaconia flowers are in no way, related to the true poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Chaconia tree and flowers are used for ornamental purposes.

Chaconia tree is remarkable for its inflorescence with bright red bracts and inconspicuous yellow flowers and petals. Flowers are yellow-orange colored which have scarlet, 3-inch-long, enlarged lower lobes. The inflorescences show leaf-shaped, bright-colored calycophylls, expanded foliaceous structures made from floral petaloids with enlarged showy calyx-lobes. The flower has the tubular yellow corollas and the inferior ovaries.The characteristic feature of these flowers are one-inch bright red bracts of the calyxes, grouped together in panicles, which are often found to grow more than a foot in length.

Facts About Chaconia flower

* Chaconia tree is an evergreen ornamental tree.
* Chaconia tree grows to 20-feet in height with opposite, undivided, obovate leaves ranging from eight inches to two feet in length.
* The most widely cultivated form is Double Chaconia which has a double row of bracts.
* Chaconia has loosely organized pseudanthium or cluster of flowers that mimics a single flower as the attraction unit for pollinators,i.e, the main task of calycophylls is to attract pollinators.
* Chaconia represents the imperishability of life and the continuity of the nation - Trinidad and Tobago.
* Chaconia known by its long sprays of magnificent vermilion usually blooms around the time of the Trinidad's anniversary of Independence.

Growing Chaconia

Propagation of Chaconia by seeds is a very rare phenomenon, but not completely absent. Chaconias are mostly propagated by cuttings taken directly from the plant.

* Chaconia needs a constantly moist soil, full sun, high temperatures and humidity.
* The soil should be mostly sandy, mixtured with an organic portion.
* The planting soil must be well drained.
* The seeds won't survive long after collecting, so sow them on sandy soil as soon as possible.
* Sow the seeds with the minimum of space between the seeds.
* Water the seedlings regularly. Do not allow the soil to dry during the period of germination.

Ahhh! It's a Rangoon Creeper

On the weekly trip to our local garden center, we've came across this show stopper. Huge clusters of flowers hanging on 3-5 inches long threads in abundance down a fence. After long research with just a picture on hand, I've found the beauty's name. Rangoon Creeper or Quisqualis indica.
These intoxicating scented flowers open in the morning a pure white. As the day goes on, they turn first pink and then darker and darker until they are a brilliant crimson. Butterflies and Hummingbirds love it.


And yes, I got one to try! As this is a zone 10 hardy plant, I can only try my luck!

Plantimals

In my never ending research on Photoshop tutorials, I've come across this fantastic site. Artist mess with various graphics, manipulate photos, creating new and unusual creatures. In this case it was plants with animals.
It fit the blog theme so I figured I'll post them for your viewing pleasure. The images are not mine and belong to their owner on Worth1000.

The Majestic Travellers Palm

It's been a quiet month for blogging as it has been wayyyy to hot to even think about gardening. Here is something I am currently looking for. The Ravenala madagascariensis

Common name: Traveler's palm, traveler's tree, arbol del viajero, waaierpalm, Arbre des voyageurs, Baum der Reisenden, Travellers Palm

Family: Streliziaceae (Bird of paradise family).

Overview: Although Traveler’s palm is called a palm; it is not a true palm. It grows up, to 50' tall, while the big banana-like leaves can grow up to 15' long. The leaves are arranged in a fan-shaped manner; it has a rather short, palm like, trunk. The small white flowers are held in bracts. In these bracts and leaf folds, rainwater is collected. The fruits are brown while the seeds are blue.

Hardiness: USDA zone 9B - 11.

Propagation: Seeds, replanting of the clumps. Due to recalcitrant nature of the seeds, they have a short viable life, can not be dried well and can not withstand low temperatures.

Culture: Full sun / partial shade; grows well on moist and rich sandy loam and clay soils. The traveler's palm can be used as an accent plant. Protect from frost or plant in frost free locations. It can also be grown indoors or in the greenhouse.

Strongylon Macrobotrys Jade Vine

I want one! - But wont have one, will not survive zone 9. Neither do I like the pollinaters - Bat's.

The jade vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) is a native of the tropical forests of the Philippines. Its flowers are the color of jade, and hang in bunches up to 90 cm long; each clawlike flower is about 7½ cm long. In its native Philippines, the jade vine's flowers are pollinated by bats.

S. macrobotrys is prized in tropical and subtropical gardens for its showy flowers which are a highly unusual blue-green. It is usually grown over a pergola so that the flowers may hang down below where they can be seen easily. In South Africa the jade vine is mainly restricted to the warm humid strip of coastal Natal but grows in a few frost-free spots inland.
The superficially similar red jade vine is in fact a species in a different genus, namely Mucuna bennetti.

Miracle Fruit Synsepalum dulcificum

Guess what I got!!

The Miracle Fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) is a plant first documented by explorer Des Marchais during a 1725 excursion to its native West Africa. Marchais noticed that local tribes picked the berry from shrubs and chewed it before meals. The plant grows in bushes up to 20 feet high in its native habitat and it produces two crops per year. It is an evergreen plant with white flowers that produces small red berries. The seeds are about the size of coffee beans.Although the berry itself is not sweet, it contains an active glycoprotein molecule with some trailing carbohydrate chains called miraculin. When the fleshy part of the fruit is eaten, this molecule binds to the tongue's taste buds causing bitter and sour foods to taste sweet. This effect lasts between 30 minutes and two hours, and eating more than one fruit does not increase the intensity of the modification.

It is unfortunate that heat destroys the active principle, so that canning, jams, preserves, baking, drying, etc. are impossible. However, the fruits can be held for an indefinite period of time by refrigeration or freeze drying.

Miracle Fruit's natural sweetening power is perfect for:
* A fun twist on everyday food
* A diabetic watching sugar intake
* Picky eaters eager to add some sweetness to healthy foods
* "The Night Crowd" looking to sweeten that tequila or vodka drink
* Chemotheraphy patients having trouble eating (eliminates the bitterness)
* Healthy eaters intent on cutting out the 'crash' of a sugar high without losing the taste
* Anyone who likes making food taste sweeter/better!!!

What a cool idea! (check out the video)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28flavor.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Jicama - Mexican Potato

This week I am testing this newly discovered Vegetable. Never heard of it until I saw it "on sale" in a local grocery flyer and decided to look it up. I wont have the room to grow it, but will definitely taste it. Here is what I've found out about it.
Will post more about it, after a dinner that includes Jicama :)


Jicama looks similar to a turnip or a large radish, and it can be used as an alternative to the water chestnut. Its skin is thin and can be gray, tan, or brown in color. Additionally, it has a short root and contains white flesh. The skin is typically peeled before eating it raw. Raw jicama tastes similar to a pear or apple. It also does not discolor when exposed to the open air for awhile. Because of this, raw jicama is often used as an accompaniment to raw vegetable platters. When jicama is used in cooking it tends to take on the flavors of the ingredients that it is being combined with. Therefore, jicama is a nice complement to various stir-fry dishes because it blends well with many vegetables and seasonings.

Jicama is a very versatile vegetable that contains a high amount of vitamin C, is low in sodium, and has no fat. One adult serving of jicama, which is equal to approximately 1 cup of cubed jicama or 120 grams, also contains only 45 calories.

Serving Size (60g)
Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value *
Calories 25
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 0%
Iron 2%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

More Adenium

This is a picture I took this morning! It actually turned out alright! Wohoo! My Husband usually takes the "amazing" shots :)
Like that single bloom image.

Dioscorea bulbifera - The Awesome invasive Pest

Synonym(s): air potato, bitter yam, air-potato, air yam

Air potato is an herbaceous, twining vine that can grow to lengths exceeding 60 feet. It invades open areas in the sub-tropical southeastern United States. The leaves are alternate, long (8-12 inches), wide and heart-shaped with prominent veins that resemble greenbrier leaves. The rounded stems are thin and wiry. The chief means of reproduction are aerial potato-like tubers (bulbils) located at the leaf axils. The vine rarely flowers. Air potato can form dense masses of vines that cover and kill native vegetation including trees within a variety of habitats such as forest edges, hammocks, and many disturbed areas. It was introduced from Africa for food and medicinal purposes in the early 1900s. Air potato is a common and widespread food crop throughout most tropical regions of the world.



Note: This plants is highly invasive, but with the responsible proper care and maintenance a showy garden specimen as you can see from my backyard pictures.