A lotus alternative?

Alisma plantago-aquatica, I think this is an alternative to water lotus flower or water-lily. Don't you think so?

Well ... on the mini side ;-)

Blooms once. About 2 days after the bloom day, grows new leaves to be rooted. Fairly easy to grow as long as they are shielded from noon to evening direct sun. Bloom pic taken from our guppy pond, fertilised well naturally by our guppies and catching outdoor light and air.

Alisma P. in our open courtyard. It grows according to the size of their pot. So the bigger pot, the bigger leaves.

2 new stalks carrying buds. Very productive Alisma in a guppy pond in filtered sunset.

Finished blooms will sprout young leaves and roots. Ready to be separated from mummy-plant, but I decided to let it float to shade some part of the little pond.

Reaching to great heights

Alisma plantago-aquatica, a common water-plantain, blooms everyday this week. White paper thin flowers with yellow center; blooms once then closes during sunset. When all buds finished blooming, sprouts new leaves. You can cut it to replant or re-pot when new leaves 3" tall.

We've bought Alisma in Aug'08, divided into 2 pots, hadn't flowered since Oct'08. Late May'09, we bought fertilizer seeds, half an inch round, specially made for water-plants from One-stop DIY. Use 1.5 seeds and bury deep into each pot - for a plant size like mine. But I started out with a single fertilizer seed and 2 weeks later, each potted Alisma in the courtyard - grew a long trailing stem with flower buds. The biggest pot had the longest stem with buds reaching 5.5' tall - remarkable!

http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/05/surviving-in-malaysian-heat.html
http://jaimeboey.blogspot.com/2009/05/o-blessed-rain.html

Our Vinca Periwinkle, as predicted, reached 5' tall and out grown the foldable plant support. I grit my teeth for buying 4' high support instead of 5' high - but I hadn't expected it to grow so tall and so fast! Even my in-laws (who gave us the seedlings) were amazed.


Vinca Periwinkle seedlings filling up the grass patch too. Pinch off seed pods from the plant from time to time, reduce germination. Quite a havoc but it gives pleasurable view as it never fails to bloom everyday. It's a plant that'll reminds me to strive on reaching to great heights.

Surviving in Malaysian heat

Across the globe, there are people wondering how to survive in the heat at 109 deg F (43 deg C). Already I'm wondering how to resist heat at 91 deg F (33 deg C).


Some tips on heat-survival is to wear light clothes and change often after sweating profusely. Adequately replenish your body with water, splash some water on face, rinse your hands & feet to cool down. Wear sun-protections if you do go out. Try to avoid the glaring sun from clear skies.

• Malaysia Feeling The Heat http://www.malaysia-wildlands-project.com/article-feeling-the-heat.html
• Dry Weather Hurting Malaysian Palm Output http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/23658/Malaysia/Palm-Oil/dry-weather-hurting-malaysian-palm-output-2009.html
• Hot, hot, hot till September http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/11/nation/3876183&sec=nation

Pic above: Talinum P.'s after blooms now sets shiny gold seed. Common name 'Jewels of Opar'.

Pics below: Alisma (Common Water-plantain) bloomed this morning. This weed thrives excellently in this heat.

Recently I resorted to Chinese brewed tea, Fu-Cha (means bitter tea - it is exteremely bitter so be forewarned). If you're buying from a tea vendor, be sure to emphasise your requirement a) casual cooling down, b) ulcers/heaty or c) flu/cough.

Who should drink Fu Cha tea? What is Fu Cha? Nomadic Tibetans lives in extremely harsh climate every year and dietary intake consists high carbo-meats. They consume Fu Cha on daily basis. http://www.tnttea.com/index.cfm/aboutfucha/

Unsuccessful heat-reducing trauma after 3 rows of Fu-Cha, I visited a chinese physician (tabib cina) in SS15 for 5-day herbal prescription with strict dietary instruction. Off to the Chinese Medicine Hall, for 14 types of herbs - was intrigued by the shiny white powdery shavings (rhinocerous). These is so new to me. 2 days treatment, significant heat-reduction from my palms. Alleluia!

Notice the difference?

Close-up view of the Desert Rose's flower bract (left pic) and tiny growth on its stem (right pic). Each stem branches out, like a bract of 3 to 4 petals.

O blessed rain

Yippee rain! O blessed rain, a gift from sky to earth.

Light rains that last between 3 to 15 mins. Temperatures 27-28°C with high humidity 79%. So it feels like 32°C instead.

http://weather.yahoo.com/Sepang-Malaysia/MYXX0031/forecast.html?unit=c

Vinca Periwinkle a gift 7 months ago, we fondly call it 'ChengEng periwinkle'.

It was 3' tall 2 months ago, now reaching 4.5' tall. Expecting 5' in June, wait and see.

It withstood harsh sunlight, torrential rain and minimal fertilizer (time-release fertilizer once a month); growing well as compared to Catharanthus roseas or Madagascar periwinkle.

Notice a couple of black Carpenter ants (bottom-right)? Carpenter ants are are outside insects; not dirty, not vectors or carriers of any disease, do not sting and cannot really "hurt" you. Population is high when moisture is abundant. Lots of rain often means more carpenter ants are forced from their normal habitats into the areas where you see them. On sunny days, these ants would be crawling everywhere in the garden because they prefer hot!

Carpenter ants do not damage a structure like termite colony and (the good news) they are mortal enemies. When they do meet, there is WAR! Usually, the ants win, they are much tougher than termites. Besides, the ants are terrestrial, while termites are not, and the open ground is where they generally meet. More advices from exterminator expert at http://unexco.com/carpants.html. Life-cycle of Carpenter ant about a week.

Thousands of Ixora buds.

Previously, we've bought a 3' tall water plant and divided into 2 pots, placed diagonally in our courtyard - softens the water feature's hardscape. At the end of the bloom, sprout of growth emerged. The plant was getting leggy and out-of control, so I trimmed the young shoots and potted into our smaller water feature in the porch. Concerned as the little water plant's leaves gets "fried" easily during sunset. 6 months later, voilà! Flower buds emerged! I snapped this pic during sunrise. Strangely, no buds sighted on the 2 pots of larger water-plant. Puzzling.

Nursery caretaker told us that it is water-orchid, but the profile didn't fit.

Closest resemblance would be the Maianthemum bifolium or May Lili, somehow the flower didn't quite match. I'm still searching for its name and welcome reader's suggestion/advice.

Update May 17,'09: Looks similar to Common Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), also known as Mad-dog weed, grows in shallow water, and consists of a fibrous root.

Softscape for courtyard garden

Feeling the Tranquility within ... There is a richness within every human being. There is a possibility to feel peace within every human being—the peace that we were born with and that will be there for as long as we live... peace from your heart, .. be independent of all the outside circumstances for that peace, for that joy. It exists in your heart... because what lies at the end is the fulfillment of a lifetime. - Maharaji



Our courtyard is always cooler with high humidity than the outdoors, partly due to receiving only 2 hours of direct sunlight (mid-day). Therefore, we need easy-maintenance indoor plants, i.e. Pandan leaves (Pandanus amaryllifolius), water plant (we were told it is water-orchid), Anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum), Happy Plant (Dracaena fragrans massangeana) and trailing Pothos Devils Ivy (Scindapsus aureus).




Why keep natural plants indoors ?

http://www.greenpatio.com/why.shtml

Water plant's young leaves sprouting after the blooms died.

(view of our ever-hungry comets ;-p)