Lavatera trimestris “Silver Cup” Annual Mallow

Lavatera trimestris “Silver Cup”

Annual Mallow

 Lavatera is in the family Malvaceae and is a cousin of hibiscus and hollyhock.
A reference to a cultivar 'Silver Chalice' has been encountered. This may be the same as 'Silver Cup'.
The plant was named after, J. R. Lavater a 17th century Swiss botanist It is a native of Spain and of Syria, but is not deterred by our cooler climates. The Annual mallow can bear very harsh temperatures without any problems, even many degrees below zero.
Lavatera appears to have been introduced from Spain in about 1600 as, though not mentioned by Gerard, who wrote in 1587, it is by his commentator Johnson, who wrote in 1633. It was then called the Spanish Summer Mallow.
Clusius was the first to apply to it its specific name of trimestris. Charles de l'Écluse, L'Escluse, or Carolus Clusius (1526 -1609), was a Flemish doctor and pioneering botanist, perhaps the most influential of all 16th century scientific horticulturists. Clusius laid the foundations of Dutch tulip breeding and the bulb industry today.

The species itself is pink and, although occasionally grown, was long since superseded by that old cottage garden favourite ‘Loveliness’.
The Fleuroselect award winning varieties ‘Silver Cup’ and ‘Mount Blanc’, which are pink and white flowered respectively, recently ousted ‘Loveliness’ from many seed catalogues.
Lavatera 'Parade' is a mixture of 'Mont Blanc', 'Pink Beauty', 'Ruby Regis' and 'Silver Cup'.

The Lucky Nut, Be Still Tree, Digoxin, Yellow Oleander

All of my Art has a story.

There was a time when all the oil Sheiks of Saudi Arabia brought all these existing plants in the U.S. for their palaces. I remember those couple of years. The Yellow Bells is indigenous to South America and now the tree is now considered an invasive tree in many parts of Africa and Pacific Islands.

Although Thevtia peruviana, AKA Yellow Oleander or Lucky Nut is a poison when ingested by humans, Its seed oil is used as an antifungal, antibactetrial and antitermite. It can be used in oil in paint to prevent termites. Thevetia peruviana inhibited spermatogenesis in rats, indicating the possibility of developing herbal male contraceptive.
TRAIL has now been recognized, as one of the few tumor selective agents able to eradicate cancer cells selectively by activating a signalling pathway that is used by the innate immune system, opening an entirely novel dimension to cancer research and therapy. Thevitia peruvian may take a key roll in this cancer cures. Cardenolide glycosides 1 and 2 showed significant reversal effect on TRAIL resistance in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells.

Yellow Oleander (Thevetia Peruviana)

Thevetia peruviana, Yellow Oleander is native to South America and could be another plant 

the has to do with curing specific cancer cells. 

Medicinal Facts for Thevetia peruviana.

     Although Thevtia peruviana is a poison when ingested by humans. Its seed oil is used as an antifungal, antibactetrial and antitermite properties.  It can be used in oil is use in paint and it can prevent termites. Thevetia peruviana inhibited spermatogenesis in rats, indicating the possibility of developing herbal male contraceptive.
TRAIL has now been recognized, as one of the few tumor selective agents able to eradicate cancer cells selectively by activating a signalling pathway that is used by the innate immune system, opening an entirely novel dimension to cancer research and therapy. Thevitia peruvian may take a key roll in cancer cures. Cardenolide glycosides 1 and 2 showed significant reversal effect on TRAIL resistance in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells.

Serendipity with a Little John Bottlebrush

I arrived early to Sunday services at church and photographed this beautiful plant 

in the parking lot island blooming.

Little John Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus viminalis cultivar)

The Bottlebrush
 
 Unless you're from the Australia,  New Caledonia or Philippines, you are probably unaware of the marvelous healthsource growing greater Phoenix.  The bottlebrush tree or shrub (Callistemon citrinus viminalis), also sometimes called the Ringworm bush in its native habitat, is a hardwood tree that bears much more than a pretty bright red floral display to the environment.
      The leaves contain oils which are useful for their antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties. The chemicals cineole and pinene are known  for their insect-repelling qualities as well as antibacterial.  Menthyl acetate, an essential oil, is also found in the plant and is responsible for its fragrance. These are the primary ingredients found in this tree's foliage. In a process known as quorum sensing, bacteria are able to somehow communicate with each other on an intercellular basis. The chemical components found in the bottlebrush leaves have an ability to disrupt this procedure. (Bacteria disruption study Bacteria disruption study.)   In Jamaica it has been used for generations for a hot drink  call “tea” used for the treatment of gastro-enteritis, diarrhea and skin infections.
     In a 2010 report (Am. J. Applied Sci. 7 (1) 13-16) leaves of C. citrinus were shade dried for 48 hours and crushed into a powder using a blender. Six grams of powder were used in 10 ml of ethanol distilled water to make an ethanol extract and 10 mls of of methanol distilled water for a methanolic extraction. They were then centrifuged (3,000 rpms) for 15 minutes and clear liquid harvested. This was done three times then the alcohol evaporated by incubating at room temperature. This oil had antibacterial and antifungal activity.
       Veterinary research has discovered that the bottlebrush's leaves for combating intestinal parasites in animals.  By rubbing crushed leaves on your skin, insects have been effectively repelled from these oils. Many studies have been performed on the effects of the bottlebrush tree's oils. In Florida is has been observed that you won't find insects other than bees around the bottlebrush.
       The leaves can also be made into a tea and for flavor similar to a bay leaf. Some use the flowers to make a sweet tea and as a dye. The aborigines use it as a sweetener.

Snapdragon oil is like olive oil

     The Snapdragon (Antirrhinum magusis), also called toad's mouth, dog's mouth and lions mouth, indigenous to Europe and has been used as a garden plant since the Romans and Greeks thought snapdragons had the power to protect them from witchcraft.

Descorides, the Greek physician wrote that protection would be given to the person that wore snapdragons around their neck. In the medieval period, snapdragons were thought to be the guardians of European castles and were planted near the gates.   Early German society thought a bunch of snapdragons hung near a baby would keep the baby from being afraid of evil spirits. Women boiled snapdragons and applied the resulting infusion to their faces to keep them beautiful and restore youth. In Russia, snapdragons were believed to boost the body’s energy.  A cream or lotion can be  made for rashes and sunburns from its leaves and flowers. A gargle can also be made from its leaves and flowers for mouth ulcers and opera singers once drank a tea brew from the flowers before a concert to heal a aching, strained throat. Muclia pectin and gallic acid give the plant its anti-inflammatory qualities and has also been used for the treatment of hemorrhoids.
     In the fifteen century it was cultivated in Russia for oil found in the seeds as is only slightly inferior to olive oil.  The snapdragon depends almost entirely on the bumblebees for pollination because the flower's design make honey bees ineffective.

Abundance in the Garden of Gratitude.

The Garden of Gratitude March 30, 2014

Abundance in the Garden of Gratitude.

     Yesterday, I harvested 3 varieties of lettuce, the first of the non-gmo potatoes, the last of the broccoli and the many varieties of peas as well as carrots, peppers, radishes, tomatoes, moringa leaves, kale and onions. Neighbors were posting warnings of sightings of large birds of prey nearby, like the Great Horned Owls, an extremely, large Harris Hawk that some people think is an eagle, falcons and the two smaller Red Tailed Hawks that perch in a large Allepo Pine that can be seen from my Garden of Gratitude in my backyard.
      Today, in the early morning, I picked many varieties of swiss chard and lettuce to give away to church members as my neighbors have received all they can eat. I still have a crate of fresh picked Arizona Sweet Oranges harvested from my neighbor's tree. Then I saw five Hummingbirds and one that started to do his circular mating dance for the first time this spring. Brightly, colored Lessor Goldfinches were eating the seeds from the sunflowers. 

     Adding to the ambiance, I heard the buzzing sound of  large honey bees everywhere as they collecting nectar from the pink poppies as well as the collective sounds from all types of  birds singing, like a flock of chattering, feral Peached-faced Love Parrots and the trills from the common House Wren's songs.... If you add the sweet fragrance of Sweet Peas permeating the atmosphere and the first bloom of the pure, white flower of the Sacred Datura you know that you are mindful of the moment and the beauty of the diversity of life..

I am mindful....  I am grateful... of all that is present in the Garden of Gratitude.

Aloe variegata attracts Hummingbirds

 Aloe variegata, attracts Hummingbirds

Aloe variegata is called the Partridge Breast Aloe, Tiger Aloe or  'Kannie dood' which means 'cannot die'. It is native to South Africa and Nambia and spread around the world as a house plant. I likes semi arid to arid climates and flowers most of the year in Phoenix, Arizona.  It has much the same medicinal properties as the well-known Aloe Vera plant and can be used internally as a antimicrobial and it relieves discomfort and help heal skin irritations (ex burns and shingles).

Many beliefs are attached to this delightful species which was described as early as 1658. It is said that some indigenous people to this day, hang plants inside the huts of young women and if the plant flowers, this indicates that the women is fertile and will have many children-the plant will flower although not in the ground or cared for, hence its name, kannie dood.. Plants are also planted on graves in the belief that it will lead to eternal life. There is no doubt that Aloe variegata is a very attractive plant for garden and container planting. Once established, it lasts for many years with little care.

Don't pick the flowers!

Don't pick the flowers!

Almost all of my Sweet Peas have white flowers except for this one. I have such gratitude for this anomaly in my Garden of Gratitude as it bore in me the inspiration to write my very first pontification on this morning. 

“If you love a flower, don’t pick it because the flower dies and ceases to be what you love. Just enjoy the smell, beauty and uniqueness of the flower until it produces seeds. Then pick, plant and nurture the seeds so you will be able to appreciate the love that you have for that flower and all the diversity that it produces."