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"hibiscustour", three separate sites -
Curiosity. Things, drôle, science, société.. -
Ideas perso. Household, Practical life, D.I.Y, Computering.. -
Islands and lagoons New Caledonia, Polynesia (part).
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This is our hibiscus in pot, which grows sometimes up to height
magnificent flowers at a time... after forty buds lost when
tranferred into home in November ! ... and wich flourishes
not too much during the summer.
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Thanks : all these magnificent varieties come from some web sites I skimmed through ; I suggest you to visit them : https://americanhibiscus.org/index.htm (for addresses) French sites (you can at least admire the pictures and have texts translated with Google or else) https://iquebec.ifrance.com/varola/hibiscus.htm
You will find very useful information reading all these sites. Ground : this plant require a well-drained soil and do not tolerate saturated soils or "wet feet". Plants will be killed to the ground by 28 to 30°F (2 to 1°C) temperatures, but established plants may come out in the spring and bloom on new growth that summer. Hibiscus should be protected from cold winds. A well-drained soil is suitable for hibiscus if proper fertilization is provided. A soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is preferred. Hibiscus grown on alkaline soils may suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Watering ; during the hot season, the plant is going to absorb a significant quantity of water. Avoid to drown the roots while filling up the cup with water. During hot days, if the leaves are floppy, water it and it will soon regain vivacity. Exemple : summer : put outside for a better development. If the weather is nice, water it with approximately 1/2 glass of water every two days, or more if the weather is very hot (for a 21 cm diameter pot). Manure: once a week. The plant shows what is necessary for itself and it can be under the best conditions from time to time (like us). winter : place in a not too hot place, on open light, behind a pane (even directly exposed at sun). Vaporize the leaves and sprinkle them every two days with water at the temperature of the room (or more if the leaves softened too much. Note: Do not water tomuch as it is the tendency; the plant shows what is necessary and it can wait a little. Fertilizers ; an ample supply of
micronutrients is essential for proper growth of hibiscus.
Fertilize lightly and often. Use fertilizers that include the trace elements
such as iron, copper, boron, manganese, etc, wich are often
limiting on alkaline soils. Avoid ! high nitrogen fertilizers that may encourage leaf growth rather than flower production. Problems ; Premature flower bud drop is often a problem with hibiscus. Some varieties, especially some doubles, are characterized by premature bud drop. Bud drop can be caused by insects, overfertilization, poor drainage and excessive water..
But hibiscus
are like ourselves : impredictable, they can grow a leave
after another, make six flowers at a time and keep quiet
without anything for a month.
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Orchises often imitate insects but insects imitate the orchises.
These complex tricks get ourselves lost in our True, and the theories of the
evolution remain very discrete on this subject extremely disturbing.
Right hand, a white religious mante is coiled in an orchis to take a
share of the insects it will attract. The delicate green flange is the neck of
the young lady and for the remainder, trust the small drawing at the top because
only a white part of the lower part belongs to the orchis.
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Our orchid flowers when she wants ; not even each year. How it is adviced,
we water it very few. But she lives and does not seem to
bother too much. Shis very common, but we like these delicate butterfly flowers. Orchids, or only some of them ? are parasite plants hanging from branches of trees, like liana, of which these aerial roots. An advice from a gardener ; don't cut the aerial roots around it because they help the plant to breathe. |
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The pod od the liana vanilla
becomes yellow or yellow-brown while maturing (according to another source) and
at this point in time it is gathered to be placed drying on the sun, but
sheltered at night. When the pods become brown dark, they are put in the shade,
on trays, over a 9 months period. Vanilla is present in the mythical No5
of "Chanel" or “Jicky de Guerlain”. As a tourist, we brought back a Polynesian
one from there. The photograph opposite would be of the Guadeloupe. Pods hangs
on the right.
Sciences et Avenir May 2004; Interview of the
botanist Luc Gigord.
We admire both the most
beautiful and the most spectacular ones but there are anonymous small ones at the edge of the
paths, in France and everywhere else in the world, from the sea level up to
4000 meters of altitude. They are almost exclusively fertilized by insects (bees,
bumblebees, flies, butterflies). In seldom cases, they self-fertilize or need birds
help.
Described like sex-symbols, even as sexes in short, this Freudienne
analysis dared by some must be moderated ; to reproduce itself, the orchis seeks to
attract the insect in order to use it like vector (conveying) of pollen for
its fecundation. It is true that in certain cases, it imitates an insect
which will seem a good bargain by congeneric passing by there; the unhappy
one will not obtain of what it hoped for but will be
covered with grains of pollen on its way out; in other case, it seeks only this sweetened
pollen.
Trichoceros parviflorum. It is extraordinary
that certain orchises mislead the insects by offering nothing but a lure without food. They will set out again about it
nevertheless covered with pollen ; sure they will not return, but no matter, the
plant sends away a good part of its 50.000 seeds !
Birth and evolution of the species. How the orchises
could imitate an insect?
The author who speaks thus about Darwin evokes
however further his theory on evolution: "randomly of an unspecified change, an
orchis flowered without nectar and was spread" (..) why not to say then,
randomly unspecified change, an orchis was born with a false bee on
its petals or, an orchis painted a bee above (after to have seen it with its
beautiful soft eyes) and we fall quickly into some ridiculous fact.
Left hand, a stamp "butterfly orchis"
Air orchis, Bucket orchid. Orchidée aérienne, Bucket orchid. an elixir (odor, perfume called pheromon for the insects),
attracts the males which set out again powdered with pollen.
the
vanilla
Orchids a bit more special
With more than 30.000 species,
forms and colors do not miss ; one plant out every twelve is an orchis. The orchises
do not come from the first ages of
the plants life, like all plants with flowers,
at the beginning of the cretaceous (- 130 million years), but
only veiled 10 to 20 million years, the time of the cave man.
Yellow ophrys
Early in the season, in
February, an orchis hatched in Spain: it will attract young inexperienced
bumblebees which, not finding anything, will plough into the plant and
while fourraging, being powdered" with a maximum of pollen seeds. This
is not fair-play, but the mysteries of the beings are unsoundable,
as we know it well. In all cases, the pretty one will not have needed to
synthesize sugar, and it is energy saved.
Some others imitate another
flower, appreciated by insects, which they mislead while
producing in addition multiple perfumes which obstruct any
identification.
This ophrys, queen of the kind, with the down and its colors yellow
and gold, including two transverse bands, imitate the bee.
it is the great mystery of the life. According to the theory of the
evolution of species of Darwin, preferably accepted instead of Lamarck
theory (which however makes a noticed come back), the species would be created
randomly and only those being born armed well both to nourish and
reproduce themselves, would survive; one added "the function make the
organ", which corrects a little the rigour of the previous postulate, in particular
for their evolution ; Darwin, who had observed these plants, preferred to
ignore them so much his theory was put to the test.
Did the orchises and their lures appear from the
start by imitating an insect? do they created them after "having seen them"; the
second case is quite as incomprehensible (and for me improbable),
because then how would have they could survive while being born without means
of nourishing themselves.
Let us notice that lure or not,
similar question are posed for the totality of the alive beings because
links between plants and animals are common (see the
corals), the lichen and the algae, certain
trees which protect only the ants, the goats and the acacias, and so much of others which we are
unaware of.
Sciences and
Avenir May 2004; Interview of the botanist Luc Gigord (continuation).
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The Venus shoe, rare and protected species
makes think of certain plants carnivores; the insect, attracted by the
yellow colour, slips and fall inside. It will arise from it without damage, but
covered of pollen from the head to the legs.
Serapias cordigera
Orchis Mediterranean famous aphrodisiac; can alter the form of its petal
to shelter the pollinating insect.
Our hibiscus flowers dye
with dignity and grace, rolling up theirs petals like the
leaves of a beautiful cigar, well tight and dry, while their fading
colour keep long a certain charm.
The Chinese hibiscus,
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, is probably the most
popular and widely planted shrub of the tropics. This
colorful shrub is believed to be native to China.
