Aglaonema is a genus of about 40 species of foliage plants in the family Araceae, native to the tropical swamps and rainforests of southeastern Asia from Bangladesh east to the Philippines and north to southern China. No common name is widely used, though they are sometimes called “Chinese evergreen”.

They are herbaceous perennial plants growing to 20-150 cm in height. The leaves are alternate on the stems, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, dark to medium green, 10-45 cm long and 4-16 cm broad, depending on the species. The flowers are relatively inconspicuous, white or greenish-white spathes that can give way to red berries.

The sap of this plant is poisonous to health. It causes irritation in skin and if taken orally causes irritation of mouth, lips throat and tongue.

They are popular houseplants and ornamental plants for offices and shopping malls because they are the easiest houseplants to grow. Numerous cultivars have been selected, including plants with variegated leaves. They tolerate a wide range of light, as well as neglect, and are relatively resistant to pests.

Chinese evergreens are very tolerant plants that do well in a variety of settings. Several species are available, some with dark green leaves and others that are variegated. Aglaonema flourish for years.

They prefer indirect light and partial shade. They do best in shadow-less light, such as a north window. They prefer heavy soil, which should be kept moist but not soggy. They do not tolerate the cold; they should not be exposed to temperatures below 10°C (50°F), with optimal growing conditions between 20°C (68°F) and 30°C (86°F). High air humidity is also important. They are easy to propagate from cuttings, which will root in a glass of water, or from divisions.

The genus Lilium are herbaceous flowering plants normally growing from bulbs. They comprise a genus of about 110 species in the lily family, Liliaceae. They are important as large showy flowering garden plants. They are important culturally and in literature in much of the world.

(more…)

Tulipa, commonly called tulip, is a genus of about 150 species of bulbous flowering plants in the family Liliaceae.^[1] The native range of the species includes southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia from Anatolia and Iran in the west to northeast of China. The centre of diversity of the genus is in the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan. A number of species and many hybrid cultivars are grown in gardens, used as pot plants or as fresh cut flowers. Most of the cultivated species, subspecies and cultivars of tulip are derived from Tulipa gesneriana.

Although tulips are associated with Holland, both the flower and its name originated in the Ottoman Empire. The tulip, or lale (from Persian لاله, lâleh) as it is called in Turkey, is a flower indigenous to Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and other parts of Central Asia. After being described in a letter by the Dutch ambassador in Turkey in the 16th century, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, who was also a great floral enthusiast, tulips were brought to Europe in the 16th century; the word tulip, which earlier in English appeared in such forms as tulipa or tulipant, entered the language by way of French tulipe and its obsolete form tulipan or by way of Modern Latin tulīpa, from Ottoman Turkish tülbend, “muslin, gauze”. (The English word turban, first recorded in English in the 16th century, can also be traced to Ottoman Turkish tülbend.)

A rose is a perennial flowering shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp thorns. Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Natives, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance.

(more…)

Orchidaceae (or Orchid family) is the largest family of the flowering plants (Angiospermae).^[1][2] Its name is derived from the genus Orchis.

(more…)

Jasmine or Jessamine (Jasminum) (from Persian yasmin, i.e. “gift from God”^[4][5], via Arabic^[6]) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae),with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. The majority of species grow as climbers on other plants or on structures such as chicken wire, gates or fences. The leaves can be either evergreen (green all year round) or deciduous (falling leaves in autumn), and are opposite in most species; leaf shape is simple, trifoliate or pinnate with up to nine leaflets.