Crossandra

The Crossandra is called Kanakambara in South India. The flowers are orange, salmon pink or yellow. The glossy green leaves make a good contrast with the flowers. The plant is small and compact, making it an ideal plant for a small garden.This native Indian plant flowers almost non- stop through the year if it is given sufficient manure and water. An added advantage is that it can flower in semi- shade too.
The flowers of the Kanakambara are loved by south Indian women for wearing in their hair. The flowers are used in all festivals and in the temples. In Goan weddings, the bride must wear these flowers, as they are considered auspicious. In the City Market, heaps of these scentless flowers can be seen, to be woven into garlands with jasmine for use in temples and weddings.

The French Marigold

The French Marigold Tagetes patula is a favourite of butterflies. The plant flowers profusely . It is well suited for planting in the edge of a border as it is short.

The flowers are in colours ranging from yellow to a rich bronze.

The French marigold, like its cousin tne African marigold, is prized by farmers because it is a pest repellant. Planting a row of it near your vegetable patch will deter the white flies.

A tea is made from its leaves , which is thought to be refreshing.

Frangipani

The Frangipani Plumeria alba is a native of tropical America which has naturalized itself all over the tropics. It is called Champa in Hindi and Deva Kanigile in Kannada. Its name in Kannada means 'Oleander of the gods'. It is also called the 'Temple tree.' The funny thing is, it is never offered in Hindu temples. South Indian women who wear all kinds of flowers in their hair, never wear this flower!

The plumeria tree is a small tree which can resist drought. The flowers have a heavenly scent, which becomes more noticeable during the night. The frangipani flowers have no nectar, and so the attract their pollinators, a type of moths , by their scent and luminous colour.Even the fallen flowers retain the scent.

All parts of the Plumeria tree are poisonous.

The Frangipani is the national flower of Laos, where it is called Champa.

Pencil Tree

The Pencil Tree Euphorbia tirucalli is a native of Africa, which has naturalized itself in India since thousands of years . Probably brought to India by the Arab traders in the distant past, its name Tirucalli is an Indian name given to it by Linnaeus. The name Euphorbia is in honour of the 1st century physician Euphorbus, who practiced in the court of King Juba of Mauritania.
Tirucalli has very few leaves, since its pencil like green branches photosynthesise its food.The flowers are yellow and insignificant. Its latex is poisonous, so animals do not eat it, making it a favourite hedge plant inthe countryside.
The Pencil Tree has many uses in folk medicine. It is also used to make bio- diesel.
In south India, villagers use it as a plant of good omen in all their auspicious ceremonies.

The Flamingo Plant

The Anthurium never fails to attract people with the stylish beauty of its flowers.

It is also called the Flamingo Plant and the Boy Plant because of the structure of its inflorescence. Belonging to the Arum family,it is the native of tropical America, introduced to India not long ago. Our neighbouring state of Kerala leads in its cultivation. The flowers and plants of anthurium are exported.

The anthurium is easy to grow in tropical regions. It flowers through the year and the flowers last for a long time. The flowers look great in a flower arrangement.

Peperomia

Peperomia is also called the 'Radiator Plant'. It is the native of tropical America, which has naturalised itself in the tropical and subtropical regions all over the world. In South India, peperomia can be seen in hanging baskets in railway stations. Some peperomias have thich leaves, which make them drought resistant.
The picture above shows the Variegated Peperomia Peparomia obtusifolia variegata in my garden. I had taken the photo during the solar eclipse last week. You can see the crescent shaped images of the sun around the plant.

Solr Eclipse

There was a solar eclipse on the 15th January. We saw only a partial eclipse , but people in some parts of India saw the annular eclipse, a ring of fire. Tiny holes in the leaves of trees acted as pinhole cameras, and there were myriad images of the solar eclipse on every surface. You can see the image of the eclipse on the leaves of this Anthurium.

The flower of the Asystasia gangetica is surrounded by the images of the eclipse.

On a cement pavement.

The eclipse mirrored by dry leaves.

A butterfly basking in the light of the eclipsed sun.