Seaside, salt tolerant plant - Plant Encyclopedia Results

Night Blooming Jasmine is one of the most famous and desirable fragrant plants. Flowers are pale yellow to white, open at night and stay extremely fragrant untill sunrise. Aroma is sweet, pleasant and intoxicating. These flowers are widely used in India and other countries of South Asia for perfumery, medicinal applications and in religious ceremonies. Some parts of the plant are poisonous. Growth habit: bushy shrub that can be trimmed as a hedge or forms nice round shape if you let it go. When you plant Night Blooming Jasmine, make sure to water it regularly until established. Best location will be near driveway, window or entrance, where the magic fragrance can be appreciated.

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Euphorbia leuconeura or Madagascar Jewel, is tolerant of most growing conditions, however it does benefit from some extra care. During summer the plant needs to be watered regularly, however it should not be overwatered. It is a salt tolerant succulent that can be used in seaside gardens. This small shrub is also cultivated as a bonsai. It does well in USDA Zones 9-11. In cold regions the plant should be grown in pots, as it may not survive temperatures below 30s F. When grown in a pot, it should be placed in an area that receives dappled or indirect sunlight, as it cannot tolerate direct sun for too long. Regular misting is also beneficial for this plant. It also responds well to a balanced fertilizer, with monthly application during spring and summer. To protect from cold weather, the pot should be placed in partially sheltered area and covered with frost cloth. Once matured, Euphorbia leuconeura is a very hardy plant.

Grown often as a houseplant that is very ornamental and easy to grow even for beginners. When damaged the plant secretes a white fluid which is toxic, causes severe skin irritation.

Canavalia virosa is a fast growing vigorous vine with tri-lobed leaves and pinkish sweetly fragrant flowers. The beans have aphrodisiac and psychedelic qualities. In ancient Africa these beans were used in magic and rituals, they have been found in the prehistoric graves. Seeds of Canavalia virosa, known locally as Kaattuthambattan in the Tamil language, consumed as a staple food by Malayali tribals, in Eastern Ghats of India, and are rich of proteins, amino acids, and minerals.

Related species:

The genus Canavalia includes the tropical high climbing jackbeans. Canavalia gladiata and Canavalia ensiformis seeds - is a novelty gadget 'Magic Message Bean', fast-growing seedling with the message engraved on the cotyledon. Canavalia rosea - Beach Bean is a mostly herbaceous vine that trails along beach dunes and coastal strand. It should be an excellent ground cover for dry sandy areas. The young pods and seeds are edible and used for food in northern Australia. Mature seeds must be boiled or roasted to render them edible. Canavalia gladiata - a twining nearly erect annual. Very similar to Canavalia ensiformis. Not edible. Sometimes grown as an ornamental with very attractive pink/purple papilionaceous flowers. Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping.

Ornamental attractive evergreen tree with large white showy flowers are about 3" in diameter that appear in late spring and sporadically throughout the summer. The flowers are fragrant and are attractive to many insect species. An excellent specimen tree or grove in wet areas and at the margins of lakes and ponds. The symmetric narrowly conical form of this tree makes it a most beautiful specimen standing in an expanse of lawn either singly or in groups. Young specimens can be grown in containers and strike an elegant note on the patio or in pairs flanking an entryway.

Usually a small shrubby tree, but has been seen up to 12ft. It has spectacular flushes of limp reddish new growth which slowly turns pale green as it matures. Fleshy red aril is common in Sapinds, an adaptation to attract fruity-eating birds.

Heliconia rostrata is one of the most recognized and widely grown species, and one of the most beautiful. The inflorescence it produces is one of the most colorful you will ever encounter. It is pendent, the bracts are red with greenish yellow edges. The flowers last a long time and make an excellent cut flower. It is an easy grower in tropical areas but some room is required because the stalks can reach 7 feet in height. Bright shade is ideal with good moisture in the air and in the soil, but no soggy soils. Heliconias are also heavy feeders. Sheltered areas are better because strong winds can shred the leaves pretty bad. Can be grown in large pots.

See Thai Heliconia - varieties Gallery.

Cycas revoluta, commonly known as Sago Palm, is a popular ornamental plant with an unusual appearance. It is one of the most primitive living seed plants and is related to conifer and Ginkgo trees. Cycads, in general, are often referred to as "living fossils" due to their ancient origins and their little evolution in the past 200 million years.

The growth habit of Cycas revoluta is characterized by an upright trunk and whorled, stiff feather-like leaves that grow in a circular pattern. Unlike other plants, Sagos produce periodic "flushes" of new leaves, known as a "break," rather than continuously adding foliage. Offsets also begin to grow at the base and occasionally in the crown, providing a source of new plants and the potential to develop unique specimens.

Cycas revoluta is a great choice for Mediterranean climate gardens as it requires only moderate water and full sun or semi-shade. It is also salt tolerant and does not suffer from severe wind or drought, making it an excellent choice for seaside gardens. In cooler climates, it can be grown in a pot in a sheltered location and brought indoors for the winter.

To maintain the plant appearance, dead or damaged leaves should be pruned away as needed. While it doesn't require pruning to stay attractive, a bit of judicious pruning can help maintain the desired shape and size. Regular watering is recommended, with a little extra water during periods of heat or wind. Fertilization every 2-3 months through the summer months with a slow-release or liquid fertilizer can also help achieve the best results.

Regardless of age or size, Cycas revoluta is one of the easiest plants to grow, whether indoors or out, and is a popular choice for landscapes in USDA zones 9-11.

Cultivated for oil from the fruits. The fruit grows in bunches and consists essentially of a soft outer skin, which is reddish orange when ripe, and a fibrous layer covering the nut, composed of a shell and a kernel containing the palm oil. The fruit yields two kinds of oil: palm oil from the fleshy covering and palm kernel oil from the nut. During the processing of palm fruits the first residue of empty bunches, 50 percent of the fresh fruit bunches is used as fuel in the oil-extraction plant. Then anther 20 percent of the fresh fruit bunches are processed in a mechanical press to obtain viscous crude oil. The nuts from 15 percent of the fresh fruit bunches are separated from the solid residue, or palm fibre, and sent to plants specializing in the extraction of palm kernel oil. Purification of the oil produces large amounts of sludge. The oil from the fleshy outer skin of the fruit is customarily included (at about a 5 percent level) in pig and poultry rations as a source of vitamins A and D and to reduce dustiness in the feed.

Beautiful in bloom and salt-tolerant, Caribbean jacaranda thrives in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil that is gritty or sandy. It is especially suited to alkaline soils. In areas with light winter frosts, it will grow as a multi-stemmed, shrubby tender perennial.