Butterfly Bush Flutterby Grande Vanilla : Description and planting Description

            Butterfly Bush Flutterby Grande Vanilla

Butterfly Bush is the easy growing , stunning and fragrant flower plant produces creamy, white blooms with silvery foliage. This plant blooms profusely, and has that magical quality that butterflies cant resist it.Its not just the pretty flowers that attract the butterflies, like any bright flower. Buddleias emit a special honey-scented fragrance that butterflies like a moth to a light, and then once there, they find the flowers super-rich in nectar.A butterfly bush in the garden will often be seen with a mass of butterflies on the flowers, especially during hot sunny afternoons. Buddleias attract other insects too, like moths, and the reddish ones strongly attract hummingbirds.

Common Name : Butterfly Bush Flutterby Grande Vanilla

Botanical Name :Buddleia

Mature Height :48-72" tall (4-6 feet) and 48-72" wide (4-6 feet)

Flower Color :White

Flower Size : 6-10" flowers

Foliage Color Green

Foliage: Bushy arching stems

Light Requirements : Full Sun/ half sun

Soil Type : Loamy Soil, Drought/Dry Soil

Advantages : Deer Resistant, Attract Butterflies, Attract Hummingbirds, Attract Birds, Rabbit Resistant, Easy to Grow, Fragrant

Planting Instructions :

In India Butterfly bushes grows well in winter. In the very cold places they die in the very starting. but in hot regions, they are evergreen. In the warmer states, butterfly bushes often grow to 24 to 30 inches high, and require pruning to keep them shapely. They're happy in almost any soil and prefer moist ground, but will also do well in dryer spots. They need plenty of sun, but will be fine with some shade in the warmer areas. All this tells you that this plant is a tough one, and should be easy to grow in your garden. A well-grown specimen can be a magnificent "fountain" of flowers, since the stems with heavy flower clusters tend to arch in all directions.

Planting steps :

Choose a warm place with well drained and acidic soil.
If weather cooperates begin planting as soon as possible. If not, keep butterfly bushes where they get some sun through a window, and keep them moist, not soggy.
As set out the potted butterfly bushes, dig to loosen the soil around and below the actual spot, and then set the rooted plant at the same level if was growing in the pot.
Plant butterfly bushes about 4-6' apart, depending on the variety.
When remove the plant from the pot, do not pull on the leaves or stems. Squeeze the pot a little and the roots and soil will slide out for you.
Water well after planting, and continue to water at least every two weeks, depending on rainfall.

Tutti Frutti Butterfly Bush : Description and Planting information

                            Tutti Frutti Butterfly Bush 
'Tutti Frutti' Butterfly Bush is a dwarf variety and a shrub-like plant with striking purple coloured flower grows very quickly.The highly fragrant flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden.A butterfly bush often can be seen with a mass of butterflies on the flowers, especially in afternoons. Buddleias attract other insects too, like moths, and the reddish ones strongly attract hummingbirds. So it is more than a name, it is actually a botanical phenomenon.

Common Name : Butterfly Bush Flutterby Petite

Botanical Name : Buddleia Flutterby Petite

Mature Height : 24-30" tall and 16-22" wide

Flower Color : Purple

Flower Size : 6-10" flowers

Foliage Color Green

Foliage: Bushy arching stems

Light Requirements : Full Sun/ half sun

Soil Type : Loamy Soil, Drought/Dry Soil

Advantages : Deer Resistant, Attract Butterflies, Attract Hummingbirds, Attract Birds, Rabbit Resistant, Easy to Grow, Fragrant

Planting Instructions :

In India Butterfly bushes grows well in winter. In the very cold places they die in the very starting. but in hot regions, they are evergreen. In the warmer states, butterfly bushes often grow to 24 to 30 inches high, and require pruning to keep them shapely. They're happy in almost any soil and prefer moist ground, but will also do well in dryer spots. They need plenty of sun, but will be fine with some shade in the warmer areas. All this tells you that this plant is a tough one, and should be easy to grow in your garden. A well-grown specimen can be a magnificent "fountain" of flowers, since the stems with heavy flower clusters tend to arch in all directions.

Planting steps :

Choose a warm place with well drained and acidic soil.

If weather cooperates begin planting as soon as possible. If not, keep butterfly bushes where they get some sun through a window, and keep them moist, not soggy.
As set out the potted butterfly bushes, dig to loosen the soil around and below the actual spot, and then set the rooted plant at the same level if was growing in the pot.
Plant butterfly bushes about 4-6' apart, depending on the variety.
When remove the plant from the pot, do not pull on the leaves or stems. Squeeze the pot a little and the roots and soil will slide out for you.
Water well after planting, and continue to water at least every two weeks, depending on rainfall.

Jasmine/ jui: Description, Growing tips and its Uses

                                       Jasmine/Jui
Juhi is one of the most beautiful flowers.It is called jui in bengali. They are very easy to grow, takes both sun and shade, dry and moist conditions. It produces a beautiful aroma similar to the smell of jasmine and is considered as one of the most attractive all aromas. The leaves are dark green, small and flowers are white. Flowers appear in bunches from summer to fall.


Botanical name: Terminalia catappa

Family : Combretaceae

Life cycle: Perennial

Plant height : 5 ft

Leaf Colour: Green

Flower Colour: White

Temperature: 25-30 °C

Light: Full sun/ half sun

Soil: Loamy, sandy

Climate : Tropical, subtropical

Advantage: Easy to growth


Growing tips:

Jasmine tolerates a variety of soils. Jasmine prefers sun to shade, in fact, this plant like sun so much it does not need shade at all. If the garden is filled with trees, the gardener must carefully trim them on a regular basis in order to make sure that jasmine stays in the sunshine.

Uses:

Jasmine has been used for medicinal purposes, jasmine flowers are worn by women as hair decorations.

The applications of lotions made from jasmine flowers to skin problems like sunburns and rashes have been widely noted. The juices of the flower are said to restore the skin’s moisture and elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and giving the skin a healthier look and feel.

Jasmine flower plant: Description, growing tips and uses

                                       Arabian Jasmine Flower
Arabian Jasmine is a very popular flower around the world specially the tropical areas for its sweet fragrance. The plant grows upto 7m. The leaves are either evergreen or loosing its leaves in the fall. The flowers are white and yellow in colour.The jasmine flower is associated with love. Jasmine also symbolizes beauty and sensuality. In some cultures, Jasmine represents appreciation and good luck. When used in religious ceremonies jasmine represents purity.

Botanical name: Jasminum sambac

Family: Oleaceae

Life cycle: Perennial

Plant height : 7 m

Leaf Colour: Green

Flower Colour: White

Temperature: 20-30°c

Light: Full sun/ half sun

Soil: Loamy soil

Climate : Tropical, subtropical

Advantage: Easy to grow

Growing Tips:

Jasemine tree needs  a little maintanence.

• Select a warm, sheltered area and use a structure of some sort.
• The plants should be placed in sunny areas and needs well- drainning and fertile soil.
• Use leaf molds with the soil for better growth.

Uses:

• This is basically used for its strong fragrance. It can be used as home decoration.
• The flower is used to make medicine. Jasmine has been used for liver disease (hepatitis), and abdominal pain. It is also used to cause relaxation 
• This is also used  to increase sexual desire, and in cancer treatment.

Gondhoraj/ Cape Jasmine: Plant description, Planting and Its uses

                          Gondhoraj/ Cape Jasmine

Gondhoraj flower(in Bengal ) is commonly known as Gardenia plants or Cape Jasmine is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar and Pacific Islands. .This is very common only for its strong sweet scent of their flowers, which can be cultivated as a house plant. The plants grow from 2 to 8 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety. Most gardenias grow into a round shape with dark green, glossy leaves and white, fragrant flowers that bloom from mid-spring into summer.They are evergreen shrubs and small trees. The flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white, or pale yellow, with 5-12 lobes.

Botanical name: Gardenia jasminoides

Family: Rubiaceae

Life cycle: Perennial

Plant height : 2-8 ft

Leaf Colour: Green

Flower Colour: White

Temperature: 20-30°C

Light: Full sun/ half sun

Soil: Loamy soil

Climate : Tropical, subtropical

Advantage: Easy to grow, evergreen, fragrant


Planting:

Plant in spring or fall, spacing plants 3 to 6 feet apart. Have the soil tested to determine pH, and if necessary add the recommended amount of sulfur to reduce the pH to between 5 and 6. Dig a hole only as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. If soil is in very poor condition, amend the soil that remove from the hole with a small amount of compost. Otherwise don't amend it at all. Carefully remove the plant from the container and set it in the hole. Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Let the water drain, then fill the remainder of hole with soil and water thoroughly.


Uses: 

• The plant is basically used for decoration purpose at home garden. 
• Its fruits are also used in traditional Chinese medicine for their clearing, calming, and cooling properties.

Kamini/Orange Jasmine plant: Description, Propagation & Its uses

                      
                                Kamini/Orange Jasmine

Kamini flowers have an aromatic orange-like fragrance, thats why it is called orange Jessamine .

Orange Jessamine is a small, tropical, evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 7 m tall. The plant flowers bloom throughout the year. Its leaves are glabrous and glossy, 3-7 inch long. Flowers are terminal, few-flowered, dense and fragrant. The fruit of Murraya paniculata is fleshy, oblong-ovoid, coloured red to orange, and grows up to 1 inch in length.


Botanical name: Murraya paniculata

Family: Rutaceae

Life cycle: Perennial

Plant height : 3-7 m

Leaf Colour:Green

Flower Colour: White, red, pink

Temperature: 15-30°C

Light: Full sun/ half sun

Soil: Loamy soil

Climate : Tropical, subtropical

Advantage: Easy to grow


Propagation & Caring:

The Orange Jessamine is sexually propagated by its seeds. The fruits are eaten by birds, who then pass the seeds out in their stool. It may also be artificially propagated by softwood cuttings.

Plant care is not difficult but does require a little observation.

Fertilize the plant in spring just before new growth appears.Pinch off the tips of the vines in the second year to promote branching which will fill the trellis with bushy growth.


Uses:

• Traditionally,kamini is used both in traditional medicine as an analgesic and for wood 
• The plant is used for the ornamental purpose because of its hardiness, wide range of soil tolerance , and is suitable for larger hedges. The plant flowers throughout the year and produces small, fragrant flower clusters which attract bees, while the fruits attract small frugivorous birds. 
• Honey bee farms have been known to plant Orange Jessamine near bee hives. Serving not only as food for the bees but as protection from harsh winds. Honey collected from bee hive colonies that collect pollen from orange jessamines, have a tangy sweet orange undertone

Kathali Chapa/ Champak: Description, Growing tips and its uses

                                                      Kathali Chapa/ Champak

Kathali champa(in bengali) is commonly known as champak, son champa.This is a highly scented flowering plant that is native to India and tropical Asian region.This is mainly a shrubby vine plant but during its early stage it looks like a shrub. Smooth narrow elliptical leafs are alternately arranged and glossy when young.
Flowers  are green in color which transforms into slight yellowish later. Flowers are extremely fragrant which can smell from a long distance. Even the flower keeps the smell for several days after plucking from the tree.

Botanical name: Artabotrys hexapetalus

Family : Annonaceae

Life cycle:  Perennial

Plant height : 15 to 25 ft

Leaf Colour: Green

Flower Colour:  Green , yellowish, orange

Temperature: 25 to 38 °C

Light: Full sun/ half sun

Soil: Well drained soil

Climate : Tropical, subtropical

Advantage: Easy to grow

Growing Tips:

This plant is introduced as an ornamental plant outside its native area. This can be planted at the gardens or at pot. This plant requires full sunshine. Propagation is done from cutting or from the seeds.
As always take all safety precautions when using power equipment, or when you have to get off the ground for pruning.

Uses:

• This is mainly famous for its highly sweet fragrance.
• The oil from the flower is extensively used in aromatherapy.

Shiuli flower: Plant description and its health benefits

                        Night Jasmine/Shiuli Flower
 The night-flowering jasmine or parijat is commonly known in India is  called Siuli in bengal.

It  is a species of Nyctanthes native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is a shrub or a small tree growing to 10 m tall, with flaky grey bark leaves are opposite, simple, 6–12 cm long and 2–6.5 cm broad, with an entire margin. The flowers are small, white in colour. The flowers bloom in night and after morning it turns into yellowish. It is very famous in India specially in West Bengal. It is the symbol of  the festival Durga Puja. Its sweet fresh fragrance knocks the time of durga puja. It is also national state flower of West Bengal.

Botanical name: Nyctanthes arbor-tristinight

Family : Oleaceae

Life cycle:  Perennial

Plant height :  8-12 ft

Leaf Colour: Green

Flower Colour: White

Bloom Time: Seasonal flower

Temperature: 15-20 °C

Light: Full sun/ half sun

Soil: Loamy, sandy

Climate : Tropical, subtropical

Advantage: Easy to growth


Health benefits:

• Helps to cure lice, baldness, dandruff, and get rid of grey hair.
• Used to treat anxiety and vertigo
• Prevents dental issues like scurvy
• One of the Parijata herb uses include treating congestion that is caused by asthma, dry cough, bronchitis etc
• Can be used to treat high blood pressure
• Helps to maintain glucose levels in the body
• Prevents acidity and dyspepsia
• Provides relief from urinary infections 
• Helps relieve menstrual cramps
• Is used as an antidote to snake bites
• Alleviates piles

Phlox flower : Description and Germination

                                              Phlox

Phlox are a fragrant summer wildflower that complement any garden.It is the tall, eye-catching perennials are ideal for sunny borders. Phlox flower is available as both annuals and perennials.But it is quite old fashioned annual.It is a lovely flower in color and deserves more then it gets.This is in shade of pink, purple, lavender or white flowers bloom for several weeks in summer, and make excellent cut flowers. Growing hardy garden phlox is simple and is general care.Phlox is a excellent choice to learn how to grow from seed.

Botanical Name: Phlox

Family: Polemoniaceae

Life cycle : Annual & Perennial

Flower color : Mixed

Mature height :8-20"

Bloom time : Early summer

Soil type : Sandy Soil, Loamy Soil, Drought/Dry Soil

Light requirement : Full sun

GERMINATION

• Mix one part per lite, one part sand and one part potting soil in a 5-gallon bucket. Add water slowly to the mixture until it is evenly moist but not soggy. Fill a plastic seedling tray with soil.
• Spread the Phlox seed horizontally over the surface of the media in the tray. Space the individual seeds 2 to 3 inches apart. Press the seeds down gently to ensure full contact with the soil's surface.
• Put on a pair of gloves. Read all label directions and warnings on a package of seedling fungicide. Dust the fungicide onto the surfaces of the seeds with a small paintbrush.
• Sprinkle a 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer of soil over the top of the seeds, covering them completely. Lightly mist the soil's surface with water from a spray bottle. Cover the tray with a clear plastic cover.
• Position a heat mat in an area with bright, indirect sunlight and a constant temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the mat on and adjust its temperature setting to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tray on top of the mat.
• Remove the cover once per day, and wipe away any condensation from its interior with a paper towel or cloth. Lightly mist over the tray when the top layer of soil begins to dry. Keep the media moist, but never soggy.
• Watch for emerging sprouts one week after planting. Remove the cover once the seeds germinate. Remove the tray from the mat, put the mat away and replace the tray in its former position.
• Water the seedlings in the morning with a watering can when the top 1 inch of soil becomes dry. Pour the water directly onto the growing media, being careful not to splash the leaves.
• Fertilize the seedlings weekly with a 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer. Mix 1/2 teaspoon fertilizer with 1 gallon of water. Pour the fertilizer solution directly into the tray, applying it in place of a watering.

Magnolia flower plant : Description, Planting & Uses

                                                               Magnolia
Magnolia is the kind of large shrub flowering plant. They have evergreen or deciduous, alternate smooth-margined leaves.The flowers are usually cuplike and fragrant, are located at the branch tips and have three sepals, six to 12 petals arranged in two to four series and colour of white, pink or purple.The seeds are usually reddish and may remain dormant for many years (15-20 years).

Botanical Name : Magnolia

Family :Magnoliaceae

Plant Height: 90 ft

Foliage Color : Green

Flower Color : White, Pink or Purple.

Flower Size : 3-12" diameter

Tempareture: 10-20℃

Light Requirements :Half Sun / Half Shade, Full Shade

Soil Type : Loamy Soil, Drought/Dry Soil, Moist/Wet Soil

Advantages : Easy to Grow, Native


PLANTING

The plant can be grown in both hot and cold areas. It likes full sun. Magnolias need a lot of space to grow in. They are mostly half as wide as their height.

1. At first dig a hole twice as wide as rootball but not quite as deep.

2. If the soil is heavy that doesn’t drain well, dig a 24 to 36-inch post hole in the bottom of planting hole and fill it full of gravel.

3. Plant the tree a little higher than the existing grade around it.

4. Water it in well and make sure that it doesn’t dry out in the first year. Magnolias like their roots to be moist, but not wet.

5. Apply mulch about one-inch deep, covering the root ball and soil to at least the drip line of the tree.

6. Apply a small amount of low-dose fertilizer, such as a 4-1-2, around the drip line of the tree once a month.

USES

• Magnolias make wonderful fresh cut flowers. They will add charm, elegance and fragrant to any arrangement. The flowers will last about a week in a vase.
• The fragrant magnolia is a popular ingredient in floral perfumes.
• The flowers can be used to make essential oil. Magnolia essential oil is used to calm nerves and can act as an aphrodisiac.
• The seeds are food for birds, squirrels and other small animals.
• The aromatic, bitter bark is sometimes used for the adulteration of cinnamon.
• Soil under tree cover shows an increase in pH, soil organic carbon and available phosphorus.