Its In The Spelling

For a long time, all I had to go with on this blue flower is its called seeanothis. Least thats what my leading hand told me. I tried to google it and hunt down more information but have struggled. The other day I had a brain wave and started looking up pictures of "Blue Bottlebrush". Took a few goes but it turns out I was spelling it wrong, its Ceanothus, also known as a Californian Lilac. Feeling quite proud of that little victory.

Nommy Weed

Im sure everyone has the same complaint as me at present, a little bit of rain and all the weeds seem to spring up out of nowhere. This is a very common one and almost everyone I know has seen this one, its Sow Thistle. A native to Europe, Asia and Northern Africa, it has managed to naturalise itself pretty much over the entire globe. It spreads by seed that is dispersed on the wind in the same way dandelions do with their fluffy parachutes attached to the seed. There is an old saying, one years weeding is seven years seeding. Essentially if you weed it out before it goes to seed, your problems are halved. The plants themselves are easy enough to pull out of the ground when weeding, but make sure you get the taproot, otherwise it will just re-shoot.

Interesting to note, this plant is also edible. My stepdad and I used to pick the leaves, wash them, then boil them up like spinach. I used to love it and I have it a guilty pleasure occasionally. Its full of iron and rather good for you.

Clivia

The Clivias are looking quite spectacular at present. Their vibrant colour is a welcome burst of happiness after all the winters rain. One of the hardier plants that will flower in full shade. Most commonly available in orange, though if you hunt around you can occasionally find some of the newer varieties in red-orange, yellow or cream.

The genus is names after Charlotte Percy (nee Clive), Duchess of Northumberland and the governess of Princess Victoria of Kent, future Queen Victoria. The Duchess grew up in a plant loving family and was the first person in Great Britain to get this lovely South African plant to bloom.

Grounded

So, the vet in Armadale thinks we're stalking them today. When we come across an injured bird, we usually try to take it to a veterinary clinic that has contact with a bird sanctuary. With some luck the bird can be healed and returned to the wild. This leads me to these two little characters I met today. A general rule of thumb is if a bird has suddenly lost his ability to fly, he most likely will be picked off by natural selection. It was just unusual today to find two injured birds in completely different circumstances. The first little character was the White Corella that I found wandering round Minnawarra Park. Corella's are entertaining to catch, as you want to keep your skin away from that beak. They bite hard. I essentially just dropped a hessian bag over the top of him and let him chomp on that til I could put him in a bucket and take him to the vet. You cant tell from the photo, but he was missing an eye and had a bit of a chunk taken out of his wing. He was lively though, hissed at me a bit, completely unaware that Im helping. The second injured bird we came across to day was a crow. I saw him hopping around in Memorial Park during the rubbish run, but didnt think too much of it. When he was sitting still when we returned to Memorial after smoko, thats when we figured there was something wrong. It took myself and my workmate to corner and grab him. His foot was curled up and there was something wrong with his wing, but no visible signs of any wounds. He was relatively quiet little guy, though he did make a few rattling noises when he got sick of being manhandled on the way to the vet. Unfortunately it is very unlikely that I will hear from the vet again on the outcome for these little guys. God speed fellas, hope you make a full recovery.

Pop Up

What do I like best about first rains? Funig! It pops up everywhere. Quite literally as this photos shows. Im not sure which type of toadstool this this, but it has pushed its ways through the the clumps of lawn clippings. Never underestimate how determined plants and fungi are to show their little faces to the world.

Technobin

It is part of our job to empty the bins around the parks, so we have quite the stash of Wheelie Bins. We just get the reject bins from the tip. You know the ones where you ring up the counsil and say that your bin is cracked, broken, or otherwise behaving in an unbin-like mannor and you are given a shiney new bin while the old one mysteriously disappears. Well, we get the pick of the disappeared bins. So some are newer and some are older, depending on when we restock. I was most ammused the other day to discover something resembling a QR code stamped on the side of the bin. I was unaware such technology was required for rubbish removal. Learn something new every day.

Teenage Mutant Ninja 30 Year Olds

I realise an explanation is needed. My friends inform me that Im a bit on the nerdy side, however what kid didnt like the Ninja Turtles? So lets all embrace that!One of the awesome things about working in parks is you find the occasional action figure.  I was excited to find a Donatello action figure as he was my favourite. My partner informed me that yesterday was the 30 year anniversary since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first came into being, in the form of a Comic Book. So I took my little found Donatello on some action and adventures in the day in the life of a gardener. :D

Joovie

This leafy looking specimen is a healthy little Creeping Fig. I have actually doctored the photo a bit and layered the two different looking leaves on top of each other. Creeping figs are one of a number of species of plants that are capable of having both juvenile and adult foliage at any stage of its life. The large flat deep green leaves are that of the adult foliage, capable of flowering and baring fruit. The smaller, heart-shaped slightly bumpy leaves are juvenile foliage that is used to grow and establish where the plant will grow. Creeping fig is a climbing plant and quite a vigorous one at that. So it uses the juvenile foliage to grow upon a surface such as a wall or tree trunk, when the plant has sufficiently anchored itself and grown the thicker, woodier stems it begins to grow the more adult leaves which are stronger in order to support flowers and fruit. If you are like me and prefer the much nicer looking juvenile foliage, simply prune off the adult leaves so the plant is forced to send out its juvenile runners again.

A word of caution with Creeping figs. They can be a very vigorous climber. We regularly have to prune the runners off the windows at work where it grows. If you dont have a way to keep this plant contained, or have the time to control it then please dont grow it. Its like Ivy, it will grow, smother, and take over.

Tricksy Little Weed

I'd like to introduce you to Commelina cyanea. It gets around on a few different common names such as Wandering Jew and Scurvey Weed. It is native to the eastern woodland areas of Australia which means that over here it is just a common garden weed. It acquired its common names from the fact its leaves look very simmilar to a South American Spiderwort plant also known as Wandering Jew, however that species flowers are white and it has a very weak root system. The name Scurvey Weed came about as the first settlers in the eastern states would chew on the leaves to keep Scurvey at bay. I do not recommend doing this in the present day and age, as we have pretty much stamped out scurvey and if you should mistake it for the spiderwort species it may not end well for you.

It is a prostrate ground cover weed that grows easily by seed. You have to be thorough when removing it as any pieces of stem left behind will quickly sprout root and youre back to square one. When it gets enough water it grows quite rapidly and the flowers are rather pretty. Most people I know get excited by vibrant blue blossoms and this plant is no exception. I have been told off a couple of times by people thinking that I am ruining the flower bed.

It took me a while to identify this weed when I first started in the Horticultural Industry over 10 years ago, as it was such a pretty plant that was growing in an annual bed I thought it was just another annual. Until it started taking over the bed.

Remember

On Anzac Day people can sometimes be seen wearing sprigs of rosemary at Dawn or Afternoon Services at the local War Memorials. There are 2 main reasons for this. The first is that since ancient times, it has long been believed that rosemary has properties that will improve memory and as such has been associated with fidelity and remembrance. The second is that the plant grew wild over the Gallopili peninsula, a place where many Australian and New Zealand soldiers lost their lives in a botched campaign. The boat carrying the soldiers landed too far north in a barren and exposed area of beach, the solderiers were ambushed by Turkish troops up on steep cliffs surrounding the cove. In the 8 months the soldiers were fighting in Gallipoli, 11410 ANZACs lost their lives. As the great grandaughter of  a man who was sent to that hell and was fortunate enough to return, I personally feel that this plant is a fitting tribute to such a memory. Most people I know are able to conjure up some form of hidden memories from the slight scent of rosemary. It is also tough as old hog nails, thrives in full sun and if you give it a little love and care, it is a most rewarding plant to have in your garden.

I had a friend once tell me that they didnt like dawn service and the like as they thought that it glorified war. It kinda shook me as I would go to ANZAC services as a teenager, I occasionally go to a Dawn Service. I didnt realise some people thought that way. To anyone who believes this please understand, nobody celebrates the old lie of the glory of war. War is hell. We celebrate and remember the mateship and comradery between those who fought for our freedom. To remember and give pause for those who never got to come home. And to stand together in hope that peace will prevail. Lest we forget.

Creepy Crawlys

Ok, I realise that this is mounds of unfair. I take a hiatus because life is being a bit on the crummy side and when I return I fill your computer screen with a vicious creepy crawly. Please bare with me. I have wanted to post about these guys for a while, and when my brain is in the mood for blogging then I really do try to take advantage of it. If it wants to tell you about centipedes, then you may as well listen, Im sure nicer things will follow. If you are arachnophobic, or scared of anything that has lots of legs, For goodness sake do not google this creature or its genus.

First rule of centipedes, DONT PICK IT UP! Im a little upset I wasnt quick enough to get a shot of his head, as it is the part of a centipede you need to avoid. Centipedes have modified pincer-like foreleg called "forcipules", in laymens terms this is a stabby like limb that injects venom. Avoid, I have heard it is many levels of not fun. Rarely fatal, more a swollen and extreme ouchy of unpleasantness. Worse if your allergic. Probably see a doctor.

Primarily nocturnal hunters, they do not have true vision like humans. They can have a cluster of eye like structures that in all honesty, mostly just tell the difference between light and dark. They pretty much rely on their antennae to find their way around, and the funny looking appendages on their tail also serve as antennae. Kinda like having eyes on the back of your head.

Visitor

Life has taken a few unexpected turns in the past month or so, to say the least. So I do apologise for taking so long to blog. I have been meaning to introduce you all to this little dragonfly I met a few weeks ago. I was spraying the weeds in the spillway in Minnawarra when I spotted him. His wings caught the light and shone a bit, it kind of comes up in the first photo. He even let me pick him up briefly.

Always nice to have a visitor.

Damsel

I do so enjoy it when a damselfly comes to say hello. Damselflies are of the same family as dragonflies however they tend to be smaller and more delicate than Dragonflies. They arent as strong a flier as their counterparts, and tend to fold their wings behind them when resting. I personally find them alot more bolder than dragonflies, as they will almost always pose for photos if youre gentle enough.

Tropical Touch

Ok, first thing I will say about bromiliads is that they are fantastic at attracting mosquitoes. The general funnel and cup shape of the plant allows it to store a reservoir of water in its center, and mozzies love stagnant pools of water to lay their eggs in. Just make sure you have a healthy garden before you plant them and the frogs and other predatory critters should help keep them in check. After all, bromiliads are stunning plants that are great at adding a tropical touch to your garden, especially when they can have such fascinating and unusual flowers. They dont require a heap of water once theyre established. Ive had one growing in a pot for years and am quite proficient at killing pot plants. It even flowers! Im impressed by its sheer audacity to live through my absent minded home pot plant care.

Red

The modern red roses that we know today were hybridized from red roses that were introduced to Europe from China in the 1800's. Symbolising deep love, passion, affection, beauty and desire, they are the most traditional of Valentine's Day flowers and are a time honoured way of telling someone "I love you". Red was associated with Aphrodite and Venus, the Greek and Roman Goddesses of Love. It has long since been used to decorate weddings and similar ceremonies, so when the giving of flowers and gifts became popular gestures of love, red roses were a natural choice. The deeper the shade of red, the deeper the feelings of the giver.  I was surprised to learn that even the number of red roses you receive conveys additional meanings to the "I Love You" message:
1 Red Rose - I love you deeply
2 Red Roses tied together - Engagement "Will you marry me?"
Dozen Red Roses - Gratitude
25 Red Roses - Congratulations
50 Red Roses - I love you unconditionally

Red is also a colour that symbolises power and strenght, so outside of Valentines Day, it is good as a congratulations gift, or for the birth of a child.

One thing to remember though, like all relationships, the giving of gifts and such conveys a personal meaning more so then a traditional meaning. If your sweetheart doesnt like the colour red, then for goodness sake dont get them red. If you can only afford one rose, dont break the bank to get him/her 50 roses when you know that they would appreciate just one. Hell, I would even appreciate just a hand drawn picture of a rose. Valentines Day is and always should be about celebrating the person you love and finding a way to tell them so. Not big grand displays of over the top frou frou. The simple "I love you", a small token (even if its just cooking breakfast in bed) and a kiss should always be more than enough for Valentine's, everything else is a bonus.

Pink

Pink roses were the first colour of rose to be cultivated, ranging from faint blushing pinks to a deep pink. They are quite possibly the oldest colour of rose and have been depicted in some of the earliest known artworks. They were depicted as symbols of gentility, admiration, grace and elegance.  More subdued than their red counterparts, pink roses are a gift of beauty and are perfect for the secret admirer. After all who doesnt have butterflies in their tummy and blush pink after a first kiss ...

Pink is typically associated with little girls, which is where they can acquire and innocence about them, so they are great for the obvious gift to a little girl. If you look beyond their feminine overtones they can be used for many different occasions. For couples who are apart, they are good for an "I miss you" gift, the admiration of beauty from afar. With their grace and admiration qualities they are good for congratulations, promotions or even just something to make someone smile.

White

There are many fables on the origins of the white rose. Most revolve around the petals blushing from a kiss or being stained by blood, which in the story turns the rose red. White is a stunning rose, representing purity, innocence, honour and beauty. It is a colour that catches your eye in any arrangement it is put it and will enhance any other colours around it. Because of its pure and virtuous meaning, it has long been associated with weddings and is commonly used in the bouquet for the bride. As with all flowers, there is always a deeper meaning from tales gone by. Long ago, girls would use small white rose buds to show that they were too young to court. White is a colour representing hope, so it is also fitting as a funeral tribute for a departed loved one or comrade.

White roses on Valentines Day represent more then just passion. They represent a love that is untarnished and pure, a love that endures, the kind of love that transcends this life and the next.

If you cant tell, these are one of my favourites.

Orange

Orange roses havent been around for all that long really. They were created towards the end of the 1800s in Europe, when there were new advancements in hybridization, and the red roses could be crossed with the recently discovered wild yellow roses found growing in the Middle East.

Orange is a colour that sparks the imagination and reminding us of the glow of sunrise. It is the perfect colour for new beginings and great for when you wish to transition out of the friend zone into relationship territory (though be careful, not everyone will get the subcontext). They hint at passion and fire with their warming tones.

They are a colour for new beginnings and when not given in a romantic context like Valentines Day, they are great for situations of pride and fresh starts, such as a new home or job. They are also a great choice for the birth of a baby.

Yellow

In the lead up to the biggest Hallmark Holiday of the year, florists are going nuts in preparation for having enough stock to supply for lovers, potential lovers, romantics, sweet hearts and every kind of best friend. Im talking soft toys, chocolates, bottles of wine, balloons, flowers and more red roses than you can poke a stick at. So I thought I would give you some food for thought in the lead up to Friday the 14th of February. Some of the beautiful roses growing in the gardens, and the meaning behind giving that colour of rose as a gift.

First up, YELLOW. Yellow symbolizes joy, happiness and wisdom. It is actually a common colour used as a get well gift, or a congratulations gift. Its warm tones are associated with friendship and if given for events such a Valentines Day its meaning is focused more on platonic relationships, without the romantic subtext. It honestly is the best rose to send to a true friend who needs a smile on Valentines Day.

Something to be wary of, when yellow roses were first introduced into Europe back in the 1800's, yellow had more negative connotations behind it (for example "Yellow Bellied"). So yellow roses back then were symbols of jealousy and dying love. The friendship and happiness meanings have pretty much taken over in the 200 years since they were introduced, however you can still occasionally find people who still hold true to the very old European meaning. My boyfriend, for example, is one of those people. When we began dating, I sent him a card with a yellow rose and wrote inside the card the friendship meaning of yellow roses and a whole heap of romantic stuff that I wont bore you with right now. When he opened the envelope and saw the picture he panicked and thought that it was a fancy way of me breaking up with him. When he read the inside he calmed down, but I still had to explain that we werent breaking up when I saw him next. So yeah, just be wary of sending yellow roses on romantic occasions, just in case.

Gran's Garden

I remember when I was a little girl, my great gran used to have a massive garden. It was your typical "grandma's garden", a mish-mash of what ever will grow that looks pretty. There was no rhyme or reason to it all. It was by no means an exceptional garden, except for the fact that is crystallized in my memory that I used to love it. Im sure its where my love of gardens came from. I would spend hours playing amongst it all and I used to love picking the assorted flowers that grew there. These are a flower that I know my gran grew, African Daisys. They are terrible for cut flowers as they curl up and wilt very quickly, but to a 5 year old girl they were quite the novelty. They are incredibly hardy plants and grow quite happily on very little water when they are established. They get a bit manky after a year or 2, so best to pull them out when they get too big and they usually self seed so you just start the process over again. There are a multitude of cultivars of them now. Some have played with the colour, so you get various shades of white, pink and purpley pink. Others have played with the flower shape, so you get the double blooms (petals in the center) like you see above, or you can have a pin wheel look with the petals curled inwards onto themselves (looking kind of like a wagon wheel), or you can have just the plain old fashioned variety which is just a plain daisy flower. These plants are very rewarding for very little effort, they are great at attracting butterflies an will brighten up most corners of your garden. I hope you will love them too, give them a burl, I dare you.

marathon

This little guy refused to stop running up my arm today. We were under-pruning the ficus in Minnawarra when I felt a tickling on my arm. I tried to set him down gently on a bush but he persisted in climbing up my arm. He managed to run the full length of both my arms twice before I managed to wrangle him off. God speed little mantis.

Subtle Scents and Fashion Trends

Frangipanis have become immensely popular in the last 10 years or so. I dont think I can recall as a kid seeing so many frangipani ornaments or hair clips. They are very popular as wedding boquets, however they are a bugger of a thing to wire up as they are very delicate flowers and bruise easily. The white frangipani flowers have a lovely delicate perfume to them, which is rare among cut flowers so I can see why they would be popular as a bouquet. The flowers come in shades of white, pink, yellow and any mix of the three. They are notoriously hardy plants and are easy to grow from cuttings. Simply cut off a branch, leave it to dry for at least a day, then plant and water as normal. The reason you have to wait is so that the wound heals over. If you plant a limb while the cut is still dripping white sap then you increase the risk of the stem rotting and not forming roots.

Sun Lovers

Ive been going through alot of older photos of late and I came across this little gem. I cant recall if I have posted this picture already on the blog back when I started it over a year ago, so if its a repeat, I do apologise.

The plant is a vinca. They can be a little bi-annual plant (an annual plant that can last for 2-3 seasons) if you look after them. They have a bad habit of developing mould in the winter, which is why we typically use them in the Summer annual plantings. If you spot mould, cut the plant back by about 2/3 and spray it with a copper based fungicide. They thrive in rich soil, but will grow in most soils. They seed quite readily and even thought we havent got any beds of vincas in this summers annual beds, we are getting a couple pop up the displays last year. They have an interesting smell to them. Not unpleasant, but dont go expecting the delight of roses.

One thing to watch, they do have a habit of going a bit yellow when nutrients are in short supply. A good dose of organic matter in the form of manure or compost will fix this up. Alternatively, you could just liquid fertilise once a fortnight, they will look quite magnificent.

So Many Myths

I know there is alot of fear surrounding spiders, but most "arachnophobes" I know all tell me that they are ok with Daddy Long Legs Spiders, and let them live side by side with them in their homes and sheds in the suburban environment that these spiders thrive in. They keep them around as they are not harmful to humans and they eat Redbacks and other spiders, so in turn keep the spider populous down. Both of these house wife tales are true, however as they expression goes, there is always a bigger fish. White Tail Spiders have a particularly bad reputation and people are quick to kill them for fear of being bitten (although a White Tail Spider bite is not as bad as urban legends suggest, I still wouldnt recommend playing with one). White Tail Spiders also feed on other spiders, but unlike the Daddy Long Legs they are hunters and seek out their prey. Their favourite food are the Black House Spiders you commonly see around the home, but they will quite happily take what they can get, which included Daddy Long Legs Spiders. So your great plan of keeping Daddy Long Legs to keep the spider populous down is acutally a round-a-bout way of encouraging White Tails into the home. My best suggestion is to sweep away cobwebs and discourage Daddy Long Legs from setting up camp in your home, unless you wish for other spiders to come visiting you as well.

3 Frog Welcome

My phone is currently in being fixed, so Im down to a loan phone from the shop. So the photo quality is terrible, however these guys were too adorable not to share. I actually saw 3 little frogs in 2 days, the third one was just too quick for the potato of a phone that Im currently using. These look like tiny little Motorbike Frogs. One of the most common frogs in the Perth Metro Area. In the hot weather, these were both hiding under leaf litter, in damp and shady areas. I can always remember my Stepfather telling me when I was younger, that a garden with a frog in it is a healthy garden. So the gardens at work must be doing really well to have 3 healthy little frogs jumping around while the weather is still 35-40 degrees.

And You Are?

Somewhere along the way of writing this blog, I picked up a habit of wanting to know what each caterpillar I find turns into. This little guy appeared on the Virginia Creeper next to the bunker. I had intentions of taking weekly photos of him til it pupated, but unfortunately I ended up having some time off work and was unable to see this.

This little guy is an Australian Grapevine Moth. They can be found over most of Australia (not Northern Territory though) and are a pest species both here and in other parts of the world. Like most caterpillars they prefer to feed on plants with soft leaves, such as the Virginia Creeper you see in the photos, Grape Vines, Nasturtiums, Fuchsias, Evening Primrose, etc. They are hungry little buggers, this one alone nearly stripped all the leaves off the Creeper (it is not an overly big creeper yet) and tend to rest on the underside of the plant they are feasting on. This is why I tell people when they are trying to control caterpillars that they have to treat underneath the leaves as best they can. The most successful/eco friendly way of treating these pests is to make sure the product you are using will get in contact with them. So spraying Success or Pyrethium on the underside of the leaves, or dusting Flour on the underside of the damp leaves. Otherwise you are just wasting time and money.

I would never have seen this caterpillar pupate, as when it reaches maturity it goes walk-a-bout for 1-2 days so it can find a hidden away, safe place such as a crack in a fence post to pupate on. It overwinters as the pupa, before emerging  in the spring as a little black and white moth (though they look more like butterflies). Unfortunately I was unable to get any photos of these guys. Butterflies can be skittish little things and seem to think their soul will be stolen if I get a photo of them.

Roots

I believe that public art should reflect the area that it is placed and this is a lovely example of that. This is the fountain in Sanctuary Lakes, along Armadale Road. The fountain depicts a pioneering family planting a tree. The fountain was erected just over 10 years ago to commemorate the City's heritage, as back in the 1800's Armadale and Kelmscott began life as farming and logging communities. Around the base of the fountain are plaques that give details of some of the areas first residents. Lists of family names and family members. Some of the larger plaques contain more information of the families such as where the family emigrated from, businesses they ran and other contributions to the community. I feel it is important to have little 'nods to the past' among its public gardens, parks and spaces. It not only enhances the area, it makes it richer culturally and encourages the locals to learn more about their cities history. It also gives visitors an idea of how Armadale and Kelmscott came about and why the town was successful enough continue to grow and thrive today.

Career Duck

Serious question here. How many wild ducks have you seen that have taken up a successful career in baking? As my voice is the only one I can hear, then Im going to assume that my answer is a unanimous one: wild ducks dont have careers! So it leads me to question why people still think its is a good thing to feed wild ducks bread? 20 years or more ago it was accepted but now we know better. Everyone I speak to knows that it is bad to feed bread to ducks, but not many know why.

Now here is what is going to blow your little mind, there are at least 4 strong reasons why ducks shouldnt eat bread:
Nutrition, ducks are omnivourous and they are not designed to live on bread, which has next to no nutritional value. Bread is full of carbohydrates and not much else. To a duck, this is like living off really bad take away. It just leads to unhealthy, overweight ducks.
Pollution, the ducks in the park get fed so often that the ducks' little tummies are full. So they leave what they dont eat to rot in the bottom of the lake. This in turn causes algae and other bad bacteria to grow and pollute the water way. .
Behaviour, most wild animals will take the easiest source of food. If you are constantly feeding a duck (I see people come to feed the ducks daily, and I once counted 5 different groups of people bringing plastic bags full of bread to the park to feed the ducks) and if the duck is full from all this bread, why would it bother to go foraging for food? This is bad as it upsets the ecosystem, gives pests a chance to flourish. If there are ducklings about then they learn this behaviour and dont properly learn to forage and fend for themselves.
Disease, as corny as it sounds the carb rich diet causes the ducks to poop more. A build up of faeces in any environment is a breeding ground for disease. If any uneaten bread is left on the land to go mouldy, this can harbour aspergillosis, a deadly lung infection that can decimate avian populations

In short, if ducks were meant to eat bread then they would have evolved to be bakers. Simple. So please dont feed them.

Boys and Girls

The primary purpose of a plant to flower is for it to reproduce and form seed. The healthiest and strongest seed is produced when the plant is able to cross pollinate with another plant of the same species that has different chromosomes to itself (ie as distantly related as possible) This way the plant avoid inbreeding and weakening the gene pool. After all, it is pretty useless swapping chromosomes with someone who has an identical set to your own. Plants have evolved different ways to prevent a flower being pollinated by itself and Sheoaks are one of the few species that have become dioecious to combat this. Dioecity means that the male and female reproductive organs are housed in two different bodies. So in the Sheoaks case, you  have male and female trees. During Spring and early Summer, the male trees develop a reddish, feathery growth at the end of their long narrow leaves (as you can see in the photo). These are designed to catch as much wind as possible in order to disperse the pollen. Female trees grow little round, red tufts just above the leaves that try to stick out from the plant in order to catch any pollen floating on the wind. Once pollinated the flowers then develop into small, oval shaped, woody fruits. Once ripe, slits open in the fruits so the seed can spread on the wind and the cycle can begin again.

Prolific

There are some species of plant out there that look quite plain and only have the occasional flower making you wonder why you keep it in the garden, then during spring it becomes a mass of bloom. Most people cite Azaleas for this habit, yet there are several other species that do it too. If given the choice, I would choose something like this Wedding Bush. Azaleas can look beautiful in the right location, however most people I speak to struggle to get them to grow. They are also very shallow rooted and dry out quickly in the Perth summer. The Wedding Bush is alot taller than an Azalea, up to 3x3m, with deep green, soft needle shaped leaves. It is not a dense shrub but it does make a lovely stand alone bush or hedge, especially when it is smothered in these beautiful white flowers through Spring. You only get the occasional flower in Winter leading up to Spring and in early Summer, on the tail end of Spring. It is hardy and quite water wise once it has become established, enjoying full sun to part shade. The plant in this picture doesnt get a great deal of water, it grows underneath a heap of eucalyptus trees and is growing in some fairly solid clay soil, yet is still puts on this magnificent display once a year and throws an occasional flower just to tease us with its beauty.

Maturity

There are some species of plant out there that have different shaped leaves when the plant becomes "mature". One such example is Dizygotheca, a small tree that is typically used for indoor plant displays. When the plant is immature, the leaves are small and narrow, like in the first photo. As the plant becomes more established, the leaves begin to broaden and become more serrated, like in the second photo. When the plant is fully mature and able to reproduce the leaves become quite broad and take on a lighter shade of green. With this species, the juvenile leaves look almost nothing like the mature leaves of the plant. The most interesting part about these plants is that if you prune off the mature foliage it will revert back to the juvenile foliage. So it is quite possible to find a tree with two very different types of leaves growing out of it on different branches.

This is quite a handy plant with indoor plant displays as it can be difficult to find plants that will readily flower indoors, so the use of coloured foliage and textured foliage is used instead. The juvenile leaves of Dizygotheca is ideal for this purpose, as they have a lovely fine, almost delicate, texture to them while having a lovely deep burgundy look about them. They prefer part sun and will tolerate being indoors if they get enough light and the right amount of water (damp, not sopping wet). Dizygotheca will turn into a small tree if given the right conditions. It can be grown out doors and the root room will give it chance to throw some mature leaves, just make sure its not coping full sun and it should grow quite nicely.