Cedrela microcarpa (Australian Red Cedar)

Cedrela microcarpa (Syn: Toona ciliata) is a large, fast growing tree, which can grow up to 30 m. tall. Common names are Toon, Toona, Australian Red Cedar, Moulmein cedar, Burma cedar.

Sapling

It is a deciduous tree with wide spreading branches. The large grown trees have buttress roots which spread quite far from the tree. The bark is rough and brownish grey in colour. The core wood is reddish in colour. Compound leaves of this tree resemble Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves but are larger. Flowers of Cedrela are white and of tubular shape. Tender fruits of both these trees look similar but Neem fruit is a drupe and the fruit of Cedrela is a capsule. When ripe the Cedrela capsule splits in star shape and tiny, brownish winged seeds are dispersed by wind far and wide. This habit of the tree has made it invasive in some countries. Both Cedrela and Neem tree belong to Meliaceae family. Its origin is supposed to be Australia but now it is naturalized in Tropical Asia, southern China, Himalayas.

Tender capsules

Capsules

Capsules and seeds

Seed magnified

Cedrela wood is used for making furniture, carving and inlay work. Its timber is highly valued. However, due to extensive cutting of the trees for its highly valued timber, this tree has diminished in numbers in many countries. The tree is supposed to have certain medicinal uses and is used in Unani and Ayurvedic medicines. Cedrela can be propagated with seeds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toona_ciliata#/media/File:Cedrela_toona00.jpg 

Echinopsis multiplex (Easter lily cactus)

Echinopsis multiplex, commonly known as Easter lily cactus is a very sturdy cactus and gives multiples of pups on its side. It tolerates full open sunlight and is not easily affected with wet soil, unlike other cacti. I had this cactus in Mumbai for many years but only after shifting to Pune, it decided to bloom. It is a night blooming cactus. Starts opening as sun sets and by morning it start wilting. Though of very short life, the flower is larger than the plant on which it grows. I have been using following planting medium: 3 parts coarse sand + 1 part cow dung manure or leaf compost + half part of coco peat. It is easily propagated by removal of pups from the mother plant. In fact it is advisable to remove many pups from the mother plant and plant them as separately.

Stages of flower bud growth

Flowers are larger than the cactus

Muntingia calabura (Jamaica Cherry, Panama cherry, Singapore cherry)

Muntingia calabura, commonly known as Singapore cherry, Jamaica Cherry, Panama cherry is a small, evergreen tree. Its leaves are slightly hairy and are a bit sticky to touch. The tree is drought resistant and can thrive in poor soil also. In fact it can become invasive due to its habit of sending root suckers and also due to seed dispersal by birds and bats through their droppings. I have observed that Flower pecker birds puncture the fruit near its stalk and suck the juice.

Hairy leaves with unequal base near leaf stalk

The fruit is a tiny berry with hundreds of minute seeds. The seeds are so tiny that one cannot feel their presence while eating the fruit. The fruit contains juicy pulp which is sweet and with delectable falvour. The skin of the fruit is a bit leathery but is edible. The tree bears flowers and fruit almost all year round. The ripe fruit can be eaten whole and also can be used to make jam and jelly. Flowers and the leaves are supposed to have some medicinal uses. The tree is native to South America but has now been naturalized in many other countries, including India. The tree belongs to Muntingiaceae family.

Propagating Dendrobium orchids

When a certain stems of Dendrobium become almost leafless, that indicates that the stems would give no more flowers. Such stems are called ‘Exhuasted’. They look ugly on the plant. So it is better to remove them with a sharp secateurs. Instead of discarding such stems it is advisable to put those in an elongated planter in which a thick layer of charcoal and brick pieces is laid.

Keep the brickbats and charcoal moist by spraying water on them. This will encourage the exhausted stems to give new plantlets. Such stems, even if retained on the plant can give new plantlets, but the exhausted stems look bad on a healthy Dendrobium plant. A single exhausted stem can give rise to one to three plantlets. When the plantlets start getting healthy, spongy white roots with active green tips, they can be planted in separate planters. Dendrobium orchids are epiphytic and cannot survive in soil. They grow best in charcoal, brickbats accompanied with a few pieces of coco chips (coconut skin pieces chopped to small size). Here is a video showing the process.

Fairy Garden

A fairy garden made from Polystyrene (thermacol) scrap with some plastic plants and some real plant cuttings. The real plant cuttings remain fresh for about 4 to 5 days; when dry, they are replaced with fresh ones. All miniature articles are also made by me. Fairy gardens are miniature table-top landscapes.