Latest news with #Ficus
Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
New stamp series showcases critically endangered native coastal plants in Singapore
The four plant species are recognisable by their striking ornamental flowers, fruits and foliage. PHOTO: SINGPOST AND NPARKS SINGAPORE – The sea trumpet tree and queen coralbead vine are among four species featured in a new set of stamps that showcase critically endangered native coastal plants. The stamp series – the result of a tie-up between Singapore Post (SingPost) and the National Parks Board (NParks) – aims to shine a light on Singapore's unique natural heritage and the urgent need for conservation, the two agencies said in a joint statement on May 30. The series also comes just in time for the Festival of Biodiversity, which will be held at the Plaza in the National Library Building, from May 31 to June 1 , the statement added . The stamps, valued at between 52 cents and $2 each , can be bought at all post offices, on the SingPost website, and philatelic stores from May 30 . They will also be sold at the festival. Apart from the sea trumpet and queen coralbead, the stamps feature the Ormocarpum cochinchinense tree and Ficus stricta, a type of strangling fig tree. The four plant species are recognisable by their striking ornamental flowers, fruits and foliage, and are part of the NParks Species Recovery Programme, which aims to secure the long-term survival of rare and endangered native flora. The latest series is titled Critically Endangered Flora Of Singapore – Flora Of Coastal Forest, and is the last of three stamp series to showcase endangered plant species in Singapore. The 2024 series highlighted the critically endangered native flora of Singapore's tropical lowland rainforests, which include the two-fold velvet bean climber, tiger's betel, the squirrel's jack and the Kadsura scandens. All four plants can be found in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Central Catchment Nature Reserve, said NParks. In 2023, four critically endangered native floral species from Singapore's swamp forests were featured on stamps: the lipstick plant, Singapore Kopsia, red Salak, and Fagraea splendens. They were found or rediscovered in the Nee Soon Swamp Forest, which is the only remaining primary freshwater swamp forest in Singapore. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Glam up the patio for winter
Winter mornings and evenings can be chilly, but on sunny winter days there's no better place to be that on the patio, stoep or loggia. Use flowering plants to decorate the table when friends and family gather for a meal. Close in the space with leafy plants or air plants tumbling out of hanging baskets and add some eye catching foliage plants as features. Just make sure that the plants are sheltered from drafts and are hardy, or else move them closer to the interior when bitter cold is predicted. For tabletop flowers the best plants are those that stay compact and carry their flowers above the leaves, like kalanchoe and calandiva, cyclamen and mini versions of phalaenopsis and anthurium. Cyclamen thrive in the cool weather and if dead flowers are regularly removed it can flower throughout winter. Plants like bright light and cool conditions and should not be over -watered. For it to flower well, feed with a liquid fertiliser at half strength every two weeks. It doesn't always have to be about flowers. The bonsai Ficus macrocarpa 'Ginseng' is always a talking point. Make a feature of it by placing it on a coffee table or pedestal to show off its unusual stem and air roots. Plants that are 'bonsai ready' are easily available and can remain in their pots or be transplanted into a more traditional ceramic bonsai pot. As a patio plant it needs a sheltered position that receives up to four hours of sun a day. Over-watering or drying out, or cold can cause leaf drop. Feed every six weeks with a liquid fertiliser like Nitrosol. Trailing plant Philodendron scandens, also known as the sweetheart plant for its heart-shaped leaves is easily trained onto a wall trellis or frame or can cascade out of a hanging basket. Keep plants to a manageable size by trimming regularly. Plants tolerate all light conditions, from shady to bright light, but do best in medium light. Keep the soil consistently moist although the surface soil can dry out slightly before watering again. Feature plants The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is almost indestructible plant that looks like a cross between a cycad and a fern. It copes with variable temperatures and only needs minimal watering. Water when the top few centimetre of the potting mix feels dry. The shiny, dark green leaves have a waxy look and new growth is a lighter green, creating an attractive contrast. Keep the leaves looking shiny and healthy by feeding with pot-plant food once every six months. There are many variations of the rubber plant (Ficus elastica) and an unusual variety is Ficus 'Abidjan' which has dark purple-green leaves with a hint of red. Ficus plants thrive in bright light and do well next to windows. Water once the soil becomes dry to the touch. Regularly wiping the leaves with a soft cloth soaked in lukewarm water will also keep the leaves shiny and healthy Monstera deliciosa: grows into a large feature plant with striking, lobed leaves that will thrive indoors or on the patio for many years. It needs good, filtered light and the soil can slightly dry out between watering. Sponge down the leaves to keep them clean. Repot once a year, in spring, until the plant reaches its mature size, then just refresh with potting soil. Prune lightly (cut off branches or leaves where they meet the stem) to prevent the plant getting too large. For more info, visit LVG Plant. Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee. For more on gardening, visit Get It Magazine.
Irish Times
27-04-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Why are my rubber plants looking so unhappy?
I thought that rubber plants are supposed to be indestructible but mine has started losing a few leaves and looks unhappy. Please tell me what I'm doing wrong? – C Finnegan, Waterford Hailing from parts of south Asia and Indonesia, this tropical evergreen species (Ficus elastica) has long been a popular houseplant with a reputation for being exceptionally unfussy and hard to kill. Its common name of 'rubber plant' or 'rubber fig' comes from the milky white, sticky latex it contains. The species aside, various cultivated forms are available, including the smartly variegated Ficus elastica 'Tineke' and the larger-leaved Ficus elastica 'Robusta'. While it's certainly a tough, resilient species that can tolerate quite a degree of neglect, there are certain things that the rubber plant will turn up its nose at. Sudden changes in its growing conditions, such as an abrupt change of temperature, exposure to icy drafts, or long exposure to direct bright sunshine, can all cause its foliage to curl, droop and drop. So can overwatering. Large houseplants like this, especially if growing in a communal office or reception area, can also fall victim to what I like to call 'crimes against horticulture', where plants die as a result of half-finished, hot beverages being regularly tipped into them, or worse. READ MORE To keep your rubber plant happy, make sure to give it a bright spot, but one that's out of direct sunshine, away from hot radiators and from any windows that are regularly opened. While it will happily tolerate warm temperatures between 18 and 30 degrees, it dislikes being in a cool room where the ambient temperature regularly falls below 15. [ Which varieties of willow and bamboo grow quickly? Opens in new window ] Overwatering is another no-no. Done regularly, this causes the plant to drop its leaves. Underwatering, on the other hand, typically causes the edges of the leaves to roll inwards. Aim to water roughly once a week at this time of year and less in autumn and winter when the plant isn't in active growth, allowing the compost to almost dry out between waterings. A monthly liquid feed during the growing season will also be beneficial, as will gently wiping down your rubber tree's large, glossy oval leaves with a damp, clean sponge to remove any dust that's accumulated. Repotting every three years is also recommended, using a slightly larger pot and fresh compost.
Telegraph
18-04-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Help! My massive houseplants are out of control
Like a lot of people, I got heavily into houseplants during lockdown. It was something I thought I didn't have time for before the pandemic hit, but once I'd got a few leafy babies, I found I loved watching them grow, I loved the feeling of caring for them and seeing them thrive. And, actually, it isn't much work at all to care for houseplants. But maybe I cared for them a little too well because now, five years later, I have a house full of huge plants and I don't know what to do with them. My houseplants are out of control, they're taking over every space in the house and bursting out of their pots. I need to learn how to manage them better. Cutting is caring At first, I was worried that limiting their growth would be cruel, but Holly and Nikki Barsby, who run a houseplant shop in London and are exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show this year, assured me it's a positive thing to do for our plants. 'Pruning and repotting will give the plant a boost and help its long-term overall health. So, if your houseplant is too big, make clean cuts just above a leaf node or bud to encourage new growth in a controlled direction. If it's too wide, give it a trim. This will encourage your plant to grow side shoots, but in a controlled way. Prune as necessary, but make sure not to take off more than a third of the plant at once, as this will cause your plant stress.' The most out-of-control is a rubber plant that's grown high like a beanstalk and has roots growing on top of the soil in its pot. I knew I was going to have to prune it and repot it, if only to deal with those roots, but given how big the plant is and how much those roots are protesting, would I break my pot trying to get it out? How to repot 'The plant needs to be re-potted into a pot with drainage,' say Holly and Nikki. 'Most plants are in a plastic nursery pot inside an ornamental pot. If you aren't precious about the pot, you can cut the plant out, or if you want to keep it to reuse, you can use a saw or an old kitchen knife to cut down and around the inner circumference of the pot. Lie the plant down on its side carefully on a mat or newspaper, and it will slide out once the sides are clear. This is a great opportunity to check the health of the Ficus roots before repotting.' The aerial roots of my plant, rather than being a sign of the plant needing more space, grow like this to help the plant spread and support its weight, particularly in its natural rainforest environment. But here, in my house, those roots are unsightly and are beginning to resemble a triffid. 'Gently guide the smaller aerial roots into the soil and leave the chunky, woody aerial roots above the soil,' say Holly and Nikki. 'For the roots inside the pot, give a light haircut to the old and damaged roots, which will be dry, crispy or soft and black. You are looking for nice firm white roots in the soil for future growth. For the aerial roots, you can trim the very dry ends of the roots and then repot the plant. Be mindful not to bury the trunk, or that could rot. Plant it to the depth it is roughly currently at in the new compost.' But what about smaller, more delicate plants? Surely pruning those pretty house plants isn't necessary? 'Trailing plants like pothos or string of pearls can also benefit from being trimmed back,' says David Denyer, a flower and garden expert at Eflorist, a UK-based online flower delivery service. 'This controls their length and helps them grow in a fuller, bushier shape while keeping them more contained.' What to do if you don't want to prune I've always just re-potted my plants into bigger pots, presuming the right thing to do was to give them the space they obviously need, but it has occurred to me that what I'm doing is encouraging them to grow bigger and bigger. 'Some houseplants, like peace lilies or dracaenas, are quite happy being slightly root-bound,' says David. 'They'll slow down once their roots fill the pot. As long as you refresh the top layer of compost every few months, you can keep them healthy without encouraging too much new growth.' Some of my plants are at a reasonable size right now, and I still feel hesitant to cut them back when they're thriving like they are. It feels too drastic, and there may be gentler ways to manage their size. 'One option is to reduce the amount of bright light the plant receives,' says David. 'For example, rubber plants and snake plants will naturally slow their growth in lower light, which can help keep their size in check without harming their health.' I do have my rubber plant right in the window, so once I've cut it down a bit and re-potted it, I'll look at somewhere less light to keep it. David tells me I've chosen the ideal time to prune, as plants are more resilient to pruning and shape management in the spring. 'Left unchecked, some plants can quickly become unmanageable or out of balance with their surroundings. Tackling it early in the season helps encourage healthy regrowth and keeps them in proportion with your space.' The aftercare In the past, I've been guilty of overwatering. My nurturing nature has taken over, and I've given my house plants a little too much of a good thing. Now, I go around the house once a week and test the soil with my finger to see if it's dry or not. Some plants need more watering than others, so it's best to do a regular check rather than blanket watering. Overwatering can be as harmful as underwatering. But feeding is a whole other matter for me. I've always fed my plants sporadically rather than as part of a routine. 'Now the clocks have changed, your houseplants are going to receive plenty of light and for more hours of the day,' say Holly and Nikki. 'Your plants are in active growth now, and they will be using more energy, so we need to feed more frequently. The more we water, the more we feed. Water with a liquid house plant feed every three waterings, depending on which houseplant food you use.' I'm getting over my fear of pruning my plants and looking forward to more manageable leafy babies. I know it will feel less like they're taking over and invading every space in the house and I know I'll appreciate them more when they're tidy. But my nurturing side has also discovered a way to keep encouraging growth. 'As a bonus, many houseplants will root easily in water,' says David, 'meaning you can propagate a new plant with your cuttings, while keeping the original one in check.' So there goes my hopes of slowing down my plant obsession. I can see what's going to happen here. My plants might be smaller, but I'll just have more of them!
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Trees can snitch on illegal gold miners in the Amazon
Researchers believe they have identified a network of spies to help combat illegal gold mining operations in the Amazon rainforest. But unlike other espionage efforts, there is no risk of betrayal from the new assets: Trees aren't known for spilling secrets. Humans have coveted the Amazon's natural resources for generations, particularly its gold. But with most of the region's easily accessible precious metals long gone, illegal mining operations now focus on extracting the soil's hidden gold particles. To do this, the miners use a method that requires adding toxic mercury into the ground and allowing it to bind to any surrounding gold. Because the resulting amalgams have a much lower melting point than gold alone, miners then burn the mercury away to collect the residual lucrative metal. Meanwhile, the mercury-laden smoke disperses into the atmosphere where it can harm the surrounding environment and local populations. The annual rings inside certain trees near these mines don't just tell their age—they also store important environmental biomarkers over time. Recently, an international team led by researchers at Cornell University wondered if those biomarkers could indicate excess atmospheric mercury levels. To test their theory, experts traveled to the Peruvian Amazon and documented their findings in a study published on April 8 in Frontiers in Environmental Science. Researchers first took core samples from fig trees at five sites. Two locations were far removed from mining activity, but three were within roughly 3.1 miles of mining towns previously known to rely on amalgam burning. One site was also adjacent to protected forest lands. The subsequent analysis results were clear: mercury levels were highest in wood sampled from mining-adjacent sites and lower at those further removed from mines. Additionally, higher mercury levels in mining-adjacent fig trees also coincided with the historical rise in amalgam burning that began after the year 2000. 'We show[ed] that Ficus insipda tree cores can be used as a biomonitor for characterizing the spatial and potentially the temporal footprint of mercury emissions from artisanal gold mining in the neotropics,' Jacqueline Gerson, a Cornell University biological and environmental engineering associate professor and study first author, said in a statement. Although annual tree rings can tell researchers when mercury levels began rising, they can't necessarily offer precise locational directions to the illegal miners. At the same time, higher concentrations may at least serve as reference points indicating a closer proximity. Regardless, the literal spy rings of fig trees may soon offer a cheap, powerful means for regional monitoring and conservation work in the Amazon.
