Funeral flower, calla lily or death lily. Zantedeschia aethiopica. Weed plant or ornamental plant?

Old school ornamental garden plant Zantedeschia aethiopica

Zentedeschia aethiopica is a really classic plant that is found in many gardens in Melbourne Australia. It is one I associate with the 60s because it seems to be in lots of gardens that look like they were planted out in that era. Often when I look in the established gardens of old orange brick houses or Californian bungalows they seem to have a clump of these somewhere. Often they are amongst all the other old style plants that are no longer used in todays planting, things such as the red berried Catoniasta or mirror bush (Coprosma repens). I clearly remember clumps of funeral flowers growing in my Grandparents house so maybe that's also why I think of it as an old school plant. It is native to regions in southern Africa, has a height of potentially 1m and a clump may potentially spread to approximately also 1m. It is well known for its large white flowers consisting of a white spathe surrounding a yellow spadix.

Is the yellow spadix of Zantedeschia aethiopica poisonous? 

The short answer is yes. However according to information I've read on the Kew gardens website the whole plant is poisonous not just the spadix. Eating this plant can cause irritation, swelling of the mouth and acute diarrhoea. Not my idea of a good time.   

Common names for Zantedeschia aethiopica

The other gardeners I speak to today almost exclusively give this plant the rather plain moniker of arum lily. It has many common names, the most popular of which seem to be funeral flower, trumpet lily, calla lily and death lily. Funnily enough my own mother had funeral flowers at her wedding (I'm not sure if she knew of the flowers name).

A plant so hardy that it considered a weed in some parts of Australia

Yes it is considered a weed as it thrives along creek lines and wet areas in Western and South Australia. I was once told that it is comparable to Agapanthus orientalis in terms of it being an almost 'unkillable' plant in Victoria. It is a clump forming perennial which has underground rhizomes that it uses as an energy store to re shoot in the cooler months after dying down during the warm season. Propagation is incredibly easy as it is just a matter of dividing the rhizomes with a spade and replanting them.

Close up of the classic white spathe and yellow spadix.

A clump of Zantedeschia with a couple of flowers on display.

Propagating strawberry plants from runners is easy

Propagating strawberries from runners

What are runners?

I looked at one of my strawberry pots last week and saw that it had several runners cascading over its edges. These 'runners' are one method that the strawberry plant uses to reproduce. Towards the end of the season the plant will start producing long stems that shoot out away from the main plant body. At the tip of these stems (or upon several points of the stem depending on how long they have been growing) you will see some green leaves or perhaps even some green leaves and a small root system beneath them. The technical term for the longs stem the plant produces is 'stolon' and the technical term for the leafy growth is 'plantlet'. The plantlets are infact a small version of the mother plant and you can use these to propagate several plants from the one mother or host plant.

Those long stems that you see shooting from the main plants are what are commonly known as strawberry runners.

Why propagate strawberries from runners?

After 3 years a strawberry plant will start to lose its vigor. It will fruit less and basically become weaker. Your options include;

• Replacing the plants with newly purchased ones
• Growing new plants from seed
• Propagating new plants from crown division
• Propagating the runners of the plant

Growing the plantlets on the runners into new plants is by far the easiest and safest option. Growing from seed is a little more difficult than most other edibles and propagating the crown by division can compromise the mother plant if not done correctly. The plants should actually naturally propagate by runners but if you give them a little help they can be even more successful. In the method described below I grow on the plantlets into small pots but you could actually grow them on in the ground next to the mother plant if you wish. Growing the plantlets in pots however gives you the option of planting out the new strawberry plants anywhere you wish. If you take the effort to help the runners then you possibly may never have to buy new strawberries again.

Runner propagation method

Propagating the runners is quick and easy to do. The steps are as follows;

1. Identify the planlet on the runner

Look for the leafy growths (plantlets) on the runners. You may have one plantlet on the tip of the runner or several along the one runner. If you have several generally the best one to propagate is the one closest to the mother plant as it probably has a root system.

A plantlet with no root system

 

A plantlet with a small root system

2. Create some pegging material to secure the plantlet

You could use any type of pegging method but I choose to use sticks that I break in the middle to create a pegging device. Its easy and doesn't cost anything.

A quick, easy, cheap and environmetally friendly pegging system (aka a bent stick).

3. Peg the plantlet into the potting mix

Make sure to peg it down roots down and leaves up. Even if there are no roots then they should develop if you peg the plantlet with the leaves up. The idea is for the roots or base of the plantlet to have constant contact with the potting mix until the plants roots develop a strong grip.

The picture below shows how the bent stick is used to peg down the plantlet. I deliberately haven't pushed it down all the way so you can clearly see how it is initially pushed into the pot.

 

Here is another plantlet that has been pegged down all the way (even though you can't see the peg believe me it is there holding down the plantlet). Make sure the base of the plantlet (roots or no roots) is touching the potting mix.

4. Cut the remainder of the runner

Snip off any remaining section that is growing past the plantlet that you choose to propagate. Make sure you cut off the correct end (ie not the end that attaches the plantlet to the mother plant). You do this to make the plant concentrate its energy on the plantlet that you have pegged down and not the remaining ones.

Note I am snipping of the stem on the side that is not attached back to the mother plant.

5. Water in the plantlet

Pretty self explanatory. Keep the potting mix in which the plantlets grow nice and moist until the roots take hold.

6. Detach the plantlet you are propagating from the mother plant

Once the plantlet has developed a strong enough root system you can separate it from the mother plant by snipping the runner that joins the two. You will know the root system is strong enough when you feel some resistance when you gently pull on the plantlet (with the pegging removed). If you can feel some sort of anchorage of the plantlet to the potting mix then the plantlet should be able to support itself from thereon.

7. Care for the new plants

If you care for them the new plantlets may even produce fruit assuming you have done this early in the season. Don't worry, if you propagate the runners late in the season the new plants should overwinter and produce fruit (and runners of their own) the next season.

Five little plantlets that should grow into strong new plants and produce fruit of their own next season. These new plants will be genetically identical clones of the mother plant.

Rudbeckias are great perennial plants for late summer colour.

Rudbeckia

Early this year I had to do an assignment on plant selection for a proposed garden design. As part of that work I need to visit a nursery and photograph the plant tags for the specimens I chose for the design. The local nursery I visited shut down some months ago now but I have a plant growing and thriving in my home garden that was kindly given to me as a gift by the nursery owner.

The plant is a Rudbeckia and as it was propagated by the nurseryman himself it didn't come with a plant tag so I'm not exactly sure of the species. I'm 90% sure mine is Rudbeckia fulgida because it fits the description of having a slight serration in the leaf margin and also leaf hairs. Rudbeckias are amazing looking plants which come into bloom late summer after all my regular annual flowers are tailing off to seed. My one has large yellow daisy like flowers but they also come in other colours. The great thing about the one I have is that with very little care it has quickly grown into a massive plant (and I have read that they are so vigorous that they can become invasive in rich soils). When I first planted it the Rudbeckia was very small indeed. It came in a tube and had a single flower stem with one flower. Within  one season it is now roughly a metre tall with bunches of flowers. See the link below for a picture of this now massive plant when I first put in into the soil.

http://aggregata.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/clearing-slate-for-my-macedon-garden.html

Dividing Rudbeckias

As they are clumping perennial plants Rudbeckias can be propagated by division. I haven't done this myself but I have read that it is as easy as digging up the plant and splitting it with a sharp spade in spring then replanting the clumps in a desired location. I've propagated other clumping plants by division before and I have to say that it has to be one of the most successful propagation methods. Apparently you should divide Rudbeckias every three years.

The massive flower heads on my Rudbeckia.

Snow pea climbing frame construction and other cool season vegetables

Well the weather was cold and wet but I managed to get some cool season vegetables in the ground at home in Macedon. I was lucky to receive a package of seedlings grown by a friend so I had to quickly get them in the ground as there is nothing worse than letting some donated seedlings go to waste. In the package was some snow peas, broccolini, bok choy and more broadbeans. The broccolini and bok choy seedlings were very small and I have had some cold weather and strong winds so I'm hoping they will make it. I know from previous experience the broadbeans are really tough so I'm sure they will be fine. The snow peas are something I've always wanted to grow so I left nothing to chance and constructed a proper support frame for them. The frame is essentially just 3 hardwood garden stakes joined together with some jute string strung between the upright stakes. The spacing for the string is about 10cm between the horizontal runs. If it all works out it should be a heavy cropper as I know several people who have told me snow peas thrive in the cooler Macedon climate and will produce peas for quite a long time.

 Here they are as received. Snow peas, broadbeans, broccolini and bok choy. Thanks Anne Kennedy you are a legend.

My 3 stake climbing frame all tied up with jute string.

 Climb my pretties. Climb like the wind!

My Macedon garden winter update

WINTER IN MY MACEDON GARDEN

All plant growth at my home garden in Macedon is starting to slow as winter is finally here. It has been a while since my last entry as I've had several colds lately and have been busy with other things including my horticulture study. On top of that we have had heaps of rain here lately and some of it has been really heavy to the point where I was worried about small seedlings getting damaged. To be honest I find it quite difficult to get outside and garden at home in the winter especially after a day of gardening at my work in Parkville. Nevertheless I suppose I have accomplished some things over the last month at home including cutting the lower branches off my dreaded Cypress tree in the front yard and also propagating some new plants. Almost all the garlic I planted some weeks ago has now sprouted and it looks like I will get over 130 bulbs at harvest time. I have discovered that there is a food swap service at the Woodend market near my home town where you can take produce and swap it for other food products. When my garlic is harvested I'm going to go there are swap some of it for other things as I'm sure I'll have lots more than I can eat. I am also still trying to nurse an Australian native frangipani tree through the cold Macedon winter. Lots of people have told me that you can't grow them in Macedon but I'm hoping that if I can get it through the frosts of winter by protecting it with polythene then It will be big enough to survive the next winter on its own.

I loved this winter Iris the moment I saw it in Parkville. I propagated several of them by division about a year ago and bought them home to Macedon last year and for the first time they are now flowering. I'm not sure exactly of the species but I think it is called Iris histrioides.

To be honest the pictures of my Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) were taken a few weeks ago and they are now bare but I couldn't resist showing it off in its autumn glory.

This is the view from my lounge room of the maple. I wish I had pictures of it when it had more leaves on it. These sort of trees really excel in Macedon compared to in Melbourne. The cooler weather here really makes them (and any other similar deciduous trees) colour up really nicely. 

My Nasturtiums which I propagated from seed are really booming in the cold of winter.By the time it is flowering season I'll have heaps on them on show.

The good old scarlet broadbean plant that sowed itself from last years fallen beans is still kicking along nicely. 

Below is my Kniphofia plant that I obtained from Parkville by dividing a clump. Its grown very large in the year since I planted it and is due to start sending up its flower spike any day now. I'm a bit concerned about those yellow spots and tips. Not sure exactly as to what they are.

 No it's not a garden bed full of weeds, it's my annual flower bed with small seedlings planted in it. I lost some of the seedlings due to the really heavy rain we had here not long ago.

Below is my treasured native frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum) in its protective plastic covering.

This is what it currently looks like. It is about 1 metre tall and is indigenous to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. I really hope I can get it to grow into a mature tree. The first time somebody showed me this tree it was in full flower and I could smell its perfume from over 10 metres away. 

 

I've been a bit obsessed by succulents lately and below is one of many that I have propagated from cuttings. I don't know the genus or species.

 

 Two of the several Aeonium cuttings I did in April this year. They have all grown roots and are displaying healthy growth. The link on how to propagate them is below if you are interested.

http://aggregata.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/how-to-propagate-aeoniums-from-cuttings.html

 Another different type of Aeonium growing well from a cutting.

After publicly disliking Geraniums (or more accurately Pelargoniums) for many years I found one that I couldn't resist taking some cutting from and planting them in a large pot outside my daughters bedroom window. I let the cuttings dry for 3 days (probably not ideal) before planting them. I was worried they might not work but I'm fairly sure they have grown roots. Pelargoniums are famous for being one of the easiest plants to strike from a cutting.

 

Well this next picture to most people could well be the most boring picture of a plant in the world however when I first saw this I was really excited. That is because it is the first of my Clivia seeds to sprout above the level of the potting mix. It took just over 3 months for this to appear as Clivias are notoriously slow growing plants. A link to propagation instructions is below.

 http://aggregata.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/clivia-seed-collection-and-propagation.html 

This little trooper is 1 of 2 Streptocarpus plants I propagated in March last year. I'm not a fan of these and had to prop them for my horticulture studies. I haven't done anything to care for them and they have somehow survived. I think I might actually show them some love and pot them on to a larger home.

Last of all is 1 of 2 garden beds loaded with garlic. It is all doing very well and it should be a bumper crop at the end of the year.

Grass plant Miscanthus transmorrisonensis aka evergreen feather grass

A quick post today on one of my favorite grass plants Miscanthus transmorrisonensis or Evergreen feather grass. This type of Miscanthus is one of the most popular as it holds flower heads from summer through to late winter. Miscanthus transmorrisonensus was introduced from Taiwan by Paul Meyer of the Morris Arboretum and C. Ferris Miller of Chollipo Arboretum. The seed was collected from wild plants found at nearly ten thousand feet in elevation on the slops of Mt. Daxue of Sichuan province in Southwest China.
Miscanthus plants are native to China and Japan. They go by the common names Chinese silvergrass, Suzuki grass, Porcupine grass and Maiden grass. They are a great plant to use for providing the often forgotten element of movement in your garden as the flower heads sway around in the breeze when the wind picks up. They are sometimes recommended as a plant for prarie style gardens. They also look stunning with the sun shining behind the flower heads. They can be propagated by division. They respond well after transplanting and you don't have to be overly careful after pulling them up. Digging the plant out of the ground is the hardest part. They have a dense fibrous root system that needs to be dug around and under to lift the plant.  I would describe their water usage as low / medium once established.

When I first started working in the Parkville garden where I currently am employed, we dug up a mature Miscanthus transmorrisonensis plant and divided it into about 8 clumps. What you see in the pictures below is 6 of those clumps approximately 1 year after planting them. They are about 1.2 metres tall.

Here it is in all its glory. Honestly it looks significantly better in real life when it is swaying around in the wind with the sun shining on it.

Closeup of the beautiful plumes of this plant. Only a really bright day the sun almost makes the plumes look like they are illuminating light.

How to propagate Aeoniums from cuttings

I liked Aeoniums the first time a saw them and still do. They seem to have universal appeal as even people who don't like succulent plants tend to have a soft spot for the Aeonium. I suppose they don't have the classic succulent look about them. What they do have are magnificent leaves and peculiar shaped inflorescences of flowers. There are about 35 different species of Aeoniums and most are from the Canary Islands. From the experience I've had with the Aeoniums at my place I would definitely describe them as a low maintenance plant. I only water them once in a blue moon and they seem to tolerate a mild amount of frost. 

The magnificent rosette of leaves of an Aeonium plant.

Another angle of the same type of Aeonium.

The wonderful inflorescence of flowers they produce. You will need to wait a couple of years before they are mature enough to flower.

PROPAGATION TECHNIQUE

Aeoniums are a really easy plant to propagate from cuttings as is the case with many succulent plants. As such they are suited to beginners. They require little skill, no greenhouse and as yet I've never had one that didn't strike roots (100% success rate).

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• A pair of secateurs
• A mature and healthy Aeonium plant to take cuttings from
• A cactus / succulent mix to plant the cuttings in
• Pots

TIMING

The most important thing to know when trying to propagate Aeoniums from cuttings is the timing. Aeoniums will only produce roots during their active growth period which is the cooler months of the year if you live in a place with really hot Summers. In somewhere like Melbourne Australia I would avoid trying to propagate them in the peak of Summer.

METHOD

Assuming you have the timing down you need to then cut off a rosette of leaves from the mother plant leaving enough stem to plant the cutting (say 5cm at the least). You then dry the cutting a little by leaving it on newspaper overnight or maybe 2 nights if you want. You then plant the cutting into a pre watered pot of cactus / succulent potting mix and that's all! I never use rooting hormone or any of that jazz as I you don't need it with Aeoniums. I keep the potting mix damp for about a month or until the plants grow a little. After that they don't need much attention.

Have fun propagating :)

Below are a couple of cuttings I have taken from the mother plant.

Some more cuttings in place in their pots

This is one I did about 1 year ago. Its a tought little plant I've let it go dry for weeks and it looks really healthy.



Clivia seed collection and propagation technique

Clivia plants are a popular choice for filling out a shady spot in the garden. They thrive in shade and suffer in too much sunshine and are often found planted under the canopy of large trees or on the Southern side of an Australian house. They don't need much attention are generally used in mass plantings however buying enough plants to fill out a large area can be expensive. Propagating your own plants from seed is a more economical option.

Clivia miniata flowers in all their glory.

 

 

COLLECTING SEED

 

The first step is to collect some seed. You may notice that Clivia plants have either green or red seed pods. The pods start green then mature to red. You only collect the seed from the red pods because chances are that the green pods seed will not germinate.

 

Green pods need to be left until red

This is what you are looking for. Mature red pods ready to go.

 

 

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

 

To propagate Clivias I used

•  several plastic pots
•  a good potting mix
•  red Clivia seed pods
•  a potting bench (which is actually the top of my BBQ).

I chose to use regular potting mix over seed raising mix or a perlite / vermiculute and peat mix because I plan to keep these plants for a while so starting them in regular potting mix means I wont have to transplant them from the seed raising mix to a potting mix later on. If you do want to start them in seed raising or a perlite / peat mix then you can transplant them after they have sprouted their first leaf.

 

** It is important to plant the seeds within days of picking the pods or the seed may go rotten. Clivia seeds cannot be dried in paper bags and kept for later planting. You need to get them in the potting mix or ground quickly. **

 

 

 

 

PROPAGATION TECHNIQUE (THE EASY WAY)

 

 

1. Peel the pod casing from the seed.

 

2. Remove the white slippery membrane from the seed.

 

3. Plant the seed in potting mix at twice the depth of the diameter of the seed.

 

4. Water in and place in a warm location ideally 23°C to 25°C

 

 

 

A seed pod on the left, a seed with no membrane in the middle and a seed with some membrane intact on the right

 

 

All done and ready to water in. Looks like I picked too many seed pods.

 

 

THE WAITING GAME

 

The seeds can take between 2 weeks and 6 months to sprout! Be patient and water regularly enough to keep the potting mix moist. Clivias are incredibly slow growing. You can expect to wait a year for the plants to reach 15cm high. This can be seen as a good or a bad thing. Bad if you want them to fill out an area quickly. Good if you want to sell them as they can be kept for a long time before they get to big for the boots and need to be planted out.