Skip to main content

TROPICAL PLANTS (Part 2)

Blood Flower

Also known as Indian root, this is one of the best plants to attract butterflies, growing in clusters of red, orange and yellow flowers. They make perfect cut flowers but be warned – the sap can cause skin irritation.

Venus Flytrap

Discovered in the late 1700s, this carnivorous plant has a large mouth surrounded by small barbs that, when touched by a visiting insect, trigger the plant to close, capturing the insect inside.

Banana Leaf

Native to Southeast Asia, this large green-yellow plant can be grown outdoors, or inside as an ornamental potted plant. The banana leaf plant is a cuisine staple in tropical areas where it grows.

Blue Bird of Paradise

Resembling the blue bird of paradise, from which it gets its name, this exotic flowering ornamental plant is flamboyantly colored blue, orange and gray. It is also sometimes known as the crane flower.

White Lotus

This exotic plant dates back as far as the Ancient Egyptians, but was first introduced to the Western world in the 1800s. It grows on large green lily pads, found in still, slightly acidic, inland ponds.

Ohia Blossom

Found on the Hawaiian Islands, this tropical evergreen displays a beautifully vivid spray of flowers in colors ranging from dark red to yellow. Ohia blossoms can grow on lava, which makes them very sacred to the Hawaiian people.

Passion Flower

Growing in many different vibrant colors, the passion flower is a beauty to behold and is sought after by many, not only for its fine looks, but also for its many medicinal and culinary uses.

Croton

Also called rushfoil, this vibrant plant has large leaves criss-crossed with many colors ranging from green to orange to red. Considered a ‘fussy’ plant, it can go into shock if moved and may lose its leaves.

Elephant’s Ear

This large, lush plant has green, veiny leaves that resemble the shape of an elephant’s ear. Once established, it is very hardy; however, it cannot survive in the cold, so keep it indoors if you live in a colder climate.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

C – VARIATED BACK STITCH

This stitch, like satin stitch, is a filler stitch, albeit a less controlled one. 1. Referring to how to work back stitch (see Back Stitch), fill in the designated space with back stitches, keeping the stitches random with no consistency (1).

D – SATIN STITCH

This filler stitch should mimic the look and feel of a piece of satin and is a sequence of straight stitches placed parallel to each other. 1. To complete the satin stitch, fill in the designated space with straight stitches (see Straight Stitch in STITCH GLOSSARY), making sure to stitch them next to each other (1, 2, 3). 2 . To keep the stitches consistent, alternate sides starting with the second straight stitch.

Kiss Me Hat

Wear this cute mistletoe patch hat to gain a few extra holiday kisses. MATERIALS Knitted hat Linen Wool felt Chenille 18 needle Embroidery thread Scissors: fabric and embroidery 1. Transfer the pattern onto the linen fabric. 2. Stitch the pattern following the key for the mistletoe (see Winter Foliage In FLOWERS CATEGORY : Mistletoe). 3. Once the stitching is complete, cut around the finished embroidery leaving a little less than 1in (2.5cm) of fabric all the way around. 4. Now cut a piece of wool felt to match the shape of the embroidered linen, making it just a little larger to allow for a felt ‘border’ all the way around the edge. Place the felt behind the linen. 5. Using a single strand of embroidery thread (DMC Ecru), use back stitch to stitch around the edge of the embroidered piece, making sure to sew through both the linen and the felt so that the fabric layers are attached to each other. 6 . Position the finished appliqué onto the front of t...