Hi Gardeners
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| Snowdrops |
I found some snowdrops in bloom today! It’s 60 degrees here today
and raining but during a lull in the rain Gizzy and I went out to tour the
yard. I looked yesterday when it was 45
degrees and didn’t find them but today there they were, little white flowers
just beginning to open. They are in
bloom on exactly the same day as last year, when I took the picture.
I see crocus shoots and even some tulips coming up too. The next mild day it isn’t raining I need to
get out there and rake the lousy black walnuts off the beds. There’s so many they’ll keep things from poking
through. We had a huge crop of walnuts last
fall, where are the squirrels when you need them?
I keep saying I’d like to get someone to cut that walnut tree down
but I don’t because, well, it’s a healthy tree and it does form the shade for
my shade garden. But those walnut trees
are a big messy pain.
I hurried inside to check my notes on where I planted the new
bulbs last fall. I love it when the new
things bloom in the spring. I love the
old things that bloom too.
There’s been a small possum hiding in a muck tub in the barn the
last few days. There was a little bit of
waste paper in there, enough to make a cozy bed I guess, right close to where I
feed the cats. It’s just a small thing
and I don’t mind possums so I have left him alone. He’ll probably move along soon. Maybe he doesn’t like mud.
The chickens have been out scratching, we went from 70% snow
covered ground to almost no snow in one day.
The lower part of the yard to the east is flooded and there is mud
everywhere. Its gray and damp but I am
still happy because February is almost over and spring is almost here and the
first flowers have just bloomed. Yeah!
When
to start seeds- zone 6 and lower
This time of year, late February, when the sun and our
urge to plant is getting stronger, it can be tempting to novice and experienced
gardeners alike to start some seeds. For gardeners in zones 7 and above you can
probably plant most things inside and some things outside now. But if you live in planting zones 6 and lower
and don’t have a heated greenhouse some restraint is still needed. (Find your planting zone here. http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ ).
Even if you have a
greenhouse or a good grow light set up there’s a good reason not to start
plants too soon before you can plant them outside. Plants inside too long tend to get root
bound, leggy and stressed. They have
more chances to get disease and pest problems.
The more mature a plant is when it’s transplanted to the garden the more
stressed it’s likely to be. Unless you
have good greenhouse type conditions you don’t want most plants to start
blooming inside. Many times a small,
stocky plant planted in the ground at the same time as an older, larger plant
of the same type will soon overtake the older plant in growth and production.
For most annual flowers
and vegetables, you’ll want to plant them outside after the last frost. (A few things can be planted outside before
the last frost if they are hardened off.)
If you start your plants too early your chances of success will be lower.
Most seed packets or the descriptions of plants in catalogs will give you a
“weeks before last frost to start” figure.
If you don’t find it, you’ll have to look up the plant in references or
check the lists below. You’ll need to
find out what the date of your last frost generally is. For this ask your County extension office or
some experienced gardeners in your area.
When looking at last
frost charts pay attention to the charts explanatory information. For example, some charts list the mean probability
of the last frost. Using this date, you
have a 50/50 chance of a frost on that date.
That’s not such great odds for a gardener. You’ll want to use a date
that gives you at least a 90% probability that the last frost will have
passed. Then count back to find the
proper time to start seeds inside.
Seeds
to be started in January and February in zones 5 and 6 include; begonias of all
types from seed, impatiens, coleus, geraniums, petunias, and lisianthus. Also tuberous
begonia bulbs, calla lily, banana and elephant ear bulbs can be started in
pots. Start pansy and viola seeds early
because they can be planted outside quite early, before the last frost. If you are in zone 4 and lower late February
is probably best.
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| Pansies can go outside before the last frost |
In
March, in zones 5-6, most types of perennial and bi-annual and some annual
flower seeds can be started. Start
celosia, diascia, marigolds, nicotiana, snapdragons, salvia, verbena, perennial
herb seeds, onions from seed, and celery.
If you have a heated green house a few early tomatoes and peppers can be
started, don’t start your whole crop this early. March is a good month to root cuttings from
over wintered coleus, impatiens, geraniums and begonias. Zone 4 and lower gardeners should wait until
early April to start most of these.
In
April in zone 5-6 start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, alyssum, cosmos, zinnias, calendula, cleome, sunflowers, head
lettuce, basil, cilantro, ornamental kale and cabbages. Pot up canna and dahlia
bulbs for a head start. In April peas
and leaf lettuce can be planted directly in the garden. In most zone 6 areas radishes, carrots,
beets, set onions and potatoes can also be planted in the garden.
In
zones 4 and lower the above plants shouldn’t be planted until late April-early
May inside and you’ll have to wait to plant those outside varieties until early
May at least.
In May
in zones 5-6 you can start: morning glories and moon flower vines, hyacinth
bean, nasturtiums, cucumbers, squash, melons, beans and corn (for those who
like transplants instead of direct seeding in the garden). By early May most 5-6 zone areas can plant
radish, beets, carrots, potatoes and set onions directly in the garden. In late May - early June plant sweet and pop
corn, beans, squash, melons, cucumbers, sunflowers directly in the garden. Zone 4 and lower gardeners should use early
to mid-June for planting outside and about mid-May for starting the
above-mentioned plants inside.
The
above dates are for guidance. Before
setting a date for planting outside you’ll need to also consider the current
years weather conditions. Look ahead at the 10-day forecast and see if any
below 40 degree lows are predicted. If
they are, wait to transplant tender plants or plant seeds of the frost tender plants in the ground until the weather has passed.
Gardeners
should also be aware of micro-climates.
A micro-climate means a small area like your garden may have different
growing conditions than the area at large.
If you are in a low spot, you may have what is called a frost pocket,
where frost may occur even when neighbors don’t get one. A sheltered area against something that
reflects heat, like a white wall, may be warmer than the surrounding area.
Soil
temperature can also affect when to transplant or plant seed outside. You can measure soil temperature with a
regular thermometer stuck about 6 inches into the ground but a soil thermometer
is better. A quick change in the weather may not have allowed soil to warm very
well and soil under heavy mulch will also be colder. Beets, leaf lettuce, and peas
can be planted when soil temperature is about 45 degrees F, peas can take it
even colder soils. At 60 degrees F soil temperature carrots, head lettuce,
spinach, set onions, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, and most annual flower seed
can be planted as seeds or transplants.
Wait
until the soil has warmed to above 70 degrees to plant beans, corn, squash,
cucumbers, pumpkins in the ground and to transplant those plants and tomatoes,
eggplants and peppers into the soil, providing frost danger has also passed.
Those
pots of tender bulbs you started inside, calla, begonia, dahlia, glads, canna
and so on should not be put outside until after all danger of frost has passed.
What
about all those natural signs and planting by the moon? If you are familiar with the area after
having gardened there for many years you may know when it’s right to plant
certain things by what other natural phenomena you are observing in your area. For example, I know when the lilacs are in
full bloom it’s generally safe to plant my tomatoes outside. When forsythia blooms here it’s time to plant
leaf lettuce and peas. That may not hold
true for your area though, even in the same planting zone. An experienced gardener in the area may guide
you here or you’ll just gave to keep records and find out yourself.
Planting
by the moon is just old wives’ tales.
There’s no evidence that whatever phase the moon is in when you plant
will affect how your seeds germinate and grow.
I do want to add one thing about the moon here. It’s been my experience, and I don’t have any
thing but my own records to back this up, that there is generally a frost
around the full moon in May. Last year
the May full moon was on the 10th and we had a hard frost on the 9th
but no frost after that. That’s bad news this year because the full moon is not
until the 29th of May. If you
are further south in zone 7 your last frost may be near the full moon in April,
this year it’s April 29th so
you are likely to be safe. But don’t bet on this until you’ve kept records for
a few years.
If the
weather is unusually warm earlier than normal it’s tempting to try
to get an early start outside. Look ahead at the weather forecast and if it
looks good plant half your plants/seeds and hold back some. If the weather shifts back to a more normal
pattern, you won’t lose everything. You
can protect plants from frost with coverings, but cold weather may still set
them back and a freeze will kill them.
Sometimes you’ll get lucky and get an early harvest. But it’s generally
better to be a little late planting than too early.
I have
several more articles about starting seeds, seed requirements and so on to the
right of this blog. You can also click
here; http://gardeninggrannysgardenpages.blogspot.com/p/seeds-germination.html
Growing
pawpaw, Asimina triloba
The paw-paw or Michigan banana or Hoosier banana or a
whole bunch of other common names generally using the word banana in them, is a
small tree native to North America. The fruits of the tree somewhat resemble
fat bananas. Paw-paw is also a common name for papaya and another tropical
fruit and it’s extremely important when reading things like herbals that you
know exactly which plant they are referring to since confusing the plants might
be deadly.
Many people are unaware of this native fruit tree that
produces large delicious fruit, although that fruit has become a bit
controversial. When the Spanish began
exploring the interior of the North American continent they reported on the
fruit (1541) and that indigenous people seemed to be cultivating it in places.
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both quite fond of the fruit and
grew the trees on their plantations.
The paw-paw tree makes a nice, somewhat tropical looking
specimen tree and when it’s needs are met it produces a crop of large, tasty
fruit with a custard-like interior that have the taste of banana and cantaloupe
mixed. The trees are resistant to deer, insect and disease damage. The fruit does not store or ship well though,
so it’s never became a commercial crop, although with the current interest in
unusual and local foods there are people exploring that idea. It is a good backyard
fruit tree for some gardeners. But
before you rush out and buy a half dozen paw-paw trees there are some things
you need to know and think about. Keep
reading.
Paw-paw
description
The paw-paw is a small tree, to about 35 feet high, that
is native to the eastern half of the North American from southern Canada down
through northern Florida although it does not grow naturally close to the
coast. The paw-paw prefers moist shaded
woodland edges and rich river bottoms.
The trees put out suckers or clones and often grow as a thicket of
genetically identical small trees.
The leaves of paw-paw are long pointed ovals, 10-12
inches long and 4-5 inches wide. They
appear at the ends of the branches arranged in a symmetrical spiral around the
twig. The veins and mid-rib are
prominent. When young the leaves are
somewhat hairy with a rusty tinge beneath. When mature they are smooth and
glossy deep green with a slightly drooping habit. If you crush a leaf it has an unpleasant
smell that reminds me of the nightshade family.
The leaves turn a rich rust tinged gold in the fall.
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| paw-paw leaves |
The tree has a light gray bark that’s sometimes marked
with paler blotches or small bumps.
There is a tough, fibrous inner bark that Native Americans had many uses
for, they made nets, matts and ropes from it.
There is some speculation the trees may have been cultivated for that
use as well as the fruit. The wood of a
paw-paw is light yellow and spongey. Like the leaves damaged bark has an
unpleasant smell.
Paw-paws bloom in early spring, before the leaves have
expanded very much. The 2-inch flowers of paw-paw are marron or purplish red
and bell shaped, facing downward or to the side. They have both sex parts, but like the apple,
they are not self-fertile. Paw-paw flowers also have a bad smell, although they
are not as smelly as gingkoes. They
smell like dead meat and the pollinators are flies and beetles.
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| Paw paw flowers Wikipedia |
Paw-paws are said to need cross pollination with another
paw-paw that is not closely related and those who want to grow them for fruit should
plant two varieties of trees fairly close together. The paw-paws in those stands of clonal trees
probably don’t pollinate each other because they are identical
genetically. However, there is some
controversy about this. People claim to
hand pollinate their paw-paws by moving pollen from one flower on the tree to
the next and get fruit. It’s possible
that like apples, some paw-paw trees may have a genetic adaptation that allows
some individual trees to produce fruit when helped with pollination. A flower can’t pollinate itself because the
male and female parts of each flower mature at different times.
Paw-paw fruit is oblong and plump, and often occurs in
clusters of up to 3 fruits fused at the base.
Fruits are green when immature, ripening to brownish yellow in early
fall. When ripe the flesh of the fruit
is pleasant smelling, unlike the rest of the tree. Unlike a banana you can’t peel back outer
skin. The ripe fruit is soft inside and yellow and is generally scooped off the
rind for use. There are numerous dark
brown, hard shelled seeds inside about the size of a bean.
A caution here I’ll go into more deeply later. Many
people are allergic to paw-paw fruit. It
can cause a rash if handled or if eaten it can cause hives and severe vomiting
if you are allergic. Use caution when
consuming your first paw-paw fruit.
Cooking the fruit seems to intensify, not lessen reactions.
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| Paw-paw fruit wikipedia |
Cultivation
of the paw-paw
Paw-paws are winter hardy to zone 5. They like rich
loamy, moist but not saturated soil. They
tolerate pH variations from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline – about pH
6-8. Plant paw-paws where you can
irrigate them when dry, especially when they are young.
Paw-paws can be tricky to establish. In nature the seeds drop down on the ground
to sprout or suckers pop up under tall grasses, weeds and shrubs. It takes several years for the young tree to
reach above the undergrowth and receive direct sunlight. At that point they can handle direct sunlight
if the soil is moist and more fruit is produced in full sun. But young paw-paw trees must never be placed
in full sun situations, they quickly die. Adult trees will also do well in
partial shade, particularly in the south.
Paw-paws greatly resent transplanting, the roots are
quite fragile. So it can be difficult
for the gardener to place the tree where it’s shaded when young but will get
more sun when it is older. Most people
get around this by providing artificial shade and lots of moisture for young
trees and gradually reducing the shade or allowing the tree to grow out of it. Don’t
keep the tree in a pot for long either, it will have a harder time adjusting
after transplanting into the ground.
I used tree tubes to get my paw-paws growing. The sides are translucent, and I put fine
black netting over the top, which was removed when the plants reached the top
of the 4 feet tube. When the trees were a
few feet over the tube top I removed that.
Shade cloth t-pees are sometimes used.
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| My paw-paw outgrowing a tree tube. |
It is always best to buy small, potted paw-paw plants
rather than bare root plants. The best
time to plant them is early spring while they are dormant, and moisture is
abundant. Larger trees- more that 3-4
feet high are extremely difficult to establish. Digging paw-paws from the wild
is also hard to do successfully, a large root ball must be removed around the
roots of small trees and the tree re-planted immediately. Rooting cuttings of paw-paw is only rarely
successful.
Paw-paws can be started from seed. The seed must have a cold stratification
period to sprout. That means keeping the
seeds in a moist pot of soil in temperatures about 35 degrees for at least 9
weeks. Seeds don’t store more than a
year and maintain good germination rates and they must not be allowed to dry out
too much in storage. It takes 6-8 years for a paw-paw to produce it’s first
flowers when grown from seed.
Gardeners should remember that paw-paws need 2 varieties
to produce fruit. There are many
commercial varieties now; 'Allegheny', 'Mango', 'Mitchell', ‘Overleese’,
'Potomac', 'Prolific', 'Rappahannock', 'Shenandoah', 'Sunflower',
'Taylor', 'Wabash', ‘Wells’ and ‘Zimmerman’ are
some cultivars. Some are better for a certain area than others. Ask your County
Extension office if they can recommend varieties.
Paw paws don’t need much fertilization. For the first 2 years after planting don’t
fertilize at all. Once the trees are old
enough to bloom a fruit tree fertilizer applied as the label directs can be
added in early spring when you see buds and again in late spring-early summer
if you see fruit forming. Don’t
fertilize paw-paws in late summer or fall as it tends to cause new growth that
will not harden off before winter.
Paw-paws don’t need much pruning either. Fruit develops on new growth so a light
pruning when the plant is dormant can stimulate more fruit production. Remove unruly branches to shape the tree, and crossing and rubbing branches. You may
want to remove any sucker trees that pop up around the original tree if you
don’t want a thicket developing.
Fruit from the paw-paw is ready to harvest when it is
deep yellow brown and soft. It will slip
easily off the tree. Paw-paw fruit does
not store well, a day or two at room temperature and a little longer in the
fridge. The flesh can be frozen and the
fruit is sometimes turned into jam.
That disagreeable smell of paw-paw leaves and stems is
from toxins called acetogenins.
Because of the toxins paw-paws are rarely bothered by insects or even
animal pests. One pest that can handle
the toxins is Asimina Webworm Moth (Omphalocera munroei) caterpillars. It
looks a lot like other webworms, it’s a brown caterpillar with a black stripe
up the middle and little white spots. It
makes a fine web on leaves, pulling them together for shelter. It’s uncommon and rarely severely damages the
tree.
Another caterpillar, that of the zebra
swallowtail butterfly (Protographium
marcellus), uses paw-paw as a larval food. The toxins in the leaves protect the
caterpillars from predation. These
caterpillars do not cause any major problem for the trees.
Usually deer and rabbits don’t bother the trees. However, I had a tree damaged by deer
browsing one winter so the rule doesn’t always hold true. Others have said goats and mules will eat the
trees. Maybe they get a whopping stomach
ache and never do it again.
Uses
and cautions for paw-paw
Yes, the fruit can be eaten, and paw-paw plant parts were
once used medicinally in various ways.
However, paw-paws also contain some very potent toxins. A natural pesticide made from paw-paw twigs
is being tested and it seems to be quite effective. But before you experiment you should know
that natural does not mean safe. This
pesticide is not selective, it kills good and bad insects and it may affect
other animals such as birds and earthworms.
Humans handling it need to be very careful and wear protective clothing. It remains to be seen if the product will
pass EPA tests.
Recently research has found that paw-paw fruit has a high
concentration of annonacin, a chemical that causes damage to the nervous
system. A tropical relative of paw-paw, Annona
muricata (soursop or
graviola), which also has high amounts of annonacin, is known to cause a
Parkinson-like disease in those who consume a lot of the fruit or use parts of
the plants for medicine.
Many people are allergic to paw-paw fruit. But it is also
thought that eating more than one or two fruits at a time in those not allergic
may cause gastrointestinal problems.
Baking the paw-paw in bread or otherwise cooking it seems to increase
digestive problems. The fruit is best
consumed raw. The seeds should not be swallowed. They are high in toxins and while most would
pass through the digestive system, if they didn’t they might cause neurological
damage as well as other problems.
Many people love the sweet flavor of paw-paw fruit but it’s
a food that should be savored in small quantities. There are lots of anecdotes
about people becoming very ill after pigging out on the fruit. Use care the first time you eat the fruit; an
allergic reaction may cause vomiting or more severe symptoms.
It is thought that native people may have cultivated varieties
of paw-paw that had fewer toxins than others. We’ll never know. Perhaps they just knew the
limits to consuming and using paw-paw. Plant breeders are trying to see if the
annonacin levels can be reduced by selective breeding.
There are old herbal remedies for many parts of the
paw-paw. However only the most experienced herbalists should experiment with
the paw-paw because of it’s toxins. Do not consume home remedies containing twigs,
leaves, roots or bark that you find in old books, some of these are actually
made with different species of plants called paw-paw as mentioned before. Even
if they are for American paw-paw they could be very dangerous.
Paw-paw is thought to be safe when used topically- a
recent research study found a mixture of pawpaw, thymol, and tea tree oil was found
to be quite effective in killing head lice.
Paw-paw may be used to treat wounds but once again beware of an allergic
reaction such as rash or hives.
There are some research studies being done using various
paw-paw extracts to destroy tumors and other types of cancers. These use carefully calibrated standardized doses
and are generally injected. Do not
experiment on yourself.
Despite some drawbacks paw-paws make lovely trees for the
landscape and if you are lucky you’ll get to enjoy some unusual fruit. Plant a couple and just enjoy them.
Free
Master Gardener lesson 3- the shoots
Last week we discussed plant cells and tissues. This week we’ll discuss plant organs and the
organ system the above ground organs belong to- shoots. Shoots are the plant organ system that includes
leaves, stems and flowers. Because I
want to keep these articles short I am just going to discuss leaves and stems
this weeks and flowers, which are very interesting and complex, and fruit next
week. And after that I’ll talk about the
roots, the second organ system.
Leaves are valuable not only to plants but to all animal
life on earth. They are the most important organs on earth, without them animal
life would cease to exist. Leaves are
the main areas where photosynthesis, the catalyst for life on earth, takes
place. Photosynthesis creates food – the
basis of all animal food systems – from light and water in those little
chloroplasts that are in plant cells. As
a waste product of food production plant cells release oxygen, which is also
critical for animal life on earth.
Leaves are so vital to life on earth, yet many people
don’t know or don’t care much about them.
We munch them in salads, drink tea made from them, and choose plants
with pretty ones for our gardens. We
curse as we rake them from the lawn and smoke them to get high. It’s time everyone knew more about leaves.
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| Sedums have very small leaves |
Leaves range from bitty things barely visible to the
naked eye to huge expanses of green 5 feet or more long and wide. Leaves vary in shape and thickness too. But
they are all one thing first, food factories. Their primary purpose is to
absorb sunlight for the chemical reaction that produces food. Leaves may also
protect plant reproductive parts, act as the plants liquid and gaseous waste
removal system, and funnel water down to the plants roots. And the leaves of some plants can also be
reproductive parts, they can grow into new plants. Many succulents can form a new plant if a
leaf is stuck in the soil or even just lays on it.
Most leaves have a flat surface and are composed of two
parts, the blade and the petiole -or stem. There are plants that have rounded
leaves (conifer needles) and leaves that lack petioles. When a leaf has no petiole it is called a
sessile leaf. (Important to know for
plant identification.) Monocot leaves,
as in the grass families, may wrap around the stem at the leaf base, this is
called the sheath. In cacti the leaves are modified into thorns and the stems
are where photosynthesis takes place.
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| Pine needles are leaves |
The blade of a leaf is composed of several layers. Depending on the plant species the leaf may
have more of one layer or type of specialized cells. The outer layer of cells
is called the epidermis. The upper
epidermis tissue often has a thick waxy layer on the outside called the
cuticle, which is protection for the tissue below. Small projections from the
epidermis layer called hairs may also occur on leaves, usually on the upper
side of the leaf but sometimes on the lower surface as well. The hairs help protect the leaf from
insects. When a leaf has lots of hairs
the waxy cuticle is less or absent.
Both sides of the leaf have epidermis tissue but on the
underside of a leaf this layer may be thinner and not protected by a
cuticle. The stoma (“pores”) or openings
for gas and water vapor to be released from the leaf are usually on the
underside of the leaf. Each stoma has two
guard cells that regulate the passage of gas and water. When the plant is lacking enough water the
cells lose turgidity and the stoma are closed.
The stoma also close in the absence of light.
The layer of cells just under the epidermis is called the
palisade parenchyma. The cells in this
tissue have stronger walls than other leaf tissue and this tissue forms the
shape and support for the leaf.
Sandwiched between the layers of epidermis and palisade parenchyma is
tissue called spongy parenchyma. The thickness of this layer determines the
thickness of the leaf. The cells are loosely arranged within this layer and the
veins of the leaf run through them. This is the layer that makes juicy lettuce
leaves if its abundant or leathery leaves of rhododendron if there is less
space and moisture between the cells.
Both types of parenchyma tissue have cells with lots of
chloroplasts, which causes their green color and is where photosynthesis takes
place. They may also have chromoplasts that
make a leaf appear gold, red or purple.
If chlorophyll, the green pigment in chloroplasts, is absent in places
the leaf may have white variegation.
Because chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis plants may not be as
vigorous if large areas of the leaf are white.
Types,
shapes, and arrangement of leaves
Knowing how to describe leaves is very important when one
is trying to identify a plant. I suggest
every gardener learn some basic terminology about leaf shape and arrangement
because at some point you will be trying to identify a plant. Plants of course did not evolve all of these
leaf variations so we could recognize them, the variations may have practical
use for the plant or they may just be random.
The first thing you need to know to properly describe a
leaf is whether it’s a simple or compound leaf.
This is often the hardest part of identification for some people. A simple leaf is one that has one blade
attached to a stalk, the blade may be divided into lobes, but all lobes are
connected at the base. Compound leaves have several small leaf parts, called
leaflets attached to a center “stalk” called the rachis by tiny stems called
petiolule. The rachis attaches to the
plant stem. Monocot leaves are usually simple leaves but dicot leaves can be
either simple of compound. (For a definition of monocot and dicot see plant
science lesson one.)
So how do you know if you have a simple leaf in your hand
or a leaflet? When a simple leaf petiole
is attached to a stem it’s at a node.
There is often a tiny immature bud at the junction of leaf and stem
petiole. When the rachis of a compound
leaf is attached to a stem you may see the same thing. But each leaflet
attached to that rachis is not at a node and will not have that tiny bud.
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| Sumac has even pinnate compound leaves |
Compound leaves are also divided into types. When leaflets are arranged opposite each
other along the stem with two leaflets at the end, the leaf is called even
pinnate. If the leaflets are opposite
each other along the stem but there is a single leaflet at the end it’s called
odd pinnate. If the leaflets alternate
along the stem and there are two leaflets at the end it’s called alternate
pinnate. Another type of compound leaf
is called palmately compound. The leaflets
are joined in a circle pattern around the end of a rachis. This is similar to the palm of your hand with
your fingers sticking out. Then there is
the double compound leaf, which is what it sounds like one rachis of leaflets
joins another rachis of leaflets and then both attach to the stem. Whew!
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| This popular plant's leaves are palmately compound with serrate edges |
Let’s now look at shapes of simple leaves. (The shape descriptions can also be applied
to leaflets.) An oblong leaf is just that. An ovate leaf is egg shaped, wider at the
bottom end. An obovate leaf is wider at the outer end. An obcordate leaf is shaped like a heart with
the point down. A cordate lead is shaped
like a heart with the tip up. A lanceolate leaf is narrow and pointed but wider
than a linear leaf which is tiny and narrow.
A peltate leaf is round, like a nasturtium leaf, a
reniform leaf is half round, like a geranium leaf. A hastate leaf is arrow shaped, point
up. There are other defined leaf shapes
too, but these are the most common. Some
reference books will use simple language, like arrow shaped or egg shaped,
which I bet you are glad to hear at this point.
 |
| An arum leaf has a hastate shape. |
The edge of a leaf is also used to identify plants and
leaf edges have many variations. If the
edge of a leaf is smooth its called “entire”.
A serrate leaf edge means it looks like a serrated knife blade, with
sharp points. Doubly serrate means
larger “teeth” with smaller serrations between them. There are also incised,
serrulate and dentate margins which are hard to describe but very similar to
serrate edges.
 |
| This hosta has cordate leaves with entire edges. |
If a leaf edge is wavy it’s called undulate. If the edge is a series of rounded, small
indentions its called crenate. If the
margin is sinuate the rounded points are larger. If the leaf edge has large indentations in
it’s outer margin it’s lobed. A maple leaf is lobed. Lobes can be deep, almost splitting the leaf
or shallow, like the lobes on many oaks.
 |
| Oak leaves are lobed. |
Are you shaking your head and looking confused yet? Then let’s go on to leaf arrangement of
simple leaves. If they grow on both
sides of a node across from each other they are opposite arranged. If one leaf grows on one side of a node and
then at the next node one leaf grows on the other side, it’s called an
alternate arrangement. A whorl arrangement is when 3 or more leaves come from
the same node.
Something to keep in mind as you try to identify leaf
shapes, edges and even plants is that individual plants leaves can vary
somewhat among the species. This is especially true of cultivars, where plants
have been purposefully bred, often because the leaves are somewhat different
from the species. New leaves may also look different from more mature ones.
Stems
The stem is the plant organ that supports the leaves and
flowers and protects the vascular system that connects the roots to those
organs. It can also be used for storage of starch and sugar. Stems expand and
allow the plant to grow both upward and outward. Stems can be soft and
flexible, or hard and unyielding, depending on what types of tissue they are
made with and what their purpose is. The
trunk of a tree is a stem.
Along the stem are areas of meristematic tissue called
nodes, where new growth of leaves, buds and smaller stems will arise. The area between nodes is called the
internode. Nodes can be far apart or
very close together, depending on the plant species and what growing conditions
it has.
Stems are composed of epidermal tissues, cambium tissues,
and ground tissue. Cambium tissues carry the veins of the plant. Ground tissue
is called pith or wood in stems. Some stems can be hollow, with just a layer of
epidermal tissue, a layer of cambium tissue under that and empty space in the
center. Stems also have pores (stoma) to release gases and water vapor. In plants with bark the openings in the bark
are called lenticels.
Stems come in a lot of different variations. Some grow
strongly upright, some are floppy or sprawl on the ground. Some elongated stems climb up other things to
the light and are called vines. A very
compacted stem with its nodes all close together is said to have a crown
form. Familiar plants that have crown
type stems are strawberries, hosta, and dandelions. Rhubarb and celery also have crown type
stems. You don’t eat the stems of
rhubarb and celery, you are eating long leaf petioles. All new growth on these plants comes from
nodes on a compact stem close to the ground. Cacti have thick, usually round stems that
store a lot of water.
 |
| Cabbage has a crown type of stem. |
Tillers (runners) and stolens are stems that run along
the surface of the ground. Along the
nodes of these modified stems new plants can develop. Strawberries have tillers. A stem that runs horizontally just under the
soil surface is called a rhizome. New
plants also form at the nodes of this type of stem. An iris has a rhizome stem.
Many people are amazed to find out that tubers, like the
potato, are also underground stems. The
“eyes” of a potato are stem nodes. New plant parts can grow from them. Bulbs
and corms are also modified stems. The
part of an onion that we eat is actually a stem, not a root. A tulip bulb is a modified stem. If you pull onions or tulip bulbs you can see
the real roots growing out of the base of the bulb. A corm, like the gladiolus corm, is a
specialized stem.
Tendrils are modified stems. As they grow toward the light they form a
layer of woody tissue on one side and fleshy tissue on the other size, which
causes coiling and allows them to grasp things to pull them toward the
light. Thorns and spines are
modifications of the stems epidermal layer.
 |
| Tendril on gourd stem |
Plants can be reproduced from stems, either as cuttings
with nodes that can produce new plants or from nodes on tillers, stolens,
tubers and rhizomes. Bulbs and corms produce tiny bulbils or cormlets along the
base of the bulb or corm that can produce new plants.
Ok, I think I’ll stop here. This has been a very quick overview of leaves
and stems. If you get deep into plant
identification you’ll need to learn more terms describing plant parts. But if you are interested in a subject you
soon pick up the lingo. Plants are
fascinating so learn all you can about them. Your homework is to look at the pictures of the paw-paw in the previous article and describe the leaf type and shape.
Spring
Preview Cake
If a change in the weather is giving you spring fever but
it’s too muddy to work outside stay inside and make this delightful cake. You’ll need to pick up a pre-baked angel food
cake or if you are really bored, bake one.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder (you can sub 2
tablespoons lemon Jello mix)
½ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup water
1- 6 oz can of frozen lemonade concentrate
2 cups of heavy whipping cream ( if you are really lazy
substitute 4 cups of whipped topping)
1-10 inch angel food cake
Yellow food color optional
Directions
Mix together the gelatin, sugar, salt, eggs and water.
Cook and stir over low heat until the gelatin dissolves
and the mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemonade concentrate.
Add food coloring if desired.
Put this mixture in the refrigerator to chill.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
When the lemon aide mix is partially set, fold the
whipped cream into it.
Tear the angel food cake into small pieces.
In the bottom of a 10 inch tube pan place a thin layer of
the lemon aide mix.
Put about a 1/3 of the cake pieces on top, then pour 1/3
of the remaining lemon aide mix over them.
Repeat layers.
Chill the cake until firm, then unmold on a plate.
This cake looks great decorated with fresh or fake
flowers. Don’t use real daffodils or narcissus flowers because they are poisonous.
Do
February showers bring March flowers?
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and
a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero
© Kim Willis - no parts of this
newsletter may be used without permission.
And So On….
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