Thursday, July 15, 2010

Mid Hill surprises

The Traveller's Palm planted at the fringe of the jungle with oil palm trees in the background. From the stout trunk two rows of leaves are arranged in a fan-like shape.

I'm still working at the Mid Hill footpath area of Vegetation Island No.1. at Zone D. One of the interesting features about the vegetation island is the presence of oil palm trees surrounding it. Between the oil palm trees and the island jungle I added some fringe trees and shrubs. Today I focus on the Traveller's Palm ( Ravenala madagascariensis ), which is neither a palm nor of the banana family botanically speaking. While clearing some bushes within the island I met with the young dark purple leaves of a jungle creeper. The yellow edging around the leaves provides a beautiful contrast ( See inset) The Traveller's palm is at one end of the mid hill footpath as shown below. Around it are two foliage plants that seemed to have gotten accustomed to the place :- the sword-like and variegated ( pink/cream) leaves of the Dracaena marginata and the long white to creamy arched leaves of the " Song of India" ( Dracaena reflexa ) with a central green strip.

" Song of India " ( Dracaena Reflexa ) Synonymn : Pleomele. It seems to thrive in the humidity of the vegetation island.
Dracaena marginata has cream stripe with red edges. Loves the shade here. Dracaena is one plant that is very easy to propagate by stem cuttings.




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