Gazania – wildflower

Family: Asteraceae
Form: Herb
Origin: Native to South Africa.
Weed Type(s): Weed, Naturalised, Garden Escape, Environmental Weed
also: Treasure Flower

Gazania is a tough, low-growing perennial herb with lance-shaped leaves and brightly coloured daisy-like flowers in bronze, yellow and orange tones. It produces abundant wind-blown seeds and spreads rapidly. It withstands salt-laden winds and grows well in sandy soils. It is often spread in garden waste.

Gazania is widespread and common in Victoria and naturalised in South Australia and Western Australia.

The related Coastal gazania, Gazania rigens, has become naturalised on coastal dunes and along roadsides from southern Sydney to the central coast, on the Eyre Peninsula and southern Mt Lofty region of South Australia and in the Moreton region of South-east Queensland.

They need the sun, and soil has to be very well drained and watered daily It faired through the winter here in British Columbia in a balcony planter and continues to bloom rofusely. I bought the plants last year.

Lobelia – wildflower and cultivar

Lobelia
Family: Campanulaceae
Subfamily: Lobelioideae

A popular flowering plant comprising 360–400 species, with a sub-cosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions. English names include Lobelia, Asthma Weed, Indian Tobacco, Pukeweed, and Vomitwort.

Lobelia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Lobelia erinus is a very popular ornamental plant in gardens, grown for its long flowering period, from mid spring to early autumn. Edging Lobelia, Garden Lobelia or Trailing Lobelia) is a species of Lobelia native to southern Africa, from Malawi and Namibia south to South Africa.[1]

It is a prostrate or scrambling herbaceous perennial plant growing to 8–15 cm tall. The basal leaves are oval, 10 mm long and 4-8 mm broad, with a toothed margin; leaves higher on the stems are slender and sometimes untoothed. The flowers are blue to violet in wild plants,Edging Lobelia, Garden Lobelia or Trailing Lobelia) is a species of Lobelia native to southern Africa, from Malawi and Namibia south to South Africa.

It is a prostrate or scrambling herbaceous perennial plant growing to 8–15 cm tall. The basal leaves are oval, 10 mm long and 4-8 mm broad, with a toothed margin; leaves higher on the stems are slender and sometimes untoothed. The flowers are blue to violet in wild plants. It is perennial in subtropical climates, but often grown as an annual plant in colder areas. Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, with a wide range of flower colours, including white, pink, red, pale to dark blue, and purple. Some of the better known cultivars are ‘Blue Moon’, ‘Cascade’, ‘Gracilis’ and ‘Rosamund’.

The genus is named after the Belgian botanist Matthias de Lobel (1538–1616).

An active ingredient in the lobelia plant, lobeline, is similar to nicotine in its effect on the body. Like nicotine, it stimulates nerves in the central nervous system. For this reason, lobeline was once used as a nicotine substitute in many anti-smoking products and preparations designed to break the smoking habit. In 1993, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibited the sale of lobeline-containing smoking products. The FDA reported that such products lacked effectiveness in helping people quit or reduce smoking.

It is important to note that lobelia is a potentially toxic herb. Lobelia can be safely used in very small doses (particularly homeopathic doses), but moderate-to-large doses can cause serious adverse effects ranging from dry mouth and nausea to convulsions and even coma (see Precautions). Under the guidance of a qualified health care provider, however, lobelia, in combination with other herbs that affect the respiratory system, is considered relatively safe. Additional information on it’s medical uses: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/lobelia-000264.htm

Bacopa – wildflower or cultivar

Bacopa
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Binomial name: Bacopa monnieri

A perennial creeping herb which grows on muddy shores and wetlands. Common names include Water Hyssop pr Bhrami.

Bacopa monnieri is a perennial, creeping herb whose habitat includes wetlands and muddy shores. Common names include Water Hyssop and brahmi (note: brahmi is also the Ayurvedic name given to Centella asiatica and other herbs).

The leaves of this plant are succulent and relatively thick. Leaves are oblanceolate and are arranged oppositely on the stem. The flowers are small and white, with four or five petals. Its ability to grow in water makes it a popular aquarium plant. It can even grow in slightly brackish conditions. Propagation is often achieved through cuttings.

It commonly grows in marshy areas throughout India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, and is also found in Florida and other southern states of the USA where it can be grown in damp conditions by the pond or bog garden.

In Ayurveda it is a traditional treatment for epilepsy and asthma. Laboratory studies on rats indicate that extracts of the plant improve memory capacity and motor learning ability. Studies in humans show that an extract of the plant has anti anxiety effects. It is listed as a nootropic, a drug that enhances cognitive ability. In India, this plant has also been used traditionally to consecrate newborn babies in the belief that it will open the gateway of intelligence.

This plant is also known as thyme-leafed gratiola and moneywort. Synonyms include Herpestris monnieria, Moniera euneifolia, Lysimachia monnieri, and Bacopa Monniera.

It is used in Vietnamese cuisine, where it is called rau ?a(‘ng. It is used in cháo cá, a variety of rice congee made with fish and na^’m tràm mushrooms.

Cultivation:
Plant in moist, peaty, slightly acid soil. Can tolerate shade. Keep soil moist, well drained. Flowers will drop if underwatered.

Suggested uses: Banks and Slopes, Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Ground Cover, Hanging baskets, Low Maintenance, Underplanting
Soil types: Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage: Moist but well-drained, Well-drained, Soil pH: Acid, Neutral
Light: Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun Aspect: North, South, East, West
Tender in frost (H3)

Hieracium

- Orange Hawkweed
- Devil’s Paintbrush
(H. aurantiacum)
Family: Asteraceae

Although considered a pernicious weed, the bright orange blooms along paths and roadways are breathtaking. I’ve personally transplanted a few to planters on my balcony. They thrive, blooming more than once, if given good fertilizer, right after a blooming is done.

Blackish hairs on the bracts around flower heads and elsewhere were so reminiscent of coal in their blackishness, that herbalists in the sixteenth century called it Grim the Collier.