PLANT FOR LIFE

Dracaena Cinnabari

2010-04-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

dikenal sebagai "Dragon Blood Tree" atau "Socotra Dragon Tree", dipanggil begitu karena getah merah yang dihasilkan olehnya. Pertama kali diperkenalkan oleh Isaac Bayley Balfour pada tahun 1882. Asli kepulauan Socotra

Kepulauan Socotra

Deskripsi Fisik

Habitat : Evergreen

Periode Mekar :Juni

Warna bunga : Putin, Tan, Mendekati putih,

Tinggi : 15-20m

habitat : Hutan evergreen

Kebutuhan

Sinar matahari : Penuh

Toleransi kekeringan : Tinggi

Taksonomi

Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Euphyllophytina
Infraphylum: Radiatopses
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: Liliidae
Superorder: Lilianae
Order: Asparagales
Suborder: Asteliineae
Family: Dracaenaceae
Subfamily: Ruschioideae
Tribe: Rhododendreae
Genus: Dracaena
Specific epithet: cinnabari
Botanical name: - Dracaena cinnabari

Gambar :

Socotra island amazing

source : en.wikipedia.org
zipcodezoo.com

Euphorbia

2009-07-17T03:24:00.000-07:00

Soil and Feeding

The soil performs three basic functions for plants:

The soil should give the plants a chance to root down and hold firm. In cultivation, this means the soil must not be too dense and prevent the roots penetrating. Furthermore, the soil must be well-drained so that surplus water can run away and so avoid root rot.

The soil needs hold a certain amount of moisture for use by the plants.

Finally the soil should provide the plants with necessary nutrients for the growing season. Plants in pots rapidly exhaust the soil and need regular feeding or repotting when required.

After repotting, plants get all the nutrients they need from the new soil, but they soon use them up and need feeding. There are two main groups of fertilizer which differ in content. The so-called complete fertilizers contain nitrogen (N), phosphates (P) and potash (K). It is preferable to choose fertilizers with a low nitrogen content, but as the composition of all fertilizers varies considerably, it is best to vary the brand from time to time to avoid a deficiency of any particular component. Complete fertilizers also contain trace elements besides the normal components. These are required by plants, but with sufficient use of complete fertilizers and regular repotting, it is rarely necessary to use special fertilizers with these trace elements. However if you feel the need to use trace elements, please carefully follow the instructions, as an overdose can kill the plants. During the growing season regular but light fertilizing is recommended. Repotting small or slow-growing species is not necessary every year. Faster-growing species, however, can exhaust the soil after a year, despite regular feeding, although increasing the dose can delay the necessity to repot. However the danger of this system is that the plants can become torpid and susceptible to disease.

Monadenium rubellum

Watering

The idea that succulents grow in dry places is not quite correct. The majority grows in areas where water may not be available in certain periods or only as fog or dew. As far as possible, the requirements of individual species need to be considered. When it is hot and plants are growing, they may need as much water as ordinary plants.

The choice of pot has a bearing on watering. Basically there are two types:

Unglazed earthenware pots were for some time the only type available. These allow water to evaporate through the sides, and also allow air to reach the roots, discouraging rot, a particular advantage for moisture sensitive species. Roots can however be damaged by cold due to evaporation.

Glazed earthenware and plastic pots prevent evaporation through the sides. This means they need less watering, but increase the risk of roots being damaged by excess moisture. Plastic pots can also get very hot in the sun and cause roots to be burnt.

The golden rules for euphorbias are as follows:

If in doubt, DON’T water!

Just because euphorbias can survive drought, does not mean that they need it. In fact in the growing season regular and copious watering is required.

Most species do not appreciate dust dry soil in the resting season, and need a little water from below, or even carefully from above.

It is better to water heavily once, than give little drops often. Heavy watering wets the whole pot of soil encouraging a healthy root growth.

It helps to add more drainage material to the soil of moisture-sensitive species when potting. This means that plants can all be treated the same when watering.

The best time to water in the warm season is evening as plants take up more water when it is cool, and less water evaporates away. Early morning watering is also acceptable and may even be better in the winter months.

Jatropha vaiifolia

Temperature

Although succulent euphorbias are suited to warm, dry conditions, the temperature requirements differ widely. High summer temperatures or wide diurnal fluctuations are not a problem, but minimum winter temperatures vary. As a rule of thumb, species coming from Arabia, Central and West Africa and the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Americas need 12-14 °C in winter. Madagascan and East African species need 10-12 °C, while species from North and South Africa can endure temperatures below 10 °C if kept dry. In fact some South African species can survive frost if temperatures rise rapidly the next morning.

In general ventilation is good for the plants. Big temperature fluctuations between day and night are also beneficial encouraging winter rest when the cool autumn nights arrive. Air humidity is closely related to temperature. While euphorbias enjoy high humidity when growing and temperatures are high, humidity needs to be very low during their winter’s rest, when temperatures are lower.

Euphorbia persistentifolia

Producing, harvesting and sowing seed

As euphorbia seeds have a limited shelf-life, they are rarely offered commercially.

Pollination can be achieved using a brush with fine hair, and transferring the ripe pollen from one cyathium (flower) to the stigma of that of another plant. Be sure to clean the brush thoroughly after use to avoid unexpected hybrids! Another way is to remove ripe stamens using fine tweezers and using them immediately to effect a pollination.

Pollination of Euphorbia bupleurifolia

Taking pollen of a male plant

Transferring pollen to the stigma

Using tweezers

Harvesting seeds presents a problem. The fruits of euphorbias are hard, woody capsules, made up of three segments, each containing a relatively large seed. When the capsule ripens, it explodes and scatters the seeds over amazing distances. A tried and tested method is to put a cotton pad around the ripening capsule and so prevent the seed from flying away. Nylon stockings can be used in the same way. In the case of particularly valuable seed, the whole plant can be enclosed in thin gauze or nylon.

seed capsules

Euphorbia bemaharensis

Euphorbia geraldii

Euphorbia maleolens

Monadenium pseudoracemosum

A convenient and safer method to save the seed is to apply a thin layer of glue to the already ripened capsules to prevent them bursting open. Fully dried capsules can sometimes be collected whole and opened carefully from the base.

applying a glue layer

Euphorbia and Monadenium seed

Euphorbia alfredii

Euphorbia groenewaldii

Euphorbia lupulina

Euphorbia meloformis

Euphorbia nubigena

Euphorbia pugniformis

Monadenium coccineum

Monadenium mafingense

Containers suitable for sowing are above all shallow plastic pots or trays as they do not dry out so quickly and can easily be cleaned and disinfected. The sowing medium should be light and poorer in nutrients than normal commercial plant compost. A mineral soil can also be used, such as fine to medium grade sand to which can be added a little finely sifted peat. The soil should be thoroughly wetted by standing the containers in water.

As conditions in the containers are also favourable for fungus growth, sterilisation of the soil is recommended (about 20 minutes in an oven at 120 °C with the soil evenly spread on a sheet). The soil can also be disinfected with a fungicide such as Chinosol, but please read the directions carefully or the tender seedlings may be damaged as they germinate.

Fungus in sowing soil

Sow the seeds evenly and not too thickly on the surface of the soil, press lightly and cover with a very thin layer of soil or sand no more than twice the thickness of the seeds.

During the period of germination, always keep the soil moist as letting the soil dry even once can result in heavy losses. It can be helpful to cover the trays with a transparent plastic dome or cling film.

The temperature at night should not go below 18 °C, although by day it can rise as high as 40 °C. 25 °C is ideal. Basically higher temperatures bring faster germination, but full sun should be avoided to prevent the young seedlings scorching.

Raising seedlings in a box

Sowing box

Containers and pot

Soil Thermometer

Germinated seedlings

The short viability of euphorbia seeds should be noted. The percentage germination can fall to 50% after only a few weeks. In general seed needs to be dry and stored at 5 °C in air and water proof containers. Dampness or higher temperatures cause the viability to decline more quickly.

As rainfall is irregular in habitat, not all seed germinates at the same time to ensure some seedlings survive. Germination tends to occur in waves, for example after one week, 8 weeks and 15 weeks. Furthermore, the germination period also varies from species to species.

Seedlings

Euphorbia alfredii

Euphorbia brevirama

Euphorbia bubalina

Euphorbia enopla

Euphorbia gottlebei

Euphorbia meloformis

Euphorbia rosii

Euphorbia thinophila

Vegetative Propagation

Propagation of euphorbias from cuttings is the easiest and quickest method for many species, and is also a way to prune an old plant back into shape. Cuttings should be taken with a sharp clean knife, if possible laying the plant down on a clean and smooth surface and using a pulling, rather than pressing motion to obtain a clean and clear cut. Branching species should be cut if possible at the branching point. Solitary plants such as E. bupleurifolia or E. piscidermis can be decapitated to encourage production of side shoots which can later be removed and rooted.

The best time to take cuttings is in the spring when growth starts, but summer is also suitable. Cuttings taken in autumn or winter have little time to root, and so cuttings should only be taken as an emergency to rescue plants suffering from root rot.

The latex appearing after cutting must be completely washed away in a glass of water or by spraying. Cold water stems the flow quickly as does brief exposure to a candle flame or match.

Euphorbias with large leaves should have leaves just above the cut removed with a knife. The cut surface should be left to dry before planting, one or better several days for leafless species. Leafy Madagascan species need only dry a short time. Dusting the cut surface with a hormone rooting powder will help roots form. For euphorbias we recommend 0.1% naphthyl acetic acid and not indolyl acetic acid which is usually found in shops. The planting medium can be the same as for seed sowing with the addition of some sterilised drainage material.

Rooting can take longer than expected but is accelerated by raising the soil temperature to around 25 °C using a thermostatically controlled warming mat. Direct sun should be avoided.

If unrooted cuttings dehydrate, they can sometimes be saved by soaking in water at room temperature until then swell up again and can be replanted.

Rooting cuttings
Euphorbia greenwayi var. greenwayi
Euphorbia myrioclada
Euphorbia similiramea

A fast rooting method, which does not suit all species, is to stand cuttings in a narrow glass and fill up to 2-3 cm with water. Rooting can occur in 10-14 days.

Rooting cuttings in water

Cuttings in water

Euphorbia cotinifolia ssp. cotinoides

Euphorbia guiengola

Some euphorbias that can be rooted from side shoots continue to grow as branches and do not form the typical plant form. The medusa-head species are in this group as well as E. brevitorta, E. groenewaldii, E. tortirama and others. For these the so-called two-step cutting method is required. First a cutting is taken in the normal way. When this has rooted, a second cut is made just above the point where roots have formed and the cut is treated in the normal way. The tip can be re-rooted and when large enough can be cut again. The rooted stump will normally produce a plant of form typical to the species and this can then be removed when large enough from the mother cutting.

Some Madagascan euphorbias (E. francoisii, E. cylindrifolia, E. pachypodioides, E. ankarensis, E. millotii) have been successfully propagated from leaf cuttings. Leaves are gently pulled from the plants (not cut) and put into cubes of rock wool which are then placed on coarse sand in a tray. The surface of the sand should be covered with water (putting the leaves directly into damp sand also works, although with greater losses). Hormone rooting powder and fungicide assist the process. Both gentle heat or a cool position with a plastic cover to increase humidity, should produce the desired result. After 40 days the plants are sufficiently well developed to be potted.

Leaves of E. decaryi, E. primulifolia, E. moratii, E. cremersii and E. decidua will produce roots but do not develop plants. They remain as rooted leaves.

Finally a few words on the toxicity of the latex. Even small amounts can cause painful skin irritation. If you get it on the skin, it should immediately be washed off thoroughly under running water. On no account let the latex come into contact with the eyes or mucous membranes.

Grafting

Grafting euphorbias is of interest for several rare and difficult species as when they are on more vigorous easier stocks, they are easier to keep, grow faster and produce more flowers and seeds.

The method of grafting euphorbias differs little from that of other succulents, except in one important aspect. The latex must be washed or sprayed off until hardly anything remains. After the latex flow has stopped, a further 1-2 mm slice can be taken from both surfaces without a new latex flow starting.

Both plants need to be at the start of the growing season. The stock should be cut as near as possible to the growing tip, as here the vascular bundles are dense and not yet woody and will feed the scion in the best possible way. Where possible stock and scion should be of similar diameter. The cut surfaces are held together with elastic bands in cross style, over the plant top and under the pot. The plants should be left in an airy and shady place for 7-10 days before the bands are removed.

Almost all euphorbias are suitable as stock, but it should be remembered that especially strong stocks may change the appearance of the scion. At the same time, however, they may also increase the chances of flowering or branching, which is a positive effect for rare and difficult species.

Strong growing stocks are E. ingens, E. candelabrum, E. canariensis, E. grandicornis and E. trigona. A moderately strong stock is E. fruticosa. A less vigorous but reliable stock is E. obesa. E. mammillaris, which is often used, is reliable but seems short-lived. For the caudex-forming Madagascan euphorbias, such as E. capsaintemariensis, E. moratii, E. primulifolia or E. ambovombensis, Rauh (1987b) recommends as a stock E. milii var. hislopii.

Finally a further reminder in this section of the toxicity of the latex. If it comes into contact with the skin, it should be thoroughly washed off under running water.

Pests and Diseases

Basics

Euphorbias are not only very attractive plants, but they have a big advantage in that in general cultivation is easy and they are less susceptible than many other succulent plants to pests and diseases. They are therefore suitable for greenhouse cultivation or the window-sill.

Whether or not a plant is flourishing is not always apparent, but as you get more experience with euphorbias, you get to know their growing and rest periods and then more easily spot changes which might indicate a problem. A reliable sign is change of colour, in particular pale or deformed sections indicate pest damage or a lack of nutrients. Also lack of growth can point to a problem – the main growing season for most species is spring and autumn, with many plants taking a mid-summer rest. The dropping of flowers usually means too much water, or a poorly drained soil, whereas the drying off of flowers, especially with the Madagascan species, indicates a lack of water.

Corking

Corking means a change in the outer layer of skin (epidermis) of the plant. Most commonly this is a brown colour accompanied by a thickening of the tissues. The cause can be strong sunshine on previously shaded plants, but corking is also a natural phenomenon in habitat with aging plants. Although we may think corking is unattractive, it is a plant’s natural reaction and needs no treatment.

Mealy Bugs

Mealy bugs are the commonest pest on euphorbias. They are up to 3 mm long, oval, similar to wood-lice but whitish, easily distinguished by the white, cotton-like substance they produce. The adults prefer inaccessible areas and so may be difficult to find unless plants are very carefully examined. In an infestation of E. flanaganii at the shoot tips, the plant reacts by the whole branch drying back and being shed. Infected plants should be isolated to prevent spread of the pest. As First Aid, the cocoons containing oval, yellow, shiny eggs, the small yellowish larvae, and the whitish adults, can be removed from individual plants with a pin. However, since the mealy bugs prefer inaccessible areas, even in the soil around the plant’s neck, generally this only achieves a reduction in numbers.

Treatment is with regular spraying with pyrethrum, nicotine solution or mineral-oil based insecticides. Also regular applications or sprays with soft soap and spirit helps against the drought loving mealies.

Mildew and other fungal diseases

Mildew appears as a white, powdery film on parts of the plant. The disease can be caused by too high humidity, insufficient ventilation, too little light, plants placed too close together, or low resistance to infection from lack of nutrients. So it follows that the best protection from mildew is improved cultural conditions.

If however mildew strikes, the infected plants must be immediately isolated, and in some cases the infected parts must be removed and destroyed. Regular cleaning of the infected parts can help, otherwise chemicals need to be used. As there is no specific fungicide on the market for mildew on euphorbias, you will need to choose one for mildew on roses or ornamentals.

One disadvantage of a systemic fungicide is that is cannot be used in the rest period when no water is being taken up by the plant. At these times contact fungicides need to be used such as sulphur or sulphur preparations, or sprays. Foot sprays against fungal infections are very effective and harmless to humans.

Some euphorbia species produce abundant nectar in the flowering season. If this is not collected by hover flies or other insects, mould can also develop on it. This does not directly damage the plant as it disappears as the nectar dries, but it can interfere with pollination. Untreated, the mould can recur every year in some plants. It can be dealt with in the same way as mildew. Finally, there are other types of fungi living in the soil which can spread and block air spaces. In this case depotting is the answer, cleaning the roots and repotting in fresh soil. Frequent applications of 1% Chinosol will also work.

Please read carefully the manufacturer’s safety instructions before using any chemicals.

Red Spider Mites

Red spider mites are about 0.5 mm, light brown to reddish in colour. The winter form is terra-cotta. Under a lens, two dark spots can be seen on the back which differentiates it from the 1-2 mm red spider, with which it is often confused due to the similarity of the name. The true red spider is beneficial and eliminates small insects including red spider mites. The mites prefer to feed on young growth. An attack is usually seen by white or yellow mottling on the infected plant. The web, protecting the youngsters, is not so easily seen.

Infected plants should be isolated and the plants repeatedly doused with lukewarm water. The mites can be treated chemically with so-called acaricides. An alternative is biological treatment with a parasitic mite, which feeds on the juvenile stage of the red spider mites. As red spider mites multiply very quickly, the parasites need to be introduced at the first sign of an attack in order to put a stop to the rapid spread.

Root Mealy Bugs

Root mealy bugs look just like normal mealy bugs and produce the same white cottony substance, but feed exclusively on the roots, where they can sometimes remain undetected until repotting takes place. They are smaller than mealy bugs, whitish, covered in white waxy threads, and very mobile, enabling them to spread to other pots. Root mealy bugs can be eliminated by a very thorough washing of the roots, and a final dip of the soil-free root ball in a solution of contact insecticide. Especially some monadeniums seem sensitive to root mealy bugs.

Root Rot

Root rot or wet rot can affect euphorbias if the soil remains too wet for a long time, or if too much water is given too quickly after the root ball has dried out completely in the rest period. Weakened plants can easily succumb to fusarium fungus, leading to root rot. The disease manifests itself with brown discolouration of the plant neck, spreading to the whole plant, the inside of which turns to a soft, colourless jelly.

The only cure for root rot is to cut off the still unaffected parts of the plant, but generally this only works during the early stages of the disease.

Sciara fly or Fungus gnats

An attack of sciara fly can be noticed when the 2-3 mm long black flies come up when the plant is moved. The adults do not damage the plants, but the larvae do. They are around 5 mm long, glassy, legless and with a black head. They are most dangerous in seed trays, as the young plants need constantly moist conditions which are ideal for the larvae.

If there is an outbreak in a seed tray, the best solution is to remove undamaged seedlings, taking care no soil goes with them and replant afresh, for safety watering with a contact insecticide. New egg-laying can be avoided by covering the surface of the soil with a thin layer of sand. The sand dries quickly and discourages the female sciara from laying her eggs in the soil. Adults can be trapped using the yellow sticky strips.

Tip Die-Back

The drying back of shoot ends is not a disease, but the plant’s natural reaction to excessive dryness or lack of nutrients. If it occurs, plants should be repotted into a more moisture-conserving soil, or watering should be judiciously increased. In some species, tip die-back is quite normal, E. gariepina for example, or of outer branches, E. tridentata for example.

Tobacco mosaic virus

The tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is a virus that infects plants causing a characteristic mottling and discolouration of the leaves (hence its name). Normally TMV in euphorbias has little effect on the growth of the plant, aside from the typically discoloured or sometimes distorted leaves, and the plants can survive a long time. As the plant sap contains the infectious virus, there is a danger of passing it to other plants, and so infected plants are best removed from the collection.

White Fly

This is a name given to various pests which can be found on euphorbias. The adults, which are about 1.5 mm and look like tiny flour-covered moths, and the yellow-green larvae, 0.3-0.7 mm long, prefer the under-side of leaves, the adults usually occupying the upper leaves and the larvae more mature plant parts. They suck plant sap and excrete honey dew which can lead to black mould. In serious infestations the plant can turn yellow and dry back.

Infected plants should be isolated where possible and must be treated. Yellow sticky strips can be used to catch the adults, but it will also be necessary to spray at least 4 times at 5-10 day intervals with pyrethrum, soft soap or insecticide (including systemic). A leaf-shine spray also helps against the larvae. As the eggs are unaffected by these methods, repeat sprays will be necessary.

White fly can also be dealt with biologically with the parasitic wasp, Encarsia formosa.

www.euphorbia-international.org

Botani

2009-01-20T02:34:00.000-08:00

PENDAHULUAN

Botani, cabang dari biologi yang mengkaji tentang tanaman. Tumbuhan didefinisikan sebagai organisme multiselular yang bisa berfotosintesis. Organisme tersebut dinamakan tumbuhan, bagaimanapun, organisme seperti bakteri, alga, dan jamur, masih dalam ruang lingkup botani, hal itu dikarenakan mereka mempunyai hubungan sejarah dengan disiplin dan kesamaan mereka terhadap tumbuhan sejati.

Botany mengkaji semua aspek dari tanaman, dari yang terkecil dan berbentuk paling sederhana sampai yang terbesar dan paling kompleks, dari kajian tentang segala aspek tentang tanaman individu sampai interaksi kompleks dari berbagai anggota komunitas tanaman yang kompleks dengan lingkungan dan hewan.

PERKEMBANGAN SEJARAH

Karena proses peradaban berhenti pada bagian pengetahuan tanaman dan perkembangbiakannya, bisa dibilang bahwa pertama kali ilmu botani diterapkan pada perembangbiakan tanaman (sekitar 9000-7000 SM). Tidak sampai 2300 tahun lalu, bagaimanapun, manusia menjadi tertarik dengan tanaman untuk keperluan mereka sendiri. oleh karena itu, botani menjadi ilmu murni pada abad ke 4 SM oleh filosof Yunani Theophrastus, tulisannya mengenai klasifikasi, morfologi, dan reproduksi tanaman sanagt mempengaruhi disiplin ilmu ini sampai abad ke-17. tentu saja, botani modern mulai berkembang hanya sekitar abad-16, sebagian besar karena ditemukannya mikroskop (1590) dan pencetakan dengan tipe yang bisa bergerak (1440).

Orang Yunani percaya jika tanaman memperoleh makanan hanya dari tanah. Setelah abad ke-17, ilmuan Belgia yang bernama Jan Baptista van Helmont memperlihatkan bahwa, walaupun hanya air yang diberikan ke pot tanaman willow, tanaman itu mendapat kira-kira 75kg (165 lb), selain itu, tanahnya hanya berkutang 60g setelah periode 5 tahun. Demonstrasi ini membuktikan jika tanah mengkontribusikan hanya sebagian kecil dari berat tanaman. Di abad ke-18 kimiawan Inggris, Joseph Priestley mendemonstrasikan jika tanaman “menyembuhkan” udara yang kadar oksigen telah ditiadakan (dengan pembakaran lilin atau dengan pernapasan binatang), dan fisiolog Belanda, Jan Ingenhousz (1730-1799) memastikan observasi ini dengan memperlihatkan kalau cahaya dibutuhkan tanaman untuk mentembuhkan udara. Penelitian ini dan penelitian lain membentuk basis untuk fisiologi tanaman modern, yang merupakan cabang dari botani yang mempelajari fungsi dasar tanaman.

Air bergerak ke atas melewati kayu dan solutes bergerak ke bawah melewati batang tanaman telah dipelajari secara independen pada abad ke-17 oleh Marcello Malpighi dari Itali dan Nehemiah Grew dari Inggris. Fakta ini sekarang telah diketahui untuk seitar 300 tahun, tetapi baru dalam beberapa tahun terakhir telah disetujui teori yang menjelaskan pergerakan cairan dalam tanaman ini dikembangkan, menggunakan beragam jenis teknik penyaringan secara analitik.

III

PEMBELAJARAN KLASIK

Banyak percobaan dan eksperimen fotosintesis dan pergerakan air pada tanaman bisa dibuat tanpa pengetahuan tentang struktur, tetapi penjelasan tentang fenomena ini membutuhkan pengetahuan morfologi (ilmu dan interpretasi tentang bentuk tumbuhan, perkembangan, dan sejarah) dan anatomi (ilmu tentang jaringan tanaman, asal mereka dan hubungan antara satu dengan yang lain. Kesatuan alam tentang tanaman pertama kali diketahui oleh ilmuan Inggris Robert Hooke pada abad ke-17, ketika dia melakukan percobaan kalau cork bark terdiri dari sel-sel. Pada 1838 botanis Matthias Schleiden mengajukan kalau semua jaringan tanaman terdiri dari sel-sel; hal ini berkaitan dengan persamaan segala makhluk hidup dan meletakkan fondasi dalam perkembangan sitologi, ilmu yang mempelajari struktur dan fungsi sel sebagai satuan individu daripada sebagai kumpulan jaringan. Ahli patologi erman, Rudolf Virchow menunjukkan pada tahun 1858 bahwa sel berasal dari sel-sel yang sebelumnya sudah ada, dalam hal ini kelangsungan ada diantara masa lalu dan masa kini dari makhluk hidup.

Beberapa penelitian tiddak hanya penting pada perkembangan dari fisiologi dan anatomi tanaman tetapi juga dalam perkembangan genetika, ilmu sains tentang keturunan, dan evolusi. Pada abad ke-19. botanjs Austria, Gregor Mendel, mengerjakan prinsip dasar dari genetika, menggunakan berbagai ercis kebun dan meneliti variasi pada bunga mereka dan penampakan vegetatif. Eksperimen hibridisasinya membutuhkan pengetahuan dari fungsi berbagai bagian pada bunga pada reproduksi, dan pengetahuan ini ditemukan dari eksperimen seorang botanis Belanda yang bernaman Rudolph Jacob Camerarius, yang menetapkan reproduksi seksual alami pada tumbuhan. Percobaan Mendel tidak diketahui sampai sekitar 1900; dalam jangka waktu tersebut, Charles Darwin menemukan teori evolusi (dalam bentuk modern bergantung pada prinsip genetika) tanpa pengetahuan dari pekerjaan Mendel. Darwin meneliti variasi dan perubahan dalam organisme melalui waktu, dan Mendel mengerjakan hukum pengaturan koleksi dan rekombinasi dari sifat-sifat yang berbeda. Sumber dari perbedaan dan perubahan tida diketahui, bagaimanapun, sampai botanis Belanda Hugo Marie de Vries meneliti penampilan spontan dari sifat-sifat baru dengan kata lain persilangan yang bisa diprediksi dari evening primroses dan diperkirakan kalau hal ini adalah hasi; dari perubahan, atau mutasi dalam gen.

Pengetahuan anatomi, genetika, dan evolusi telah sangat memajukan klasifikasi tumbuhan karena menyediakan basis rasional untuk subdivisi botani ini. Pada abad ke-17 naturalis Inggris John Ray membagi tumbuhan yakni tumbuhan tidak berbungan dan tumbuhan berbunga, dan tumbuhan berbunga ke dikotil dan monokotil. Pada abad ke-18 botanis Swedia Carolus Linnaeus, bagaimanapun, menemukan rangka kerja yang menjadi dasar klasifikasi modern dan sistem sederhana tentang nomenklatur yakni setiap tumbuhan diberi dua nama: nama pertama adalah genus dan nama kedua adalah spesies.

BOTANI MASA KINI

tanaman fosil

Botani tidak bergantung pada rekaman fosil untuk informasi mengenai evolusi dan klasifikasi seperti yang dilakukaan zoologi, karena kelengkapan rekaman untuk tanaman jauh lebih sedikit dibandingkan dengan hewan. Meskipun begitu, paleobotani, ilmu yang mempelajari fosil tanaman, telah sangat berkontribusi dalam keseluruhan pemahaman dari evolusi moayoritas kelompok tumbuhan khususnya pemahaman tentang hubungan antar kelas biji-bijian tumbuhan. Tetapi masih menyisakan sangat banyak untuk dipelajari sebelum pertanyaan dasar seperti asal dari tanaman berbunga bisa dijawab.

Botanis—mereka yang bekerja pada ilmu tentang taumbuhan—menemppatkan diri mereka sendiri pada aktivitas-aktivitas yang luas. Banyak botanis yang berada di posisi akademik yang melibatkan merka pada bidang pengajaran dan kewajiban penelitian. Setelah itu mungkin mereka melibatkan diri pada pekerjaan laboratorium atau pekerjaan lapangan. Secara tepat, botani adalah ilmu sains murni yang mempelajari dengan memeriksa dasar alami dari tumbuhan. Banyak aspek dari botani, bagaimanapun, secara langsung telah membawa kemakmuran dan kemajuan pada hidup manusia, dan penerapan botani adalah bidang yang sangat penting. Bidang tersebut seperti perhutanan dan hortikultur sangat dekat dengan ilmu dasar botani, sebaliknya bidang lain seperti farmakologi dan agronomi tidak begitu berhubungan tetapi masih bergantung pada ilmu dasar dari pengetahuan botani.

Dikontribusikan oleh:
Marshall R. Crosby
Peter H. Raven

Ditranslet dari Microsoft encarta 2008

Plumeria

2008-12-09T03:29:00.000-08:00

KLASIFIKASI

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Apocynaceae
Genus:	*Plumeria*

Plumeria (nama lokal : Frangipani) adalah genus kecil dari 7-8 spesies asli Amerika Selatan

Bunga ini kebanyakan berwarna putih bercampur kuning pada 5 mahkota bunganya. Ada juga Plumeria yang memiliki perpaduan warna merah muda dan kuning yang menambah keindahan bunga tersebut.Bunga ini tumbuh di daerah tropis dan dapat mekar dengan bantuan sinar matahari yang berlimpah.

Plumeria berhubungan dengan Nerium oleander, keduanya mempunyai getah yang seperti susu dan beracun, hampir sama dengan euphorbia. Setiap spesies dari plumeria menghasilkan bentuk daun, penampilan dan habitat yang berbeda. Misalnya, daun dari Plumeria alba sedikit menyempit dan terlipat sedangkan daun Plumeria pudica mempunyai daun yang panjang berbentuk oak berwarna hijau gelap. Plumeria pudica adalah salah satu dari tipe berbunga dengan tidak rontok, selalu berdaun hijau. Spesies lain yang merontokkan bunganya di musim dingin adalah Plumeria obtusa (walaupun nama lokalnya adalah “Singapore”, tanaman ini berasal dari Colombia).

Bunga Plumeria mengeluarkan bau harum pada malam hari dengan tujuan untuk memancing serangga dari keluarga Sphingidae agar bisa melakukan penyerbukan. Daunnya tidak mempunyai nektar, dan secara sederhana menipu serangga agar bisa melakukan penyerbukan. Ngengat melakukan penyerbukan dengan cara memindahkan benang sari dari bunga ke bunga dalam pencarian mereka akan nektar yang percuma.

Spesies Plumeria gampang diperbanyak dengan cara memotong ujung batang yang mempunyai daun sedikit di musim panas dan mengeringkannya sebelum ditanam di tanah. Mereka juga bisa diperbanyak dengan cara kultur jaringan baik dengan memotong batang panjang yang masih segar dan dengan mensterilkan pertumbuhan benih.

ETIMOLOGI DAN NAMA LOKAL

Charles Plumier

Genus ini aslinya bernama Plumiera, dinamakan seperti itu untuk menghormati botanist dari perancis yang bernama Cherles Plumier, beliau berkelana keliling duna untuk mendokumentasikan spesies tumbuhan dan binatang. Setelah itu, Linaeus, memberi nama genus ini Plumeria. Nama lokal “Frangipani”berasal dari keluarga bangsawan Itali, abad 16 marquess yang menemukan Plumeria sebagai parfum.

Di meksiko, nama untuk tanaman ini dalam Nahuatl (bahasa Aztec) adalah "cacalloxochitl" yang berarti “bunga gagak.” Tanaman ini diggunakan untuk berbagai tujuan medis seperti salep.

Berdasarkan tempatnya, banyak nama lokal untuk tanaman ini seperti: “kembang kamboja” di Indonesia, “temple tree” atau “Champa” di India, “Kalachuchi” di Filipina, “Araliya” di Sri Lanka, “Champa” di Laos, “Lantom” atau “Lilarwadee” di Thailand, dan “Dead man's fingers”. Banyak pembicara Inggris yang menggunakan nama “Plumeria”

KEGUNAAN

Wangi Plumeria ini lebih tercium dan harum sewaktu malam hari. Konon, tanaman bunga ini sebagai tempat persinggahan dan perlindungan makhluk halus. Tidak heran bila bunga ini juga banyak tumbuh di daerah pemakaman. Namun saat ini bunga Plumeria telah menjadi tanaman hias di halaman setiap rumah karena bunga ini semakin banyak variasinya.

Bunga Plumeria sering menghiasi kuil-kuil agama Hindu dan Budha, dan digunakan sebagai sesaji untuk berdoa. Di Hawaii, bunga ini juga banyak tumbuh dan dijadikan rangkaian bunga berbentuk lingkaran yang dikenakan di kepala. Wanita di Hawaii mengenakan bunga ini di telinga kanannya sebagai tanda bahwa ia masih sendiri dan sedang mencari pasangan hidupnya. Sedangkan apabila seorang wanita mengenakannya pada telinga kiri, itu berarti bahwa dia sudah mempunyai pasangan. Kita juga dapat melihat penari Bali yang menghiasi telinganya dengan bunga Plumeria berwarna putih.

GALERI
1. Plumeria alba
2. Plumeria obtusa
3. Plumeria pudica
4. Plumeria rubra
5. Plumeria stenopetala
6. Plumeria stenophylla

ditranslet dari en.wikipedia.org dengan tambahan dari berbagai sumber

Bougainvillea

2008-11-20T02:39:00.000-08:00

Introduction

The Bougainvillea is an immensely showy, floriferous and hardy plant. Virtually pest-free and disease resistant, it rewards its owner with an abundance of color and vitality when it is well looked after. The bougainvillea's versatility is legendary. It can be coaxed into a small manageable pot plant or a sizeable tree, to spread itself vertically on a wall, or climb up a trellis and form a luscious crown or burst forth into graceful arches. It makes one of the best hedges, bushes, and curb-liners. And as for bonsai or topiary purposes, it has few equals, lending its complex branching to the pruning shears, which promote even more unique and graceful forms. It is probably true to say that without the bougainvillea, our roads, parks, and private gardens would be a lot less colorful that what we see today. Almost everywhere we go, its brilliant hues and cheerful bursts punctuate the lush green mantle that cloaks our tropical environment. Other flowering plants certainly pale in comparison.

Along with palms, sunshine, and beaches, the cascading blooms of bougainvillea provide one of Florida's signature tropical images. As a profuse bloomer, bougainvillea is most striking during the winter, when it is at its peak and few other plants are able to provide color. Although it is frost-sensitive and hardy in zones 9b and 10, bougainvillea can be used as a houseplant or hanging basket in cooler climates. In the landscape, it makes an excellent hot season plant, and its drought tolerance makes bougainvillea ideal for warm climates year-round. Native to the coasts of Brazil, bougainvillea has a high salt tolerance, which makes it a natural choice for south Florida and other coastal regions. As a woody clambering vine, bougainvillea will stand alone and can be pruned into a standard, but it is perfect along fence lines, on walls, in containers and hanging baskets, and as a hedge or an accent plant. Its long arching branches are thorny, and bear heart-shaped leaves and masses of papery bracts in white, pink, orange, purple, and burgundy. Many cultivars, including double flowered and variegated, is available.

History

A native to coastal Brazil, the bougainvillea was discovered in 1768 in Rio de Janeiro by French naturalist Dr. Philibert Commerçon (also sometimes spelled Commerson). The plant is named after his close friend and ship's admiral Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, who commanded the ship La Boudeuse that sailed around the world between 1766-1769, and in which Commerçon was a passenger.

Twenty years after Commerçon's discovery, it was first published as 'Buginvillea' in Genera Plantarium by A.L. de Jusseau in 1789. The genus was subsequently split in several ways until it was finally corrected to 'Bougainvillea' in the Index Kewensis in the 1930s. Originally, B. spectabilis and B. glabra were hardly differentiated until the mid 1980s when botanists recognized them to be totally distinct species. In early 19th century, these two species were the first to be introduced into Europe, and soon, nurseries in France and England did a thriving trade providing specimens to Australia and other faraway countries. Meanwhile, Kew Gardens distributed plants it had propagated to British colonies throughout the world. Soon thereafter, an important event in the history of bougainvillea took place with the discovery of a crimson bougainvillea in Cartagena, a Spanish port in the Mediterranean, by Mrs. R.V. Butt. Originally thought to be a distinct species, it was named B. buttiana in her honour. However, it was later discovered to be a natural hybrid of a variety of B. glabra and possibly B. peruviana - a "local pink bougainvillea" from Peru. Natural hybrids were soon found to be common occurrences all over the world. For instance, around the 1930s, when the three species were grown together, many hybrid crosses were created almost spontaneously in East Africa, India, the Canary Islands, Australia, North America, and the Philippines.

Scientific  classification

Kingdom - Plantae
Division - Magnoliophyta
Class - Magnoliopsida
Order - Caryophyllales
Family - Nyctaginaceae
Genus - Bougainvillea
Species - Bougainvillea  spectabilis
       Bougainvillea glabra
       Bougainvillea peruviana
            Cultivar (or variety)

Note about Species: Many of today's bougainvillea are the result of interbreeding among only three out of the eighteen South American species recognized by botanists.

Note about Cultivars: Currently, there are over 300 varieties of bougainvillea around the world. Because many of the hybrids have been crossed over several generations, it's difficult to identify their respective origins. Natural mutations seem to occur spontaneously throughout the world; wherever large numbers of plants are being produced, bud-sports will occur. This had led to multiple names for the same cultivar (or variety) and has added to the confusion over the names of bougainvillea cultivars.

Species and Hybrids

Bougainvillea spectabilis is a large climber with distinctive curved thorns, and hair on stems and leaves. The bracts are crinkled, fairly large, egg-shaped, and possess colors in the rose, rusty-red, and purple. Flowers are cream in color, slender, with very hairy tubes. Leaves are large, ovate to rounded, leathery in texture and hairy underneath. The bark is pale and corky. Branching is close and short, giving rise to a very dense plant. The first species collected, it was described from dried specimens by Willdenow (1798).

Bougainvillea glabra has thinner branches that spread in many directions and have distinctive pointed triangle-shaped bracts that come in a range of whites, lilacs, mauves, and purples. Thorns are short, thin, and curved at the tips. Leaves are fairly evenly elliptical, widest about the middle. The small cream flowers are relatively big and tube-shaped. The also tend to flower virtually continuously, and often down the entire length of the branch. Originally described and named by Choisy (1849).

Bougainvillea peruviana has a branching habit that is looser and more open. This is a climbing, spiny, spreading shrub with greenish bark. Thorns (spines) are thin, straight in youth and curved when older. Leaves are thin and ovate to broadly ovate. The small roundish bracts, usually in light to dark magenta colors, are quite delicate to the touch, and are crinkly in appearance. Flowering is recurrent after strong vegetative growth in response to dry weather. This species was described and named by Humbold and Bonpland (1808).

Bougainvillea hybrids found today have been grouped into these three hybrid groups:

B. x buttiana (glabra x peruviana)
B. x spectoperuviana (spectabilis x peruviana)
B. x spectoglabra (spectabilis x glabra)

Best Climate for Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea are tropical and must be protected from frost. In Zone 8 and cooler, you are almost limited to growing them in some kind of container unless you treat them as an Annual (plant a new plant outdoors each year) -- which works fine if you obtain a large plant in the spring. Bougainvillea thrives in full sun. At least 5 hours a day of full sunlight is the minimal light required for good bloom. More hours of direct sun are better. Less than 5 hours and the plant may not bloom very well. In shade or partial shade, you will have nice vegetative growth, but little or no bloom. A Bougainvillea just doesn't bloom well indoors. If possible, keep your plant outdoors (in the maximum sun available). If placed on a porch, patio or balcony, where the plant receives at least 5 hours of sun each day (afternoon sun is best), then it should bloom ok. A bougainvillea likes high humidity just before it comes into bloom. Once bloom has been initiated, then it will tolerate less humidity.

Production

Bougainvilleas' natural habitat is equatorial where day and night lengths are almost equal. Bougainvillea in these areas tend to bloom year round, but in North America, best blooming occurs when the night length and day length are almost equal (in spring or fall). In winter, blooming is better than in the dog days of August because of night length. Also, some cultivars are triggered to bloom after a rainy season followed by a dry season.

Light Levels

As a tropical plant, Bougainvillea requires full sun, or a light level of at least 4000 f.c.

Production Temperatures

Temperatures should be maintained somewhat high; a minimum of 65°F at night and 75° to 95°F during the day. Growth production will be delayed at cool temperatures, especially if the soil is also cool.

Salt Tolerance

Good salt tolerance.

pH Preference

Bougainvillea does best with a soil pH of 5.5-6.5

Media

Bougainvillea has an extremely fine root system, and should be planted in well-drained soils. Avoid soil mixes with high peat levels and water retention. These types of media retain too much water and will contribute to root rot; be sure to select a well-draining media. The best growing mixture is one that is soil-less. Soil-less media are free of any disease pathogens, insect pests, and weed seeds. They are also generally lightweight and porous, allowing for a well-drained yet moisture-retentive mix. Premixed growing media are available from garden centers. However, be careful not to use peat or peatlite mixes alone. By themselves, these media tend to become compacted, too lightweight, and hard to wet. The greatest problem with peat/peatlite mixes is when the soil dries completely, the root ball will pull away from the side of the pot, and it is almost impossible to completely wet the soil again -- the water simply runs down the side of the container and drains out the bottom. If your plant dries out and you use this type of mix, to rewet it, let the pot sit in a pail of water until the soil ball is completely wet. Before using your mix to repot plants, be sure it is damp. Totally dry soil mixture is difficult to handle and may damage tender roots before the plant is watered.

Fertilization

Bougainvillea are heavy feeders that require regular monthly fertilization. Nitrogen and phosphate are critical to flowering, but do not overfertilize with these two elements because it will add growth and inhibit blooming. This is the case when using generalized fertilizers like a 20-20-20 or 12-12-12. That’s why we’ve created a blooming fertilizer specifically for bougainvillea called BOUGAIN®. With Bougain’s 6-8-10 plus Minors formula, Nitrogen levels are just right for flowering, but low enough to limit excessive green growth. In addition, Bougain® contains 5% Iron -- and any professional grower will tell you that’s the secret for vibrant, beautiful color on bougainvillea.

Pruning & Pinching

Bougainvillea may be pruned at any time of the year. Bloom initiation does not depend upon pruning - a bougainvillea has a bloom cycle followed by a rest period whether pruned or not. A hard prune is recommended when you need to contain growth or when you are preparing to move your bougainvillea indoors for the winter. The ‘Soft Prune’ is recommended for bougainvillea only when trying to obtain a special form. A bougainvillea, like most vining-type plants, will continue to grow outward without sending out side branches from each leaf-bud point unless the stem is pinched. If you want one long stem, then don't pinch out the tip. By pinching out the tip, most bougainvillea cultivars will send out new stems from 2 to 3 leaf-buds below the cut. Some varieties do not send out any new stems, so their appearance is always stringy or bare. BGI only produces varieties that will send out 2-3 new shoots, so you don’t have to worry about a BGI® bougainvillea ever looking stringy – that is, unless you forget to pinch! So it is important when growing a bougainvillea, not to wait for the branches to grow very far beyond your desired size before you remove all the tips -- otherwise, the growth will be bare in the center of the plant, and the overall look will be misshapen.

Growth cycles

The bougainvillea has two distinct growth cycles:

1. A vegetative growth period for several weeks -- when new leaves and stems grow. If the plant receives enough sunlight, the plant will form buds during this time. If there is not enough sunlight, the plant will remain in vegetative cycle.

2. A blooming period of several weeks when little or no vegetative growth occurs. The length of time they will display color is dependent upon the health of the plant and the environment they are in; the more sun and heat, the better. However, long days and short nights (July and August in Florida) limit a bougainvillea's ability to bloom.

Photoperiod/Flowering

Blooms occur only on new growth, so new growth on plants is vital to the achievement of flowering. Bougainvillea normally flowers during the short days of winter, but blooms are highly dependent on temperature. Drought stress can also stimulate flowering even with long daylight exposure. Growers frequently allow plants to dry just to the point of wilting to induce flowering. However, excessive drying can cause leaf drop and dormancy; use care and be sure to water at first signs of wilt.

Landscape Culture

Bougainvillea is a wonderful addition to any landscape, whether it's used as a permanent fixture, a container plant or hanging basket in a semi-tropical landscape, or an annual in cooler climates. For the best performance out of your Bougainvillea, follow these guidelines:

Keep Bougainvillea on the dry side, especially if you want lots of blooms. Too much water will promote root rot and cause leaves to drop. Don't water on cool nights.
Use a high-bloom fertilizer.
Plant or place Bougainvillea in full sun. As a potted plant, flowers will last for up to eight weeks if kept in a sunny location.
Winter dieback may be a problem if the weather gets too cool, so if you're growing Bougainvillea in a frost-prone area, plant in a protected location or cover in case of frost.

Frost Tolerance

Bougainvillea require winter protection. It may be killed if the temperature remains below freezing for more than 4 hours. A light frost will not kill a mature bougainvillea, but may for a young planting. Within a day after the frost, all the leaves and bracts will fall off. If they remain on the plant, they may have a “singed” or “burnt” look to the edges. In this case, the plant will regrow, but only if not subjected to further frosts for longer durations.

Winter Protection

It is not unusual for a bougainvillea to be full of bloom when it comes time to move it indoors for winter. Almost immediately after bringing a plant like this (full of bloom) inside, all the bracts will fall off and most of the leaves will eventually fall off as well.
It’s recommend that you do a hard prune before moving it indoors:

Bougainvillea is a vine and new growth (after a prune) starts one or more leafbuds below the cut and not up and down the entire branch. By doing a "hard" prune, next spring, when the plant regrows it will be fuller from the base up. Most reference to pruning bougainvillea I have found on the web is applicable more to nonvining plants where new branches grow up and down the stem after a pinch -- vines or climbing plants tend to grow only one or two branches from the leafbuds just below the cut after pruning. If you like the shape of your plant now, then you may not even want to prune before moving it indoors. Next spring it will hold the same shape, just grow larger. But, if is not quite the shape you desire or is overgrown, the best thing to do would be to perform a hard prune.

Bringing Indoors for the Winter

If you have planted your bougainvillea in the soil outdoors and want to dig it up and move it indoors for the winter, expect the plant to go into dormancy sooner than if it had been in a container -- the root damage as a result of digging will be the cause rather than the cool weather -- but the plant should survive this kind of transplanting. Make sure to dig as far away from the root system as you possibly can. It’s important not to sever the roots; take care to dig up the entire root ball and especially in one piece.

Any space which doesn't freeze will be fine for your bougainvillea while indoors. If you put your plant in a high light area which remains warm during the winter nights, it may not go into dormancy and will be in better shape once Spring comes. If the spot you have doesn't have much light and stays cool during the day, then expect the plant to go into dormancy. After a few weeks indoors bougainvillea may go into dormancy and all the leaves will fall off. While indoors, water very little, and just keep the soil slightly damp.

Planting In Containers

Generally, bougainvillea can be grown in anything that will hold soil and allow proper drainage. Some of the more traditionally used containers include terra cotta (clay) pots, plastic pots, hanging baskets, wire baskets lined with sphagnum moss or fibrous liners, concrete planters, planter boxes, and bushel baskets. When BGI was on a bougainvillea exploration trip through Southeast Asia, we saw beautiful bougainvillea growing out from old laundry baskets and tires! Just remember that the container MUST have proper drainage. If you place your pot directly on the ground, the roots may emerge from drainage holes and find their way into the earth. To prevent this, place wooden slats or four bricks (in a T-design) under the pot. The air will naturally prune the roots that are exposed.

It’s very important to remember that a bougainvillea does not tolerate standing in water. Whatever container you choose, consider these tips:

Drainage: Bougainvillea must have it.
Insulation: Avoid using black containers in full sun.
Large enough: The container must be large enough to hold the minimum amount of soil required for mature plants to grow in.
Weight: Will it be too heavy to move? Styrofoam peanuts can be used in the bottom of the container rather than filling it fully with soil mix. This should also help with drainage and keeping drainage holes clear of debris.

Repotting Bougainvillea

A bougainvillea blooms best when pot-bound so do not be tempted to re-pot unless you must. It is best to leave the plant in its original container until the roots have replaced all of the soil and you can't keep the plant well watered. For example, it is not unusual to grow a bougainvillea in a 1 gallon pot for three or more years. When it is necessary to re-pot remember that a bougainvillea has a very delicate root system and a fragile root to stem connection. Handle bougainvillea with care. Root pruning is not recommended when re-potting bougainvillea - in fact, disturb the roots as little as possible because the plant might go into shock and take weeks to recover. Bougainvillea love to be pot-bound, so pot in the smallest container available for the purpose you desire. Re-pot into larger pot sizes gradually. For example, move a plant in a 6" pot into a 9" or 10" pot. Several years later, you can then move up to a 14" pot. The root system needs time to grow into each new pot.

Common Pests & Diseases

A part of the bougainvillea’s appeal is that they are relatively disease and pest-free plants. It is NOT common for your bougainvillea to be affected by these pests and diseases if you follow BGI’s Rules for Care, and fertilize with Bougain® which contain a significant amount of micronutrients – vital for healthy, blooming bougainvillea. This page contains most (but not all) common pests/diseases that may affect your bougainvillea.

On the rare occurrences that your bougainvillea experiences pest problems or disease, always try the least toxic method of pest control as your first step. If you use chemical pesticides to control insect pests, you will also kill natural predators. If you choose a chemical control, follow directions and guidelines closely and always wear protective clothing and safety gear including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, neoprene gloves, goggles and a respirator. Chemical pesticides are not recommended for use inside the home.

Aphids

Known also as greenfly, blackfly or plant lice, aphids are minute plant-feeding insects. Important natural enemies include the predatory ladybugs/ladybirds/ladybeetles, and lacewings. Aphids are tiny, pear-shaped, sap-sucking pests, appearing in the spring to feast on your plants' tender new leaves. They leave behind a secretion that attracts ants and promotes mold growth. Not to fear; you don't have to resort to toxic chemicals to save your bougainvillea.

Natural Control

Examine your garden regularly for signs of aphids. Look for clusters of the little bugs on new growth as well as on the curled and twisted leaves.
While wearing gloves, remove the aphids by hand, or use a sharp stream of water to knock them off the plant.
Cut away and dispose of infested foliage.
Capture flying aphids by placing yellow sticky traps near infected plants.
Make a nontoxic pesticide by mixing 1 cup vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon liquid dish-washing soap. Add 1½ teaspoon solution per cup of warm water to a handheld spray bottle.
Hit the aphids directly with above mixture and spray entire plant thoroughly.
Introduce beneficial insects, such as ladybugs/ladybirds/ladybeetles, or green lacewings to your garden to feed on the aphids. Both can be bought from garden stores or online.
Avoid planting bougainvillea near aphid-attracting plants, such as birch trees, and instead grow plants such as white sweet clover, spearmint, sweet fennel and Queen Anne's lace, which attract and house the lacewings, ladybugs and other insects that feed on aphids.
Rid your garden of ants. Ants love to eat the sugary sap (honeydew) secreted by aphids, and will “farm” the aphids, protecting them on the plant they eat.

Caterpillars; namely the Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar

The bougainvillea looper is a green or brown caterpillar about 1 inch long. It is also called inchworm or measuring worm. The looper larva mimics stems and branches very well and feeds primarily at night, which is why you may see the damage but fail to find the culprit on the plant. The adult is a moth, a very fast flyer with a wingspan of about 1 inch. The moth does not feed on the foliage. Like the larva, it also is active at night, when it is believed to lay its eggs on the underside of bougainvillea leaves. Go out scouting very early in the morning or at night if you have a good strong flashlight. The bougainvillea looper feeds from the edges of the leaves, which results in severe scalloping of the foliage. Attacks begin on the young tender shoots and leaves before progressing down the stem. The insect will cause significant visual damage to bougainvillea, although this does not apparently result in the death of the plants.

Chemical Control

Bacillus thuringiensis (BT, or Dipel®) and neem-based biological insecticide products should are a good solution and should be effective on the loopers without harming other insects that may biologically control them. Insectical oils and soaps will not control caterpillars such as the looper. Most synthetic insecticides with labels permitting use against caterpillars on landscape ornamentals, such as carbaryl (Sevin®), will likely kill the bougainvillea looper, although these products are often destructive to beneficial insects as well. Spraying insecticides late in the evening is recommended. This is when the bougainvillea looper caterpillars and adult moths are active, and also when the beneficial insects are not likely to be active.

Leafminers: Moths, Flies, Beetles, Wasps

The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths (Lepidoptera) and flies (Diptera), though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior. Although the types of insects differ, the damage they cause is very similar. Because of this, the larval stages of all insects which leaf mine are collectively and generically called “leaf miners”. All leaf miners will cause the leaves to look skeletonized, and to fall from the plant. Eventually they can kill the plant.

Natural Control

Cleaning around the plant is your best solution. Like wood borers, leaf miners are difficult to control as they are protected from insecticide sprays and plant defenses by feeding within the tissues of the leaves themselves. Some leaf miners can be killed by systemic pesticides (a type of pesticide that moves inside a plant following absorption by the plant), but many breeds are still immune to the effects of pesticide.

Cleaning around the plants. Debris tends to collect at the base of plants, and this is where the adults of the leaf miner larvae lay their eggs. Some leaf mining larva may also “winter over” in this debris. Removing leaves and other debris from around plants is an excellent method for controlling them.
Weeding provides an alternate food source for leaf miners, so areas around plants should be weeded and mulched.
Do not use contact pesticides. Since the leaf miner is inside the leaf, contact poisons cannot reach it, and therefore cannot kill it. Additionally, leaf mining insect larvae quickly become resistant to contact pesticides.

Scale Insects: Parasites, Mealybugs

Most scale insects are parasites of plants, feeding on sap drawn directly from the plant's vascular system. Scale insects vary dramatically in their appearance from very small organisms (1-2 mm) that occur under wax covers (some look like oyster shells), to shiny pearl-like objects (about 5 mm), to creatures covered with mealy wax. Scale insects' waxy covering makes them quite resistant to pesticides, which are only effective against the juvenile crawler stage. Over time, scales and mealybugs turn leaves black with “sooty mold”.

Natural Control

Identify scale insects by looking on the undersides of leaves and around leaf joints. Scale-damaged plants look withered and sickly and may have sticky sap or a black fungus on the leaves and stems.
Move an infested plant to isolate it from the rest of your collection. Scale insects are invasive and will infest other plants.
Remove scale insects with a twig or scraping tool. They will scrape off of plant tissue easily.
Wash infested plants with a soap/oil mixture if scraping alone doesn't do the job. Mix ½ tsp. insecticidal soap, ¼ tsp. horticultural oil into 1 quart of warm water. Wash the leaves individually with the soap/oil mixture. Rinse well. There are also numerous chemical products available for the control of mealybugs.
Purchase and release a natural predator called Chilocorus nigritus or Lindorus lophanthae for serious infestations. Place the insects directly on the infested plant. Once they have consumed the scale, the predators will simply die from lack of food in the indoor environment.
Spray with pyrethrin as a last resort. Pyrethrin is an organic pesticide made from chrysanthemums.
Be diligent - examine infested plants for evidence of new scale every day. It may take some time, but your bougainvillea will thank you!

Snails & Slugs

Photo Credit: Weidners' Gardens. Encinitas, California, Jeffrey Lotz; FDACS-DPI and David Robinson.

Snails usually eat from the middle of the leaf, but they can take bites out the edges as well. All this biting and chomping will make the leaf look scalloped. Putting down barriers that slugs can't cross is, perhaps, the best way to protect your garden from these common pests. Keep them from entering and you won't have to use pesticides.

Natural Control

Water your garden only in the early morning, or use an underground irrigation pipe. This will keep the top of the soil dry and uninviting to slugs and snails.
Spread dry soot, dry ashes, dry lime, sharp cinders and dry chalk around plants or beds. Any one of these or several in combination should do the trick.
Rough, sharp sand is another option. Use it the same way as the materials in Step 2.
Try calcified seaweed or crushed eggshells as a barrier.
Another barrier material is clippings from thorny roses or holly leaves. Rosa rugosa (Japanese rose) clippings are good.
Spread pine needles in your garden (these are also good mulch for strawberries).
Spread chopped hair (human hair is fine) in your garden.
Try using oak leaves as a barrier. Slugs and snails don't like the tannin in the leaves.

Chemical Control

Any brand of slug/snail killer will do the job. Sluggo is good because it can be used around pets and people.

Mites; namely Spider Mites

The webspinning two-spotted spider mite occasionally makes their home on bougainvillea. To the naked eye, spider mites look like tiny moving dots. Adult females, the largest forms, are less than 1/20 inch long. Spider mites live in colonies, mostly on the under-surfaces of leaves. The names "spider mite" and "webspinning mite" come from the silk webbing most species produce on infested leaves. The presence of webbing is an easy way to distinguish them from all other types of mites. Mites cause damage by sucking cell contents from leaves. A small number of mites is not usually reason for concern, but very high populations—levels high enough to show visible damage to leaves—can be damaging to plants. At first, the damage shows up as a stippling of light dots on the leaves; sometimes the leaves take on a bronze color. As feeding continues, the leaves turn yellow and drop off. Often leaves, twigs, and fruit are covered with large amounts of webbing. Damage is usually worse when compounded by water stress. Check the undersides of leaves for mites, their eggs, and webbing; you will need a hand lens to identify them. To observe them more closely, shake a few off the leaf surface onto a white sheet of paper. Once disturbed, they will move around rapidly. Be sure mites are present before you treat. Sometimes the mites will be gone by the time you notice the damage; plants will often recover after mites have left.

Natural Control

If a treatment for mites is necessary, use selective materials, preferably insecticidal soap or insecticidal oil. Petroleum-based horticultural oils or neem oils are both acceptable. Oils and soaps must contact mites to kill them so excellent coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves, is essential and repeat applications may be required. Mid-season washing with water to remove dust may help prevent serious late-season mite infestations. Regular, forceful spraying of plants with water will often reduce spider mite numbers adequately. Be sure to get good coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves.

Chemical Contol

Spider mites frequently become a problem after the application of insecticides. Such outbreaks are commonly a result of the insecticide killing off the natural enemies of the mites, but also occur when certain insecticides stimulate mite reproduction. Naturally controlling mites is the best method.

Thrips

Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings that cause discoloration and deformities on bougainvillea and other plants. Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies and corn lice. Thrips are generally tiny (1 mm long or less) and are not good flyers, although they can be carried long distances by the wind. Thrips feed by piercing plant cells with their paired maxillary stylets, which form a feeding tube. Due to their small size, cryptophilic behavior, and high rate of reproduction, thrips are difficult to control using classical biological control. Only two families of parasitoid hymenoptera are known to hunt them, the Eulophidae and the Trichogrammatidae.

Whitefly

Whiteflies typically feed on the underside of plant leaves. Whiteflies feed by tapping into the phloem of plants, exposing plants to the whiteflies' toxic saliva and decreasing the plant's overall turgor pressure. The damage is quickly elevated as whiteflies congregate in large numbers, quickly overwhelming susceptible plants. Damage is further exacerbated as whiteflies, like aphids, excrete honeydew as a waste product, which promotes mold growth. Whitefly control is difficult and complex, as they rapidly gain resistance to chemical pesticides. A major problem is the fact that the whiteflies and the viruses they carry can infect many different host plants. Use of yellow sticky traps to monitor infestations and only selective use of insecticides is advised.

Common Diseases & Problems

Fungal and Bacterial Leaf Spot (Pseudomonas and ropogonis)

The early symptoms are small reddish-brown leaf spots which usually occur on younger foliage, and cause the leaves to look "rusty". These enlarge into circular or irregular dark necrotic spots. When environmental conditions are drier and less favorable, leaf spots are slower to develop. Lesions have a tan center surrounded by a dark redbrown margin, and are sometimes bordered by a chlorotic halo. In time, leaf edges may become ragged as the necrotic tissue turns dry and papery. Under conditions of high rainfall or relative humidity the lesions develop quickly and are often black and vein delimited. Infection of developing leaves and bracts results in puckered, distorted growth.

Defoliation will occur when leaf spotting, blighting or marginal necrosis becomes severe.

Natural Control

Maintaining dry foliage is the primary control measure. Prune branches back and away from each other or, if just starting to grow, allow a large amount of space between them. Branches that are overlapping can't dry quickly and become more susceptible to leaf spot disease. Remove infected leaves and/or plants from the growing area.

Dispose of them immediately to reduce the spreading of infection.

Chemical Control

Spray fungicide in the spring if necessary. It will not cure infection that is already there, but it can control the spread of it. In frost-free climates where bougainvillea is perennial, disease incidence drops during cool and/or dry weather.

Black, Sooty Mold

See “Aphids”, “Scale Insects: Parasites, Mealybugs”, and “Whiteflies”

Leaf drop

Problem as a result of over-watering, under-watering, low light levels, or cold temperatures.

Leaf spots

Yellow or tan spots appear on older leaves may be sign of Magnesium deficiency (common with yellow bougainvillea varieties), or from over-watering.

Root rot

Plants that are over-watered or subjected to water logged conditions can develop root or stem rot. It’s easily prevented by careful handling and by the application of a broad spectrum fungicide drench during transplanting or planting in the landscape.

Scalloped Leaves a.k.a. “Help, Something’s Eating My Bougainvillea!”

See "Snails & Slugs" and "Bougainvillea Looper Caterpillar"

Yellowing or chlorosis on new growth

Often a result of a magnesium or iron deficiency, and an application of a complete micronutrient blend should help, but use caution--too much of either Mn or Fe will result in a secondary deficiency, as the plant is unable to absorb one when the other is present at high levels.

Yellowing or chlorosis on old growth

Often a result of a magnesium or iron deficiency. Apply Epsom salts at 1-2 tsp/gal as a drench or foliar spray.

Deficiency signs

Recommended remedy for any of the deficiencies below is the application of a complete micronutrient blend such as BOUGAIN® 6-8-10 Plus Minors.

Nitrogen deficiency: Older leaves turn a pale green and the veins are usually a reddish color. New growth will be stunted.

Phosphorus deficiency: The veins will turn red to purple and the plant as a whole will look purplish.

Potassium deficiency: Causes the edges of older the leaves to be a purple color and the leaf tips will be a brownish color.

Magnesium deficiency: First appears on older leaves where they turn a spotted yellow or tan color.

Zinc deficiency (rare): Will look almost like magnesium but here the leaf will be twisted.

Iron deficiency: Young growth is stunted and pale -- you'll know its iron if the veins on the leaf remain green.

Calcium deficiency: Dead areas appear in young growth and the tips soon die.