Plants of the Week Oct 20-26
Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.) and Aloe Vera (Aloe vera)
Photo of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (http://www.angelfire.com/ cantina/que_pasa/Hibiscus.html)
Posted by Nessrine Ariffin
Species name: Hibiscus. There are about 230 species of Hibiscus, but the most common species of Hibiscus are Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Hibiscus syriacus.
Geographic range: Hibiscus is a flowering plant that is often found in warm-temperatures, and subtropical and tropical climates throughout the world.
Hibiscus is a tap root plant and is known for its large, showy petals, that come in several colors like red, white, yellow, orange and even multicolored forms. Hibiscus is also honored as the national flower of Malaysia (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and South Korea (and Hibiscus syriacus). Besides that, dried hibiscus is considered as delicacy in some countries such as Mexico and India.
Aloe vera plant (photo from en.mr-ginseng.com)
Posted by Hamilton Wood
Species: Aloe vera (Aloe vera)
Range: The species can naturally be found throughout tropical and temperate parts of Australia, the Americas, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Aloe vera has quickly become a popular staple of modern gardens throughout the world. The extracts from the thick green leaves of the plant have had a variety of uses throughout history. Aloe vera extract is most commonly used for its soothing properties as an alternative medicine.