Milkbush

I rarely see people planting this indoors here but almost every professional gardener sells it in Lagos. Now, I'll ask that you avoid this plant until you are a very experienced gardener. Its sap is super-toxic and gushes out once you cut it and easily absorbed through skin and eyes. Repercussions are bad, we are talking anaphylactic symptoms (your eyes will feel like they're burning off and you will have shortness of breathe and all sorts) and you need to go to the hospital to get an Antihistamine shot. The symptoms are worse if you have a latex allergy (which we don't check for here). Professional gardeners abroad recommend using gloves and eye goggles when pruning this plant and scrubbing (yes scrubbing) your hands off afterwards.

So it's a no no then.
I don't even find it aesthetically appealing.

So make e carry e wahala dey go.

Onegai:
Milkbush

I rarely see people planting this indoors here but almost every professional gardener sells it in Lagos. Now, I'll ask that you avoid this plant until you are a very experienced gardener. Its sap is super-toxic and gushes out once you cut it and easily absorbed through skin and eyes. Repercussions are bad, we are talking anaphylactic symptoms (your eyes will feel like they're burning off and you will have shortness of breathe and all sorts) and you need to go to the hospital to get an Antihistamine shot. The symptoms are worse if you have a latex allergy (which we don't check for here). Professional gardeners abroad recommend using gloves and eye goggles when pruning this plant and scrubbing (yes scrubbing) your hands off afterwards.

fuchsias

These are one of my favourites and I have about 6 of these in my garden.
Some species are hardy so they come back year after year

"The fuchsia flower is a beautiful, exotic flower with striking two-tone colors. The fuchsia flower is quite unusual with regard to its shape and the fact that they are really delicate. These beautiful flowers are great just about anywhere in your garden".

tearoses:
fuchsias

These are one of my favourites and I have about 6 of these in my garden.
Some species are hardy so they come back year after year

"The fuchsia flower is a beautiful, exotic flower with striking two-tone colors. The fuchsia flower is quite unusual with regard to its shape and the fact that they are really delicate. These beautiful flowers are great just about anywhere in your garden".

That is just so pretty.

Red Bromeliad or Ananasgiller

Good luck saying that fast

I don't know much about this, I know it's part of the pineapple family (Bromeliad) and it's tropical. I spotted it in a professional garden in Festac-town, Lagos and I don't think the gardener gave me much info on it. So if anyone knows about this plant, please share.

Yellow Scorpion Orchid

First hubby saw this plant, he said "you bring it home, I pour Omo water in it" and I replied "You buy a t.v. with curved edges, I pour Omo water in it". So we have an uneasy truce: orchids stay with my mama, he doesn't buy gimmicky tv set. We don't get what we want, since we are all being childish innit

Orchids are a love or hate thing, because they're so exotic-looking. This particular one needs shade, plenty of space to grow, cattle manure and a support (it's a climber). It grows fast if you give it all that. it is really long-lasting in bouquets and flower arrangements.I think it only comes in these colours of yellow-brown.

Onegai:
Yellow Scorpion Orchid

First hubby saw this plant, he said "you bring it home, I pour Omo water in it" and I replied "You buy a t.v. with curved edges, I pour Omo water in it". So we have an uneasy truce: orchids stay with my mama, he doesn't buy gimmicky tv set. We don't get what we want, since we are all being childish innit

Orchids are a love or hate thing, because they're so exotic-looking. This particular one needs shade, plenty of space to grow, cattle manure and a support (it's a climber). It grows fast if you give it all that. it is really long-lasting in bouquets and flower arrangements.I think it only comes in these colours of yellow-brown.

Im with your hubby on this one
The funny thing is that orchids are very very expensive flowers

Tea Roses ......one of my favourite flowers
I love the colour, the shape of the flower and most especially the scent.

I managed to get them to grow in Nigeria, but rather than have lots of flowers between May and Aug as it should do, it only has about 7 flowers on the plant all year long. The flowers are also smaller than normal.

"Hybrid tea is an informal horticultural classification for a group of garden roses. They were created by cross-breeding two types of roses, initially by hybridising hybrid perpetuals with tea roses. It is the oldest group classified as a modern garden rose"

tearoses:


Im with your hubby on this one
The funny thing is that orchids are very very expensive flowers

I know, right? I hear we have even more orchids in the forests of Nigeria. Imagine the money we could be making exporting them. I like these ones, I think they look nice in a group (though it's the pretty orchids everyone likes).

tearoses:
Tea Roses ......one of my favourite flowers
I love the colour, the shape of the flower and most especially the scent.

I managed to get them to grow in Nigeria, but rather than have lots of flowers between May and Aug as it should do, it only has about 7 flowers on the plant all year long. The flowers are also smaller than normal.

"Hybrid tea is an informal horticultural classification for a group of garden roses. They were created by cross-breeding two types of roses, initially by hybridising hybrid perpetuals with tea roses. It is the oldest group classified as a modern garden rose"

Please what did you do to get them to grow here? Shade, greenhouse, singing, catfish sacrifice to one spirit somewhere, abeg tell us.

Are those the tearoses?

I didn't even know that's what they are called. They are on my list of favorites too.

Well roses of all kinds generally.

So lovely.

tearoses:
Tea Roses ......one of my favourite flowers
I love the colour, the shape of the flower and most especially the scent.

I managed to get them to grow in Nigeria, but rather than have lots of flowers between May and Aug as it should do, it only has about 7 flowers on the plant all year long. The flowers are also smaller than normal.

"Hybrid tea is an informal horticultural classification for a group of garden roses. They were created by cross-breeding two types of roses, initially by hybridising hybrid perpetuals with tea roses. It is the oldest group classified as a modern garden rose"

Onegai:


I know, right? I hear we have even more orchids in the forests of Nigeria. Imagine the money we could be making exporting them. I like these ones, I think they look nice in a group (though it's the pretty orchids everyone likes).

seriously?
then you should consider exporting them
I dont know why they are so expensive to be honest
They don't appeal to me cos they only flower once and need very special conditions and care to get them to flower the next day
Me I just throw a bucket or bowl of water on the plants
Orchids wont last one week in my hands

This one looks a bit scary.
Like you could walk upon a lone one and jump out of your skin thinking it's an exotic spider.

Onegai:
Yellow Scorpion Orchid

First hubby saw this plant, he said "you bring it home, I pour Omo water in it" and I replied "You buy a t.v. with curved edges, I pour Omo water in it". So we have an uneasy truce: orchids stay with my mama, he doesn't buy gimmicky tv set. We don't get what we want, since we are all being childish innit

Orchids are a love or hate thing, because they're so exotic-looking. This particular one needs shade, plenty of space to grow, cattle manure and a support (it's a climber). It grows fast if you give it all that. it is really long-lasting in bouquets and flower arrangements.I think it only comes in these colours of yellow-brown.

cococandy:
Are those the tearoses?

I didn't even know that's what they are called. They are on my list of favorites too.

Well roses of all kinds generally.

So lovely.

Thanks coco
Yes these are tearoses

There are another type called Floribunda
I think these were the old English roses gan gan
Their flowers are different and they dont have such a strong scent as the tearoses
That purple one looks like a newer cross that was made in the lab



"Floribunda is a modern group of garden roses that was developed by crossing hybrid teas with polyantha roses, the latter being derived from crosses between Rosa chinensis and Rosa multiflora"

Onegai:


Please what did you do to get them to grow here? Shade, greenhouse, singing, catfish sacrifice to one spirit somewhere, abeg tell us.

Nothing sis
Infact they suffer gan
I bought 6 back with me and just planted them in different locations
They are only being watered only God knows when, cos I was not around
I just noticed that the two that flowers the most is the one that is very close to the drips from the A/c and the other is from where the roof merges so when it rains its more wet around that area.
I also fed them all with rose feed granules just once

My o my.

These are so lovely.

That white one at the bottom used to grow in our church Back home.
Until some knucklehead cut them down.
They smell very very good too.

I remember I'd pick them to keep but then quarrel with my mom because she thought the smell will attract insects


_*nostalgia*
.

tearoses:



Thanks coco
Yes these are tearoses

There are another type called Floribunda
I think these were the old English roses gan gan
Their flowers are different and they dont have such a strong scent as the tearoses
That purple one looks like a newer cross that was made in the lab



"Floribunda is a modern group of garden roses that was developed by crossing hybrid teas with polyantha roses, the latter being derived from crosses between Rosa chinensis and Rosa multiflora"

cococandy:
My o my.

These are so lovely.

That white one at the bottom used to grow in our church Back home.
Until some knucklehead cut them down.
They smell very very good too.

I remember I'd pick them to keep but then quarrel with my mom because she thought the smell will attract insects


_*nostalgia*
.

I know how annoying it is when people cut down beautiful things
Very painful
The guy who butchered my hedge with cutlass
I dont think he understands to this day why I yapped him so much

tearoses:

seriously?
then you should consider exporting them
I dont know why they are so expensive to be honest
They don't appeal to me cos they only flower once and need very special conditions and care to get them to flower the next day
Me I just throw a bucket or bowl of water on the plants
Orchids wont last one week in my hands

Hmm (thinking), meanwhile you should see the prices of even a common Double Hibiscus ($15 plant) that people don't send in naija.

I think I've seen Floribunda in Lagos (light pink-white colour) and the gardener told me it was a double Hibiscus. I'm not sure sha..

So quick Google shows that Floribunda is used in Nigeria for wood! So it's common. Any Botany students can help shed light on this please?

Allamanda

This is a super popular plant. Here's the thing though, I'm not sure if it's a shrub or a vine (climber). I usually see it when it's young as a shrub but it does climb over people's fences. Hmm...

Its most popular colour is yellow (aka the Golden Trumpet) but it's different from a regular trumpet flower. It comes in dark pink (I used to think it was striped from afar, its just the petals overlapping each other giving it a stripes look) and more rarely, white. It requires watering and sunlight and pruning occasionally to make it flower even more.

Mods, I'm not sure this belongs in this section as Agriculture is mostly filled with commercial farming and states that is for Agribusiness and economics, and this thread is purely for pleasure. This thread will die here. We started it in the General Section to attract anyone interested.

Onegai:
Butterfly Pea Vine

It has the most delicious name, ladies.

Get ready... (clears throat):

"Clitoria Ternatea". Because apparently they said the flowers resemble lady parts.

Scientists are Hot, it is clear to see. Why else will all these naughty names exist to name flowers??

So, I saw a Butterfly Pea vine today in Ikoyi. Really pretty! It's a vine and a climber, so you must plant this and support it with an arch or a doorway or metal arch because it can't stand on its on. It likes moisture. The flowers give a beautiful blue dye which is used as food colouring and its fruits are peas. So it's safe and edible. It actually improves soil quality when you plant it. So it's a good plant, just remember, water and an arch for support.

Btw, the gardener selling this plant called it "roseling". She had zero idea of what it was

Used this flower to change our white chalk to light blue chalk in primary school when guys still dey carry wooden slate.

Mimosa/Silk Tree

Alrighty, let's sing a small song!

"If you know you played with this flower as a small child, clap your hands"

"If you know you did Love-In-Tokyo under this tree as a youth, clap your hands"



This is so common, there's a pretty specimen at the first gate of Lekki Phase 1. In Nigeria, I've only seen it with pink and white flowers, but it apparently comes in yellow flowers as well. It's a tree that can be used as Bonsai and butterflies love this tree (great reason to plant it in your compound). It likes water but doesn't need fertilizer as (like sweetpea) the Mimosa tree improves the Nitrogen content of soil. Its ferns close at night.

Morning Glory

I have fond memories of this flower as it was the very first one dad taught me as a child. It's a vine and it smells good in the mornings. It comes in several colours (though the only colour I've ever seen is pale-pink-white). Some fun facts about this flower: the flower of our sweet potato is in the same specie as a Morning glory and the plant was used by Mesopotamians to vlucanise rubber 3, 000 years before the inventor of Goodyear tires did so. That rubber was made into a ball by the Mesopotamians and that is why South Americans will always be great at Football

happybrother:
Used this flower to change our white chalk to light blue chalk in primary school when guys still dey carry wooden slate.

How did you extract the dye please?

Onegai:
Red Bromeliad or Ananasgiller

Good luck saying that fast

I don't know much about this, I know it's part of the pineapple family (Bromeliad) and it's tropical. I spotted it in a professional garden in Festac-town, Lagos and I don't think the gardener gave me much info on it. So if anyone knows about this plant, please share.

Bromeliads are wonderful indoor plants. There is a whole bunch of them in the family from the ones you have in the picture to ornamental pineapples, tilandsia and air plants. The airplants are the wierdest ones as they get all their nutrients from the air (they have no roots). Their flowers are very long lasting and colourful. Looks like plastic. Unfortunately I don't have any flowering bromeliads in stock right now and I am typing this post at a ridiculously early hour for me. As soon as I can I'll post some pictures.

Next to anthuriums, they are my favourite plant

rosety:


Bromeliads are wonderful indoor plants. There is a whole bunch of them in the family from the ones you have in the picture to ornamental pineapples, tilandsia and air plants. The airplants are the wierdest ones as they get all their nutrients from the air (they have no roots). Their flowers are very long lasting and colourful. Looks like plastic. Unfortunately I don't have any flowering bromeliads in stock right now and I am typing this post at a ridiculously early hour for me. As soon as I can I'll post some pictures.

Next to anthuriums, they are my favourite plant

I've heard of air plants and seen pics, but didn't know they could grow in the tropics. Ifyalwys, this might just be the plant for you: something that gets its nutrients from the air.

Orchids in Nigeria

Orchids are a beautiful, exotic flower, native to tropical forests like India and Nigeria and some other countries. They are pretty tricky to grow (the right fertiliser, watering and shades sunlight. But they are prized in the Western world, a single plant of a rare orchid can easily go for over $1000 and I know they sell orchid plants in Ikeja for N18, 000 per plant (and yes, there are buyers). And some of the varieties in Nigeria are considered endangered, so some of them are very expensive. At some point, the Nigerian Government even used our local orchids on our stamps and there has been a book written on them. So, for botanists out there, this is an opportunity and for professional gardeners as well. Ive been asked to get involved in them and if anyone is interested, let's talk.

Orchids are stunning as house plants and look fantastic in bouquets and they are pretty expensive bouquets.

Japanese knotweed

Probably the most fearful of all plants for homeowners
This weed can make the value of your property worthless

I am writing about this weed, because I know that many of us Nigerians have overgrown untidy gardens, with the excuse of no time.....We are not oyibo etc etc
The problem is that this weed likes to take hold in bushy & untidy places and grows alongside other weeds and before one knows it, its too late.

"With its red stems and deep green leaves, it is a pretty enough plant.

But Japanese knotweed's beauty belies the fact it has become the scourge of British homeowners.

It grows at a ridiculous rate, is near-impossible to get rid of and has ruined house sales - wiping thousands off property prices.

Just this week, a woman told how nearly half the value of her aunt's home had been wiped off by the plant growing on an adjoining piece of land.

Elizabeth Abraham's Swansea home should fetch around £80,000 – but now the 91-year-old has been told it will not sell for more than £45,000 because of the untamed wild weed.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/japanese-knotweed-everything-you-ever-4328310

Interesting

cococandy:
There's one incident I'll always remember and my siblings still laugh at me until today whenever I talk about flowers.

Once when we were younger, we were taking a walk and I saw a bush of flowers that I couldn't just resist. I went close to the shrub and proceeded to pick some only to discover that I'd stepped on someone's poo.
I wonder who'd chose to poo there of all places.
Some mighty stinky poo. Mehn. I stank all the way home before I could wash it off my sandals. (And their laughter didn't make things any better.)
Even after bathing I still felt like I was smelling.

It's funny now.
But that day, it wasn't funny to me at all.

Eeewwww
You just ruined my breakfast!
And this pancakes consumed my time. *crying*
funny story sha.