Asiatic Wormwood/Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) 艾草

Asiatic Wormwood/Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) 艾草

Asiatic Wormwood/Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) flowers close up image. 艾草花的近距照.

Asiatic Wormwood/Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) flowers.艾草的花.

Asiatic Wormwood/Mugwort (Artemisia argyi) is flowering in fall. 艾草秋天開花. Back side of foliage is white, whole plant is very aromatic. 艾草葉背白色,整株有香氣.

This hardy perennial mainly are grown for food (tender shoots and leaves as leafy vegetable or dried crushed powder mix with sticky rice flower to make dessert) and medicinal uses (to steep and use the solution for external use wash or ground leaves roll into a stick to use smoke and heat above the pressure point).  Easy to grow in any full sun location.  Drought tolerant once established.  USDA Zones:4-9. Mature size:2′-3′(H) X 1.5′-2′(W). Tiny yellowish green flowers in summer and fall.  Self seeds easily.  Propagate by seeds, cuttings or division.  The whole plant is aromatic.  This herb is very common in Asia.

艾草是蒿屬,強健的多年生草本,主要種來當食物(嫩葉如葉菜食用乾燥艾草粉拌糯米粉做成點心)及藥用(薰/洗). 容易栽種在全日照處.  根系穩定後相當耐旱.  耐寒也耐熱.  成熟株高2-3呎,寬幅1.5-2呎.  小小的黃色花於夏末秋初開花,   很容易自行結籽繁殖.   繁榮以種子,扦插或分株來進行.  全株有香氣.  它是亞洲常見常用的藥草.

Reference links: 參考網站資料連結:

http://www.baike.com/wiki/%E8%89%BE%E8%8D%89

http://www.drugs.com/npp/chinese-mugwort.html

How to grow Luffa or Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) from seeds 絲瓜種子孵法

How to grow Luffa or Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) from seeds 絲瓜種子孵法

Skeleton of aged fruit of Luffa aegyptiaca 絲瓜絡

Luffa or Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) seed germination. 絲瓜種子孵出.

Luffa or Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) seed germination. 絲瓜種子孵出並長出本葉.

Fruit and flowers see Wikipedia:

Luffa aegyptiaca, aka Egyptian cucumber, aka Vietnamese luffa, aka sponge gourd.  It is an annual vine, very common veggie in Asia.  The tender fruit is for veggie and the aged fibrous skeleton of the fruit is the most environmental friendly scrubber for households.   In old days, the fluid of the vine (use sharp knife to cut a wound to get the fresh liquid) has been used for facial lotion/mask for cooling, hydration and reducing wrinkles.  It is also medicinal plant.   

It is very easy to grow from seeds.  It prefers full sun to partial shade location with structure support to cling on.   Male and female yellow flowers in the same plant.  Easy to fruit.   

1.Get the seeds from ripen fruit, the seeds are black and flat.  (See the seed image.) Plant the seeds in moist warm location.   About 1-3 days, seeds will sprout.   Use protection for seedlings if your planting area has animal problem.

1.從熟瓜中取出種子或曬乾的絲瓜絡敲出種子.  成熟的種子是黑色扁平有點厚度的. (見圖) 將種子置於溼潤的土表放在溫暖的地方在1-3天就會出芽.  若鄰近有野生動物會破壞/吃掉種子或挖土的話要保護種子或小苗.

2.Transplant the seedlings when they have 4-6 leaves and plant them in the ground or in large planters.  Keep them in moist but well drained soil in full sun to partial shade location.   It prefers growing in warm temperature.

2.小苗長出4-6片本葉後可以移植,以地植為佳,深盆次之.  全日照並維持一定土壤溼度,另外須建攀爬用支架以利快速生長.  它喜熱喜強光並需適時施肥和灌溉.

Wild Strawberry（Fragaria vesca）野草莓

Wild Strawberry（Fragaria vesca）野草莓

Wild Strawberry（Fragaria vesca）野草莓

It is also called Alpine strawberry or Woodland strawberry. It is super hardy like weed, fast growing fruit. In late spring to summer with white flowers and soon grow marble size red fruit, very fragrant, sweet and flavourful! 🙂 In term of taste, I prefer wild strawberry over than store bought cultivated strawberry. Wild strawberry can be grown in wide range of soil and light exposure. From full sun, fertile soil to wet soil, shady location.

It can be easily propagated by seeds, runners or dividing the plant clump any time of the year. Great for ground cover as well but need to be controlled. The whole plant is medicinal. USDA Zones:4-8. Mature size: 6″(H) x 1.5′(W).

又名森林草莓. 超級強健的野生草莓像雜草般生長快速. 春末到夏季開白花結紅色香甜好吃的草莓,果實雖只有彈珠大小但是真的比農業改良種的大草莓好吃太多了! 它能生長在全日照肥沃的土壤也能生長在弱光濕潤或乾燥的環境,在很多地方都能野生分佈. 耐寒,耐熱,耐濕也耐旱,很適合當地被植物用來抑制沒有用的雜草. 全株可以入藥. 成熟植株高6吋,寬1.5呎.

Stoke’s Aster (Stokesia laevis ‘Purple Parasols’)琉璃菊

Stoke’s Aster (Stokesia laevis ‘Purple Parasols’)琉璃菊

Stoke’s Aster (Stokesia laevis ‘Purple Parasols’)琉璃菊

Perennial flowers, native in North America, very hardy. Best growing in full sun location. Good for cut flowers. Bloom in summer with aster like purple flowers. Easy to grow and propagate. Mature size is 30cm(H) x 30cm(W). Drought tolerant. USDA Zones:5-9.
北美原生的多年生野花. 耐旱強健,容易栽種,可做切花花材. 栽種在全日照處為佳. 花徑約5-6公分左右. 夏季開紫色的花. 用種子繁殖. 株高30公分x寬幅30公分.

Meadow Rue(Thalictrum)歐洲唐松草

Meadow Rue(Thalictrum)歐洲唐松草

Meadow Rue(Thalictrum) 歐洲唐松草

Meadow Rue (Thalictrum)歐洲唐松草

Very hardy perennial. It tolerant shade. Its pink or light purple fuzzy flowers bloom in late spring to early summer. Very easy to grow. Propagate this plant easily from seeds.

Mature height:3′ x width: 2.5′. USDA Zones: 5-9.

毛茛科的歐洲唐松草,是多年生耐蔭的草花. 容易栽種,用種子繁殖. 株高為3呎,寬幅2.5呎. 頗耐寒. 葉片和鐵線蕨葉子有相似之處.

Double Canterbury bells (Campanula medium ‘Canterbury’)重瓣日本風鈴花

Double Canterbury bells (Campanula medium ‘Canterbury’)重瓣日本風鈴花

Double Canterbury bells (Campanula medium ‘Canterbury’)重瓣重瓣日本風鈴花

Double Canterbury bells (Campanula medium ‘Canterbury’)重瓣日本風鈴花

Double Canterbury bells (Campanula medium ‘Canterbury’)重瓣日本風鈴花

Double Canterbury bells (Campanula medium ‘Canterbury’)Seed packet.重瓣日本風鈴花種子包.

An old-fashioned biennial. USDA Zones: 2-9. Great for cut flowers. Very hardy. Easy to grow in full sun location from seeds. It blooms from top flower to bottom. Flower shape like daffodil. First year seedlings stay evergreen through cold winter, the second year it grows tall, flower and self-seed. 二年生草花,很特別的重瓣風鈴花,很容易栽種. 耐寒. 花徑不小. 花形像是黃盃水仙. 第一年地植的小苗冬天是常綠的. 容易結子繁殖. 很適合做為切花花材. 全日照或半日照.

Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) 軟葉鱗菊(麗晃)

Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) 軟葉鱗菊(麗晃)

Ice Plant ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ 軟葉鱗菊(麗晃)

Purple Ice Plant 軟葉鱗菊(麗晃)

Beautiful succulent plant!   USDA Zones: 6-9.   Hardy, evergreen, easy to grow and fast spreading but not invasive.  Summer flowering with many different colour depends on varieties from white, purple, pink, red, yellow or even bi-colour!   With long blooming time, it blooms from July to October.

It can be used as evergreen ground cover in warm regions.  Easy to propagated by seeds, layering , stem cuttings or dividing plants.  Full sun.  Tolerant drought.

美麗的多肉植物!  耐寒程度USDA Zones: 6-9. 強健,常綠,容易栽種,長的快但不會太強勢.  花色依品種有白,粉,紫,黃,甚至於有少見的雙色!  花期很長,從七月到十月.

在溫暖的氣候區可用來做為常綠的地被植物.  容易用種子,壓條,扦插或分株來繁殖.  全日照.  耐旱.

 

Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)夏雪草

Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)夏雪草

Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)夏雪草

Fast growing hardy perennial.  It flowers in late spring to early summer with small single, white flowers.  Very easy to grow and propagate.   Plant with slivery green foliage, about 20 cm high and 60-75 cm wide.  Evergreen through winter.   Good for rock garden or dry, infertile soil.  Tolerant light foot traffic.

生長快速的強健多年生草花.  春末夏初開小白花.  容易栽種也很容易繁殖.  成熟全株銀綠色,約20公分高,60公分到75公分寬.  常綠的地被植物.  適合岩石砌的花園或乾而貧瘠的土壤.  輕踩可以.