The book had been put away for years because I realised I was just not meant to grow plants in my home even though I've had success in our garden over the years. I even have garden plants that self propagate such as weeping peppermint, duranta, lavender, cotoneaster and the like so no problems. Indoor plants? No!
Having found the book again I was browsing through it and amusing myself smiling at the number of plants which we in Australia take for granted can be grown out of doors. These included several species of eucalyptus and even Norfolk Island Pine. It was recommended that these be discarded after several years as they tend to grow rather large. Yes, you could certainly say that.
I do love this book as the illustrations are a delight and the descriptions of plants, their care, and various diseases are well set out. Each section even has "Secrets of Success" and "Special Problems" so I am sure most people would find, if they followed the instructions, they would have some wonderful indoor plants growing.
It was when I came to page 92 that I saw the heading OXALIS!!! Now in our garden oxalis is a dreadful weed that takes a lot of getting rid of. Oh yes, it is an attractive plant with pretty pink or purplish flowers but it has these little tubers that break off when you pull the main plant from the ground resulting in lots more oxalis the following season. You don't even always know it's there until those little pink flowers show themselves!!
Oxalis has been included in the "Jumping the Garden fence" report (WWF-Australia PDF-1.19mb) which examines the impact of invasive garden plants on Australian agricultural land and natural ecosystems. It is a serious weed in this country.
I guess it is safe to grow indoors in pots but I hope anyone overseas that does so never thinks they'll just tip them out into the garden when they are finished or they could end up with the problem we have here unless of course they wouldn't grow in a cold climate.
I will still enjoy going through this book as much as ever and am wondering why over the years that I'd never noticed oxalis was included.
A weed is any plant 'out of place'. Here we are overrun with dandylions which are actually a useful herb out of which certain home remedies can be made, wine and a 'tea'. The leaves are tasty in salad. They are also useful for telling if you like butter lol. Unfortunately they are almost impossible to get rid of. They have the strength to come up through asphalt and concrete. I could send you one....
ReplyDeleteI feel your dandelions are the same as the English dandelion. Phil says they are used for various things including salads, tea and wine in the UK. We to have dandelions but they are entirely different to the European variety with very large flowers. We used to pick them and make daisy chains to put around our necks when I was a youngser. They were also called 'wet the beds' as the story went that if you played with them you would have a disaster during the night. I must say they never affected me that way thank goodness.
DeleteApparently in the UK they have made a beverage since the Middle Ages called Dandelion and Burdock. Phil remembers it quite well so I looked it up and they still make it.
Oh I know what dandelions are as Delores talks about above we live in the same country I love them but they are very hardy but useful. I don't know anything about your oxalis. B
ReplyDeleteJust be thankful you don't have oxalis. I have explained on Delores' comment the difference in the dandelions we have in Oz although Phil says he has occasionally, when the weather is cold and damp, actually seen English type dandelions growing here. They don't do well when it is hot so have not become a weed at all.
DeleteI may do a blog (just for the sheer heck of it) about the different dandelions species if I can find sufficient information, at at least more than I have knowledge of.
And we have both dandelions and oxalis. How lucky we are (not). Of the two I prefer dandelions. Oxalis is virtually impossible to remove as Mimsie says and spreads and spreads and ...
ReplyDeleteI just realised that what we in the West call dandelions are actually Cape Weed and yet they are very seldom called that and are not a serious weed problem.
DeleteWe seem to have 'our type' of dandelion mainly growing on street verges but seldom in our garden. They aren't a really bad problem compared with the oxalis although my hay fever always seems worse when the dandelions are in flower but of course the wattle flowers at the same time which would contribute to my affliction, as well as lots of other pollen producing plants.
ReplyDeleteAnother weed which I've fought with for years is onion weed and, like the oxalis, gives off those little tiny bulbs which are almost impossible to completely remove from the soil. I've even used a sieve but they are so tiny it's not foolproof.