CANNA LILIES

Introduction:Canna lilies are wonderful, flowering herbaceous perennials for gardens in Alabama. They grow quickly to form a handsome, large-leaved screen or an island of tropical-looking foliage on stems from 2 to 10 feet tall.

The PlantCannas, or canna lilies, look like banana trees without trunks. They actually are kin to bananas and gingers, and their wide, furled leaves come out of thick, multiple-eyed rhizomes, just like their larger, edible cousins.

However, flowers are the main reason cannas are so highly prized. The plants are large tropical and subtropical perennial herbs with broad, flat leaves that grow out of a stem in a long, narrow roll and then unfurl.

The flower shoot grows up through the tightly furled leaf bases or false stems. The flowers are typically red, orange, or yellow or any combination of these colors. The leaves typically are solid green, but some cultivars have brown, maroon, bronze, or green leaves variegated in white, cream, pink, or red.

Landscape UsesThree characteristics of cannas make them an excellentchoice to brighten any sunny spot in the landscape: Flower color, height, and foliage. Cannas are among the few plants that offer both long-lasting color during the summer months and low maintenance. cannas can be used successfully in mixed borders, massed in garden beds by themselves, or planted in small groupings, tucked between small to medium shrubs or in moist areas. Cannas are magnificent when planted in masses.

Flame of the forest

Origin and distributionFlame of the Forest is a native of Madagascar. It was discovered by botanist Wenzel Bojer in 1820 who then introduced it to Mauritius. Since then, the tree has been planted in most of Africa and Asia, including the Southeast Asian region. Growing in warm humid areas from sea level up to 1000 m in altitude, it can also grow in areas where there is no frost, such as South Florida and South California, the United States.

It was introduced into countries in Southeast Asia in the early part of the 19th century and into Singapore as early as 1840. In Singapore, it is grown in parks, open spaces, and by the roads. However, it is not extensively planted as a roadside tree, as its tiny leaflets and frequent leaf shed can present some cleaning problems. Examples of

its location in Singapore today include Fort Canning Park and Beach Road, near the Gateway building.

DescriptionThe Flame of the Forest is a medium to large-sized tree and can reach up to 20 m in height. It has a short trunk, grey and smooth bark and rootlike buttresses. Its crown is broad and umbrella-shaped, consisting of fine, delicate, lacy foliage. Leaves are bi-pinnate compound, 20 to 60 cm. long, with 9 to 24 pairs of opposite side-stalks and numerous small leaflets. The leaflets are small and oblong, 8 to 10 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide. Flowers are bisexual, large and showy. Growing in dense clusters and sometimes covering the entire crown, the flowers are flame-coloured or scarlet and faintly scented.

characteristics:The flower is made up of the calyx: five free sepals which are green on the outside and crimson inside; corolla : five bright red petals, one of which has a prominent white patch streaked with red; ten stamens which are red with a white base and a green ovary. Fruits are long pods, dangling down sword-like from the branches. When the fruits mature, they split open into two halves to disperse

elongated, hard seeds.

The Flame of the Forest is a semi-deciduous tree. Leaves normally fold at dusk but remain spread if illuminated by street lamps. Leaves are shed rather irregularly, often different branches at different times, but sometimes all the branches at the same time. Flowering occurs after a prolonged dry season. After a leaf drop, the tree remains bare for several months. With the coming of wet season, new leaves are produced with new flowers, resulting in the characteristic scarlet, orange to crimson blooms. The attractive flowers can remain on the crown for several weeks.

UsageThe Flame of the Forest is often described as a spectacular and beautiful tree when it is in full bloom. Thus, it is planted as an ornamental tree in parks, gardens and along roads. In addition, its broad umbrella-shaped crown makes it a good shade tree. Its bark is supposed to be a febrifuge (cooling drink to prevent fever).