Difference between revisions of "Asclepias physocarpa"

From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{SPlantbox
 
{{SPlantbox
 
|familia=Asclepiadaceae
 
|familia=Asclepiadaceae
|genus=Gomphocarpus
+
|genus=Asclepias
 
|species=physocarpus
 
|species=physocarpus
|common_name=Asclepias physocarpa Balloon cotton bush, Swan plant, Tinder plant
+
|common_name=Balloon cotton bush, Swan plant, Tinder plant
 
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|habit=shrub
+
|habit=herbaceous
 
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|Max ht box=7
 
|Max ht box=7
Line 13: Line 13:
 
|Max wd metric=ft
 
|Max wd metric=ft
 
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|lifespan=perennial, annual
+
|lifespan=perennial
 
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|exposure=sun
 
|exposure=sun
 
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
|features=flowers
+
|water=moderate
 +
|water_ref=Wikipedia
 +
|features=flowers, butterflys
 
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer
 
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer
 
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
Line 25: Line 27:
 
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
 
|max_zone=11.5
 
|max_zone=11.5
|image=Upload.png
+
|image=Asclepias physocarpa2.jpg
|image_width=240
+
|image_width=200
 
}}
 
}}
Describe the plant here...
+
'''''Asclepias physocarpa''''' (also known as '''''Gomphocarpus physocarpus''''', commonly '''balloonplant''', '''balloon cotton-bush''' or '''swan plant''') is a species of [[milkweed]].  The plant is native to southeast Africa, but it has been widely naturalized.  It is often used as an ornamental plant.  The name "Balloon plant" is an allusion to the swelling bladder-like fruit.
 +
 
 +
''Asclepias physocarpa'' is an undershrub perennial herb, that can grow to over six feet.  The plant blooms in warm months.  It grows on roadside banks, 2800 to 5000 feet.  The plant prefers moderate moisture, as well as sandy and well-drained soil and full sun. 
 +
 
 +
The flowers are small, with white hoods and about 1 cm across.  The capsule is a pale green, and in shape an inflated sphere.  It is covered with rough hairs.  It reaches three inches in diameter.  The leaves are  light green, linear to lanceolate and 3 to 4 inches long, 1.2 cm broad.  The seeds have silky tufts.<ref>Llamas, Kirsten Albrecht (2003). ''Tropical Flowering Plants: A Guide to Identification and Cultivation''. Timber Press. p. 73. ISBN 0-88192-585-3.</ref><ref>Iremonger, Susan (2002). ''A Guide to the Plants of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica''. The University of West Indies Press. p. 47. ISBN 976-640-031-8.</ref>
 +
 
 +
The plant is a food source for the [[caterpillar]]s of ''[[Danaus (genus)|Danaus]]'' [[butterfly|butterflies]].  It is also popular in traditional medicine to cure various ailments.<ref>van Wyk, Ben-Erik; Wink, Michael (2004). ''Medicinal Plants of the World: an illustrated scientific guide to important plants and their uses''. Timber Press. p. 58. ISBN 0-88192-602-7.</ref>
  
 
==Cultivation==
 
==Cultivation==

Latest revision as of 12:56, 31 July 2010


Asclepias physocarpa2.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   herbaceous

Height: 7 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 7.
Width: 1 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 1.
Lifespan: perennial
Bloom: early summer, mid summer, late summer
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Water: moderate
Features: flowers, butterflys
USDA Zones: 9 to 11.5
Flower features: white
Scientific Names

Asclepiadaceae >

Asclepias >

physocarpus >


Asclepias physocarpa (also known as Gomphocarpus physocarpus, commonly balloonplant, balloon cotton-bush or swan plant) is a species of milkweed. The plant is native to southeast Africa, but it has been widely naturalized. It is often used as an ornamental plant. The name "Balloon plant" is an allusion to the swelling bladder-like fruit.

Asclepias physocarpa is an undershrub perennial herb, that can grow to over six feet. The plant blooms in warm months. It grows on roadside banks, 2800 to 5000 feet. The plant prefers moderate moisture, as well as sandy and well-drained soil and full sun.

The flowers are small, with white hoods and about 1 cm across. The capsule is a pale green, and in shape an inflated sphere. It is covered with rough hairs. It reaches three inches in diameter. The leaves are light green, linear to lanceolate and 3 to 4 inches long, 1.2 cm broad. The seeds have silky tufts.[1][2]

The plant is a food source for the caterpillars of Danaus butterflies. It is also popular in traditional medicine to cure various ailments.[3]

Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Gallery

References

  1. Llamas, Kirsten Albrecht (2003). Tropical Flowering Plants: A Guide to Identification and Cultivation. Timber Press. p. 73. ISBN 0-88192-585-3.
  2. Iremonger, Susan (2002). A Guide to the Plants of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The University of West Indies Press. p. 47. ISBN 976-640-031-8.
  3. van Wyk, Ben-Erik; Wink, Michael (2004). Medicinal Plants of the World: an illustrated scientific guide to important plants and their uses. Timber Press. p. 58. ISBN 0-88192-602-7.

External links