Zanzibar Gem: Tough little indoor plant
Presenter: Phil Dudman
Episode: 25 (20th October 2007)
Take a look around your local garden centre these days and you’ll see a lot more of the types of plants that won’t let you down in times of drought. Take a closer look and you’ll begin to discover the most fascinating adaptations that make these plants so incredibly tough.
Succulents are a great example, their leaves are thick and flesh and that’s where they store the moisture that keeps them going between drinks.
Cacti have menacing spines which are actually cacti leaves and the fleshy bits are the stems. It’s such a clever adaptation because there’s very little surface area so they don’t loose much water. They also help to protect the plant from thirsty desert animals.
Our native plants you may have noticed have leaves that are often grey green in colour. The grey in foliage helps to reflect heat and some plants (like eucalypts) turn their leaves throughout the day so that only a thin edge faces the sun.
Now you may be pleasantly surprised to learn there’s even an indoor plant that’s highly adapted to long periods without water, which is great news for a lot of you I’m sure.
It is the Zanzibar Gem a gorgeous indoor plant that originates from the dry land forests of Tanzania in Africa. There are a number of reasons the plant is drought resistant. The leaves are waxy and shiny which helps them to reflect heat, the stems are thick and fleshy and they hold a lot of moisture (like succulents do). If have a look at what’s beneath the soil you will see it’s got an amazing ball-like water storage unit that keeps the plant going for ages.
Phil has got some Zanzibar Gems that he hasn’t watered in over 6 months and they’re still looking fantastic they’ve even shot out some new growth. Most potted plants would be well dead and truly dead with this treatment.
Zanzibar Gem must be one of the hardiest plants around, it is fantastic for the home and office and it would make a perfect gift for those black thumb mates who reckon they can’t grow anything.
The Zanzibar Gem a stunning indoor plant that truly thrives on neglect.
Featured Plant:
Zanzibar Gem
The genus and species of the Zanzibar Gem ® is regarded as monotypic. This means it is one of a kind. It is a rhizomatous perennial featuring lustrous, deep green thick leaves. The plant produces 600mm-900mm long succulent stems which rise from the underground tubers. These stems produce alternate dark green, shiny spear shaped leaves.
This amazing plant is native to the low dry grasslands and forests of Tanzania and the exotic island of Zanzibar in Africa, hence the name Zanzibar Gem ®.
Zanzibar Gem available at all good plant retailers and Bunnings Warehouse.
Wholesale Suppliers:
Oud’s Amazone Trading
www.amazone.com.au
Episode: 25 (20th October 2007)
Take a look around your local garden centre these days and you’ll see a lot more of the types of plants that won’t let you down in times of drought. Take a closer look and you’ll begin to discover the most fascinating adaptations that make these plants so incredibly tough.
Succulents are a great example, their leaves are thick and flesh and that’s where they store the moisture that keeps them going between drinks.
Cacti have menacing spines which are actually cacti leaves and the fleshy bits are the stems. It’s such a clever adaptation because there’s very little surface area so they don’t loose much water. They also help to protect the plant from thirsty desert animals.
Our native plants you may have noticed have leaves that are often grey green in colour. The grey in foliage helps to reflect heat and some plants (like eucalypts) turn their leaves throughout the day so that only a thin edge faces the sun.
Now you may be pleasantly surprised to learn there’s even an indoor plant that’s highly adapted to long periods without water, which is great news for a lot of you I’m sure.
It is the Zanzibar Gem a gorgeous indoor plant that originates from the dry land forests of Tanzania in Africa. There are a number of reasons the plant is drought resistant. The leaves are waxy and shiny which helps them to reflect heat, the stems are thick and fleshy and they hold a lot of moisture (like succulents do). If have a look at what’s beneath the soil you will see it’s got an amazing ball-like water storage unit that keeps the plant going for ages.
Phil has got some Zanzibar Gems that he hasn’t watered in over 6 months and they’re still looking fantastic they’ve even shot out some new growth. Most potted plants would be well dead and truly dead with this treatment.
Zanzibar Gem must be one of the hardiest plants around, it is fantastic for the home and office and it would make a perfect gift for those black thumb mates who reckon they can’t grow anything.
The Zanzibar Gem a stunning indoor plant that truly thrives on neglect.
Featured Plant:
Zanzibar Gem
The genus and species of the Zanzibar Gem ® is regarded as monotypic. This means it is one of a kind. It is a rhizomatous perennial featuring lustrous, deep green thick leaves. The plant produces 600mm-900mm long succulent stems which rise from the underground tubers. These stems produce alternate dark green, shiny spear shaped leaves.
This amazing plant is native to the low dry grasslands and forests of Tanzania and the exotic island of Zanzibar in Africa, hence the name Zanzibar Gem ®.
Zanzibar Gem available at all good plant retailers and Bunnings Warehouse.
Wholesale Suppliers:
Oud’s Amazone Trading
www.amazone.com.au
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