Cattleya And Dates

Cattleya bowringiana Orchidaceae Cattleya bowringiana is an epiphytic orchid from Belize. Cattleyas have long been counted amongst the best known and most sought-after orchids because of their beautiful, colorful and large flowers. Blooming time: Autumn Culture: A suitable compost is the usual mixture of osmundo fiber or chopped tree fern with sphagnum moss and bark. During the growing period, which for Cattleya bowringiana commences in the spring, they require plenty of water, although stagnant conditions should be avoided. When pseudobulbs have matured, watering should be reduced to avoid further growth of the plant and to induce formation of flowers. When buds can be seen in the sheath, watering should be increased. After flowering, the rest period commences, during which time the compost should be kept fairly dry and only a little watering approximately every two to four weeks is required. Propagation: New plants are easily propagated from backbulbs which can be detached. Care must be taken that only the roots are covered by compost, because the new growth must be able to develop freely, and must not be kept moist.

www.plantoftheweek.org/week004.shtml

Phoenix dactylifera From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Date Palm Tree

Date Palms, Merzouga, Morocco

Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranke Angiosper d): ms (unranke Monocots d): (unranke Commelini d): ds Order:

Arecales

Family:

Arecaceae

Genus:

Phoenix

Species:

P. dactylifer a

Binomial name Phoenix dactylifera L.

Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as the Date Palm, is a palm in the genus Phoenix, extensively cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Due to its long history of cultivation for fruit, its exact native distribution is unknown, but probably originated somewhere in the desert oases of northern Africa, and perhaps also southwest Asia. It is a medium-sized tree, 15–25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but often growing singly as well. The leaves are pinnate, 3–5 m long, with spines on the petiole and about 150 leaflets; the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm broad. The full span of the crown ranges from 6–10 meters.

Date - Fruit

Dates are the fruit of the date palm. They are dark reddish brown, oval, and about 1 1/2 inches long. Date skin is wrinkled and coated with a sticky, waxy film. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/date1.htm