- There is always so much to learn about summer plants!
What do you know about summer plants? Did you know some orchids smell like different foods?
- Apples, peaches, pears, cherries, raspberries, strawberries and
more are part of the rosaceae family. - Evidence that grapes were grown about 8,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, or today’s Iraq, and that’s where the first of the wine was made.
- Talking to plants is real and it helps them grow. Vibration from music or the sound of your voice can affect plant growth. In a Myth Busters episode, they compared a silent greenhouse to one flowing with music and the plants in the music greenhouse did better. Have you heard this not only about summer plants, but houseplants and all plants?
- Some orchids are so sweet they smell like dessert. Vanilla beans come from an orchid varietal and along with that sweet-smelling flower, “An oncidium hyrbrid called ‘Sharry Baby, smells like chocolate.” It’s said to smell like baking cookies.
- The world’s tallest tree is the coast redwood that grows along the Pacific Coast of the United States, mostly California.
- The world’s oldest-growing tree is the bristlecone pine, with the scientific name Pinus aristata.
- A sunflower is a huge flower but the fuzzy brown head of the
flower is actually 1,000-2,000 individual flowers. And each one of those flowers will produce a sunflower seed. - Tulips were so valuable in Holland in the 1600s that the bulbs were worth more than gold. The craze was called tulip mania or tulipomania and it actually caused the crash of the Dutch Economy. Did you know this crazy fact about summer plants?
- One teaspoon of soil has more microorganisms than there are people on Earth. Your soil needs these to stay full of nutrients.
- Tulips can grow up to an inch, AFTER being cut.
- Bamboo is the fastest growing wood in the world, growing at a rate of 88 centimeters a day.
- The first culture to record the process of making wine was about 5,000 years ago by the Egyptians.
- The torenia, also known as the wishbone flower, is a shade-loving annual. These flowers have tiny wishbone-shaped
stamens inside the purple, blue or burgundy petals. - Butterflies may be more attracted to your weeds than your flower beds. Contrary to though, colorful blooms aren’t the reason these insects are so into your garden, it’s actually more about the fragrance and nectar. Because new cultivators are bred for enhanced color and size, they are losing a bit of the fragrance in the process. This means weeds like dandelions and clovers may be the most appealing to butterflies in your yard.
- Orchids can also smell like lemon or even cinnamon.
What did you learn about summer plants? Tell me your favorite facts in the comments!