Amwoga Khalwale

Botanical Features Dianthus caryophyllus, commonly known as carnation or clove pink, is a species of Dianthus native to the Mediterranean region. Its exact natural range is uncertain due to extensive cultivation over the last 2,000 years. Carl Linnaeus described the carnation in volume one of his Species Plantarum in 1753, giving it the name Dianthus caryophyllus. Carnations are prized … Read more

Myosotis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. The name comes from the Ancient Greek μυοσωτίς “mouse’s ear”, which the foliage is thought to resemble. In the Northern Hemisphere, they are colloquially known as forget-me-nots or scorpion grasses. The genus was originally described by Carl Linnaeus. The type species is Myosotis scorpioides. Myosotis species are annual or perennial, herbaceous, flowering plants with pentamerous actinomorphic flowers … Read more

Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae, a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth except glaciers. The world’s richest diversity of orchid genera and species is found in the tropics. Orchidaceae is one … Read more

The cucumber is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables. Considered an annual plant, there are three main types of cucumber—slicing, pickling, and seedless—within which several cultivars have been created. The cucumber plant is a sprawling vine with large leaves and … Read more

Eggplant, Solanum melongena, is a tropical, herbaceous, perennial plant, closely related to tomato, in the family Solanaceae which is grown for its edible fruit. The plants has a branching stem and simple, long, flat. coarsely lobed leaves which are green in color and are arranged alternately on the branches. Solanum melongena is grown worldwide for its … Read more

Date fruits, often simply called dates, are the fruit of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a tree native to the Middle East and North Africa, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Dates have been a staple food in the Middle East since ancient times, with evidence of their cultivation dating back to … Read more

Plumeria also known as frangipani is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are decidous shrubs or small trees. The species are native to the Neotropical realm (in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and as far south as Brazil and as far north as Florida in the United States), but are often grown as cosmopolitan ornamentals in tropical regions, especially in Hawaii, as well as hot desert climates in the Arabian Peninsula with … Read more

Poinsettias are native to Central America, specifically the southern regions of Mexico. The plant was highly valued by the Aztecs, who called it Cuetlaxochitl. They used the vibrant red bracts to create dye and the sap for medicinal purposes. The poinsettia’s association with Christmas began in the 16th century, in Mexico, where a legend tells … Read more

The poinsettia is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name … Read more

Phlox as a genus is a genus of 68 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie.  Phlox plants can be perennial, annual, or biennial. The perennial varieties, which are the most common in gardens, form clumps that spread over time. They can … Read more