Thursday, September 27, 2012

     This week in lab we walked all over campus and made our way to Tatnall Square Park looking at bushes, shrubbery, trees and flowers. This post will show and discuss three different trees, flowers and bush/shrubbery we encountered on our trip. In the trees section I will discuss Yoshino Cherry, Cabbage Palm and Magnolia trees. In the flowers section I will talk about Heather, Snapdragon and Marigolds. In the bush/shrubbery section I will review Sago Palm, Itea and Loropetalum.
                
Going from left to right, we have Prunus yedoensis (Yoshino Cherry), Sabal palmetto (Cabbage Palm) and Magnolia grandiflora (Magnolia). In Japanese culture, cherry trees symbolize the ephemeral nature of life. They have been historically observed and are celebrated for their beauty. A historical fun fact for the cabbage palm is in 1776 Charleston patriot William Moultrie built a fort out of palmetto trunks and defended it against the British military. They are also remarkably resistant to cold, fires, salt spray and flooding. The magnolia tree is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol. The flowers from the tree have been dated back almost 20 million years ago! The magnolia has plays, movies and novels named after them.
                    
Going from left to right, we have Calluna (Heather), Tagetes (Marigold) and Antirrhinum (Snapdragon). Heather grows in acidic soil and depending on the part of the world you live in, it is considered a food source or a weed. Marigolds are planted next to some crops as to deter animals and pests from eating the crops. They give off a pungent smell which wards off these animals and pests. Snapdragons are a toss up flower. Scientist have trouble with their taxonomy due to their genetics. They are also an example of incomplete dominance.
             
Going from left to right, we have Cycas revoluta (Sago Palm), Itea (Itea virginica) and Loropetalum chinense (Loropetalum). Sago Palm is very toxic to pets. The seeds of Sago Palm contain cycasin which is the most toxic. Itea is a plant commonly planted for its beautiful fall foliage. Loropetalum is a low maintenance shrubbery. It is known for its green, copper and red tones.



*Pictures Courtesey of Google Images
*Information Courtesey of Wikipedia

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