Home » Plants & Animals » Houseplants » Flowers from the Orient

Flowers from the Orient

© Norine Woods

The February New Year Celebrations in Asia make me think of all the wonderful things that have come to us from the Orient. Not only the manufactured items such as cameras and electronics, but spices and perfumes and jewellery.

Many of our best loved houseplants are native to the Orient. Here is a list of some of them, and a bit of information about each one.

Chinese Evergreen - Aglaeonema "Silver Queen", from the ropical forests of southeast Asia. Thrives in poor light. Cast Iron Plant - Aspidistra Elator, from China. A bit expensive to buy, but as the name suggests, will last virtually "forever." Umbrella Tree - Schefflera Arborecola, from sotuheast Asia. Likes a peat moss soil mixture. Excellent specimen plant. Can grow to six feet.

Japanese Sago Palm - Cycas Revoluta, from Japan. Cycads are beleived to be descendants of prehistoric trees. The Sago Palm survived the Janpanese bombing. Aluminum Plant - Pilea Cadierei, from Vietnam. Small bushy plant. Likes peat mossy soil. Green leaves streaked with silver. Silk Tree - Albizia Julibrissen, grows all the way from Iran to Japan. Now grows in parts of the United States. Fern-like leaves. Grows easily from seed.

Camellia - Camellia Japonica, from China, Japan and India. Beautiful waxy flowers, sometimes in clusters. Glossy green foliage. Gardenia - Gardenia Augusta, from southern China. Flowering shrub. Easy to grow. One popular variety is called Cape Jasmine. Hydrangea - Hydrangea Macrophylla, from Japan. Touchy plants to keep and reflower. Alkaline soil produces pink flowers, acid soil produces blue flowers.

Cymbidium Orchid from tropical Asia. The easiest orchid to grow in the house. Requires special orchid potting mixture. Blooms in several colors. Hibiscus - Hibiscus Rosa-Sinsinsensis, from tropical Asia. Large bush, to six feet. Showy flowers in red, orange, yellow or pink. Azalia - Rhododendron Simsii, from China and Taiwan. Hard to grow indoors. Dislikes hot, dry air. Blooms in various and variegated colors.

Japanese Fatsia, from Japan and Korea. Also called Falso Castor-Oil Plant. Keep pinched back or pruned so it doesn't become too tall and leggy. Sweet Basil - Ocimum Basilicum, from Asia. Thought of usually as a herb, it does make a handsome bright green houseplant. Miniature Fan Palm - Rhapis Excelsa, from China. Slow growing, but it can grow to ten feet.

Jasmine _ Jasminum Mensi, from China. Also called Promrose Jasmine. Bright Yellow flowers. No fragrance. Easy to grow, but kerep pruned. Can reach ten feet. Primrose - Primulaceae - from China. There are many varieties of the primrose grown as houseplants, and many colors. Likes a peat-moss based soil mixture. Coral Berry - Ardisia Crenata, from southeast Asia. Very slow growing plant. Has shiny green leaves and very small pink or shite flowers followed by brilliant red berries.