Tuesday, May 27, 2014

九芎Lagerstroemia subcostata

Lagerstroemia subcostata

Common Name: Chinese Crapemyrtle
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Lagerstroemia

Native to Taiwan, Japan, China and the Philippines

Story
Last time, Yilan Township was called Jiu Qiong Township, because of before developed, there are a large area of wild crape myrtle. At Toucheng Leisure Farm, you can found it everywhere.


Due to the smooth surface, monkey also difficult to climb it, therefore its other name is called “monkey don't climb”. It is distribute on low-altitude forests in Taiwan. 


Now its bark start to peel-off, the inner surface was covered by white powder and so smooth when touch it.



 After peeling-off its old bark, the young bark was showing white in colour. It is forming another aesthetic view about this tree.



Uses: 
Hard wood resistance to fire, one of the excellent fire woods. After drying, it is used to make farm tools. It conserves water and soil for planting. Flower and roots can be used as medicine. Its also one of the source of food for Actias heterogyna’s larvae.

Take from http://www.ccs-hk.org/DM/butterfly/Saturnidae/Actias-heterogyna.html and for more information about this insect can click the link.

Characteristics:
During summer, it will start to bloom pink-white flowers. The bark will change from smooth whitish-grey to reddish-brown is one of the attractive characteristics about this plant. Oval or ovoid leaves with short petiole. It can be shrub or deciduous tree that can grow up to 14 meters.

Angelia

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizocbacteria (PGPR) II

PGPR is a one of the bio-fertilizer. Compared to chemical fertilizer, it is more environmental friendly and has long-term effect.

Disadvantages of Chemical Fertilizer/Pesticides 
(Example: NPK 15:15:15)
Fertilizer
 1. Land will turn into infertile in long term.
2. Reduce quality and quantity of crops.
3. Increase pH of land and cause some minerals are bounded by soil particles and not available for plant.
4. Accelerate the process of soil erosion and compaction. When the soil is compacted, roots of plants are hard to grow.
5. Applied too much, plant will susceptible to pest and disease.
6. More easy to be leached out especially urea fertilizer .
Pesticides
1. Built up resistance of pest to pesticides
2. Bacteria disease cannot be treated by using pesticides/fungicides
3. Easy to be leached out and caused pollution of water.

Advantages of Bio-fertilizer (PGPR)
1. Environmental friendly 
2. Help to promote the growth of root - absorb more soil nutrients and water
3. Can stay in the soil for long-term period - Microorganism
4. Help to fix nitrogen in soil
5. Help to increase the available of phosphate and potassium
6. Help to protect plant from pathogen disease like powdery mildew.
7. Help to kill larvae of pest
etc.

PGPR fertilizer that used in our farm:


Bacillus mycoides 

It was common soil microorganism. It can help to fix nitrogen in soil therefore we can replace nitrogen fertilizer with it. Bacillus mycoides can used to control the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungus.  Diseases that caused by pathogenic bacteria and fungus like powdery mildew, wilting disease and others. Therefore, we can use it to replace pesticide or fungicide to control pathogen disease. 
Extra information:
Bacillus mycoides strain SU-23 is proved can be used to control damping off disease on cucumber seedling caused by Pythium mamillatum (Paul et al., 1995).
Reference
Paul, B., Charles, R. and Bhatnagar, t. 1995. Biological control of Pythium mamillatum causing damping-off of cucumber seedlings by a soil bacterium, Bacillus mycoides, Microbiological ResearchVol150, 1, 71–75.




Bacillus thuringiensis





Bacillus thuringiensis

It is Gram positive bacteria and normally used as bio-pesticides. Commonly used to against leaf-feeding caterpillar and also affect to larvae of  beetles and mosquitoes.  





Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria Inoculant No.1



Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria

Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms can help to increase the availability of phosphorus in soil and promote plant growth and increase the plant yield (Ahemad et al., 2009). The phosphate-solubilizing bacteria can produce organic acid which can help to solubilize insoluble phosphate in the soil. Examples of bacteria which can solubilize phosphate are Erwinia and Bacillus.
(copy from Ooi, 2014)
Reference
Ahemad, M., Zaidi, A., Khan, M.S. and Oves, M. 2009. Biological Importance of Phosphorus and Phosphate Solubilizing Microbes – An Overview. Phosphate Solubilizing Microbes for Crop Improvement, ed M.S. Khan and A. Zaidi, pp. 1-14. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Ooi, Y.S. 2014. Isolation and Characterization of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Its Effect on Quality of Turfgrass, Degree Thesis, University Putra Malaysia.

Angelia


Friday, May 16, 2014

臺灣藜 Chenopodium formosanum

Chenopodium formosanum



Common Name: 臺灣藜, Taiwan quinoa
Family: Amaranthaceae 
Genus: Chenopodium


Taiwan quinoa previously been mistaken as exotic species, after funded by the Forestry Bureau, and passed to three professors that come from different universities in Taiwan for identify this plant. After this three professors's cooperative research, identification of this plants was Taiwan's endemic plants has been confirmed. In year 2008, red quinoa was officially naming as Taiwan quinoa.

 Characteristics
It was annual herb and also was dicotyledonous angiosperms plants. It can grow up to 2.8 meters height. Fruiting period from May to October. Tolerance to drought, salty and can grow well on the dry or barren land.

Uses
Whole plants was rich in pigments like yellow, red, orange, purple and other colour. Therefore, it was an excellent source of natural pigments. Tender stem and leaves and flower spikes can be fried, soup or pickled. Dry stems can be used as fuel. Due to its bright and various colors on plants, it was not just can eat and also can be used as floral materials for display. Its vase life can be more than 10 days.

Fruit of Taiwan quinoa 

The suitable harvest status - when the surface of fruits turn to slightly black and leaves was shriveled.

For more information,

Angelia

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Life Cycle of Rice Paper Butterfly

Rice Paper Butterfly

In Toucheng Leisure Farm, we are cultivated an area for rearing the rice paper butterfly. We were planting Parsonia laevigata for attracting the rice paper butterfly come to lay egg. This is because Parsonia laevigata is the favourite food for its larvae.

Rice Paper Butterfly
Scientific Name: Idea leuconoe
Order: Lepidoptera
Origin on Southeast Asia
Other name: Paper Kite, Large tree nymph


Egg

Larvae

 Chrysalis stage 
 (Like Christmas decorative light bulb if see from the far)

 Butterfly (Adult)

Find more information on Toucheng Leisure Farm~!

Angelia

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Plant in TLF (Mandarin and English Version) III

大頭茶 Gordonia axillaris


頭城農場每年十月至翌年一月為開花季節。蒴果開裂後是優良的自然生態版畫材料,同時也是優良的蜜源植物。
Every October until January is the flowering period of this plant. After the capsule is cracked was the excellent natural ecological material, but also is an excellent nectar plants.


別名:山茶花、山茶、花東青、大山皮、山椿、山枇花、台灣椿、南投大頭茶、臺東大頭茶 
山茶科大頭茶屬 
主要分佈在華南、臺灣及中南半島等地,原產地為臺灣、香港等地 
生長於灌叢和早期次生林中。
Common Name: Camellia
Theaceae – Gordonia
Mainly distributed on South China, Taiwan and Indochina, but is native to Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Growth on thickets and early secondary forest.

常綠中喬木 Evergreen Arbour Tree

莖枝平滑,僅於頂芽處被有毛茸,幹直,樹皮為淡灰色至灰褐色。
Smooth stems, there was only furry on the top of buds, stem straight, bark in light grey to light brown.
葉,互生,葉芽圓錐形,上被有短柔銀色毛;葉厚革質,長橢圓形披針形或倒披針形,常叢生於枝條先端,中肋清楚可見,但側脈則不明顯,全緣或上半部葉緣有不明顯的波狀疏鋸齒,於凋零前會轉成紅色。
Simple leaves with alternate leaf arrangement, buds in conical shape, on the top has short and soft silvery hair; leaves were leathery and thick, oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate in shape, often clustered at the branch tip, ribs can be clearly to see it, lateral veins not obvious, the margin of whole or upper surface of leaves has no visible serrated, turn into red before fall.
木質蒴果,長橢圓形,黃褐色。種子扁平,蒴果開裂後飛散出的種子頂端有翅,利於散佈。
 Woody capsule was oblong in shape and brown in colour. Seeds were flat and capsule was cracking on the tip of the dry fruit and spread out the winged seeds, wind borne seed (Samara).


 途:
1.庭園觀賞美化用:大頭茶花色潔白、大型亮麗,且葉落前轉呈紅色,頗具觀賞特色,為良好的景觀樹種。
2.迎風坡植栽:葉革質耐風、耐旱,在迎風坡適應良好。
3.建築、木器製材與薪炭:木材紅褐色,質地緻密,且耐腐力強,可供建築、木材及薪炭材。
4.藥用:莖與皮性味辛、溫,具活絡止痛之效,可治風濕腰痛與跌打損傷;果實性味辛、澀、溫,具溫中止瀉之效,可治虛寒泄瀉;根則具收斂止血、調經之效,可治痢疾、胃痛與關結炎。
Uses:
1. Ornamental landscape: The flower white in color, large and bright, leaves turn red before fall, quite ornamental characteristics as an excellent landscape tree.
2. Windward slope planting: leathery leaves that resist to wind and drought and adapted well on the windward slope.
3. Building, lumber and firewood: red-brown wood with dense texture and strong decay-resistant can be used for construction, timber and firewood.
4. Medicinal: Stem and bark was spicy in taste and warm with active analgesic effect, can cure rheumatism, back pain and bruises; fruit was spicy, astringent, warm can help to treat diarrhea; root was convergent with bleeding, treat menstruation, diarrhea, stomach pain and arthritis.











血桐Macaranga tanarius

別名:大冇樹、橙桐、橙欄、面頭果、流血樹、鹿兒草、Bau(排灣) 
大戟科血桐屬 
分布在中國大陸、菲律賓、琉球、澳洲、台灣全境及蘭嶼,濱海、平地及低海拔 的地方。
Common Name: Elephant’s Ear
Euphorbiaceae – Macaranga
Distributed on China, Philippines, Okinawa, Australia, Taiwan and Lanyu, coastal, plains and low altitude area.

國字裡的的「桐」,一般是指木材色白質輕的樹種,如大家所熟悉的刺桐、油桐、泡桐、梧桐等
In mandarin, “Tong” generally refers to the wood species that white colour and light weight such as people that familiar with the coral tree, tung oil tree, Paulownia tree and Indus tree.
血桐是不耐陰的樹種,必須在充足的陽光下才能蓬勃生長,一般常在破壞不久的開闊地或崩壞地上生長,海岸亦有分佈,和林投、黃槿等組成海岸灌叢。
Macaranga species is intolerant to shade, need to grow under full sun, normally grow on undermining ground or nearly collapse ground, also distributed on the coast, and pandanus, yellow hibiscus and others forming coastal shrubs. 
以前田埂旁常有血桐自然生長,由於並沒有經濟價值,農夫總會順手把擋路的枝條折斷,斷裂處緩緩流出白色乳汁,起先並不顯眼農人也不在意,但是當農夫工作一天循原路回來時,卻被血桐的模樣嚇一大跳,先前折斷的枝條竟被像鮮血一樣的汁液包覆,所以被稱為紅血桐或流血桐(閩南語)。
Previously, Macaranga will grow on the ridge, but it do not has economic value, the farmer will always break the branches that blocked the road, firstly is not that obvious and farmers do not care about that, but when farmer finish their work and on the way back, he was scared by the appearance of Macaranga,the broken branches has been covered by bloody liquip, therefore, it was called as Red Blood Tong or Bleeding Tong (Hokkien dialect).
一般植物的葉柄通常是在葉緣,但血桐的葉柄卻是在葉的中間偏上,很像古時作戰用的盾牌,非常容易辨認。由於血桐生長速度快,所以木材鬆散輕軟,可供建築及製造箱板用;早期農人常採血桐葉餵養家畜,種子亦會吸引許多鳥類、松鼠前來覓食。
   
Generally petiole is on the side of the leaf margin, but Macaranga petiole is in the middle of the leaf, like the shield that used in the ancient battle, very easy to identify. Because of the Macaranga fast growing, therefore the wood was loose, light and soft, can used for construction and manufacture the box board; previously, farmer use the leaves to feed the livestock, seeds can attract many bird, squirrels come to feed.

血桐枝條折斷處汁液初為無色透明,氧化後後則呈血紅色,彷彿流血似地,這便是"血桐"名稱的由來。分布台灣及中國大陸,是本島中低海拔隨處可見的先驅樹種。
   
Macaranga branches that break at the beginning, the liquid was colourless and transparent, after oxidation, it turns into bloody red colour, like bleeding, this was the origin of Blood Tong name. Distributed on Taiwan and China, can be found on the low-altitude island.

血桐的用途:
1.木材輕軟,可供建築及製造箱板。  
2.樹皮及葉的粉末可充當防腐劑。 
3.樹葉可當羊、牛或鹿的飼草。
Uses:
1. Light and soft wood can use for construction and manufacture box board
2. The powder of bark and leaves can be used as preservative.
3. Leaves can used to feed goat, cow or deer.









油桐 Vernicia fordii

在冬天裡,葉子完全脫落,只剩下光禿的枝椏,春天長出新枝葉後,前端即形成花芽開花,雌雄異株或雌雄同株異花。花剛開時白色,花心淡綠色,隨後花心顏色逐漸轉深而成紅褐色。雄花花柄細而易斷,會連花柄整朵掉落;雌花的花瓣,當基部由花剛開時的淡綠色逐漸轉為紅褐色後,會一瓣一瓣脫落,中心的雌蕊則留下發育為果實。
During autumn, all the leaves will completely fall, just left the bare branches, when spring will grow out new leaves, bud will be forming on the tips of branches and blooms, dioecious or monoecious.When flower start to bloom is white in colour, centre pale green, it will gradually turn into dark colour and forming reddish brown colour. Peduncle of male flower is thin and easy to break will cause whole flower fall; female flower’s petal when turn into reddish brown, petal by petal will fall off, leaving the pistil at the centre and developed as fruit.

三月底到五月間,一簇簇雪白的油桐花在台灣各地低海拔山區紛紛飄落,雄花開花量大,樹下一朵朵完整的落花鋪滿地面,加上一瓣瓣飄落、數量較少的雌花花瓣,就形成「五月雪」的美景。你不妨拾起地上的落花,看看整朵飄落的,花心部分是不是只有雄蕊?
     
Between the ends of March until May, the cluster white flower gradually falling at the low-altitude mountains, Taiwan, large amount of male flower blooming, under the tree the whole flower covered the ground, plus small amount of female flower petal by petal fall off, forming the “May Snow” scenery. You may wish to pick up the flower that falling on the ground, see the middle of the flower isn’t only has stamen?



大戟科油桐屬的落葉樹,原產地為中國。
別名:「油桐樹」、「桐油樹」、「桐子樹」、「光桐」、「三年桐」、「罌子桐」、「中國木油樹」。
Euphorbiaceae – Vernicia genus tung tree species, native to China.
Common Name: Tung oil tree
由於油桐可以生產珍貴的桐油,因此油桐顯得很貴重。油桐是靠樹上產生的種子而繁殖後代的。
Because of it can produce valuable tung oil, therefore make it so precious. It is using seeds to propagate. 
油桐最高可達到9米。油桐葉一般有1525公分長。
油桐具有毒性,種子的毒性最強,只要吃下一顆油桐種子就可以致命。
The highest can reach until 9 meters. Normally, tung leaves are 15 to 25cm long.
It contain toxic, the toxicity of seeds are the strongest, as long as eating only one seed can be fatal.




葉柄長,葉基有兩個像螃蟹眼睛一樣的杯球狀腺體,會分泌甜汁,吸引蟲蟻吸食,所以它一方面扮演蜜源植物的角色,一方面也透過杯球狀腺體供應蜜汁來減少葉片被啃食破壞的情形。
The petiole is long, leaf base with two cups like crab eyes whish spherical glands, will secrete sweet juice, attract pests came to feeds, so it plays the role of nectar plant, on the other hand using the sweet juice to reduce the damage that caused and eaten by pests.



果實表皮皺縮,是生長快速的樹種,主幹通直,分枝成輪盤狀輪生,枝條粗壯,粗細均勻而數量少。葉子闊心臟形,前端常有35深裂,往往可以看見前端有深裂及完全沒有分裂的全緣葉子。
Fruit skin shrinkage, is fast-growing tree species, main trunk straight, branched into a roulette-like whorls, branches stout, thickness uniformity and less quantity. Broad leaves in heart-shaped, oftenly at the front 3 to 5 parted, you can see the front has deep cleft and do not have a deep cleft split on the entire leaves.







馬拉巴栗 Pachira aquatica

頭城農場暑期夏令營撿果實種發財樹(馬拉巴栗)的體驗!
Toucheng Leisure Farm Summer Camp experience to collect the seed and plant this Pachira tree!
          
 庭園室內當作裝飾盆栽,其耐陰性強,種植在室內等光線較差的環境下亦能生長,加上其外型優雅,稍加裝飾綁上一些紅絲帶或金元寶就成為人見人愛的發財樹,因此更成為逢年過節居家擺飾的寵兒。
As decorate indoor potted plant, highly tolerance to shade, plant can be grow in the indoor and under poor light environment, plus its elegant appearance, little decorate with some red ribbon or gold nugget became cute Pachira, so become the famous plants decoration during holidays.
           
馬拉巴栗其實是一種頗具經濟價值的植物,除了種子成熟後可供食用,木材可供作木漿,植株可遮陰、裝飾,可謂一舉數得。
            Pachira actually is one of species that has economic value, except the seeds are edible when ripe, timber can used for wood pulp, plants can shade, decorate, multipurpose used.

馬拉巴栗植株種於室外土壤可高達十數公尺,若種於盆栽多不超過 兩公尺 ;樹幹部份極易木質化並澎大,因此很容易造就優美身型,成為盆栽園藝中的一種特色。
若種於盆栽之中,幾乎不會開花,僅作為觀賞盆栽之用。
Pachira trees were planted in outdoor and can be grow up to more than 10 meters, if planted in pot will no more than 2 meters; the trunk is large and big, therefore making it easy to create beautiful body shape, become one of features in gardening. If planted in pot, it almost no flowering and used as ornamental purpose only.

別名:發財樹、美國花生、瓜栗 
屬木棉科馬拉巴栗屬的一種植物。 
屬的名稱改自蓋亞那語,意思是「在水中」。馬拉巴栗是直接音譯自英文名稱。
Common Name: Malabar chestnuts
Malvaceae – Pachira plant
Genus name is changed from Guyana language, meaning “in the water”. Malabar chestnut is direct translated from English name.


分佈 : 原產於中美洲墨西哥、哥斯大黎加、南美洲委內瑞拉、圭亞那
Distribution: Native to Central America-Mexico, Costa Rica, South America, Venezuela, Guyana


它原是一種熱帶果樹,因為種子炒熟後可食用,所以也叫做美國土豆!但因其胚芽含微量氰氫酸,勿食用太多。
根具粘液,可作造紙之膠料或漿糊。
樹幹可作為紙漿的原料,是頗富經濟價值的優良樹種。
青翠飽滿的馬拉巴栗盆景(發財樹),最適合公司行號開幕祝賀禮。
 It was originally a tropical fruit tree, because seeds edible after fry, it is also called as United States potatoes! The germ contain trace amount of hydrogen cyanide, but do not consume too much.
Root contains mucus that can be used for paper or glue.
Trunks can be used as raw material of paper pulp, is a good input and high economic values for this excellent species.
This green plant pot (Pachira, Fortune tree), the most suitable for company opening’s celebrate present.









海檬果 Cerbera manghas
海檬果果實看似可口但是他全株含有白色有毒乳液,而當中種子毒性為最強。
一顆果實可以毒死十頭牛來形容海檬果的毒性。小心勿食!
Its fruits look like tasty but whole plant contains white emulsion with poisonous, seeds toxicity is strongest.
Ten head of cattle can poison by one fruit to describe the toxicity of this fruit. Please be careful and do not eat!


別名:山檨仔猴歡喜海檨仔黃金茄山杧果牛金茄牛心荔黃金調山杭果香軍樹
夾竹桃科海檬果屬
Common Name: Sea mango tree
Apocynaceae-Cerbera plant


常綠小喬木
由於葉片及果實外形貌似
芒果,及主要生長地為熱帶沿海的砂地上或近海的河流兩岸,因而為名。
海檬果
原產於南洋一帶
Small Evergreen tree
Due to its leaves and fruits shape looks like
mango, and mainly grown in tropical coastal offshore area or the ground on the both sides of river, this was its name came from.
Sea mango tree is
native to South East Asia.


葉為單葉互生,長圓形或狹卵形。花期為310月,花生成聚繖花序,花冠細長為綠白色,中心紫紅色,左旋裂片,共5瓣。
Simple leaves alternately, oblong or narrowly ovate. Flowering from March to October, flower grows in cymes, corolla slender as green-whitish colour, centre as purple reddish, left lobes, has total of five.

果期為712月,果實初呈綠色,成熟時為紫色。果內為木質纖維層,為海漂植物。栽植為行道園景樹。
Fruiting period from July to December, fruit in early stage was green, purple when ripe. Inside fruits like woody fibre layer, as sea floating plants. It was planted in street as ornamental plant.


Angelia