Marigold (African or American Marigold)

Scientific Name: Tagetes erecta

Date Collected: April 21, 2011

Location: Home Depot Flower Center

Nativity: Southwest North America, South America

Habitat: The require well-drained soil and a sunny area.

Clade: Vascular

Special Notes: This marigold is said to be edible, but has a bitter taste to it.

References:

• http://www.ehow.com/facts_5746415_marigold-flower.html
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/365165/marigold

Weeping Bottlebrush

Scientific Name: Callistemon viminalis

Date Collected: April 20, 2011

Location: Botanical Gardens at LA Zoo

Habitat: Full sun and does well in dry or wet soil.  The weeping bottlebrush is mostly a landscaping plant just because it does not need much attention.

Nativity: The weeping bottlebrush is native to Australia

Clade: Vascular, Dicot, has seeds

Special Notes: The bottlebrush flowers grow on knobs that form on the end of the branches, and as the flowering period is over, the bristles will fall off but the branches will continue growing with the knobs moving out farther as well.

Resources:

• http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/call_vim.cfm
• http://tree-species.blogspot.com/2007/11/weeping-bottlebrush.html

Alexandria Cycad

Scientific Name: Encephalartos arenarius

Date Collected: April 20, 2011

Location: Botanical Gradens at LA Zoo

Nativity: South Africa

Habitat: Sun to partial shade, mostly around the coastal dune areas in Cape, South Africa

Clade: vascular,conifer

Special Notes: The Alexandria Cycad has been classified as endangered due to the poachers in S. Africa taking down their habitat.

Resources:

• http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/E/Encephalartos_arenarius/
• http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/encepharenarius.htm

Shrubby Euphorbia (Baja Spurge)

Scientific Name: Euphorbia xantii

Date Collected: April 20, 2011

Location: Botanical Gardens at LA Zoo

Nativity: Baja California, Mexico

Habitat: Drought tolerance, likes full sun, well-drained soil.  Can be easy garden plants as well.

Clade: Vascular, Shrub

Special Note: If it needs to be cut make sure to wear eye protection ,a long sleeve, and gloves due to the toxic white sap.

Resources:

• http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=3622
• http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/373/

Silverberry

Scientific Name: Elaeagnus pungens

Date Collected: April 20, 2011

Location: Botanical Gardens at LA Zoo

Nativity: China and Japan

Habitat: Part or full sun, water needed when plant is dry

Clade: Dicot, Vascular, Shrub

Spcial Notes: The leaves of the silverberry bush have two different colors on opposite sides; dusky olive on the top and silver on the bottom of the leaf.

Resources:

• http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pages/elaeagnus_pungens.htm
• http://www.floridata.com/ref/e/elaeag_p.cfm

Bird of Paradise

Scientific Name: Strelitzia reginae

Date Collected: April 20, 2011

Location: Botanical Gardens at LA Zoo

Nativity: South Africa

Habitat: Tropical, direct sunlight or semi-shade, plenty of water, grows well in coastal gardens.

Clade: Angiosperm, Vascular

Special Notes: The plant gets its common name because of the its flower, showing at bird in flight.

Resources:

• http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/strelitziareginae.htm
• http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg106

Petunia

Scientific Name: Petunia Juss.

Date Collected: April 21, 2011

Location: Home Depot Flower Center

Nativity: White-flowered and violet-flowered petunias from Aregntina

Habitat: Good sunlight, moist to well-drained soil

Clade: Dicot, Vascular

Special Notes: Most known varieties of petunias are hybrids from the white-flowered P. axillaris and the violet-flowered P. integrifolia.

Resources:

• http://www.ehow.com/about_6699734_columbine-plant.html
• http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PETUN