“A Seed is a Wish About to Come True. . .”™   Summer Rayne

Call 1-866-694-9955 to place a credit card order.  Any size order OK! Or Use PayPal Below

Trivia from the Tumbleweed Garden News -Year 2001

How large of a pitcher can a pitcher plant grow?

In their native habitat a pitcher plant can grow a pitcher the size of a football.

What was the common Ice plant, also called Bird’s Nest (monotropa) used for by Native Americans?

The root was believed to cure fits in children.  The rest of the plant was used as a tonic to relieve pain without dulling the senses.

In what year were formal records of the weather kept?

 1066 BC by the Chinese.

What do 9 million American households have as an integral part of their garden? 

  An Herb Garden

When did electric lights for decorating a Christmas tree make their first appearance?

The first electric Christmas lights made their fist appearance,  in New York, at the house of Edward Johnson, an associate of Thomas Edison, in 1882.

Most underwater plants find a way to bloom on the waters surface in order to pollinate flowers, by insects or wind, but a plant called the starwort has something special about its pollen.  What is it?

The Starwort has water-resistant floating pollen that quietly drifts to female flowers.

Soleirolia also commonly known as Baby Tears  is part of a genus of how many species?

Baby Tears is a very tender groundcover forming mats of 1/4 inch leaves and is a genus of only one species.

The month December comes from what root meaning?

The earliest Roman calendar (app 738 B.C.) had 304 days and only 10 months.  Decem is from the word ten for the 10th month.  By 46 B.C. the calendar's lunar cycle was out of sync and so a new one was developed.  The sun was used, instead of the moon as a basis, two new months January and February were added, and the beginning of the year was moved from March to January 1, making December the last month. This became known as the Julian calendar after Julius Caesar the commissioner of this new endeavor. However, the original names remained even though their meaning was no longer valid.

What ornamental plants, grown and introduced from the Old World to Colonial settlers in the New World, spread so rapidly that they are known today as weeds?

Plants that have become problems in many areas are dandelions, mullien, Scotch Thistle and Saponaria, which still blanket meadows and stream banks of old settlements, and have since spread across the country.

What plant is believed to be the fastest growing plant?

The giant bamboo of Myanmar is believed to be the fastest growing plant.  It can grow up to 18 inches (46cm) in one day.

What is the name of the group of plants that produces the largest seeds, longest leaves and largest inflorescence?

The highly prized Palms are this group of plants.  There are approximately 2500 species in this group with 200 genera with more awaiting discovery.  

The Chinese art form of creating landscapes in miniature is called what?

Penjing is the art form in which a small tree or stone serves as the main point of expression and is somewhat similar to the Japanese counterpart Bosai. The idea of Penjing is to capture the essence and spirit of a real landscape in nature and bring this quality to the art form.

A very common plant, often grown indoors and out, blooming large puff ball flowers, is very poisonous if eaten.  What is it?

All parts of the Hydrangea, grown for its stunning blue, white and pink flowers contain hydrangin.  Hydrangin breaks down into cyanide. All parts of this plant are toxic when eaten. 

The brains of deer were once used to tan hides by earlier Pueblo people.  What plants did they later use as a substitute for this substance?

After the Spanish came to the Pueblo region, the Pueblos learned to use white fir bark or stems from Mormon tea.  This was ground up into a powder, mixed in a vat of water, in which the hides were soaked.

What type of wood were wagon wheels made from?

As a general rule the spokes were made out of oak and the hubs were made from elm tree wood..

The wood, from what tropical plant, is used most to make the handles of knives?

Grown in Central America, Rosewood (Dalbergia retusa) has dense, easy to work with wood and is excellent for handles. It has a beautiful finish and a natural smooth finish.  An added benefit is that fact that soapy water does not darken the wood making it perfect for recurrent washings.

What plant has the largest floating leaves?

Growing in the Amazon is the Giant Water lily with leaves reaching 6.5 feet or two meters across.  It is large enough to support the weight of small animals.

What tree produces the hardest wood?

A tree growing in the desert Southwest produces the toughest and hardest wood, called the ironwood tree.  This wood is so dense that normal saws cannot cut it.

Approximately how long have trees been growing on Earth?

Evidence suggests that the first trees began about 300 million years ago.

The seed of this cultivated plant  was discovered in a once inhabited cave in southern Mexico, located in the valley of Tehuacán, and has been dated to over six thousand years ago. 

The direct ancestor of the pigweed or Amaranth is believed to have been a significant source of nutritional food for the people living in this cave.

How long have ferns been growing on Earth?

Ferns are one of the oldest plants having been dated to as far back as 300 million years.

How much water does a mature Redwood tree release, into the air, in one day?

Each redwood can release 500 gallons of water through its needles.

How big does the Amazon water lily get?

 The Amazon water lily can reach a diameter of five feet and supported by large air cushions, has been know to support the weight of a small child.

What  plant holds the record for growing the slowest?  

The record for the slowest growing plant is held by the dioon plant.  This plant grows in Mexico and has an average growth rate of .77mm per year or .020 inches.

What plant in the Rainforests of Madegascar has chemical properties that can be used to treat people with leukemia?

The rosy periwinkle has been more successful than any of its predecessors used before.

Found in the African Rainforest, what common houseplant, growing in the wild, is one of the most threatened plants in the world?  

Found only in the African Rainforest in Tanzania, the African Violet faces extinction, in its native habitat, as the rainforests are cut and cleared. 

Back    Next