Planting with the scorching hot weather in mind
WE have been experiencing very hot and dry weather over the last few weeks.
Home gardeners may have had to work extra hard to ensure that their tender plants are protected from the sun’s scorching rays as well as watering the garden more frequently to ensure plantings do not dry out. However, some local fruit trees such as durian and langsat would be enjoying the higher temperatures and should start flowering. This got me thinking about plants that would actually thrive in the present weather conditions for home gardeners with less time to spend maintaining tender plantings.
Even when the rain stops, these drought tolerant plants will prove that ‘the show must go on’. They will continue to add distinctive colour and texture to our gardens.
Plants from arid regions of the world are a good choice for our current weather because they thrive in these conditions. Such plants are mainly distinguished by their greyish divided, waxy, or felted leaves. This week we will consider drought resistant or tolerant plants easily found locally.
Portulaca
This easy care and drought tolerant annual is a sure source of flashy colour. The plant grows in low clusters, flowers in a rainbow of hues, and thrives in hot sunny spots where other flowers might wither.
Succulents
These are also easy care colourful plants that will surprise with their displays of sundrenched yellow, red, orange, and more colours. The plump-leafed colourful plants store water in their juicy tissues, making them ideal for busy gardeners.
When given well-drained soil and sunshine, succulents will remain happy and hardy. Examples of these are baby necklace, golden toothed aloe, jade plants, and euphorbia. Many of them are thorny and biennial. Cutting back of the stem that has already flowered would give another round of flowers soon after.
Desert roses
Desert roses have succulent stems and roots. The plants carry few green leaves but are often laden with colourful flowers in red, speckled red, or pink.
Again these are really low maintenance plants in our climate.
Lantana camara
This species comes in yellow, red, and mixed colours. They will grow like weeds in some locations but can be used as decorative plants that readily flower daily without fail.
Hibiscus
We are of course very familiar with hibiscus as it is our national flower. As mentioned in previous columns, this plant has adapted very well to our climate and flowers all the time. It is wellknown to be drought resistant.
Yucca
As this plant is stocky with thick leaves, it naturally has sufficient protection against heat and stores water in its stems. Yucca also has a long root system, that draws water from deep below the ground.
Agave
These are thick solid leaf bladed plants with full protection against heat and water loss. They can survive extremely dry and severe weather.
Agave comes with a central spine that bears an inflorescence once in a lifetime.
It produces many young plantlets from the flowering spine. The plant may live for several years before it finally dies off by flowering to ensure the ensuing generation would carry on the species.
Dracaena
This is another species of bamboo-like plants with long blades of thick leaves for water preservation.
Dracaena plants are also good specimens for indoor growing by cutting the stem into short sections and standing them in water for the growth of roots and shoots.
Such cuttings are commonly sold for indoor desktop decoration.
Acalypha
These are very old-fashioned shrubs that used to be very popular in gardens. They have brown, reddish, and yellow leaves and a mixture of red flower spikes hanging downwards. Their hardiness coupled with attractive leaves were why they were so popular in the past.
Heliconia
These mainly come in tight rhizomatous growth from the same mother stock with rather deeplyrooted feeders so that they feel less stress even during periods of drought.
We have many local varieties of the flowering heliconia such as the hanging firecracker and sexy pink, amongst a few imported varieties.
I hope I have given you some ideas of plants that are ideal for our current weather conditions so you do not have to wither away in the sun trying to save your garden!
Do send me an email if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.
Happy gardening.