FFF45 - BUNJONG

Pimelea spectabilis (Bunjong) is a species of shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae, endemic to Western Australia. It is erect in habit, growing to between 0.5 and 2 metres high. The pink and white flowers are produced between August and December in its native range. The species was first formally described by English botanist John Lindley in 1839 in A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River colony.

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FFF44 - CRAB APPLE FLOWERS

Crab apple is a term used for several species of Malus in the family Rosaceae, which are characterised by small sour fruit resembling familiar table apples (Malus domestica). They are usually small trees or shrubs. The plants are grown primarily as ornamentals, although a few growers produce the fruit commercially. The fruit is preserved or pickled or it is used in making jellies. Most crab apples are grown for their ornamental value, and cultivars are chosen because of their beautiful flowers, foliage, or fruit.

The flower is similar to that of the apple. Bees freely visit the flowers, for both nectar and pollen. Like the apple, the crab apple appears to require cross-pollination between cultivars by insects. Self-pollination is impossible and pollinating insects are absolutely needed. Considering that the only difference between the crab apple and the apple is fruit size, it seems reasonable that the most effective pollinator of apples, the honey bee, should be equally effective on the crab apple.
Crab apple species freely hybridise among themselves and with domestic apples. They produce copious and highly fertile pollen, thus are used as pollenisers in apple orchards. Varieties of crabapple are selected to bloom contemporaneously with the apple variety in an orchard planting, and the crabs are planted every sixth or seventh tree, or limbs of crab are grafted onto some of the apple trees. In emergencies a bucket or drum bouquet of crab apple blossoms are placed near the beehives as orchard pollenisers.

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FFF43 - WILD PLUM FLOWERS

Prunus americana, commonly called the American plum or wild plum, is a species of Prunus native to North America from Saskatchewan to New Mexico east to New Hampshire and Florida. It has often been planted outside its core range and sometimes escapes cultivation. Many cultivated varieties have been derived from this species. It forms an excellent stock upon which to graft the domestic plum.

The wild plum grows as a large shrub or small tree, reaching up to 4.6 m. It is adapted to coarse- and medium-textured soils, but not to fine soils. The shrub is winter-hardy, but has little tolerance for shade, drought, or fire. Its growth is most active in spring and summer, and it blooms in midspring. It propagates by seed, but the rate of spread by seed is slow.

The wild plum is used for both ornamental and culinary purposes. The white flowers are decorative in spring and its short, single leader makes it a popular residential landscape tree. Sargent says of it: "As an ornamental plant P. americana has real value; the long wand-like branches form a wide, graceful head which is handsome in winter and in spring is covered with masses of pure white flowers followed by ample bright foliage and abundant showy fruit.

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FFF42 - CORAL TREE

Erythrina is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, growing up to 30 m in height. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ερυθρóς (erythros), meaning "red," referring to the flower color of certain species.

Particularly in horticulture, the name coral tree is used as a collective term for these plants. "Flame trees" is another vernacular name, but may refer to a number of unrelated plants as well. Many species of Erythrina have bright red flowers, and this may be the origin of the common name. However, the growth of the branches can resemble the shape of sea coral rather than the color of Corallium rubrum specifically, and this is an alternative source for the name. Other popular names, usually local and particular to distinct species, liken the flowers' red hues to those of a male chicken's wattles, and/or the flower shape to its leg spurs. Commonly seen Spanish names for any local species are bucaré, frejolillo or porotillo, and in Afrikaans some are called kaffirboom. Mullumurikku is a widespread name in Kerala.

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