Julia Wilson

Julia is a writer and landscape consultant from Wollongong with a love of horticulture. She had been an avid gardener for over 30 years, collects rare variegated plants and is a home orchardist. Julia is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge of plant propagation and plant toxicology. Whether it’s giving advice on landscape projects or sharing tips on growing, Julia enjoys helping people make their gardens flourish.

What are Insoluble Calcium Oxalate Crystals?

by
What are insoluble calcium oxalate crystals?

What are insoluble calcium oxalate crystals?

Insoluble calcium oxalate is a type of biomineral that is commonly found in plants and is made up of small, crystals of calcium and oxalate. These crystals are insoluble in water and other solvents and can accumulate in various tissues and organs of plants. Insoluble calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals are the most abundant biomineral in plants¹ that can be found in the leaves, stems and roots of over 200 plant families.

The discovery of calcium oxalate crystals was made in the mid-17th century by Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694), an Italian physician, biologist, and anatomist. Dr Malpighi used the newly-invented microscope to examine the internal structure of plants and described them his work ‘Anatome Plantarum‘, which was published in 1675. In his book, he refers to calcium oxalate crystals as ‘sarmenta‘, which he observed in the stems, leaves and roots of a number of plant species.

Calcium oxalate crystals are found in five morphologies:

  • Raphides (needle-shaped crystals)
  • Druses (spherical aggregate of individual crystals)
  • Styloids (elongated crystals with ridged or pointed ends)
  • Prismatic (four or more sides similar in length and width)
  • Crystal sands (minute crystals in a single cell).

The focus of this article is raphides, which pose the greatest risk to humans and animals due to their shape which allows them to penetrate the tissues of the oropharynx and gastrointestinal tract. They can vary in size from micrometres to several millimetres and may be straight, clustered in groups, curved or spiral shaped or branched with multiple needle-like projections.

Read more

Is Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) Toxic to Dogs?

by
Is bleeding heart toxic to dogs?

Bleeding heart (Dicentra spp., andLamprocapnos spectabilis) is toxic to dogs. The toxic principle is isoquinoline alkaloids, a convulsant and irritant sap that can cause skin irritation and ocular pain. Alkaloids are secondary metabolites that are organic compounds produced by the plant that are not directly involved with growth, development or reproduction. Secondary metabolites have several functions including cooperating with other species, such as flowers that attract insects necessary for pollination or to repel pests including plant-feeding insects and animals and pathogenic microorganisms.

Read more

Is Dieffenbachia Toxic to Dogs?

by
Is dumbcane toxic to dogs?

Dieffenbachia is toxic to dogs. The toxic principles are proteolytic enzyme and insoluble calcium oxalate crystals known as raphides. Raphides are held in specialised cells called idioblasts, and when a dog chews Dieffenbachia, they penetrate the oral mucosa, triggering the release of histamine by the white blood cells. Damage to the oral mucosa allows proteolytic enzymes to penetrate the tissue, which increases pain and inflammation.

Read more

Flower Seed Sowing Guide

by
Flower seed sowing guide

Seeds require the right conditions or they will fail to germinate. Germination is triggered by soil temperature, soil depth, moisture and some seeds require stratification which is a period of chilling prior to sowing. This table is a quick and easy guide to sowing flower seeds.

Some seeds require sunlight to germinate, which has been listed as ‘surface’. Sprinkle the seeds on the surface, but gently push them down so that they don’t disperse in the wind. When sowing seeds that require a light covering of soil, add some soil or potting mix to an old kitchen sieve and gently sprinkle over the seeds.

Related: Flower height, position and bloom time

Many seedlings are frost-tender, and should only be planted once the risk of frost has passed, which is generally past Easter in the Northern Hemisphere. For those of us in warmer climates such as Australia, we can sow seeds much earlier.

Stratification refers to a period of cold that breaks dormancy. Gardeners can either sow in autumn so they will undergo stratification in the environment, or place seeds in a refrigerator and sow in spring. For those of us in a warmer climate, it is best to stratify in the refrigerator and plant in spring.

Read more

Etiolation In Plants

by
What is etiolation?

What is etiolation?  Ι   When is etiolation normal?  Ι   Signs of etiolation   Ι  Culinary etiolation   Ι  Etiolation in agricultural crops  Ι How to prevent etiolation in plants

What is etiolation?

Etiolation (ee-tee-oh-lation) is a phenomenon that occurs in plants that grow in limited or absent light. This triggers the elongation of cells at the growth tip to help the plant reach a potential light source. The word etiolate is derived from the French word étiolé, which means ‘to blanche’, referring to the pale colour of the plant.

An example of etiolated plants can be seen when you lift an object from the ground and find white plants beneath it. This is because these plants have been growing in darkness and have elongated cells to reach for the light.

Read more

Propagating Plants in Water

by
Propagating plants in water

Water propagation is one of the easiest ways to propagate plants. One of the advantages of water propagation is you can see when the plant has formed new roots, unlike soil propagated plants.

Read more

Easy Rose Syrup Recipe

by
Rose syrup recipe

Rose syrup is a flavoured simple syrup with the addition of fresh or dried rose petals which impart a delicate rose flavour reminiscent of Turkish delight. This quick and easy recipe is versatile and is great in drinks, desserts, cocktails, cakes and buttercream icing.

Rose simple syrup

Easy Rose Syrup Recipe

Julia Wilson
A quick and easy rose syrup using fresh or dried roses. This recipe makes 1 cup (250 ml) of syrup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine traditional
Servings 8
Calories 127 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup culinary-grade dried rose petals

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients to a pot and simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved
  • Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse
  • Strain with a fine-mesh strainer or muslin cloth to remove the rose petals
  • Decant into a sterilised bottle and store in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

Notes

Can use 1/4 cup dried culinary roses instead of fresh
Uses:
  • Cordials
  • Cocktails
  • Champagne/sparkling wine cocktails
  • Added to gin or vodka
  • Buttercream frosting
  • Cakes
  • Meringues
  • Milkshakes
  • Flavoured sparkling water
  • Ice cream
  • Tea or coffee flavouring
  • Jellies
Recipe tweaks:
The addition of blueberries is purely for colour and is not essential.
You can add more or less fresh or dried rose petals according to taste.
Serving size:
Each serve is 2 tablespoons.
Colour:
The photo in the recipe was the actual rose simple syrup along with the rose petals used in the recipe, with no additional colours added. The colour of the rose will affect the colour of the syrup. The lighter the rose, the lighter the colour of the syrup.
Keyword Rose, Rose syrup, Syrup, Cocktails

Read more

How to Grow Mini Monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma)

by
Mini monstera plant profile

What is mini monstera?   Ι    Description  Ι   Care  Ι   Propagation  Ι   Toxicity  Ι   Pests and diseases   Ι  Frequently asked questions

What is mini monstera?

What is mini monstera?
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma – Mini Monstera Split leaf philodendron

Mini monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma) is a tropical plant native to the rainforests of Thailand and Malaysia. The plant has become popular in recent years as a houseplant for its glossy green, pinnatifid foliage and ease of care.

The scientific name Rhaphidophora tetrasperma was given by Sir J. D. Hooker. Despite its common name, it is not actually a species of Monstera,  its name is due to the similarity of its leaf shape to the Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa). The botanical name Tetrasperma means ‘four seeds’ in Latin, tetra > four, sperma > seeds.

The Rhaphidophora family comprises approximately 100 species¹.

Read more

Is Madagascar Periwinkle Toxic to Dogs?

by
Is Madagascar periwinkle toxic to dogs?

Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is toxic to dogs. The toxic principle is vinca alkaloids which can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hypotension (drop in blood pressure), incoordination, tremors and seizures.

Read more

Winter Flowering Plants

by
Winter flowering plants

Spring and summer are traditionally the seasons we expect to see a vibrant collection of flowering plants in the garden, but there are some plants that flower in winter, providing some much-needed colour in the house or the garden.

Climate plays a role, for example, it is mid-winter here in Sydney, but it is not uncommon for geraniums to flower year-round, and I currently have delphinium and cosmos in bloom. Colder climates will have fewer flowering plants, but there are still a number of plants that can be enjoyed, even in cool climates.

Read more