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By keeping it cut very short,
chandelier plant makes a
good ground cover in parts of my gardens where almost nothing else
would grow.
This row along the wall is permitted
to grow to full
height, 4 - 5 feet. The flowers are quite attractive.
Because most students are not familiar
with the
chandelier plant, I have used the small, young plants in class.
The plant's unusual characteristics make it a good subject for an
assignment in "observation". Since the leaves are cylindrical,
and not green, students confuse them with branches. This picture
shows the six ranks of leaves.
On the end of each leaf is a cluster
of plantlets.
Eventually each plantlet will develop a root, then drop off and
establish itself as an independent plant (clone). This is a form
of asexual reproduction. The hundreds of plantlets cloned by each
plant makes this species a good weed.
A close look at the impressive flower
head shows the
reason for the species name tubiflora.
[Plants
] [Back Yard Biology
] [ Science Can Be Fun
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