BAY EAST

I recently planted up this garden and this bed near the entrance with some bird and butterfly attracting plants and see how the Danainae (or milkweed) butterflies such as the Plain, Black Veined and Blue Glassy Tigers all flocked to this mysterious plant known as the Heliotropium indicum. 


The plant is not aesthetically pretty, and is in fact unhealthy or diseased looking. But it contains compounds known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are used by these butterflies as defense mechanisms against insectivores which feed on them. These alkaloids are also known to cause hepatotoxicity or liver damage.


On a separate note, the last photo is of an uncommon Heliconia episcopalis which I planted nearby.

TIGERS

It may not have anything to do with me but since adding some Heliotropium indicum and Crotalaria retusa, I do notice more tigers, such as these Black Veined Tiger and Blue Glassy Tiger, which I recently saw visiting these plants.

PLAIN TIGER, HELIOTROPIUM & CANNA

I finally found time to post today. Somehow at this site, next to the Water Garden, where I used to plant the Heliotropium indicum, the new batch of plants and the Canna shrubs are looking good. So good that the Plain Tiger butterflies are visiting the beautiful string of small, white flowers.

In fact, it seems to be the Plain Tiger season again because I saw them flitting here and there in HortPark. Just this morning, I even saw a huge Common Birdwing flew casually across the car I was in on the way back to the office. It was a good sign to me, especially after going through these 2 days of high stress.

NB on 5 Jan 11: I realised yesterday that this was my first post of 2011. I wouldn't say it is a fantastic posting, but at least it was pleasant? Was the reason too lame?

HELIOTROPIUM INDICUM

This has become one of my favourite weedy plants ever since I started working on the Butterfly Garden project.

The Tiger butterflies are often attracted to its flowers. I collected quite a bit of its seeds recently but this reminds me that I have yet to sow them on my planting troughs.

COMMON TIGER

It has been a while since I spent time looking out for butterflies. I saw this beautiful pristine looking Common Tiger (scientific name: Danaus genutia) from the Nymphalidae Family visiting the Heliotropium indicum flowers for nectar. What a beautiful sight.

Now they have placed a bench within the flower bed. How thoughtful and wonderful it was of them to do so.

STRIPED BLUE CROW

I caught a photo of this Striped Blue Crow (scientific name: Euploea mulciber mulciber) feeding on the flowers of this Heliotropium indicum (Indian Heliotrope).

The underside of the wings may not be very attractive but the upperside of the wings have this iridescent blue colour that shimmers under the light. So, don't judge a book by its cover. Sometimes we should look beyond the superficial surface of things to appreciate the underlying beauty.

ABC

Next up is a few posts on ABC. I decided to break it up into a few posts so that it is easier to read.

It was in a convention hall, much like our Suntec Convention Centre.

Compared to our Singapore Garden Centre, it seemed there were less people on a normal weekday. But I suppose this too had something to do with the workhours etc.

The display was very neat and the area looked spacious enough for easy movement. And it was precisely at this convention that I bought the 4 small pots of Heliotropium arborescens cultivars.

And yes, I couldn't resist the temptation to buy the relatively cheap door gift set and took a photo of the salesman in his apron with the slogan "Bean There, Dug That", with his permission of course.

HELIOTROPIUM ARBORESCENS

I love this Garden Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) so much that I bought 4 pots of them from Australia recently.

Unfortunately they are so root sensitive and perished so easily. The pretty small lilac flowers, under close-up, reminds me a little about Lantana flowers.

Why don't they have it on sale in Singapore?

HELIOTROPIUM ARBORESCENS

At the same nursery, I saw this clump of Heliotropium arborescens (Garden Heliotrope, Common Heliotrope or Cherry Pie). Whilst it is always a healthy or vigorous looking plant, I was mesmerized by its beautiful flowers, that reminded me somewhat of Lantana camara.

At the ABC show, I bought 2 pots of these and 2 pots of the cultivar Lord Robert's but they all did not make it. These herbs are very sensitive to root damages and could not take the de-rooting treatment.

What a pity.