Plants in the News

[David Pilling]

RHS Plant of the Year 2024 announced at Chelsea Flower Show


This year's winner is a winter and spring flowering ornamental cherry, with unusual pure white star-shaped flowers. Bred by Ken Tobutt and exhibited by Green Jjam Nurseries at Chelsea Flower Show, Prunus 'Starlight' was picked by over 180 experts as the winner.

In second place came Cosmos atrosanguineus CHERRY CHOCOLATE

Third place was Agave 'Praying Hands'



https://www.gardensillustrated.com/chelsea/plant-of-the-year-2024-winner

[David Pilling]

Winners announced at the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show


The medal winners of RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 have been announced. Gold medal winners among Main Avenue's show gardens include Tom Stuart-Smith's The National Garden Scheme Garden, with its calming planting scheme featuring white azaleas and shade-lovers such as farfugium Saruma henryi and kirengeshoma below coppiced hazels.


https://www.theenglishgarden.co.uk/news-and-events/upcoming-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/awards-or-chelsea-flower-show-2024/

[David Pilling]

Peace lilies will produce bigger blooms when fed five unusual household scraps


Feeding peace lilies the right nutrients will help them produce bigger flowers which last a lot longer, and you can make the right fertiliser without spending a penny according to one gardener.


https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/1903497/how-to-fertilise-peace-lily-naturally-cheaply

[David Pilling]

'Highly dangerous' plant that could wreck homes is worse than Japanese knotweed


A shrub called buddleia, also known as butterfly bush, could be "more dangerous" than the commonly known Japanese knotweed. The experts said the shrub spreads by seed fast and can quickly germinate in unwanted areas, including roofs, walls and windowsills...


https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/gardening/highly-dangerous-plant-could-wreak-32852726

[David Pilling]

Plant-based pill that 'improves memory function' to be made available in UK


The health supplement may be able to address the process of cognitive decline in an increasingly ageing population, say Scottish scientists. It contains the natural plant-derived molecules Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and L Theanine, which are found in onion, chicory, garlic, asparagus and bananas.


https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/plant-based-pill-improves-memory-29255865

[Diane Whitehead]

It's a good thing I eat a banana every day, but only a 10% improvement per pill?

[David Pilling]

It's a good thing I eat a banana every day

Bananas are radioactive - more sanely healthier when eaten unripe - less sugar (?).

[Diane Whitehead]

Maybe just the ones they grow in Iceland.

[David Pilling]

Maybe just the ones they grow in Iceland.

Potassium is radioactive, bananas contain potassium, hence why they are a good addition to compost.

[David Pilling]

7 beautiful foods to plant in your garden


Do you want to grow food in your garden without overhauling it into an allotment? Or wish you had a veg patch but don't have the time? You can have the best of both worlds, by scattering edible plants among your borders or in pots on the patio.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/beautiful_foods_to_plant_in_your_garden

[David Pilling]

Giant Hogweed reported along Grand Union Canal near Apsley


Walkers have been warned to avoid a dangerous invasive plant that has been taped off ahead of removal.

A large Giant Hogweed plant, which if touched can cause serious blistering, was reported to the Canal & Rivers Trust on the Grand Union Canal towpath near Apsley Lock over the weekend.


https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/24362623.giant-hogweed-reported-along-grand-union-canal-near-apsley/

[Diane Whitehead]

Plants with feelings? New book The Light Eaters might change how you think about plant intelligence

A review of The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books/article-the-light-eaters-looks-at-the-growing-signs-of-plant-intelligence/

[MarkMazer]

Potassium is radioactive, bananas contain potassium, hence why they are a good addition to compost.

There is a well known XKCD Radition Dose Chart that is in the public domain... eating one banana=  0.1 µSv (microsieverts).

See: https://xkcd.com/radiation/

Mark Mazer
Hertford, NC USA

[Diane Whitehead]

Not just bananas.

other fruit:  apricot, citrus, kiwi, melon, pear, rhubarb

veggies: bean, beet, pea, baked potato, squash

mushroom

dark chocolate

I guess you don't have to worry until you start to glow in the dark.

[David Pilling]

I guess you don't have to worry until you start to glow in the dark.

Special shout out to Brasil nuts which contain radium. Of course you already glow in the dark (and light), just not at short enough wavelengths to see with the eye.