Weed Summary – Content Creation

Request for Proposal

Weed Summary – Content Creation

v.2.0.0-20211116

Update Summary

V.2.0.1 (Jan 19th, 2022)

You are supposed to give the weeds proper levels.

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

What's this content for?

In this writing task, you’ll be given a list of plants that are supposed to be weedy or invasive in your region, and you are supposed to simply explain why they are weeds.

In many cases, weed is just a plant grown in the wrong place, it could be harmless or even wildly cultivated in other places. It could to a bit tough to tell the users that one of the pretty plants our users scanned is actually considered a weed in their region. We have to tell them the potential hazards of the plant to their gardens or environment, and the level of hazards. Then let them decide: whether pull the weeds out or try to control them at an acceptable level.

We desire a simple and accurate description and explanation. And if possible, we hope you can leave some room for users to make their final decisions.

Requirements

1. General Requirements:

1.1 Word Count: around 100 words. (For Japanese or Korean, 200 characters, for Chinese 160 characters.) It is ok to run slightly longer if all the information is important.

1.2 Talk about Information on Weed Only: General information on this plant will be presented in another section, please focus on the weed side.

1.3 Make sure the Information mentioned is complete. E.g., if a plant is noxious and invasive in one region and protected in another, a summary that only indicates that the plant is noxious is incorrect.

2. Cover the following information:

2.1 Where is it considered a weed? (Mandatory, local information should come first)

Everywhere

Specific ecosystems

Specific geographic locations (i.e. continents/countries/cities). If it’s only invasive in certain geographic locations, discuss its gardening values in places where it is not a weed in one sentence or less.

2.2 Level of its invasiveness

Is there any place where it is banned? (If it’s not banned, then skip.)

2.3 Why is it a concern? (Mandatory)

Aesthetically unappealing

Taking nutrition from other crops/plants

Producing toxins and harming other plants

Poisonous to humans or animals

Etc.

2.4 If it’s also an ornamental garden plant, then:

Give a reminder, e.g.: Be careful/limit its growth/prevent it from spreading when growing it. (No need to provide any specific solutions)

3. Give the weeds properly classifications:

In our system, weeds are classified into 3 levels: weed A, weed B, & weed C. Each category is defined as follows:

Weed A: Any noxious or invasive plants regulated by local laws*.

Weed B: Any plant that is not regulated but still considered as a weed by gardeners, either native or invasive. Always regarded to have no ornamental value.

Weed C: Any weedy plant that spread quickly without control (but is still used in gardens as an ornamental plant or planted indoors).

[*For Spanish writers, only consider the laws in Europe; and for Portuguese writers, only consider the situation in South America.]

Check the regulation policy in your country and gardening information to give the plant a proper classification. Mark the level in the comment box alongside your referential links. If you find a plant in our list that is not considered a weed anyway, simply mark up “not a weed”.

Special Attentions

Describe the geographical distribution in a general way, as short as possible. Avoid listing different countries or states. E. g., we should use “Northeast Asia” instead of “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”.

An Example of Weed Summary

Note: 【The text inside brackets is just for explanation】

Common lantana (Lantana camara) 112 words
_COMMON_NAME_ (_LATIN_NAME_) is present on all continents except Antarctica. It is especially weedy in Australia, India, and South Africa, where it engulfs millions of hectares. Most countries list it as invasive, and it’s a major weed in the Paleotropics 【Where】. It reproduces via seeds, and the seeds are dispersed by birds. A single mature plant can produce up to 12,000 of them 【How severe is it】. It’s also tolerant to fire, grazing, drought, and can grow in various soil types. _COMMON_NAME_ is considered a threat to biodiversity, through its rapid spread as well as releasing toxic chemicals which prevent germination and inhibit the growth of native plants 【Why is it a weed】. Care should be taken if it is planted in your garden 【Reminder】.

Plant Genus Description – Review Guide

Request for Proposal

Plant Genus Description – Review Guide

v.2.0.2-20220228

sensitive expressions 3.3 medical deleted

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

Update (Feb 28, 2022)

Please treat all the Genus Common Names(_COMMON_NAME_) as Plural in these languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese. If your writing language is not included, then please treat the Genus Common Names as Singular. See Special Attention – 3 –

What's this content for?

This task is to create a series of creative content describing genus-level plant units. These pieces of content will show to our users when we identified to the genus level, so we should avoid detailed species-level information.

In these pieces of content, we would like to give the users a general understanding of the whole genus: are they commonly used in some fields, their breeding/cultivation history, representing species/cultivars, etc. (but NOT the taxonomical characters).

Requirements

1. Check the General Requirements

1.1 Word Count: Each description should consist of around 50 words. (For Japanese and Korean, around 100 characters, for Chinese, around 80.)
Reject entries did not meet 60% of the requirement (e.g., 30 words in English).

1.2 Introduce the genus as a whole, instead of a collection of unrelated plants. Try to find the commonplaces of the plants in the genus and key unique traits. E.g.: azaleas actually consist of several species and their crossed offsprings, but introductions often treat them as a whole. we’d like to have genus introductions like this.
Reject entries that just list or highlight different species in the genus.

1.3 Avoid talking about only one or a few species of the genus.
Reject entries that talk about the characters of one or some selected species.

1.4 Avoid Formulaic Expression: Try to change the choice of content and expression appropriately, preventing similar content with a similar structure from appearing repeatedly within one working set. Overly formulaic content (>50% content is written in the same form) will be rejected.
Reject the overly formulaic content (>50% content is written in the same form)

1.5 Avoid simple listing: including but not limited to geographical distribution and habitat. Try to use generalized terms, e. g., we should use “Northeast Asia” instead of “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”. A simple listing of more than 3 items (countries, habitats) at one time is NOT ALLOWED.
Reject simple listings of more than 3 items (countries, habitats) at one time.

1.6 Avoid botanical terms: remember most readers have no biological background. If in some cases you have to use some, please simply explain them.
Reject entries that have too many unexplained difficult words for normal readers.

1.7 Sufficient Facts: Each description should consist of 2 or more facts in different aspects.
Reject entries that did not have sufficient facts.

2. Check the Facts

2.1 These topics are encouraged (Dos):

If there’s any commonplace in the plants within the genus that connects to our daily life (e.g.: Rhododengons are used as ornamental plants, and many Brassica species are cultivated as vegetables), it will be a great topic.

Edibility, but be aware that when talking about the edibility of some genus, a reliable reference is needed. Make sure to use the expression of “some species of this genus are edible” or sth like this, unless you have a piece of strong evidence or have checked all the species.
Special attention should be taken when there are some toxic species in the same genus. In this case, “Some species of this genus are edible, such as A, B, and C, while E, F are toxic” is a recommended expression.

Unique structural features, blooming season (if in common), growth form, habitat preferred, or some other characteristic biological features.

Name story, both common name, and Latin name.

2.2 Do not mention these pieces of information (Don’ts)

Scientific synonym, alternative common name. These names are listed in our system in another section, please DO NOT mention them unless there’s an interesting name story behind it.

Please TRY NOT to list species contained in the genus unless (1) when talking about which are edible and which are toxic or (2) when there’s only one species under the genus.

Taxonomy information is neither interesting to common readers nor can it be wrong (because of the taxonomy system that has changed frequently recently), please DO NOT mention it here.

Any form of medicinal use is NOT allowed in this section.

Detailed measurements and botanical descriptions are NOT recommended.

Definite species number contained in the genus is NOT suggested to mention because the number may be different in different taxonomy systems. But an approximate number or order of magnitude (hundreds, thousands, etc.) CAN be provided.

Widely cited “NASA Research” supporting the air-cleaning effects of plants is flawed. The air-cleaning efficiency of all the plants is later proven to be too low to be practical. Using any plant to absorb toxic chemicals in your room is not realistic, so please DO NOT mention any air-cleaning effects of plants in this section.

3. Check the Sensitive Expressions

3.1 Non-toxic

Reject the contents with no supporting link attached.

Reject the contents that their supporting link is not reliable.

Reject the contents if only you can find any information on the internet that claims that it is toxic.

3.2 Edible

Any expression related to eating should be considered as a piece of “Edible information”. Including but not limited to declare one plant can be a source of food, can make a salad, can make tea, work as an ingredient of wine/spirit/beer/cocktail, grown as a crop or a spice, its taste (is sweet, bitter, salty) without declaring it’s toxic. Of course, simply declaring some plant is edible is a piece of “edible information” too.

Reject the contents with no sales link from a large local or international commerce website. Unless it is a daily vegetable/fruit.

Reject the contents that their supporting link pointed to medical or other usages instead of eating.

4. Check the Political or Legal Issues

Plagiarism: Reject

Politics, pornography, religion or racial discrimination, drugs, etc.: Reject

Marijuana, tobacco, etc. any positive description of their usage as an addict: Reject. E.g., Nicotiana is a source of cigarettes (nurture, OK), a source of premium Cuban cigars (“premium” has a positive meaning, reject), a great experimental material in molecular biology (positive, but not as an addict, OK).

Alcohol: writers could state that tequila is made from blue agave, but are Not Allowed to introduce how “good” tequila is.

5. Check the Usage of System Placeholders

If the writer failed to use the placeholders systematically, Reject the workspace.

Special Attentions

Local information in your country is highly recommended

Use common names instead of Latin names whenever possible

Please treat all the Genus Common Names(_COMMON_NAME_) as Plural in these languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese – This applies even to a genus with only one species. If your writing language is not included, then please treat the Genus Common Names as Singular.

Italicize any Latin words (except the ones already represented by placeholders) that appear (e.g., genus names, etc.)

If there’s only one species under the genus, you could (1) declare there’s only one species, then (2) describe the species contained briefly.

If you believe that the common name of the writing target is wrong (including singular or plural form), please Report it in the link below and we will change it in time.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vO4wADpXiyJdfwnO4FWJiu0CL_1etZ4zdxapqGraE2U/edit?usp=sharing

Example of Plant Genus Description in English

【The text inside brackets is just for explanation】

Grape hyacinths (Muscari) 45 words
_COMMON_NAME_ grow from bulbs and reproduce rapidly 【common growth characteristics】. These plants produce spikes of dense, grape-shaped flowers that provide vivid color for most of the spring blooming season 【structure feature and blooming time】. Their musk-like fragrance, colorful blossoms, and little maintenance requirements make them popular plants for gardeners and plant enthusiasts 【their garden usage】.
(_COMMON_NAME_ = Grape hyacinths) their common name in plural form in English.

Watering Tips & Feeding Tips – Content Creation

Request for Proposal

Watering Tips & Feeding Tips – Content Creation

v.1.1.0-20211223

V.1.0.2 (Dec 23rd, 2021)

Timings for watering and fertilization are now mandatory
Frequency for fertilization is now allowed

V.1.0.1 (Dec 3rd, 2021)

Examples for feeding added.

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

What's this content for?

You are selected to create a brief recommendation on the watering and feeding of a series of specific plants. These are two separate fields but will be shown to our readers at a close distance.

We hope the recommendations could help readers understand how to take care of the plant quickly. Focus on the specific operations that need to pay attention to, and some basic operational steps do not need to be expanded here.

Requirements

Word Count: around 30~50 words for watering and 30~50 words for fertilization. (For Japanese or Korean, 60~100 characters for each part, and Chinese 45~90 characters.) It is ok to run slightly longer or shorter, depending on the unique points that need to be paid attention to. But try to make the language concise and accurate.
Focus on the Field: do not mention information other than watering/feeding in this section. General information will be presented in other sections.
Tell Users Why: a simple reason why watering it this way could be attached. (If the word count is allowed.)
Operational: focus on the points that common users can control and are relatively easy to operate.
No Need to Give Specific Frequency for Watering: frequency depends on a lot of different factors, we’d prefer to accommodate users watering plants depending on the status of either plant or soil.
No Need to Explain on General Operations: “water thoroughly when dry” is enough for this section. How to determine if the earth is dry, or how to water it thoroughly will be discussed in another article, which users could access easily by clicking a bottom.

Recommended Structure for Watering

The overall water requirements for the plant. Sensitive? Insensitive? Prefer dryer soil or wetter? Tolerate to water or drought? (Give readers a guideline for watering.)
How to judge the timing of watering. The state of soil and/or plants. (mandatory)
Precautions for watering. (e.g. don’t make the leaves wet to prevent rotting, etc.)
On the time dimension: watering frequency changes with the changes of seasons, temperature, and weather.
The difference between indoor, outdoor, potted, etc.

Note: If possible, make sure the timing of watering is clear and operational.

Recommended Structure of Feeding

The overall fertilizer requirements for the plant.
Timing for fertilization. Season, growing stage of a plant, frequency, etc. (mandatory)
The way you apply fertilizer and precautions.

Note: If possible, make sure the timing for fertilization is clear and operational. (Regular feeding is now allowed to be described in frequency, like once a month, twice a year, or so. But if possible, “feed it in spring and fall” is better than “twice a year”, because it is more operational.)

Examples for Watering

Persian Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum):

_COMMON_NAME_ prefers a dryer environment, water it only when the soil is dry to touch or the leaves and flowers begin to droopy. Don’t let the water touch the leaves and stems when watering, which will cause rot. You can just merge the lower part of the flower pot into the water to moist the soil. When it begins to dormancy (lost most of its leaves) you can stop watering, just don’t let the soil completely dry out.

Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

_COMMON_NAME_ is very water sensitive, it benefits from consistent moist soil but cannot tolerate water-logging. Deeply water it frequently during the growing season to encourage their root growth and the frequency of watering should be even higher in hot summer. When a plant begins wilting, it should be watered immediately. Potted _COMMON_NAME_ needs to be watered regularly especially.

Examples for Fertilization

Persian Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)

Though not necessary, regularly applied fertilizer during the growth and blooming period will make _COMMON_NAME_ blooms better. Both organic and water-soluble, low nitrogen fertilizer is recommended, but a balanced fertilizer works well too. Apply diluted fertilizer every 2~4 weeks since the leaves get fully developed in the late fall and stop fertilizing when the flowers faded after the winter.

Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

If the soil is fertile, your _COMMON_NAME_ can do well without fertilizer, but if the soil is not ideal, or simply for most and best flowers, some doses of balanced fertilizer is recommended. The simplest solution is to apply slow-release all-purpose chemical fertilizer once a year. Fast-release fertilizer works well when lightly applied during the late spring and early summer either.

15 Best Trees That Are Ideal for Small Gardens

When you have a small garden, you need to choose the trees you plant carefully. The last thing you want is to overcrowd your space or have the sunlight blocked out by trees that are too large! To help you choose wisely, we’ve put together a tried and tested list of best trees that are perfect for small gardens.

Kousa dogwood

The Kousa dogwood is known for its ornamental appeal. The showy flowers and bark, as well as the lovely fall foliage, make this vase-shaped tree a great addition to your patio, yard, or lawn. The tree matures to about 30 ft high and is often just as wide.

Saucer magnolia

Saucer magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana) is a hybrid magnolia tree native to Europe. Saucer magnolia is found mainly in the British Isles and the United States and is known for easy cultivation. The cultivar Brozzonli has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Chaste tree

The Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a flowering shrub that thrives in subtropical regions. While it prefers full sun, it can grow with partial shade and tolerate temperatures as low as -9℉. The Chaste tree has been cultivated in Europe dating back to ancient Greece. Modern use focuses on creating essential oils from the leaves and fruits.

White spruce

White spruce (Picea glauca) is a tree native to North America and growing widely throughout Alaska and Canada. White spruce is the symbolic tree of Canada’s Manitoba province and the state of South Dakota in the United States. Commercially, its wood is used to make paper and materials for construction projects. This tree can be grown as a bonsai.

Crepe myrtle

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a highly ornamental small tropical tree or shrub, often multi-stemmed. It is native to India, Southeastern Asia, and Japan, and features a characteristic vase-shaped crown and beautifully-ruffled pink blooms that can last from early summer to autumn. It is also a popular nesting shrub for small birds.

Hall crabapple

Hall crabapple (Malus halliana) is a native ornamental tree in China that is often grown for beautification purposes. The fragrant blooming flowers of Hall crabapple have the distinctive smell of sweet musk. In China, this tree is often called chui si hai tang.

Paper birch

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is a tree with unique, papery white bark which is known to peel off the tree. It is also known as American white birch and canoe birch. This tree is relatively short-lived and its wood is often used to make tooth picks, ice cream sticks, wooden bobbins, clothespins, and canoes.

White fringetree

White fringetree is commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes in gardens as either a tree or shrubbery. It produces airy white flowers in spring and olive-shaped fruit in late summer which attract local birds and wildlife. Wild White fringetree populations are now suffering because of emerald ash borer beetle infestations.

Common serviceberry

Common serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is a small, deciduous tree that grows to heights of 15-30 feet. Beautiful clusters of showy white blossoms appear in early spring, fruits ripen in summer and leaves change color in fall. It attracts butterflies, bees, and birds. Grows well in full sun or partial shade

Japanese maple

There is no plant that symbolizes the traditional Japanese garden better than the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). This small deciduous tree or a shrub native to East Asia can grow up to around 10 m, but it is often kept smaller. Japanese maple is loved for its artistic-quality canopy with brilliant red autumn leaves. It is also commonly grown as a bonsai.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel was used quite commonly in the 20th century for locating water sources. The practice, called dowsing or water witching, is still occasionally used. In dowsing, a forked stick of Witch hazel is held perpendicular to the ground and moved slowly over it. The belief is that when a water source is directly under the stick, it will dip or jump.

Eastern redbud

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small understory tree native to North America. In spring or early summer clusters of purple-pink flowers appear on bare branches and sometimes on the trunk. The characteristic seed pod reveals that Eastern redbud belongs to the legume family, which makes it a cousin to peas, and locust trees.

Persian silk tree

Albizia julibrissin, colloquially known as Persian silk tree, is a deciduous plant with characteristic pink, fuzzy inflorescences. Persian silk tree is mainly cultivated for decorative purposes. Its flowers have a mild, sweet smell and are often visited by butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

Red buckeye

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a flowering plant native to the midwestern and southern United States. Red buckeye is also called the firecracker plant. This plant attracts bees, and its seeds are poisonous. The Red buckeye can be used to make soap.

Pawpaw

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a small tree native to the eastern United States. Pawpaw is mentioned in many American folk songs and it is the state fruit of Ohio. Many United States cities are named after the Pawpaw.

Daffodils: Inspiration, Creativity, New beginning

Daffodils feature green leaves and large yellow flowers. Furthermore, they are the first batch of flowers to blossom after the winter snow as if they have just opened their eyes and gazed at the sky during spring. Hence, they are called “The Eye Of The Garden”. Furthermore, they also have a long life span, perhaps to witness the birth and the funeral of a boy.

A long history of cultivation

Daffodils have a long history of cultivation and are a world-famous bulbous flower. In the 16th century, the Dutch began to grow daffodils. Since the 1930s, great efforts have been made in the breeding and variety improvement of daffodils.

The long history of breeding and cultivation has created thousands of different varieties. Presently, more than 32,000 varieties of daffodils have been registered in the international market, and new varieties are introduced every year.

At the end of the 19th century, the daffodil has become an important ornamental plant in western Europe. At the beginning of the 20th century, 50 million Narcissus tazetta ‘Paperwhite’ bulbs were exported from the Netherlands to the United States every year.

The Royal Horticultural Society has always been an important factor in the promotion of Narcissus. In 1884, the Royal Horticultural Society held the first daffodil conference. In 1898, the world’s first organization devoted to the cultivation of daffodils, The Daffodil Society, was founded in Birmingham.

Other countries followed suit such as The American Daffodil Society, founded in 1954, who published the quarterly magazine Daffodil Journal, which turned out to be an excellent trade journal.

Daffodils in mythologies and arts

Since ancient times, daffodils have been associated with many mysterious stories and literary works. In Greek culture, daffodils appear in two Greek and Roman mythologies. In one, the young Narcissus has transformed into a daffodil because of his infatuation with his reflection in the water, which made Narcissu become the genus name of the daffodil. In the other, the goddess Persephone was captured into the underworld by Hades while picking the flower. Narcissus was considered sacred to Hades and Persephone and grew on the banks of the Styx river.

Many British writers mentioned the cultural and symbolic significance of Narcissus. The poems of Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats all contain the poetic description of Narcissus. Among them, William Wordsworth’s 1804 short poem “I wandered lonely as a cloud” is still popular to this day.

Narcissus also appears in many fascinating paintings.

Vincent van Gogh: Undergrowth with Two Figures, 1890

Jan van Scorel: Madonna of the Daffodils with the Child and Donors, 1535

Not only the national flower of Wales but also a powerful tool

As one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom, the Welsh have always used leeks (Cenhinen) as their national symbol since the Middle Ages. However, in Welsh, leeks, and daffodils (Cenhinen Bedr) are easily confused. Hence, in 1907, daffodils simply replaced leeks and became the national flower of Wales. Every year, on March 1st, Welsh men and women wear daffodils or leeks to celebrate Saint David’s day.

In the American fantasy movie “Big Fish” released in 2003, the hero Edward used a sea of 10,000 daffodils to pursue Sandra, the woman with whom he falls in love with at first sight. This wonderful proposal contributed to the film’s timeless and famous scenes.

What? There are people eating daffodils?

In 2014, NPIS received 27 cases of poisoning caused by eating daffodils by mistake, with almost all of them comprising of overseas students from the East. We know that daffodils contain many poisonous alkaloids, such as lycorine, which causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, and spasms after consumption. If not treated in time, there is a risk of death.

Freshly cut daffodils in buds sold in store

British residents might be shocked as to why these students would eat such a poisonous garden plant. Later, the investigation results showed that this was because the daffodils sold as fresh cut flowers in the supermarket really looked like the traditional oriental food garlic moss, which they would eat with fried bacon.

Garlic moss, the flower stem drawn out from garlic

Now, in order to avoid the recurrence of poisoning, the British public health agency has banned supermarkets from selling cut daffodils in their vegetable sections.

Can I grow a decent daffodil?

Daffodils are very easy to grow and as long as they are buried in the soil 2-4 weeks before the soil freezes in winter, you can just rest and watch it bloom. Avoid planting different kinds of daffodils in the same area of land, because what is left after the flowers bloom are unpleasant yellow leaves. Try planting daffodils with some perennial plants, or other flowering plants, so that there are flowers to enjoy all year round.

It should be noted that daffodils are still slightly toxic. It is recommended to wear gloves when planting to avoid direct contact.

Size: 12 to 18 inches tall and half as wide

Hardiness: USDA Zones 3 to 8

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Rich and moist，slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom time: Spring

Snowdrops: Innocence, Purity, and Rebirth

When everything is still asleep, snowdrops are one step ahead and blossom magnificently.

Underneath big trees, around the corner of the garden, or in the open field, these small bell-shaped white flowers muster everything they have to emerge from the snow.

Although snowdrops do not seem outstanding in detail, especially when they are short with not more than 15 cm (6 in) in height and their grayish-green leaves hold their white droopy flowers, it is as if they are firmly holding on to their beliefs – spring is coming!

Places of interest

Because of the weather, the United Kingdom is a wonderful place to enjoy snowdrops. There are many famous flower gardens in the country.

1. Anglesey Abbey

If you wish to see all kinds of snowdrops, the 240 varieties of Galanthus flowers with many unique species cultivated in Anglesey Abbey is the perfect destination. With an area of 114 acres in Anglesey Abbey, you might need a guide to make sure you don’t miss the essence of this breathtaking experience.

2. Cambo Estate

Cambo Estate is the largest professional Galanthus collection in Scotland. Victoria’s walled garden and woodland garden accommodate 300 varieties, a number that is growing slowly, and they also sell some snowdrops every year.

3. Benington Lordship

In addition to the large garden of snowdrops that cover the moats, castles, and gardens, these Hertfordshire gardens have a walled kitchen garden with a variety of collections of Galanthus that visitors can book to visit and might encounter some rare varieties.

Please check the specific opening hours online, because Benington lordship is a private residence.

4. Chelsea Physic Garden

Chelsea Physic Garden is perfect for London residents to explore. As the oldest botanical garden in the capital, it has 75 different kinds of snowdrops, which the locals can visit without a long journey.

The reaper of graveyards

Snowdrops play an important role in art and literature, symbolizing spring and purity. However, the plant also has something to do with a little dark superstition. In Victorian times, Galanthus bulbs were often buried near cemeteries, so in many parts of Britain at that time, snowdrops were also regarded as a sign of doom and death. This superstition has been passed into the 20th century.

Snowdrops are indeed toxic, but you can extract from the flower an active substance called galantamine, which exhibits a therapeutic effect on dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

Snowdrops, a disguise for American military police

During World War II, “Snowdrop” was nicknamed by the British for the American Military Police, because they wore white helmets, gloves, leggings, and Sam Browne belts around olive uniforms, looking like snowdrops.

Are you a Galanthophile?

Now we tend to call snowdrop collectors “Galanthophiles” and this might be related to the famous horticulturist and botanist Edward Augustus Bowles, a fanatical collector of snowdrops, who wrote a letter to another snowdrop enthusiast, titled “Dear Galanthophile”. Hence, the origin of the word “Galanthophile”.

In 2011, a Galanthus plicatus ‘E. A. Bowles’ bulb named after Bowles was sold for 357 British pounds at an auction. For people who are not galanthophiles, this might seem inconceivable. After all, there is no big difference between different varieties of Galanthus. In fact, this is not the highest price in the history of snowdrops. In 2015, someone bought a small Galanthus bulb for 1,390 British pounds on eBay.

Can I grow a decent Galanthus?

Galanthus originate from Central Europe and the Caucasus. Like most Amaryllidaceae plants, Galanthus grows from its bulb. It is generally recommended to plant snowdrops in autumn so that they can bloom the next January to May.

Potted snowdrops are lovely, but the scene of large clusters of snowdrops is way more spectacular than you can imagine. You can plant the bulbs of snowdrops closely together to achieve this effect.

However, it should be noted that the leaves and bulbs are poisonous. When planting them, wear gloves at all costs to avoid direct contact with the plant to avoid allergic reactions. Special care should also be taken when storing bulbs to avoid accidental consumption by children or pets.

Size: 7-15 cm (3-6 inches) tall

Hardiness: USDA zones 3-7

Sunlight: full sun to partial shade

Soil: well-drained soil with plenty of humus

Bloom time: from January to May

Plant Genus Description- Content Creation

Request for Proposal

Plant Genus Description – Content Creation

v.2.0.3-20220719

Writing Guide: https://article.picturethisai.com/writing-guide/

Update (July 19, 2022)

Placeholders are not required to be edited from Authors generally. The common name you write in a sentence should be Exactly the same as displayed on the page (including the situation you believe it’s incorrect). However, if there is not a common name displayed on the page, please use a placeholder.

What's this content for?

In these pieces of content, we would like to give the users a general understanding of the whole genus: are they commonly used in some fields, their breeding/cultivation history, representing species/cultivars, etc. (but NOT the taxonomical characters).

Requirements

1. General Requirements:

1.1 Word Count: Each description should consist of around 50 words. (For Japanese and Korean, around 100 characters, for Chinese, around 80.

1.3 Avoid talking about only one or a few species of the genus.

1.5 Avoid simple listing: including but not limited to geographical distribution and habitat. Try to use generalized terms, e. g., we should use “Northeast Asia” instead of “Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and Russian Far East”. A simple listing of more than 3 items (countries, habitats) at one time is NOT ALLOWED.

1.6 Avoid botanical terms: remember most readers have no biological background. If in some cases you have to use some, please simply explain them.

1.7 Sufficient Facts: Each description should consist of 2 or more facts in different aspects.

2. Fact

2.1 These topics are encouraged (Dos):

If there’s any commonplace in the plants within the genus that connects to our daily life (e.g.: Rhododengons are used as ornamental plants, and many Brassica species are cultivated as vegetables), it will be a great topic.

Edibility, but be aware that when talking about the edibility of some genus, a reliable reference is needed. Make sure to use the expression of “some species of this genus are edible” or sth like this, unless you have a piece of strong evidence or have checked all the species.
Special attention should be taken when there are some toxic species in the same genus. In this case, “Some species of this genus are edible, such as A, B, and C, while E, F are toxic” is a recommended expression.

Unique structural features, blooming season (if in common), growth form, habitat preferred, or some other characteristic biological features.

2.2 Do not mention these pieces of information (Don’ts)

Scientific synonym, alternative common name. These names are listed in our system in another section, please DO NOT mention them unless there’s an interesting name story behind it.

Please TRY NOT to list species contained in the genus unless (1) when talking about which are edible and which are toxic or (2) when there’s only one species under the genus.

Taxonomy information is neither interesting to common readers nor can it be wrong (because of the taxonomy system that has changed frequently recently), please DO NOT mention it here.

Any form of medicinal use is NOT allowed in this section.

Detailed measurements and botanical descriptions are NOT recommended.

Definite species number contained in the genus is NOT suggested to mention because the number may be different in different taxonomy systems. But an approximate number or order of magnitude (hundreds, thousands, etc.) CAN be provided.

Widely cited “NASA Research” supporting the air-cleaning effects of plants is flawed. The air-cleaning efficiency of all the plants is later proven to be too low to be practical. Using any plant to absorb toxic chemicals in your room is not realistic, so please DO NOT mention any air-cleaning effects of plants in this section.

Special Attentions

Local information in your country is highly recommended

Use common names instead of Latin names whenever possible

Italicize any Latin words (except the ones already represented by placeholders) that appear (e.g., genus names, etc.)

If there’s only one species under the genus, you could (1) declare there’s only one species, then (2) describe the species contained briefly.

If you believe that the common name of the writing target is wrong (including singular or plural form), please Report it in the link below and we will change it in time.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vO4wADpXiyJdfwnO4FWJiu0CL_1etZ4zdxapqGraE2U/edit?usp=sharing

Example of Plant Genus Description in English

【The text inside brackets is just for explanation】

Grape hyacinths (Muscari) 45 words
Grape hyacinths grow from bulbs and reproduce rapidly 【common growth characteristics】. These plants produce spikes of dense, grape-shaped flowers that provide vivid color for most of the spring blooming season 【structure feature and blooming time】. Their musk-like fragrance, colorful blossoms, and little maintenance requirements make them popular plants for gardeners and plant enthusiasts 【their garden usage】.

Bodnant Viburnum: Happiness, Joy, Gracefulness, and Youth

During the coldest time in winter, the light pink and fragrant flowers of ‘Dawn’ Bodnant viburnum (Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’) bloom beautifully on its branches, making it one of the most unique displays of a winter garden.

In fact, Bodnant viburnum is only one of the hundreds of ornamental viburnum varieties. These viburnums are excellent garden shrubs, consisting of ornamental flowers, leaves, and fruit all in one plant. In terms of blooming during winter, the flowers emerge gracefully from the snow.

You would consider Bodnant viburnum blooming in the winter an accident because its parent plants V. farreri and V. grandiflorum both bloom in the spring. V. farreri gave Bodnant viburnum its fragrance while V. grandiflorum made it more resistant to the cold.

Location

As the name suggests, Bodnant viburnum is selectively bred in Bodnant Gardens. In 1935, the garden was also the private property of Baron Aberconway, and its chief gardener was Charles Puddle. It was from this garden in North Wales that this popular variety was selected, from more than ten hybrid seedlings.

Summer in Bodnant Gardens

In 1949, the garden was given to the British National Trust and now it is open to the public all year round, with only three days off for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. In addition to being the home of Bodnant viburnum, Bodnant Gardens also has a collection of various ornamental plants from all over the world, including magnolia, embothrium, eucryphia and rhododendron collections. They also have the longest laburnum arch which is a spectacle when it blooms in May and June.

Spring in Bodnant Gardens

Why “arrowwood”?

Although it was discovered in the 1930s, Bodnant viburnums have little to do with bows and arrows. However, in early times, they were indeed one of the main materials used for making arrow shafts. Their lateral branches are long and rigid, and more importantly, they have the perfect thickness and straightness. Without much further processing, they can be qualified as a ready-made body of an arrow.

Arrow Made of Traditional craftsmanship

There has been a long history of making arrow shafts with viburnums and it can even be traced precisely back to prehistoric times. Under the snow of the Austrian-Italian border, natural mummies formed of prehistoric humans have been discovered. Ötzi the iceman was discovered and along with it a history of 5100 to 5400 years. The bodies of the 14 bows he carried were all made of branches from V. lantana and Cornus mas.

A warning about the berries

Viburnums produce attractive berries that can turn red, blue, purple, or black when they mature. Many viburnum berries are edible, such as V. lentago, V. edule, V. nudum, etc. They can be eaten raw, cooked or made into jam.

Enticing Viburnum Berries

If you desire to eat V. opulus, take caution because there is slight toxicity when the berries are not ripe. A huge intake of them might cause you to vomit and have diarrhea. Only with thoroughly cooking its berries can you avoid the risk of toxicity. Other viburnums, such as V. suspensum, are not safe to eat, even when they are ripe.

Appetizing Berries of V. opulus

Can I grow a decent viburnum?

Viburnums are great horticultural plants. You can see the flowers bloom in winter or spring, and fruit in summer and autumn. Furthermore, many of its varieties have beautiful leaves. In autumn, the leaves of deciduous varieties turn bright red or purplish-red. More importantly, viburnums are very easy to grow well. As long as you choose the right variety to adapt to the garden environment and water them properly, you will rarely encounter problems related to pests.

Viburnum berries and leaves in autumn

Bodnant viburnums prefer moist soil. Adding a layer of wood chips or mulch on the ground not only maintains the soil moisture but also inhibits the growth of weeds.

Size: 2.4-3 m (8-10 ft) tall

Hardiness: USDA zone 4-7

Sunlight: full sun to partial shade

Soil: Moist but well-drained

Bloom time: deep fall to early spring

Moth Orchid：Peace, Friendship, Happiness, Strength

Moth orchids (any species from genus Phalaenopsis) are epiphytes in subtropical rainforests that originate from Southeast Asia and the surrounding regions. Its flowers are gorgeous and delicate and resemble butterflies flying around the branches. They also have a long blooming period, so they serve as ideal indoor flower plants.

After a series of artificial hybridization and breeding, they have successfully dominated the potted and cut flower market. You can find all kinds of colors, patterns, and sizes of moth orchids. Hence, you can always pick the one that fits your taste to decorate your interior.

Place to see

If you want to enjoy the beauty of moth orchids, the Singapore Botanical Gardens will definitely surprise you. As one of the seven largest botanical gardens in the world, the Singapore Botanical Gardens is also the first UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in Singapore.

The National Orchid Garden is the most distinctive and attractive part of the Singapore Botanical Gardens. It covers an area of 30,000 square meters (7.5 acres), displaying more than 3,000 varieties, including various phalaenopsis, and more than 60,000 rare orchids.

There are also special nurseries and research institutes established in the orchid garden where new varieties of orchids are cultivated constantly.

Orchidelirium

The popularity of orchids did not just happen overnight. It dates back to the Victorian era when orchids were considered luxury goods belonging to the elite. Various orchids, including moth orchids, sparked a boom in Europe, and it was no surprise to bid 1,000 British pounds for a new orchid variety at an auction.

At that time, specialized orchid hunters were hired to track wild exotic species and bring them back to collectors. They were passionate about displaying orchids in gorgeous private greenhouses.

After that, the trend spread across the ocean to the United States. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel, “The Great Gatsby”, the author describes the life of the American upper class in the 1920s. When Gatsby and her lover, Daisy, whom he hadn’t seen for several years, meet again, to surprise her, he decorated the house with orchids to welcome her, because these expensive flowers were Daisy’s favorite.

From flowers to leaves

In East Asia, the more popular orchid is a kind of Orchidaceae plant called Chinese Cymbidium, which has a long history of cultivation and a strong historical and cultural background.

Most of the Chinese orchids are terrestrial plants that sprout delicate flowers with bright and fresh colors. They also tend to give out an attractive floral fragrance. In East Asia, the Chinese Cymbidium is regarded as a symbol of high purity and elegance, but interestingly, the delicate leaves of the orchids are actually more of a spectacle.

Famous work of Mulan Art by Zhao Meng Jian (1199-1264)

In fact, the transformation from flower to leaf also exists in nature. Some flowers of the Phalaenopsis species do not wither after finishing their role of attracting insects. After pollination, these petals turn green, produce chloroplasts, and carry out photosynthesis, functioning as a leaf.

Can I grow a decent Phalaenopsis?

Phalaenopsis originate from the tropical rainforest and so might prefer different conditions from our living environment. They attach to trunks that are not directly exposed to the sun, and the surrounding air is warm and moist.

Therefore, if you want it to grow well, you need to replicate its original environment as much as possible when potting. Pick a breathable bark matrix, and mix with perlite, charcoal, coconut shell fragments, and other materials to hold the water. Do not allow the leaves to be exposed to direct sunlight to avoid burns. In addition, proper ventilation is also very important to healthy growth.

To keep the shape of the plant symmetrical, it is necessary to rotate the plant from time to time to prevent it from growing towards the direction of sunlight. Note that the root of Phalaenopsis will reflect the condition of its health.

When planting, choose a transparent plastic pot so that you can see when the root turns silver-white, which means it needs to be watered.

Size: 8 to 36 inches tall (depending on species and variety), 12 inches wide

Hardiness: Zones 10 to 12

Sunlight: Bright shade

Soil: Moist, bark-like potting media，slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom time: Spring and summer; indoors, it is a repeat seasonal bloomer

Camellia: Passion, Desire

The camellia blooms on its own when you want it the most. These evergreen shrubs featuring shiny leaves embellish a quiet garden with its gorgeous flowers during winter. Their compact tree structure makes it capable to withstand pruning. Hence, they can definitely meet expectations, whether they are used as landscape trees or hedges.

Hedge full of Camellias

According to the different taxonomy systems, there are 100 to 300 species in the genus camellia, but only Camellia japonica, C. sasanqua, and their hybrids are commonly used as ornamental plants. C. sasanqua flowers tend to blossom in late autumn, while the more common C. japonica blooms later, which happens during the coldest time in winter.

Camellia japonica blooming in the frost

People started the selection of camellias a long time ago, so there are many varieties of Japanese camellias. When you choose to design your garden with camellias, there are many options available for you.

You can choose from bright red flowers, soft pink flowers, fresh white flowers, or the option of mixing different colors in a flower. Their flower options include single petals, double petals, and semi-double petals, and some varieties of camellia even have their petals arranged in a geometrical pattern.

Places of interest

If you wish to enjoy a spectacular view of camellias, visit Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley, GA.

In the 1930s, it was just a private garden owned by David C. Strother. Crazy enough, this fanatical camellia enthusiast traveled around the world, collecting thousands of varieties of camellias. In between travels, the garden was expanded multiple times, making it one of the largest and best camellia gardens in the world.

Now, Massee Lane Gardens is open to the public as a scenic spot and is the headquarters of the American Camellia Society. The best time to visit the garden is from October to January when you can witness the magnificent sea of camellias.

As beautiful as camellia

Camellias were introduced to Europe in the 1700s, and they soon became a popular luxury. In the famous work La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils, camellias became the trademark symbol of the heroine because this ever-popular Parisian social butterfly always wore a camellia flower whenever she attended an occasion.

Poster of La Dame aux Camélias drawn by Alphonse Mucha

While women struggled for the right to vote in New Zealand, they chose the white camellia as their symbol. As a result, the camellia appeared in New Zealand’s 10 dollar note.

Do you know the relationship between camellias and tea?

The tea we drink actually comes from the plant Camellia sinensis which is of the same genus of camellias. Their flowers are smaller and white, and the leaves are thin, so it has little ornamental value. However, their leaves are rich in caffeine, and caffeine-like theophylline, which makes great tea and exhibits the same refreshing effect as coffee.

Tea plantations in the valley

Camellia flowers’ leaves can also be used to make tea, but their thick and leathery leaves are more troublesome to deal with.

C. oleifera seeds are rich in oil and can be used to extract edible oil. Camellia seeds can also be used to extract oil, but the efficiency is less than that of C. oleifera.

Camellia in the eyes of Japanese

Unlike sasanqua camellia, when the flowers of Japanese camellia fall, they don’t fall one petal at a time. Instead, it always falls as a whole flower. When the flowers fall, the ground is filled with bright red flowers, creating a spectacular view. The Japanese have always believed that it has something to do with beheading, so they seldom use it for cut flowers.

Even so, camellias are still essential plants in the gardens of Japanese temples. Many cultivated varieties of ancient origin can be found in temples.

Can I grow a decent Camellia?

Camellias are very easy to grow. As long as the growth conditions meet their requirements, there is almost no hassle in growing camellias. Undoubtedly, if you take good care of them, they will respond to your effort and care with beautiful blooms. Proper watering, fertilization, and pruning are the keys to the healthy growth of camellia.

Camellias prefer moist soil. When there is no rain, deep irrigation twice a week is the right amount of watering. Adding fertilizers every spring can promote the production of more flowers and bigger flowers in winter. The recommended pruning time is right after the flowers have withered to allow sufficient time for developing new branches. Covering the land where camellia grows with mulch is very helpful because the mulch not only makes the garden look cleaner but also prevents the soil water from evaporating and maintains the humidity of the land.

Size: Typically 6-15 feet tall

Hardiness: USDA zone 7-10

Sunlight: partial shade

Soil: well-drained, moist, slightly acidic

Bloom time: deep fall to early spring (depending on species)