Some Observations - Growing Platycerium

Pic 1. July 2015

Pic 1. July 2015:  New shoots appeared on Guru Purnima Day. Some algae growing near too. 

Pic 2. December 2015

Pic 2. December 2015: The North East Monsoon started sometime in September and the rains continued through October...still going on with an occasional sunny day. Lichens have appeared near the base of some fronds.

Pic 3. December 2015

Pic 3. December 2015: Platycerium seems to be liking the showers and thunderstorms. Both the silvery copper fronds in the base and the green fronds which bear spores are growing well. The Lichens can be seen in the base.

Waiting for the Monarch butterfly.....blossoms of Calotropis gigantea

 ...in the October rains, North East Monsoon.

It takes about fifteen months after planting saplings of the shrub Calotropis gigantea to flower. Calotropis gigantea is commonly known as 'Arakku' in the Malayalam language and 'Madar' in Hindi. 

Planted the saplings in a place with direct sunlight. Saplings did not need much watering. Found that plants could be watered once in three days even with day temperatures high as 29 degrees celsius. Possible that humidity in the environment helps.

Observed that visitors like butterflies and bees hover and linger for quite some over the flowers.

Flower Buds of Calotropis gigantea

Waiting for the Monarch butterfly ...blossoms of Calotropis gigantea

Blossoms in the October rains, North East Monsoons

Calotropis gigantea shrubs growing in a sunny area in the laterite soil