CROWN-OF-THORNS

Euphorbia milii (crown-of-thorns, Christ plant, Christ thorn) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, a native of Madagascar. The species name commemorates Baron Milius, once Governor of Réunion, who introduced the species to France in 1821. It is suspected that the species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the crown of thorns of Christ.

It is a succulent climbing shrub growing to 1.8 m tall, with densely spiny stems, the straight, slender spines up to 3 cm long, which help it scramble over other plants. The leaves are found mainly on new growth, and are obovate, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm broad. The flowers are small, subtended by a pair of conspicuous petal-like bracts, variably red, pink or white, up to 12 mm broad. The sap is moderately poisonous. Wat Phrik in Thailand claims to be the home of the world's tallest Christ plant.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

RAFFLESIA

Rafflesia arnoldii is a species of flowering plant in the parasitic genus Rafflesia. It is noted for producing the largest individual flower on earth. It has a very strong and horrible odour of decaying flesh, earning it the nickname "carrion flower". It is endemic to the rainforests of Sumatra and possibly Borneo.

Although there are some plants with larger flowering organs like the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) and talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera), those are technically clusters of many flowers. Rafflesia arnoldii (Indonesian: Padma raksasa), also called Kerubut (Devil's Betelnut Box) is one of the three national flowers in Indonesia, the other two being the white jasmine and moon orchid. It was officially recognised as a national "rare flower" (Indonesian: Puspa langka) in Presidential Decree No. 4 in 1993.

The flower of Rafflesia arnoldii grows to a diameter of around one meter and weighs up to 11 kilograms. These flowers emerge from very large, cabbage-like, maroon or magenta buds typically about 30 cm wide, but the largest (and the largest flower bud ever recorded) found at Mount Sago, Sumatra in May 1956 was 43 cm.  It lives as a parasite on several vines of the genus Tetrastigma, which grow only in primary (undisturbed) rainforests.

Rafflesia lacks any observable leaves, stems or even roots, yet is still considered a vascular plant. Similar to fungi, individuals grow as thread-like strands of tissue completely embedded within and in intimate contact with surrounding host cells from which nutrients and water are obtained. This plant produces no leaves, stems or roots and does not have chlorophyll. It can only be seen outside the host plant when it is ready to reproduce. Perhaps the only part of Rafflesia that is identifiable as distinctly plant-like are the flowers, though even these are unusual since they attain massive proportions, have a reddish-brown coloration, and stink of rotting flesh. This scent attracts insects such as flies which then pollinate the rare plant.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

SINNINGIA LEUCOTRICHA

Sinningia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. It is named after Wilhelm Sinning (1792-1874), a gardener of the Botanische Gärten der Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. There are about 65 species of tuberous herbaceous perennials, all occurring in Central and South America, with the greatest concentration of species occurring in southern Brazil.

Sinningia species often grow on rocks or cliffs and most are pollinated by hummingbirds or bees but Sinningia brasiliensis is bat-pollinated, and Sinningia tubiflora, with large, powerfully fragrant tubular white flowers, is apparently pollinated by sphinx moths. Most of the species have large, brightly coloured flowers. Because of this, numerous species and numerous hybrids and cultivars are grown as houseplants. A cultivar worth knowing is Sinningia x 'Lovely.' This beautifully gentle plant is a cross between Sinningia sellovii and Sinningia tubiflora. Its tall spikes and tubular flowers attract butterflies, and delight gardeners.

Some species with particularly large tubers are cultivated by cactus and succulent enthusiasts as caudiciforms. One such example is Sinningia leucotricha, often listed under the older name Rechsteineria leucotricha and dubbed "Brazilian edelweiss" for its covering of silvery, silky hairs. Other species with large tubers are Sinningia iarae, Sinningia lineata, and Sinningia macropoda.

Sinningias are attractive greenhouse plants and houseplants that appeal strongly to gardeners who like to specialise in particular plant groups.The chief environmental needs are warmth, high humidity, suitable soil and good light with shade from strong sun. The soil should be well drained. It should contain a liberal proportion of organic matter, such as leaf mould or peat moss, and enough coarse sand or perlite to ensure good porosity.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

PELICAN FLOWER

Aristolochia grandiflora (Pelican Flower) is a deciduous vine in the Aristolochiaceae family, with one of the world's largest flowers that emits an odour resembling rotting meat, attracting flies.

The large, solitary flowers are produced from cordiate leaf axils. Leaves can be up to 25 cm wide. Flowers are heart shaped: 10–20 cm wide and have tails that are up to 60 cm (24 in). The flower is green/white with purple/brown veins. The centre of the flower is darker coloured, which attracts pollinators along with a distinctive odour to its reproductive elements. The flower has three sections, utricle, tube and limb, characteristic to all Aristolochiaceae.

The plant is native to the Caribbean and Central America, and has been introduced to Florida in the United States as an attractor of butterflies. It is found in tropical forests near streams and gullies. A. grandiflora is pollinated by breeding flies attracted by the odour of the flower. Flies travel down the tubular part of the flower to the utricle where the reproductive organs are found. The tube is lined with trichomes that direct the fly down to the utricle and prevent the fly from moving out.

Reproduction occurs in three main phases. In the first phase, the fly carrying pollen from other flowers pollinates the carpel. During the second phase, the stamen matures releasing pollen on the fly. This phase lasts one day. While trapped inside the flower, the fly eats nectar produced along the walls of the utricle. The trichomes then are signalled to wither, allowing the fly to escape. The entire reproductive process lasts two days before flower senescences and abscises in the third phase.

A. grandiflora has been used for ornamental purposes, as a food source, and in traditional medicine. It is a food source for swallowtail butterfly larvae. These butterflies become unpalatable to predators when they consume the terpenes in this plant. The use of this plant poses a risk as it contains the toxin aristolochic acid which is carcinogenic. The USDA has banned all products containing this compound.  A. grandiflora contains many different alkaloids (bisbenzylisoquinolinic and 8-benzylberberinic), which aid in chemical defences against insects and plant microbes.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DARK-EYED TURNERA

Turnera subulata is a species of flowering plant in the Passifloraceae family known by the common names white buttercup, sulphur alder, politician's flower, dark-eyed turnera, and white alder. Despite its names, it is not related to the buttercups or the alders. It is native to Central and South America, from Panama south to Brazil. It is well known in many other places as an introduced species, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, several other Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, and Florida in the United States. It is commonly cultivated as a garden flower.

This plant is a perennial herb growing from a thick taproot and woody stem base. It reaches a maximum height around 80 cm. The leaves are roughly oval in shape with toothed edges. The undersides are glandular and coated in white hairs. The upper surfaces may be somewhat hairy, as well. The leaves are up to 9 cm long. Flowers occur in the leaf axils, borne in calyces of hairy, glandular sepals. The petals are rounded to oval, the longest exceeding 3 cm. They are white or yellowish with darker bases. The dark patches at the bases are nectar guides. The centre of the flower is rough, said to feel like a cat's tongue. The fruit is a hairy capsule containing seeds with white arils. The seeds are dispersed by ants, who are likely attracted to their high lipid content.

This plant has uses in traditional medicine. It is used for skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory ailments. In Brazil, the plant is made into cough syrup, and the roots are said to be good for dysmenorrhea. Laboratory tests showed it has some inhibitory activity against various fungi, such as Candida glabrata, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Candida albicans.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

CATTLEYA ORCHID

Cattleya trianae (Lindl & Rchb. fil), also known as Flor de Mayo ("May flower") or "Christmas orchid", is a plant belonging to the Orchidaceae family. It grows as an epiphytic orchid, with succulent leaves, endemic to Colombia where it was nominated as the national flower in November 1936. That year, the National Academy of History of Argentina asked the Latin American countries to participate in an exhibition with the representative flowers of each country.

The Colombian government gave the botanist Emilio Robledo the task to designate the most representative flowering plant of the country. The choice of the type species of Cattleya trianae was made for two main reasons: The lip is yellow, bluish and red, in the same way as the Colombian flag. The species was named after the 19th century Colombian botanist Jerónimo Triana. The species grows at 1500–2000 meters above sea level, in Cloud forests. It is an endangered species due to habitat destruction.

Many hybrids and cultivars have now been developed and this Cattleya is one of the most spectacular and rewarding of the tropical epiphytic orchids.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

HELICONIA ROSTRATA

Heliconia rostrata (also known as Hanging Lobster Claw or False Bird of Paradise) is a herbaceous perennial native to Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador, and naturalised in Puerto Rico. Other Heliconias grow in the upright position (e.g. Heliconia caribaea), their cup-shaped flower bracts storing water for birds and insects. This plant, however, has downward-facing flowers, the flowers thus providing a source of nectar to birds.

Heliconias are known to those who grow them as a host flower to many birds, especially the Hummingbird. Because of its unique characteristics, it is often used as a specimen for tropical gardens. Along with the Kantuta flower, Heliconia rostrata, known as patujú, is the national flower of Bolivia.

Heliconias are grown for the florist trade and as landscape plants. These plants do not grow well in cold, dry conditions. They are very drought intolerant, but can endure some soil flooding. Heliconias need an abundance of water, sunlight, and soils that are rich in humus in order to grow well. These flowers are grown in tropical regions all over the world as ornamental plants.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BIRD OF PARADISE FLOWER

Strelitzia reginae is a monocotyledonous flowering plant indigenous to South Africa. Common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise, though these names are also collectively applied to other species in the genus Strelitzia. Its scientific name commemorates Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of the United Kingdom, wife of H.M. King George III.

The species is native to South Africa but naturalised in Mexico, Belize, Bangladesh, Madeira Islands and Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile. The plant grows to 2 m tall, with large, strong leaves 25–70 cm  long and 10–30 cm broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown.

The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the sunbirds which pollinate the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange sepals and three purplish-blue petals. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in pollen.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BLUE LOTUS

Nymphaea caerulea, known primarily known as blue lotus (or blue Egyptian lotus), but also blue water lily (or blue Egyptian water lily), and sacred blue lily (or sacred narcotic lily of the nile), is a water-lily in the family Nymphaeaceae.

The leaves are broadly rounded, 25–40 cm across, with a notch at the leaf stem. The flowers are 10–15 cm in diameter. The flower buds rise to the surface over a period of two to three days, and when ready, open at approximately 9:00–9:30 am and close about 3:00 pm. The flowers and buds do not rise above the water in the morning, nor do they submerge at night. The flowers have pale bluish-white to sky-blue or mauve petals, smoothly changing to a pale yellow in the centre of the flower.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

TORCH GINGER FLOWER

Etlingera elatior (also known as Torch Ginger, Ginger Flower, Red Ginger Lily, Torch Lily, Wild Ginger, Combrang, Bunga Kantan, Philippine Wax Flower, Xiang Bao Jiaing, Indonesian Tall Ginger, Boca de Dragón, Rose de Porcelaine, Porcelain Rose) is a species of herbaceous perennial plant. Botanical synonyms include Nicolaia elatior, Phaeomeria magnifica, Nicolaia speciosa, Phaeomeria speciosa, Alpinia elatior, Alpinia magnifica.

The showy pink flowers are used in decorative arrangements while the flower buds are an important ingredient in the Nonya dish laksa. In North Sumatra, the flower buds are used for a dish called arsik ikan mas (Andaliman/Szechuan pepper Spiced Carp).

It is known in Indonesian as bunga kecombrang or honje, Malay as bunga kantan and Thai as daalaa. In Thailand it is eaten in a kind of Thai salad preparation. In Karo, it is known as asam cekala (asam meaning 'sour'), and the flower buds, but more importantly the ripe seed pods, which are packed with small black seeds, are an essential ingredient of the Karo version of sayur asam, and are particularly suited to cooking fresh fish.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

IXORA - 'PRINCE OF ORANGE'

Ixora is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 500 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world, its centre of diversity is in Tropical Asia. Ixora also grows commonly in subtropical climates in the United States, such as Florida. It is commonly known as West Indian Jasmine. Other common names include: rangan, kheme, ponna, chann tanea, techi, pan, santan, jarum-jarum, Jungle flame, Jungle geranium, and many more.

The plants possess leathery leaves, ranging from 3 to 6 inches in length, and produce large clusters of tiny flowers in the summer. Members of Ixora prefer acidic soil, and are suitable choices for bonsai. It is also a popular choice for hedges in parts of South East Asia, like in Thailand. In tropical climates they flower year round.

The variety illustrated here is Ixora chinensis 'Prince of Orange'. It is an evergreen shrub with erect, densely packed branches and long pointed, yellow to green foliage and rounded heads of tubular, opening to star shaped, bright orange to scarlet flowers from spring to autumn. This is a beautiful plant, showy and elegant all in one. It is frost tender and likes humidity so can do well in a glasshouse. It should be grown in well-drained but moist, humus-rich soils with plenty of mulch. Scale insects can be a problem, but respond to treatment. Remove dead flowerheads, water well in hot conditions. The roots are used in Asian medicine to relieve some stomach problems.


This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BOUGAINVILLEA

Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees with flower-like spring leaves near its flowers. Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus. They are native plants of South America from Brazil west to Perú and south to southern Argentina (Chubut Province).

Bougainvillea are also known as Bugambilia (Mexico), Napoleón (Honduras), veranera (Colombia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama), trinitaria (Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic & Venezuela), Santa Rita (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), Bonggang Villa(Philippines) or papelillo (northern Peru).

The vine species grow anywhere from 1 to 12 m tall, scrambling over other plants with their spiky thorns. The thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4–13 cm long and 2–6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colours associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow.

Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes referred to as "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery. The species here illustrated is Bougainvillea spectabilis. The first European to describe these plants was Philibert Commerçon, a botanist accompanying French Navy admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville (hence the generic name), during his voyage of circumnavigation, and first published for him by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789. It is possible that the first European to observe these plants was Jeanne Baré, Commerçon's lover and assistant whom he sneaked on board (despite regulations) disguised as a man (and who thus became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe).

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DATURA

Datura stramonium, known by the common names Jimson weed or datura, is a plant in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, which is believed to have originated in the Americas, but is now found around the world. Other common names for D. stramonium include thornapple and moon flower, and it has the Spanish name Toloache.

For centuries, datura has been used as a herbal medicine to relieve asthma symptoms and as an analgesic during surgery or bonesetting. It is also a powerful hallucinogen and deliriant, which is used spiritually for the intense visions it produces. However, the tropane alkaloids which are responsible for both the medicinal and hallucinogenic properties are fatally toxic in only slightly higher amounts than the medicinal dosage, and careless use often results in hospitalisations and deaths.

Datura stramonium generally flowers throughout the summer. The fragrant flowers are trumpet-shaped, white to creamy or violet, and 6–9 cm long, and grow on short stems from either the axils of the leaves or the places where the branches fork. The calyx is long and tubular, swollen at the bottom, and sharply angled, surmounted by five sharp teeth. The corolla, which is folded and only partially open, is white, funnel-shaped, and has prominent ribs. The flowers open at night, emitting a pleasant fragrance and is fed upon by nocturnal moths.

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme.

BOUGAINVILLEA

Bougainvillea is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Perú and south to southern Argentina (Chubut Province). Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus.

They are thorny, woody vines growing anywhere from 1 to 12 m tall, scrambling over other plants with their spiky thorns. The thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4–13 cm long and 2–6 cm broad.

The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colours associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes referred to as "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery. The fruit is a narrow five-lobed achene.

Bougainvillea are relatively pest-free plants, but may suffer from worms, snails and aphids. The larvae of some Lepidoptera species also use them as food plants, for example the giant leopard moth (Hypercompe scribonia).

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

TORCH PLANT

There are more than 325 species of aloes with about 60 different species known in cultivation in Australia. They vary in height from 60cm to 18m. Many aloes flower in winter, most will grow almost anywhere and all require very little maintenance. Despite these advantages aloes are rarely seen in modern Australian gardens.

Aloes grow naturally in arid and semi-arid areas, and are well-suited to dry climate gardens in Australia. They will tolerate low fertile soils and will survive infrequent watering, as well as salt air and extremely cold temperatures. Aloes will grow in semi-shaded areas, but prefer a position in full sun. Aloes are relatively tough plants requiring little maintenance. They can also be used to good effect in areas where nothing else will grow, such as an exposed dry hillside. Young plants need to be protected from severe frost.

Aloes will bloom every year and do not die back after flowering. One of the best known of the aloes is Aloe vera, which is used medicinally and cosmetically. The sap from this plant is useful for skin treatments, particularly for burns, and is available in many cosmetics, shampoos and ointments.

One of the most striking of the aloes is the winter-flowering Aloe arborescens: Known as the candelabra aloe or torch plant after its spikes of tubular scarlet flowers, Aloe arborescens is grown as a garden plant around the world. It is native to southern Africa, from the Cape to Zimbabwe and Malawi.  The plant grows in large clumps, reaching up to 2m tall, with a spread of up to 3m. In south-eastern Australia it flowers from late June to late August or September. Its glorious red blooms stand out against a blue winter sky.

The plant in the background is Agave attenuata.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

PERUVIAN LILY

Alstroemeria, commonly called the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alstroemeriaceae. They are all native to South America. Almost all of the species are restricted to one of two distinct centres of diversity, one in central Chile, the other in eastern Brazil. Species of Alstroemeria from Chile are winter-growing plants while those of Brazil are summer-growing. All are long-lived perennials except Alstroemeria graminea, a diminutive annual from the Atacama Desert of Chile. The genus was named after the Swedish baron Clas Alströmer (1736 – 1794) by his close friend Carolus Linnaeus.

Many hybrids and at least 190 cultivars have been developed, featuring many different markings and colours, including white, yellow, orange, apricot, pink, red, purple, and lavender. The most popular and showy hybrids commonly grown today result from crosses between species from Chile (winter-growing) with species from Brazil (summer-growing). This strategy has overcome the problem of seasonal dormancy and resulted in plants that are evergreen, or nearly so, and flower for most of the year. This breeding work derives mainly from trials that began in the United States in the 1980s. The flower, which resembles a miniature lily, is very popular for bouquets and flower arrangements in the commercial cut flower trade.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BRUNFELSIA

Brunfelsia australis (syn: bonodora) is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae, the nightshades. It is endemic to Brazil, and it is grown in cultivation. Its common names include "yesterday-today-and-tomorrow", "morning-noon-and-night", and "Brazil raintree". The genus name Brunfelsia (often incorrectly spelt Brunsfelsia) commemorates sixteenth century German monk, Otto Brunfels. The species name, australis  implies an origin in the Southern Hemisphere, while bonodora, is from the Latin, and means 'sweet-smelling'.

It is an evergreen shrub which grows slowly to around 2-4m tall and 2m wide. The foliage is dense and medium green in colour. The young leaves are often purplish in cool weather. The flowers are very sweetly perfumed and appear from September to late November in Melbourne. When they first open they are a violet colour, fading to lavender blue and then white, with the three colours present on the bush at the same time, hence the common name.

The only downside is that the plant is poisonous and the brown berries have been known to poison dogs. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, muscle tremors, staggering and seizures. If you have a dog, remove the berries from the plant every year.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

STAR OF BETHLEHEM

Ornithogalum is a genus of perennial plants mostly native to southern Europe and southern Africa belonging to the family Asparagaceae. There are some species native to other areas such as the Caucasus. Growing from a bulb, species have linear basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm or more tall, bearing clusters of typically white star-shaped flowers, often striped with green. The common name of the genus, Star-of-Bethlehem, is based on its star-shaped flowers, after the Star of Bethlehem that appeared in the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

The cultivar illustrated here is Ornithogalum thyrsoides 'Chesapeake Snowflake'. It is derived from a Southern African species and is a large, robust and showy flower. It makes an excellent cut flower with a vase life of up to two weeks.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DIETES - CAPE IRIS

Dietes iridioides (African iris, Cape iris, fortnight lily, Morea iris, wild iris, dietes) is an ornamental plant in the Iridaceae family.D. iridioides has white flowers marked with yellow and violet, with six free tepals that are not joined into a tube at their bases. These flowers last only one day. The seedpods of the plant often bend the stalks down to the ground where they have a better chance of propagating new plants.

The very similar Dietes grandiflora (Large Wild Iris) is a larger plant, which can be distinguished by larger flowers which have dark spots at the base of the outer tepals, and last for three days.These plants were formerly placed in the genus Moraea, but were reclassified because they are rhizomatous.

Grow in full sun or part shade. Although tolerant of tough conditions, Dietes will perform best in well-drained soil, rich in organic material. Fertilise occasionally and water during dry spells. Do not remove flower stems as they continue to flower for several years. Propagate by seed or by division of established clumps.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

CALABASH TREE

Crescentia cujete, commonly known as the Calabash Tree, is species of flowering plant that is native to Central and South America. It is the national tree of St. Lucia. It is naturalised in India. It is a dicotyledonous plant with simple leaves, which are alternate or in fascicles (clusters) on short shoots.

It is also known as Ayale (English), Calabacero (Spain), Cuité (Brazil) Totumo (Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru), Taparo (Venezuela), Mate (Ecuador), Huinga (Peru), Pate (Peru), Cuyabra (Colombia), Cujete (Spain, Philippines), Miracle Fruit (Philippines), Kalbas (Dominica and St. Lucia), Higuera (Puerto Rico).

This species is now widely grown throughout the tropics of both the Old World and New World for its fruits, which are used to make bowls, cups, jugs, water containers, and other utensils, as well as (often decorated) ornaments and musical instruments. It is also grown as an ornamental. Tying and training the growing fruits can reportedly produce a range of shapes. Blocks of calabash bark and wood, as well as the trees themselves, have been used for growing orchids.

The pulp of the fruit is poisonous and has been used in some areas for traditional medical treatments. Reportedly, the seeds are sometimes cooked and eaten. These trees are commonly encountered on hillside pastures, along roadsides, and wherever they are planted by humans, occurring especially in drier areas. They are easily propagated from seeds or cuttings, but grow slowly. Cultivated varieties may produce larger fruits than do wild trees. I photographed this specimen int eh Darwin Botanical Garden.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.