h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I scanned a couple more leaves of aromatic plants I have in my garden.

This is a garden cultivar of the genus Pelargonium:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/Pelargonium1b_zps70176860.jpg

The flower looks a bit squashed ... I actually didn't close the scanner's lid on it, I just had two sheets of paper draped over it and it still got a bit squashed so it's a very delicate flower.

Pelargoniums are very diverse in South Africa, most species occurring in the shrubby fynbos of the Southwestern Cape or in semi-desert scrub. Several cultivars have been bred for gardens; this is one is a large and spreading, soft-stemmed shrub. The leaves are aromatic, though this isn't the nicest one I've smelled ... it has a wildish herby smell.

The next one is a Tetradenia riparia, which is called a Misty Plume Bush or a Ginger Bush:

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/Tetradeniariparia1b_zps64830952.jpg

Now this really doesn't smell like ginger at all. It has a more fresh, minty sort of scent. It belongs to the mint and sage family, the Lamiaceae. This family is huge in South Africa, especially around where I live. Most members are herbs or small shrubs, all interesting, with a variety of scents, shapes and textures in their leaves, and almost all having pretty flowers. The Misty Plyme Bush bears small flowers in large flower heads that rise above the branches. It is the largest local member of the family, growing to 5m/16ft in height. It is sort of succulent-ish, having thick but soft stems. It grows vigorously and can be cultivated from cuttings. Its leaves, apart from smelling very nice, are soft and velvety and grow fairly large, making it a nice foliage specimen as well. I'm trying to popularize this species over here, as it's an excellent garden specimen.

I recognise the first one. Sometimes you find it here as a house plant. Most Pelargoniums don't grow so well here, outdoors - they usually get a bit more rain than they can cope with, and while they often survive it, they never look like the healthiest specimens!

Lovely, Willem! Thanks! I do love this scanner communication! It inspires me.

Hello KB and Cactuscafé! I'm glad you enjoy the scanned plants. I can imagine it's a bit too wet for our plants over there KB, but also perhaps not sunny enough and too cold in the winter also!