| Positive | Monocromatico | On Aug 16, 2003, Monocromatico from Rio de Janeiro
Brazil (Zone 11) wrote:This is a shrub from the southeastern brazilian coastal sandy plains. Itīs an important component of its original ecosystems, being the main component of many bushes and hosting many animals. This may be a protected species, so watch out when buying it.
It can be a very short (30cm tall), but very wide shrub, or a small tree (reaching up to 4m tall), depending on the soil, moisture, geographical location, etc. It has a dense foliage, the leaves have dark green upper page, and small brown hairs covering the lower page, giving it a bronze colouring, very characteristic. The older leaves turn bright red before they fall, but it is random.
The flower come in erect racemes in the end of the branches, and they are abundant, bearing small yellow flowers. The fruits turn yellow when mature, and are eaten by birds.
It originaly lives on white sand, plenty of salt that comes from the sea, and the plant grows small, but spreads largely. But depending on the amount of salt, organic matter, and sun light, it can grow taller. It needs regular watering, high temperatures (very high, the temperature of the sand around it, on its natural habitat, can reach 50°C!) and wonīt grow on clay soils. |
