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Blooming this week is...
Callisia fragrans, "Basket Plant"
This plant truly takes after its name- its fragrant flowers smell wonderful! Native to Mexico, this herbaceous perennial has been cultivated world-wide for over a century. Although typically grown for ornamental purposes, the basket plant also holds medicinal value. Studies have found that this plant contains anti-viral properties!
This creeping beauty can be found throughout our conservatory. Basket plants spread laterally via long runners, so you can find them trailing down our fountain or rooted amongst clustered pots. To our great pleasure, whenever one basket plant blooms, others quickly follow! Although its flowers typically only last a day, the delightful scent of C. fragrans can be enjoyed throughout the week as specimens all over our conservatory take turns blooming.
Sources:
Yarmolinsky, L., Zaccai, M., Ben-Shabat, S., & Huleihel, M. (2010, May 11). Anti-Herpetic Activity of Callissia fragrans and Simmondsia chinensis Leaf Extracts In Vitro. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2918872/
Graveson, R. (2012, June 1). Callisia fragrans. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/112884#tosummaryOfInvasiveness
Weeds of Australia - Biosecurity Queensland Edition Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/callisia_fragrans.htm
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