Ochna

Description:

Ochna is an ornamental shrub. Ochna tress are native to tropical woodlands of Africa and Asia. They are usually called Ochnas or Mickey-mouse plant. Ochnas grow to a height of 3.3 m tall. They are bushy, semi-evergreen shrub or small tree, with copiously denticulate twigs and branches. The Ochna leaves are up to 5 cm long, narrow and glossy with serrated margins. New growth usually has a bronze tinge. Ochna flowers are bright yellow with five petals. These petals fall off, leaving five sepals which turn scarlet red when the fruits appear. The fruits are initially green, turning glossy black in summer. Ochna plants have a very long taproot. Often at soil level or just below, the stem will have a kink in it which snaps easily when pulled. The taproot is usually twice the length or more of the above ground stem and contains loads of energy to resprout which it does 9 times out of 10 when cut or broken off. Ochna tree is susceptible to spider mites. Ochna is very resistant to herbicides, and re-sprouts vigorously if it is damaged. Seedlings may be dug out. Hand-pulling is likely to leave the taproot behind to re-grow, though small plants in moist soil can be pulled readily enough. The plant is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant for its yellow flowers an unusual fruits. It is seen in gardens as specimen plants or as hedges in residential and urban areas. It is particularly popular and widely planted and naturalized in a few lowland residential areas. It has been widely planted in Australian gardens for its strikingly attractive flowers. Ochna is easily dispersed to new areas when birds eat the fruits and spread the seeds.

Habitat:

this one is found at the butterfly center of houston natural science. the plant is indigenous to southern Africa.

Notes:

The word Ochna is derived from the Greek word, ochne, which means wild pear, because the leaves resemble that of the wild pear. The specific name pretoriensis refers to Pretoria, which is the area where it was first collected. The Ochnaceae family contains about 30 genera and 250 species world-wide, of which two genera ( Ochna and Brackenridgea ) covering 13 species are indigenous to southern Africa. Ochnaceae (wild pear family) Common names: Magalies plane ( Eng. ); magalies-rooihout (Afr.)