Voacanga Africana flowering

[Stonehenge]

I don't have a pic yet, perhaps in a day or so. I was wondering how many others have had their voacangas flower? I only have one clump of flowers on one of my plants. They are white, about 3 cm across and look a little like a periwinkle flower. I have hopes of producing seed but I realize that is probably a long shot. Any advise from anyone? Are VA self fertile? I have another plant but it hasn't flowered yet.

[Torsten]

followed by

[Torsten]

I have hopes of producing seed but I realize that is probably a long shot.

Ours flowered for 3 years before it produced seed.

Are VA self fertile?

I think so. We didn't have any other ones flower when this one flowered to produce its seed. I think this one produced seed after a very warm winter.

[Stonehenge]

Your flower looks a lot like mine, Torsten. Both have 5 white petals but mine has narrower petals. In the very center of the flower is a tiny hole. That's it, no visible pollen anthers or pistils. I haven't checked closely yet with a magnifying glass. We always have warm winters, I'm in summer now, so I have hopes of seeds but realize it may be a long shot. Some of the flowers have fallen off and the little green cup that remains has a tiny hole in the center and one looks like, just possibly, something might be swelling behind it.

How big are those seed pods? How many seeds per pod? How long does it take to go from flower to mature pod? Do fresh seeds sprout easily or do you still have to go through the wet dry rigamarole? I'm trying to think how old these plants are and I think it's at least 5 years, possibly more. Do your plants flower and set seed every year now?

[Torsten]

How big are those seed pods?

6cm across and about 2cm thick when closed.

How many seeds per pod?

Dunno. These oens had about 20 to 40 I guess.

How long does it take to go from flower to mature pod?

Don't remember, but it wasn't as long as many other members in that family. A couple of months probably.

Do fresh seeds sprout easily or do you still have to go through the wet dry rigamarole?

Ours developed late so it was quite cool when I put thm down. This limited germination, but most of them were up within 3 weeks. We did not cycle them.

I'm trying to think how old these plants are and I think it's at least 5 years, possibly more. Do your plants flower and set seed every year now?

This plant was in a 12" pot and is in a warm part of the garden. It flowers more than the other plants and is the only one to have produced pods. The other plants are in the ground, but much more exposed.

[mauve]

How is the smell of the flowers ? (when i see this kind of helix shaped flowers my nose starts craving the heavenly smells of Gardenia !)

[Torsten]

I was trying to recall that when I was posting yesterday, but can't remember. many related species have exquisite aromas, but quite a few don't.

[Stonehenge]

I went out and sniffed the flowers and they have a faint but noticeable scent. It's hard to say what it's like, maybe a little like gardenia or a little bit like jasmine.

Thanks for the info, Torsten.

Here is the photo, if the upload works correctly

[mauve]

beautiful !

[t st tantra]

the leaves are a nice smoke,square inch is start dose,better than the seeds,maybe t will have some 4 sale?

t s t .

[Torsten]

the leaves are a nice smoke,square inch is start dose,better than the seeds,maybe t will have some 4 sale?

t s t .

NOW you tell us! They've just dropped all their leaves for winter

[t st tantra]

how should they be looked after in winter?

those tiny aspido leaves were surprisingly effective too,4 something so small.

only had a few but could just notice one!this is the size of a grain of rice!

t s t .

[Torsten]

voacanga likes it warm but will tolerate down to 2degC or so if it is just once or twice a year. that's my guess.

[Stonehenge]

I use to take them indoors during freezes. The last couple years I didn't and we had a freeze this last winter down to a few degrees below freezing. They had a few burned leaves but survived and grew back. I would not test them in a hard freeze but we seldom get any of them. I would also not test a young plant below about 6c or a young seedling below maybe 10c, just to be safe. They do seem to become more hardy as they get older but a hard freeze will likely kill any of them.

tst, your statement is intriguing. I've asked you before about how good the leaves are but I don't think you replied or you were going to do an assay and never got back. Mine drop their leaves all the time and I never bother to pick them up. You say one square inch will do it? Is that a dry leaf or do you use fresh? How would you describe the effects? And finally, what is aspido?

My plants do not drop their leaves in winter, at least not most of them. A freeze will burn a number of leaves but not merely cold temps.

My plants are getting tall, they are over my head now. Should I top them? Should I prune them frequently? They are a very good looking plant, they have a high ornamental value in addition to the seeds and bark and now perhaps the leaves as well.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Stonehenge

[teonanacatl]

the stamen and stigmas are inside the tube, if you cut it lengthwise you will probably be able to pollinate it by hand easy enough.

[Stonehenge]

I figured they were inside the flower but I have little inclination to cut it open. I've noticed ants working the flowers. I guess they could do the job since it's going to be self ferted anyway, if it is ferted at all. The scent is a little like citrus, sort of unique.

I'm still hoping to hear from t st. I think we would all like to hear more about smoking the leaves. Or can you make a tea? Maybe it's the new mj we are all looking for. I doubt that seriously. I doubt it is worth using but would be happy to be proven wrong.

[t st tantra]

sorry stoney,when i began to get more effects from just holding some plants i decided a review was in order.........but they seem somewhat separate things.

have only had single doses so far,maybe 10 times,nootropic is prob best description,but more pronounced than the seeds.pleasant.

there is a visual tone which i tune into from time to time that reminds me that i've had it and that its doing something.

will up dose and report hopefully.

t s t .

[Stonehenge]

sorry stoney,when i began to get more effects from just holding some plants i decided a review was in order.........but they seem somewhat separate things.

have only had single doses so far,maybe 10 times,nootropic is prob best description,but more pronounced than the seeds.pleasant.

there is a visual tone which i tune into from time to time that reminds me that i've had it and that its doing something.

will up dose and report hopefully.

t s t .

Very interesting. And you got this from smoking 1 square inch of the leaf? I would assume its dry leaf since wet leaf will be hard to get lit. Have you tried eating the leaf yet or a decotion, or something along that line? If you tried it again 10 times, it must be something and if you say it's more than the seeds, that sounds very good. I have heard the bark works too. I may have to start saving my dead leaves.

It may be wishful thinking, but I think or imagine I see a little bit of swelling in the green cup that is left behind when the flower drops off. I will say that it's been about 5 days since I noticed the first empty cup and it has not dropped off the stem ...yet.

[t st tantra]

one sq inch is in the background i just go about things and every now and then pick up on the visual tone and think 'yeh,this is subtle but ok'.

two sq inches opened up with visual and mental clarity,a carefree mood,for a few hours with background effects lingering on further.nice ,good level.

a dog i hadnt seen barked a metre away from me,i barely flinched,just turned and scolded the dog.

interesting flavour,i think some will like it like i do.

t s t .

Edited August 9, 2008 by t st tantra

[Stonehenge]

As always you are chary with the details, t st. Did you smoke it or eat it? Did you use the dry brown leaves that fall off or did you take a fresh leaf and dry it? It sounds very interesting but I'm not sure I would want to smoke that quantity of material. The seeds are eaten and I think the bark is used as a tea. Have you ever used the leaves that way?

Possibly it could be chewed and held under the tongue but the alkaloids might be nasty tasting. Probably down the hatch would be better. How long does it take to come on when used this way?

You mention you got effects from "holding some plants" do you mean just holding in your hands? Which plants did this for you?

I notice that the green cups that remain after the flower drops off have started to drop off also. And I see that a new cup has the same amount of swelling as one several days old. It think that means no seeds for me this time around. Oh well. At least I got some seeds the first time my caapi flowered. I can't expect to get lucky every time.

[t st tantra]

chary?.......my mind is a fog of 20years continuous insomnia,but i dont let that stop me!

leaves that fell off.....virtually all still green/wet.....then dried

the first tests were with leaves from transport damage,currently i am using the winter fall leaves.

smoked,this is a pretty small amt of material,1/5 leaf approx from my plant,a small cigarette 50% tobacco.effect pretty much from first puff.

the comparison with seeds is to chewed or smoked .

just holding........cyperus first,mescal beans,thevetia,mirabalis,a couple others

lsas and one cactus from the air.

t s t .

Edited August 9, 2008 by t st tantra

[Stonehenge]

Sorry to hear about the insomnia, tst, I suffer from a milder form of it myself. And thanks for finally divulging the fact you use it by smoking. I do not smoke ciggies and have no intention of smoking a large quantity of plant material. 4 squares 1" x 1" qualifies as a substantial amount in my book. I ask again, have you ever tried it orally? If so, was it a tea, eating or what?

"just holding........cyperus first,mescal beans,thevetia,mirabalis,a couple others

lsas and one cactus from the air."

And would you care to explain what "just holding" means? Details, details, we must have details.

[t st tantra]

utse

t s t .

[Stonehenge]

Sorry to trouble you with questions, tst. I'll try not to do it in the future.

Anyone have an opinion on topping the tree? I see they divide on a regular basis so I'm not sure topping would do anything about keeping it short. Perhaps topping below a divide and trying to use the cuttings for clones? Anybody have experience with cloning this one?

[Torsten]

cuttings of thin material don't do well [success rate about 2% for me]. I presume this plant will propagate like frangipani in that it needs to have substantial girth to survive and is best propagated like a cactus cutting. I am going to wait till I have 4 or 5cm thick cuttings.

Chopping them is not a problem. There are nodes all along the stem and the plant will simply push out a few shoots from the stem - one of which will become dominant.