Exacum affine - Persian Violet

Scientific name: Exacum affine

Common name: Persian Violet, German Violet

Family: Gentianaceae

Origin: Island of  Socotra, Yemen*

Category: Herbaceous biennial

Photo taken at: Floria 2012

*Source: Cal's Plant of the Week website here.

How to grow

Light : Partial shade

Soil : Rich, moist, well draining (1:1:1 - loam:sand:perlite)

Water : Regular

Propagate : seeds 

Features

Plant can grow to about 2ft tall. Suitable as a container houseplant

Ananas bracteatus 'Striatus' - Ornamental Red Pineapple

Scientific name: Ananas bracteatus 'Striatus'

Common name: Red Pineapple
Malay name: Nanas Merah

Family: Bromliaceae

Origin: Brazil

Category: Bromliad

Photo taken at: Shopping Centre

How to grow

Light : Full sun 

Soil : Potting mix of equal parts of sand and compost

Water : Regular

Maintenance : Low 

Propagate : suckers

Features

Small sized red pineapple fruit, thornless leaves. No need to repot as the plant has a small root system. Can be used as an indoor tabletop decoration, will last a few months.

Monochoria vaginalis - Heartleaf Pondweed

Scientific name: Monochoria vaginalis
Synonym: Monochoria africana

Common names: Heartleaf False Pickerelweed, Oval-leafed Pondweed
Chinese name 鸭舌草 (ya she cao)
Malay name: Eceng Padi

Family: Pontederiaceae
Origin: Asia, Pacific Islands, tropical Africa
Category: Aquatic plant
Photo taken at: Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama

How to grow

Light : full sun 

Soil : mud 

Water : submerged in water 

Propagate : Seeds

Features:

Commonly found in places with stagnant water such as ponds, ditches and rice paddy fields. Flowers open while still submerged in water. The plant is rooted in mud with the upper portion above water.

Ipomoea indica - Blue Morning Glory

Scientific name: Ipomoea indica

Synonyms:
Convolvulus acuminatus, Convolvulus indicus, 
Ipomoea acuminata,Ipomoea cathartica Ipomoea congesta

Common names:

Blue Morning Glory, Oceanblue Morning Glory, Koali Awa,
Blue Dawnflower, Island Morning Glory, Purplewindle

Family: Convolvulus

Origin: Tropical America

Category: Tropical tender perennial vine

Photo taken at: Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama

How to grow
Light : Full sun to partial shade
Soil : Rich, moist but well-drained
Water : Regular
Prune : To control growth
Propagate : Softwood, semi hardwood cuttings, seeds.

Features
Rich purple trumpet shaped flowers, heart-shaped 3-lobed leaves.
Flowers look similar to Ipomoea purpurea but its sepals are long and tapering while those of I. purpurea have an acute tip. Invasive weed in Australia, New Zealand and California.

Ficus pumila - Creeping Fig

Scientific name: Ficus pumila
Synonym: Ficus repens

 Common name: Creeping Fig, Climbing Fig, Creeping Ficus

Family: Moraceae

Origin: Asia

Category: Evergreen creeping vine

Photo taken at: Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama

How to grow

Light : Full sun to partial shade

Soil : Consistently moist soil

Water : Regular, do not let soil dry out between watering

Propagate : Stem cuttings and layering 

Features

Suitable as an indoor plant. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Inconspicuous floewrs

Castanospermum australe - Lucky Bean Plant

Scientific name: Castanospermum australe

Common name: Lucky Bean Plant, Black Bean Tree Moreton Bay Chestnut

Family: Fabaceae

Origin: Australia

Category: Evergreen Tree

How to grow

Light : Full sun

Soil : Well drained soil

Water : Regular 

Prune : 

Propagate : Seeds

Features :

Seeds are poisonous when ingested. Keep away from pets and young children. Roots are extensive and invasive. Do not grow near swimming pool, patio, wall, foundation, power and gas lines. Can grow to 40ft tree with 40ft spread. Most suitable when grow pot bound as an indoor bonsai.

Selaginella sp

Scientific name: Selaginella sp 

Common name: Spike Moss, Club Moss, Arborvitae Fern

Family: Selaginellaceae

Origin: Unknown

Category: Vascular, fern ally

How to grow 

Light : Shade

Soil : Rich, moist, well-draining

Water : Average, to keep soil moist
Feed: All-purpose, slow-released fertilizer

Prune : Low maintenance plant

Propagate : Division and spores

Features

Leaves are scale-like, stems branching from which roots arise. Suitable for hanging baskets and terrariums.

Mirabilis jalapa - 4 O'clock Flower (Pink)

Scientific name: Mirabilis jalapa

Common name: Four-o'clock Flower, Marvel of Peru, Beauty of the Night

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Origin: Mexico

Category: Free-flowering perennial 

Photo taken at: My home garden

How to grow : Full sun and propagation is from seeds.

Features : Flower opens in the evenings between 4-6pm, emits a nice, sweet fragrance and fade by next morning.

Rotheca myricoides 'Ugandense' - The Butterfly Flower Bush

Scientific name: Rotheca myricoides 'Ugandense'

Synonym:  Clerodendrum ugandense

Common names: 

Butterfly Flower Bush, Blue Butterfly Bush, Blue Glory Bower, 

Blue Oxford Bush, Blue Cambridge Bush 

Family: Lamiaceae (fomerly Verbenaceae)

Origin: Kenya, Uganda, East Africa

Photographs taken at: Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama

This is a plant with showy sky blue flowers that look very much like butterflies and it also attracts butterflies.

It has many common names:

English :   Blue Glory Bower, Blue Butterfly Flower, Clerodendron, Blue Butterfly Wings, Butterfly Bush, Oxford Bush, Cambridge Bush

Chinese : 紫蝶花 (zi die hua) meaning Purple Butterfly Flower,

Malay : Semak Bunga Kupu-kupu Biru meaning Blue Butterfly Flower Bush

My post about this plant is here.

Serissa japonica / Serissa foetida - Bonsai Serissa

Scientific name: Serissa japonica

Synonym: Serissa foetida

Common names:
Japanese Serissa, Snowrose,  Japanese Boxthorn,
Bonsai Serissa, Tree of a Thousand Stars

Family: Rubiaceae

Origin: China and Japan

Category: Everygreen perennial shrub

Photo taken at: Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama

How to grow

Light : Full sun

Soil : Well-draining

Water : Wait for soil surface to day before next watering. Water deeply
Prune : Remove wiry/unkempt branches, wayward suckers to keep the plant in shape. It can be pruned to fanciful shapes.
Propagate : Seeds and softwood cuttings

Features :
This plant is native to Southeast Asia, China, Japan and India. The bark and roots release an unpleasant smell when cut or crushed, hence the Latin name, "foetida". It grows into a low and erect bush. It is ever-flowering. The flowers are small and numerous. The fruits are in the form of small black berries.

Source for further reading : click on the links provided below:
1. Serissa as a bonsai