ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE (2+1)

Description of important shrubs

Acalypha sp. - Euphorbiaceae
These are colourful foliage shrubs used for various purposes of garden decoration. A. hispida. Flowers appear in erect or drooping, terminal or auxiliary spikes, called ‘cat’s tail’. Mostly used as hedge plant. It is propagated from stem cuttings.

Adenium obesum - Apocjanaceae
Tall erect shrub, growing up to 2.5 meters. Stem swollen at base and succulent. Leaves clustered near the tip of branches; simple, sessile oblong. Flowers are many on terminal corymbs, funnel shaped, pinkish crimson. The long conical fruits contain winged seeds. Flowering season: June-September; propagated by seeds or air-layers.

Barleria cristata (December crossandra) - Acanthaceae
A dwarf bushy much branched shrub; flower is funnel shaped. Flowering season is November to January. It is propagated from stem cuttings.

Bauhinia tomentosa - Fabaceae
An erect, bushy deciduous shrub grows up to 2.5 meters. The plants bear numerous sulphur yellow flowers in summer and rains. It is propagated from seeds.

Bougainvillea spectabilis - Nyctaginaceae
It is a popular shrub or a climber with stiff thorns arises from axils of leaves; Bracts are many colored, elliptic in shape, perianth is tubular ending in five star shaped lobes; once established in the ground, it seldom needs watering even during the hot months.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima - Fabaceae
It is a beautiful bushy shrub with few prickles. Flowers are orange scarlet in terminal raceme; sepals are red, tinged green. It is propagated by seeds.

Calliandra brevipes (Powder puff) - Fabaceae
This is a bushy shrub with branches drooping and spreading. Flowers arise in clusters with numerous fine pink stamens. The plants are multiplied from seeds or layers. Flowering seen almost throughout the year.

Cestrum diurnum (Day jasmine or Day queen) - Solanaceae
A bushy shrub with spreading branches: The flowers are sessile & white coloured. The fruit is showy, globular, blue, and grows in a cluster. Flowers in summer and rainy season. It is propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Cestrum nocturnum (Night queen) - Solanaceae
A large bush with weak branches; leaves are oblong and alternate. Flowers grow in axillary or terminal panicle, creamy white and night scented; Propagated by cutting and layering.

Codiaeum variegatum (Crotons) - Euphorbiaceae
Medium growing foliage shrubs with attractive foliage in multiple colors and spots; suitable for semi shaded and open areas. It is propagated by air-layers and cuttings.
Crossandra infundibuliformis - Acanthaceae
It is a perpetual flowering shrub; quick growing and flowers are commercially valued. Flowers are orange and a borne on spikes. Propagation is by seeds.
Cassia biflora - Leguminosae
A tall bushy evergreen plant, 3 m tall. Leaves are compound with 10-12 pairs of leaflets. Flowers are golden yellow in colour, develop in clusters of auxiliary or terminal raceme. Pods are flat. Flowering is almost throughout the year. Propagation is by seeds.
Cassia alata - Leguminosae
A tall erect shrub, not much branched as other cassias. Flower is golden yellow, pod is long and winged. Propagated by seeds.
Dombeya natalensis - Sterculiaceae
A tall shrub with numerous spreading branches; Flowers grow on terminal umbels of 4-8, rosy white, slightly scented with 5 petals. Produce numerous tufts of white flowers during the winter. Propagation is by air layering and cutting.
Duranta plumeri - Verbenaceae
A tall much branched shrub with axillary spines. Branches are 4 angled. Flowers are blue in loose terminal panicles. Fruits are yellows; propagation is by cuttings.
Eranthemum bicolor - Acanthaceae
The plants are bushy useful for shady and semi-shady places with colorful foliage and flowers. Plants grow well in rich porous soil. Flowers are tubular, white with 4 lobes; grow on terminal or auxiliary raceme. Propagation is by terminal cuttings.
Euphorbia pulcherrima (Syn: Poinsettia pulcherrima) Christmas flower - Euphorbiaceae
A shrub with cylindrical branches. Leaves are with pink petioles. Flowers appear as clusters on top of the branches. Bracts are crimson red and are showy during winter; propagated from cuttings.
Euphorbia leucocephala - Euphorbiaceae
A medium shrub with cylindrical branches. Leaves turn to white during winter giving beautiful appearance. Flowers are small, white, and arise in leaf axils and terminals. Propagation is by air layering and cuttings.
Graptophyllum hortensis - Acanthaceae
A beautiful foliage shrub, stem is yellowish green; flowers are deep red in terminal or axillary raceme. Grows well in a semi-shade and porous soil.
Hamelia patens - Rubiaceae
A handsome perpetual flowering shrub, stem is reddish green, pubescent leaves. It produces numerous tubular flowers all the year round. Propagation is by cutting or air layering.
Hibiscus mutabilis - Malvaceae
A deciduous shrub, growing up to 2.5 m height. Flowers are solitary & large. Petals white at first, fading to pink later. Propagation is by air layering, cutting or seed.
Hibiscus rosasinensis China rose - Malvaceae
A tall or medium sized evergreen shrub; leaves are ovate, coarsely toothed. Flowers are large, solitary, axillary, single or double, having shades of one or two or more colors. The colors range from white, yellow, orange, salmon, pink, mauve red etc.
Ixora singaporensis (red) - Rubiaceae
Ixora coccinea These are popular and useful flowering shrubs in the garden and almost all the species and varieties flower very freely in the summer and rains. Many types of Ixora produce seeds, but cuttings and layering are the common methods or propagation.
Jasminum spp. - Oleaceae
Jasminum auriculatum - Mullai
J. sambac - Gundumalli
J. grandiflorum - Jathimalli
Jasminum species are group of shrubs of commercial importance. Leaves are opposite or alternate; flowers are in terminal or auxiliary corymbs and flowering seen for 5-6 months in summer and rains. Large-scale propagation is done by cuttings.
Jatropha multifida (Coral bush) -Euphorbiaceae
A perpetual flowering shrub; flowers are red with yellow stamens. Propagation is by stem cuttings.
Lantana camara - Verbenaceae
Prickly stemmed bushy plants of half to two meters height. Leaves are opposite, ovate or oblong, toothed, coarse. Flower colures range from yellow, bright red, white etc.
Lawsonia inerme (Syn: L. alba) - Lythraceae
Var. alba-petals light yellow; var rubra petals rose. It is tall growing shrub and flowers are small in terminal cymes. Petals are ovate, wrinkled on the top of the calyx tube. Propagation is by stem cuttings.
Mussaenda erythrophylla - Rubiaceae
A semi-erect shrub. The expanded sepals are sessile, bright scarlet about and whitish with red veins below. These velvety sepals are produced during summer and rains. Propagation is by air layering and cuttings. Thrive well in acidic soils.
Nerium oleander - Apocynaceae
A evergreen erect shrub, leaves mostly in whorls of three, lanceolate, flowers may be single or double in terminal panicles, slightly fragrant. Pink, white, rosy red colour flowers are available. Propagated by stem cuttings.
Nyctanthes arbortristis (Night jasmine) Oleaceae
A tall bushy shrub with drooping branches. Flowers are white with an orange tube in terminal panicles. Flowers open during night and drop off in the morning. Propagation is by stem cuttings.
Pentas lanceolata - Rubiaceae
It is herbaceous or semi woody perpetual flowering shrub. Numerous flowers appear in terminal corymbs. The corolla is tubular with 5-6 lobes. Flowers are white, pink, mauve and red. Propagated by cuttings.
Phyllanthus nivosus (Snow bush) - Euphorbiaceae
A bushy shrub with compound leaflets. Leaves have variegation with whitish and greenish patches. Flowers are small, greenish, hanging on a long pedicel from the leaf axils. Propagated by cuttings.
Plumbago capensis - Plumbaginaceae
A dwarf shrub with green weak stem; Flowers grow in a short terminal raceme, which are azure blue colored. Propagated by layers and cuttings.
Polyscia filicifolia (Syn: Aralia filicifolia) - Araliaceae
An erect glabrous shrub. The stem and leaf stalks are with various colures. There are usually 3 leaflets, which are roundish or reniform shaped.
Pisonia alba (Tree lettuce) - Nyctaginaceae
A tall growing foliage shrub; can be grown in shade and semi-shade conditions. The leaves are also used as greens.
Tabernaemontana coronaria (Cape Jasmine) - Apocynaceae
A very popular shrub. The leaves are simple oblong flowers are white. Single, semi double and double forms are available in terminal or axillary cymes.
Tecoma stans (yellow) - Bignoniaceae
An erect or rambling shrub growing up to 1.5 to 3.0 m height. Flowers borne in terminal panicles or racemes during summer and rains.
T. capensis (orange-red)
T. smithii (Yellowish orange)
Cuttings root very easily, and the plants thrive in all types of soils.
Thunbergia erecta - Acanthaceae
A hardy bushy shrub. The flowers are in solitary or paired, axillary violet colored with yellow or orange throat, tubular in shape. Propagated by cuttings.
Thevetia nerifolia - Apocynaceae
A tall growing shrub normally used for fencing. The flowers are golden yellow, fruits and flowers have poisonous substances.
Vinca rosea; Syn: Cartharanthus roseus (Periwinkle) - Apocynaceae
A much branched dwarf bushy shrub, up to 60-90 cm high. Flowers are rose or white, solitary, axillary, flowers seen throughout the year. Vinca is grown mostly in rock gardens in full sunlight.