TAILS, tails and more tails.
Many living things have tails. These include reptiles such as house geckoes or lizards, birds such as pigeon, mammals such as rats, etc. Some tails are long, slim and carry only a few scrawny hairs while others are the really bushy types.
Advertisement
.gif)
At the other end of the extreme, even toys have tails which are made more fluffy and bushy to attract buyers.
Tails, although they do not talk, often speak louder as an anecdote in real life incidences that have occurred throughout the past and right into the present.
For instance, when cats and dogs are quaking in their knees and trembling in fear due to some reasons, it is easy to notice that their tails are curved downwards and hidden between their hind legs.
This reaction to fear is often used to jokingly describe humans who are in great fear, except that the latter do not have even half a tail.
Sarcasm or jokes aside, having tails do confer benefits to the bearer especially during times of emergency to prevent its life from being snuffed out.
This is often seen in cases involving house geckoes that are trying to escape from the paws of a chasing cat. They do this by detaching their wriggly tails to distract the attention of the pursuer, thus leaving an escape route to save their lives. A new tail, though, will grow back within a couple of weeks.
With mammals such as cats, there is no possibility of its tail being detached painlessly, unless by accident or intent in which case the perpetrator may have to face relevant laws that prevent acts of cruelty to animals.
However, there is another type of cat’s tail that is not subject to any of those animal laws. In this case, it is even possible to cut, trim or prune away the tail without facing the wrath of animal protection laws. This kind of cat’s tail may be found in an ornamental plant that is commonly known as Cat’s Tail. Its generic name is Acalypha while its specific epithet is hispida.
Apart from Cat’s Tail, the plant also bears several other common names such as Foxtail, Ekor Kucing, Monkey Tail, Chenille Plant, and Red Cattail, among others.
Such names are often used in different locations where the convenience of local languages merge seamlessly with the image of the plant. Even within nurseries, workers may find it less tongue-twisting to use certain local names to refer to the plant.
Cat’s tails originate in the tropical regions of the South Pacific ranging from New Guinea to the Malay Archipelago. The plant is a semi-woody evergreen that belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is known as a cat’s tail since its pendant inflorescences that hang down nearly vertically do appear to be bushy brushes or tails of some sort, especially the tails of feline animals.
Shrubs of cat’s tails may grow to attain heights of 4.5 metres and spreads of up to 2.5 metres. They tend to become bushy as growth increases with hundreds of strings of reddish and furry inflorescences that cascade down from all sides of the plant. When used to line walkways or driveways, the spectacular view is certain to incite gasps of ‘oooohhhh’s and ‘wwooOOWW’s.
That may be one of the best ways to start the day on a positive note. Don’t believe? Go plant a few to enjoy the results.
Cat’s tails grow best under bright sunshine or in bright locations. Even if grown on balconies or below awnings, the plant may grow well and continue to flower abundantly as long as bright daylight is available for the better part of the day.
When grown as a potted plant and placed indoors without direct sunlight, the blooming may not be much reduced as long as there is sufficient window light. To ensure that the plant survives healthily indoors, just ensure that it is not forced into a dark storeroom or a dim corner.
Cat’s tails may easily be grown from seeds that are produced in the inflorescences. Considering that this is very time-consuming, the best way to start new plants is to grow from cuttings. These may be taken from straight sections of stems or branches that have a diameter of about 1.0 cm.
Each cutting may be trimmed to lengths of about 15 cm with inclines of about 450 at both ends. This is to ensure that the cut faces at the top do not collect water which may cause pith and bark rot thus rendering the entire cutting useless. On the other end at the base, the inclined cut is to allow for easier insertion into the rooting medium, thus making light the job of gardening.
After about 4-6 weeks, new young sprouts may be visible. These are very tender and should not be squeezed for any reason whatsoever as it may spell the end of the life of the young growth.
Allow the plantlet to grow undisturbed for another 6-8 weeks before transplanting them into polybags or directly into pots. From here, it is just a matter of waiting another 4-6 weeks for signs of blooming to appear.
In the meantime, it is best to go for a cuppa or a few sizzling bottles to conclude the day in the garden, considering that the atmosphere of Kaamatan is still in the air.
Jom araaaamaaaaitiiiii!!
The above writer may be reached at: onggrow@yahoo.com
