Paleoherb or the ‘sneaky herb’ theory suggests smaller herbs or even grasses started it all. The plants began with separate single sex (dioecious) plants. These have the oldest known fossil as evidence. A 120 million year old member of the pepper family, a Piperaceae. The small plants were weedy, fast growing colonizers looking for disturbed soil. They came to this open habitat then had to find each other over longer distances to mate. Large open habitats drove the shift to grow floral structures to attracts insects as aids in pollination. So flowers came as an adaptation to large open spaces to ensure sexual reproduction at long distances between single sexed flowers.

However another of the theories, supported by some molecular studies, is the Woody Magnoliid or the Euanthial theory that says small trees or woody shrubs (magnolia-like plants) with cone-like flowers are the common ancestors. This has the insect pollination syndrome as the driving force rather than habitat.
Here it is suggested the exposed female gamete of the conifer’s cone was gradually enfolded by an increasingly protective structure. The structure became the plant’s ovary eventually.
The female gamete is exposed once the cone’s scales open for pollination and is good food for foraging insects. If the cone developed a cupped shape around the female gametophyte there was more protection but pollen was not blocked from entering with the wind. The more the insects became involved in the pollen delivery process the more enclosed the female gamete could become. Insects bearing the pollen could crawl into where the female gamete was when wind failed to push the male gamete in.
These were shrubby, short, under story trees with broad leaves to catch light penetrating the canopy of archaeopteris and true conifers.

True flowering trees evolved from the first flowering plants. Just as Insect diversity increased dramatically following the origin of the flowering plants so the plants themselves adapted to every possible niche.

http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Angiosperms/coevolution.htm

There are so many great things that a person can add to a landscape to either improve it or to basically start designing it from scratch. There are ideas everywhere if you are stuck for inspiration and some sources even tell you how to achieve certain results.

One great idea that you can introduce to a landscape is trees. However, if you do decide to use trees as part of your landscape, you really need to be committed because it takes a long time for them to grow and they will be there for many years to come.
You will want to use a tree that will not invade the space and overcrowd it. You should be aiming to get something which will complement the yard area, so if you have a smaller space, then a small to medium tree is something that you may consider using.

Things to Consider If You Use Trees for Your Landscaping Project

There are certain things which you should consider when you use a tree as part of a landscaping project. It really does need a lot of thought put into it and you need to look at your needs and circumstances too. You also need to do the right amount of research needed for the tree that you are considering to use for your landscape. This is because certain trees have special requirements, whilst others can grow to be extremely large. It is always important to know exactly what you are getting and what the end result will be too.

You will also need to consider how close to your house you want the tree to be. This is something that needs a lot of thought and it will depend entirely upon the type of tree that you are purchasing. The reason it needs a lot of thought is because if branches fall off the tree, it could hit the roof or even smash windows. Another thing to consider is that most trees will need plenty of sunlight, although you can find some trees that do perfectly well in the shade.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Trees For Your Landscaping Project?

If you have never used trees before for your landscape, you could be missing out because they look extremely good and they also provide oxygen. The trees will totally transform your landscape offering some protection from the sun too if you want some shade whilst outside. Having trees really does offer something special to the landscape and therefore they are worth getting if you have a big enough area for them.

A.Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/have-you-considered-using-trees-for-your-landscaping-project-97475.html

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Do you love plants but you do not like to do some gardening outdoors? Do you prefer to have plants in pots or trays to be displayed inside the comfort of your homes? How about opting to put your green thumb at work by taking care of bonsai trees?

Bonsai trees are small or miniature trees that are placed in pots or trays. According to the World Book, the bonsai word means “tray planted.” It originated among the Japanese and Chinese aristocrats a long time ago and is currently a popular hobby among plant enthusiasts worldwide. You can find several kinds of bonsai trees like the typical ones which are the formal upright trees or those that are bended and curved artistically for aesthetic purposes. Not all trees are suited to be grown into bonsai trees. The popular ones include evergreens, pines, fruit trees like cherry and plum just to name a few.

Caring and growing bonsai trees are difficult and it often takes years of practice for some to master the art of growing them. The trees have to be properly pruned to keep it small and healthy. It entails a lot of patience, time and skills for that matter. Before deciding on a particular bonsai tree, plan on where you want to put it. Some types can be grown outdoors and some indoors. If you prefer to have it indoors, choose those kinds that are well suited for the indoors.

Bonsai trees require special attention and care for it to thrive. Bear in mind that we have constrained the tree’s growth into a pot or tray. Since bonsai trees are planted in an area with a limited amount of soil, you need to check the frequency with which it needs to be watered. We have to keep the soil moist and damp to ensure that it has enough supply of water to nourish it. You can check the dampness of the soil by placing your finger about several centimeters deep into the soil to feel if it is dry or you could use a water meter if you have one. If it is necessary to water it, give it enough water and ensure that it drains through the bottom of the holes in the pot or tray.

For its daily dose of sunlight, place your bonsai tree outdoors especially if it requires some direct sunlight. To ensure soil nutrients regularly schedule fertilization for your bonsai plants.

These are just some of the basic things you need to do to properly take care of your bonsai plants. Before buying any bonsai always ask and research for more information to ensure that your bonsai will live for more years to come.

Lanny Hintz
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/caring-for-bonsai-trees-98903.html

The Cold Hardy Windmill Fan Palm tree originated on the island of Chusan off the east coast of China, and the Windmill palm tree is often called the Chinese or Chusan Fan Palm. Robert Fortune smuggled Windmill palm plants from China into the Kew Horticultural Gardens and into the Royal garden of Prince Albert of England in 1849 after the Opium Wars of China ended. The Windmill Palm tree was named in Latin, Trachycarpus fortunei, after Robert Fortune, and after 158 years, in the year 2007, these Windmill Fan Palm trees are still growing gracefully as a distinguished, exotic, rare tree at Kew Gardens, a palm of noble bearing.

From Kew Gardens in England, the Windmill Palm tree was spread throughout Europe, from the Mediterranean hot climates of Italy and Greece to a cold hardy testing ground in the landscape gardens of Switzerland and Bulgaria, where the Windmill Palm trees have remarkably survived, leaves even remaining green when covered with ice or snow. During the past seven years, truckloads of Windmill Fan Palm trees have been transported and planted in Canada and have survived the extreme cold winters in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, and Michigan.

Although most Windmill Palm nursery growers are conservative in recommending the Windmill Palm tree planting to be restricted to growing in zones 8-10; other Windmill Palm Nursery growers recommend and guarantee this rare palm tree to grow in zones 3-10. There has been a rush by Northern nursery retailers to plant Windmill Palm trees for the home gardener, who wants that tropical look and accent around his pool or patio. The Windmill Palm tree is planted at plant nurseries from seed, where they grow about one foot each year. The slow growth of the Windmill Palm is partially responsible for its cold hardiness. Another characteristic that is inherently cold hardy is that the fibers that cover the trunk insulate the growing center of the tree. The brown-gray color of the burlap-like fibers cover the trunk like a wool covering in winter, and the dark color attracts the warmth of the sunlight. A coarse green wax covers the leaves and stems to make the Windmill Palm tree even more cold hardy.

The Windmill Palm tree is most often grown as a solitary, single trunk plant, however, some Windmill Palm nursery growers offer double or triple trees growing in the same container as large as 100 gallons. These huge 10 foot tall Windmill Palm trees are choice, tropical looking specimens for malls and at entrances to governmental buildings. The Windmill Palm tree can be easily shipped by UPS on short orders, and large Windmill Palm trees can be shipped by semi-truck, motor freight lines. Shipping Windmill Palm trees can be easily done any season, and the survival rate is excellent for large specimens. Very large specimens of Windmill Palm trees have been recently installed at the entrance of the new Cloister Resort Hotel-a 5-star hotel-located at Sea Island, Georgia, where the Windmill Palm tree is not only tropical in appearance and cold hardy, but completely resistant to the Atlantic Ocean salt water air problems. The Cloister hotel has grown smaller Windmill Palm trees at various out buildings for past years successfully. The expense of installing large Windmill Palm trees can be offset by planting small specimens that can be expected to grow about one foot each year. Because of the recent success of planting large specimen trees of the tropical looking Windmill Palm tree in Canada and Northern U.S. States, many gardeners are now experimenting with planting small Windmill Palm trees in the North, before the plant has developed a sufficient dense fiber covering to make the tree cold hardy enough to survive the deep freezes in the Northern States.

Typically the Windmill Palm tree has a history of surviving over 150 years of age in the Western World at a height of 40 feet, but accurate reports of Windmill Palm trees, native to the Island of Chusan in Eastern China, do not exist in translated texts, but conceivably could reach 100 feet in height. The rapid growth of Western influence on the development of China will undoubtedly reveal many more interesting botanical, developmental facts concerning the Windmill Palm tree in the near future.

The Windmill Palm tree appears to have all the perfection of tropical landscape gardening requirements for growing throughout the United States and cold hardy areas of Canada and Europe. Most types of soils are acceptable for growing Windmill Palms. Very few insect and disease problems exist to endanger growing Windmill Fan Palm trees. Even through slow growing, the Windmill Palm captivates the tropically minded gardener for pool and courtyard plantings. The Windmill Palm tree grows as separate male and female plants, and the date that is produced is inedible, resulting from the yellow, pleasantly, perfumed flowers that grow into blue seed, round and one-half inch in diameter.

Pat Malcolm
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/windmill-palm-trees-tropical-accent-plants-cold-hardy-for-northern-united-states-and-canadian-gardens-138966.html