Waterleaf (talinum fruticosum) or Pasali keerai and Neem tree

Waterleaf  (talinum fruticosum) or Pasali keerai 

This green is also called the Phillipines spinach, Ceylon spinach and Surinam spinach. 

This is a leaf vegetable is high in vitamin C and A, and minerals such as iron and calcium. I bought a plant from a nursery in Goodwood, ON last year. The yield from just one plant was amazing. the pink flowers produced round seed capsules which contain tiny black seeds. When the capsules mature they pop open and disperse the seeds and multiply. Since Toronto is not a tropical country, this plant has to be treated as an annual. It needs to be brought indoors in the winter. I collected the seeds and sowed them this year. The seeds are pretty easy to germinate in a container garden. 

Water leaf, Pasali keerai, Ceylon spinach

 Neem tree or Vepam maram 

                                                 

Vepam maram, Neem tree

 This is a neem (Azadirachta indica) tree I grew from a seed. Neem or vepam maram is a very good indoor air purifier. Its a hardy plant which has a multitude of uses. In India and Sri Lanka this plant is called the village pharmacy. Everything from the roots to the shoots have medicinal value.

Neem tree, and a coconut palm 

 A coconut palm which grew from a coconut which sat in my kitchen for over a month!