12. #Plantlife

How have I not shared these yet! I think I was a horticulturist in my past life, or maybe my future, or maybe I was a bumble bee, I don't know- but I am just so fascinated by plants!! I have started an illustration log of the plants I've seen and hope to create a nice photo and sketch archive of the plants of Ghana I enjoy. Plantain trees, exotic flowers, palms oh my!! It's hard to find out the names of these things as they either don't translate to English, or no one knows...ill be doing some intense google 'search by image' when I get back. Hope you enjoy these botanicals as much as I do!!

Visiting the palm plantation 

When this plant has matured the stem is thick like bamboo- when you cut it down it smells like fruit loops!! 

Cacao pods! You can wa k these open and eat the sweet/sour flesh around the seeds that you would dry to make chocolate!! You would think it would be easier to find chocolate around here with as many cacao trees as there are. 

These ivy/elephant ear things grow to be bigger than me!! 

Plantain trees!

I have come across some striking flowers! 

This one makes me miss asparagus 

Some new growth on an orange tree

Pinwheel flowers and young buds  

These three pictures depict my

Favorite plant so far.... That seussical flower captured my attention, but the best part of this plant, locally called bend downs, is that the multiple leaves will curl up to hide as a defense mechanism. The kinetic leaves are just fascinating, and after 5 minutes they return back to their natural open state.