Plant of the Month

The online Plant of the Month program celebrates the presentation of exotic plants to residents and visitors and encourages the discovery of these plants both within the Halifax Public Gardens and in other parks located throughout the municipality. Each month, from June to September, the municipality will showcase images and interesting facts about a select plant and its location in the municipality. 

June 2019 

Our plant of the month for June is the Musa acuminate (Dwarf Banana) plant. While it looks like a tree, it’s actually an evergreen perennial. The banana is the fourth most important crop in the world, and our very own plant is currently producing fruit! The plant prefers sun and partial shade in a protected area with moist and drained soil, and requires temperatures between 18-27 C for fruit to ripen.  

You can find this plant in the fruiting shrub and tree bed in the Halifax Public Gardens.

June 2019  Our plant of the month for June is the Musa acuminate (Dwarf Banana) plant. While it looks like a tree, it’s actually an evergreen perennial. The banana is the fourth most important crop in the world, and our very own plant is currently producing fruit! The plant prefers sun and partial shade in a protected area with moist and drained soil, and requires temperatures between 18-27 C for fruit to ripen.    You can find this plant in the fruiting shrub and tree bed in the Halifax Public Gardens. 

September 2018 

Our September plant of the month is the pomegranate (Punica granatum 'Nana'). This dwarf variety is used more for its ornamental value than for the fruit, but has hundreds of cultivars. The seeds of this fruit are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

You can find this plant in the fruiting shrub and tree bed in the Halifax Public Gardens.

The bright red blossoms of the pomegranate plant

August 2018

Our August Plant of the Month is the Popcorn Plant (Senna didymobotrya). Originating from central and eastern Africa, it is often used as an ornamental plant. What makes this plant unique is the smell - when you rub the leaves it gives off a scent just like that of freshly buttered popcorn. 

You can find this plant in the Halifax Public Gardens in the fruiting shrub and tree bed.

The bright yellow flowers of the Popcorn Plant

July 2018

Our plant of the month for July is the Variegated Pineapple (Ananas comosus ‘Variegatus’). This colourful fruit has white and pink along the edge of the leaves and produces a pink pineapple fruit. You can visit this tropical plant in the Halifax Public Gardens.

A pink pineapple sits on top of its leafy green foliage

July 2018 - Variegated Pineapple

June 2018

The Voodoo Lily (Amorphophallus) is the plant of the month for June. Native to Indonesia, this plant blooms mid-winter with a strong, somewhat stinky flower. Once the flower dies back, a single stem and leaf grow, producing a fruit at the base.

The smelly flower of the Voodoo Lily

June 2018 - Voodoo Lily