With all this talk of the heat, is anything blooming in your gardens?
Lo and behold! My San Antonio Firecracker has sent up 4 or 5 new scapes! One of the buds opened yesterday.
What's Blooming Mid-July at Your Place?
This Obedient Plant is starting to bloom. It's loaded with buds!
This Rudbeckia something-or-other has finally started blooming. Can't wait to see it in all its glory!
These pretty little coreopsis, at least I think they're coreopsis of some variety, are starting to bloom as well. They came in a wildflower mix I winter sowed.
The Cigar Plant and Zexmenia still continue to bloom like crazy.
Not sure what it is, but, it is blooming today.
Oh those are all so pretty!!!
I think it's great to see what flowers will grow in this heat! It will give good ideas on what to plant next year.
This Blue Waterleaf, Hydrolea ovate is starting to bloom all around near the pond.
Dale, your no-name plant is so pretty! I love yellows and pinks!
I saw this grass plant at Bok Tower, wish I had one. The white flower is zinnia.
This message was edited Jul 12, 2009 4:40 PM
This is Bok Tower.
It is located on the highest point (elevation) in Florida. It was built by the publisher of The Ladies Home Journal.
The tower was built in the 1920's.
Zinnias.........so colorful in the heat.
Wild~Your blue waterleaf has very interesting flowers. Love the blue!
Dale~That's a gorgeous sight! The way the sun is hitting the top of the grass makes it looks like it has some kind of poofy flower (like fountain grass has).
Morgan~Do your zinnias suffer from disease? I love zinnias, but everytime I grow them they get some kind of fungus or succumb to spider mites that I've given up on them.
Hibiscus, oleander, lantana and bougainvilla are languidly blooming here in Seabrook. At least they are trying!
Esperanza, Flame Acanthus, Blackfoot Daisy and Turk's Cap. I know there's more, but I'm tired from fighting to keep my plants alive...forget blooming! I was just thinking of starting a list of what's dead or gone dormant!
LOL Linda! I hear ya on the dead and dormant list!
There alot of struggling plants here too.
Katie's Ruellia
Snake Herb
Society Garlic
Rubeckia
Flame Anacanthus (?sp) and Brazilian verbena and a little flutterby
You can almost feel the heat from the pics..taken at about 5 this pm.
Stephanie---All our Zinnias are fine. I threw some seed on the ground about three years ago and we get repeats every year. I help with fresh seed now and then, but I am always surprised where they pop up.
The wildflowers are struggling here! It looks like the Heath Aster is starting to bloom and of course the American Beautyberry, it may droop but it still blooms. And I have a few Sunflowers that are taking their time.
The bitterweed grows no matter how dry and hot.
Calamondin citrus is going crazy right now. It has lots of fruit and tons of flowers. It pretty much does this nonstop this time of the year.
Here is the bush. It was 12 inches tall when I planted it last summer during the drought. It is now over 42 inches and I have only watered it four times this year. It can easily have over 100 fruit on it at a time even when it is this small.
You can eat it whole with the peel or without. It is kinda sour unless super ripe but can be used instead of limes or lemons.
Notice how everything is dead in the background. Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope.
This message was edited Jul 13, 2009 1:07 PM
May the force of El Nino rains return to you and all of parched and thirstyTexas!
Jujube--It looks like your tree is planted in the ground. We have 2 lemon trees and 1 lime in ground, but our Satsuma Orange tree is in a pot. How hardy is the Calamondin?
18 degrees. It took 20 degrees this winter with no problemo.
That Satsuma should be hardy to 14 degrees, once established, if it is Miho, Seto or Owari. Kumquats should be hardy to 14 degrees too. I have an improved Meyers Lemon and generic orange that have both handled the teens. They have the new Avocados hardy to 14-15 as well.
Dont pay too much for Calamondin. We bought about 8 of them around Xmas to give away for mini-Xmas trees. They were 12 inches tall and cost 7.99. I think Lowes has them for 16.99.
This message was edited Jul 13, 2009 2:38 PM
Hello jujube,
Those Calamondin citrus are a dwarf orange aren't they? Do you have to keep them watered? Those are wonderful. I just love all citrus but besides the heat, I worry about the cold temps here. How do those tolerate the cold? Sorry for all the questions but we have been looking at getting some citrus growing; and especially since you say it can replace lime!! Thanks
Linda, Not too much force LOL. that brings back a memory of what my boss used to say, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it".
Look one post above yours. I listed many of the temps for different citrus. 18 degrees for Calamondin.
If I were you I would go with Kumquats or Miho/Seto Satsumas.
Oh yeah, plant them around 10-15 feet from the South facing portion of your house for more warmth. Citrus have been suprisingly drought tolerant here. We have very deep soil so they shoot their roots down quick.
lee
This message was edited Jul 13, 2009 4:42 PM
Thank you so much lee.
I see that my post came after you already answered the question!! lol
I appreciate the advise and tips!! I guess that's why there is no citrus trees, bushes or otherwise to be found for sale anywhere around here (zone 7b).
This native perennial is called Rosinweed in the aster family. It's hangin' in there.
My Hostas are blooming. :)
Oh, that obedient plant is so pretty - I don't think I ever knew what that was, before. Really nice color and I love tall spikes of flowers in the garden.
Do you grow any larkspur or stock? Those probably don't do well here in this heat, but maybe they like spring or fall?
Some of my hibiscus are blooming, along with all the annual vinca, impatiens, begonias, petunias. Nothing terribly interesting, but I love fussing over them, anyway.
The Plumerias have been putting on a good show. Some have better keeping quality than others. The alocasias are putting out good growth, they really never get going till it gets hot. All the coleus seedlings that appear every year are doing really well. Have absolutely tons. Oh and some of the roses.
We have outside Digi/remote thermometers one read 109 in the shade today.........
Quilter~I grew Larkspur for the first time this spring. They do well here in early spring, but don't last in the heat. I've grown Stock previously and it's the same situation. Now's the time to throw out the Larkspur seeds if you have any. They'll do fine overwintering and then you'll have flowers next spring!
I was wondering when to put out some seed. I love larkspur.Thanks
Thanks for the tip on sowing Larkpur seeds Stephanie. I have been wanting to try them out on our region as well. I'll take picts. and return to share what's blooming in the garden later today.
Some hybrid lilies in a partial shade area.
Clerodendron bungei, or Mexican hydrangea (fragrant prolific growers).
