Tropical Garden #61

Don't know the name of it, but my sister got me this one for Christmas but she was out of town till a couple days ago and gave it to me today. Glad she waited, it is still alive.

Howard Springs again. Stenochlaena palustris, a climbing fern covering tree trunks.

Hello everyone.

Isn't this something? Looking forward to a freeze in Southern Florida. Who would have thought? I am flabergasted.

I have just returned from an inspection and rescue operation. At this early stage of the forecasted freeze, my mussaenda has already lost all its leaves and bracts. I have taken cuttings so I can start it again when normal temperatures return.

I have brought in some philodendrons I got from our dear friend Armando. I brought in about a dozen plumeria cuttings I had been stealing here and there as I went to visit vacant real estate properties. I had 2 plumerias with sentimental value planted in the ground: my precious Penang Peach and another one I got from Hetty. Both have been cut down with a plan to root them and replant them at the first opportunity. Was it good idea to cut them down? I told myself the odds were good they would be toast anyhow. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I took cuttings of a lovely small-leaf burgundy copperleaf, some of my snow on the mountain and some of my scorpion tail. I brought in all that could be moved. The die is cast. Que sera sera. Alea jacta est. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Oh, I just remembered: I have to get cuttings of Gail's favorite hibiscus: double peach blooms. While I am at it, I will get some cuttings of the yellow bougainvillae. What's another bucket of cuttings among friends? I also have 3 ascocenda orchids that must also be brought in. I have to go out again.

I wish us all luck and we'll see what happens on the other side of this meteorological horror.

Take care, all.
Sylvain.

Sylvain, This Florida weather is amazing isn't it? I'm in Daytona Beach and we are going to be in the low 20's tonight! Alas, many plants will not be able to survive such a long extended period of these extreme cold temp's.

I've been saying that maybe we Floridians have been gloating too much about our weather and are now getting a taste of northern winters. This winter is certainly making history here for us!

Currently 33ºF and dropping fast! Guess I will go bring in some fire wood!

Good luck with all that. You can only do what you can do.

Thysanotus banksii

That's a beautiful orchid Mekos. I have similar colouring on an Arachnis but not as dark.

Grevillea dryandri

We all do what we can. I have all my yard lights set to stay on all night. I have half a yard worth of sprinklers that I can turn on with the flick of a switch if it's needed close to morning, and that means half of my plants might live and the other half die.
Sylvain, it would have been so easy to just uproot your plumeria but cuttings is your second best option. Just keep them cool and dry until spring is springing once again!

Lin - you may have a point that we have been gloating too much. Pride comes before the fall.

Tropicbreeze, thank you so much for cheering us up with your beautiful pictures.

Beautiful Tropic. I have a banksii but mine is different. And my Plumerias got bit and a couple died but one still looks alive.

Tropicbreeze, why don't you start a new thread with one of your favorite pictures? This one is getting long already.

OH, mine is Banksia Baueri. I guess that is different.

Yes, please begin a new thread! I will end this one with something NOT SO TROPICAL!! My husband and I just went out and made this little fella ... he's not too happy about this weather here in Florida, as you can probably tell by the expression on his face!

You got enough snow for a snowman in Florida??? I feel cheated big time!

Sylvain,....we'll stick together....whatever....It's nasty.

mekos: It sleeted here from before 7 a.m. until almost noon today. I haven't seen weather like this in the 43 years I've been in Florida! There was just a little bit of ice still around tonight, just enough to make the little fellow!

New thread started here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1068192/

Mekos, Grevillea and Banksia are both Proteaceae but as you've realised quite different. We only have one Banksia sp here, they mainly grow down south. We have lots of Grevilleas though.

Got to finish with a sunny photo here, bicycle path along foreshore at Nightcliff (Darwin).

Now that is a pretty scene!

... heading over to the new thread, Thanks Tropic!

Tropic, you have some beautiful flowers! This is the only thing blooming here. Everything else are frozen!

Lili, those are beautiful ... really stunning! I love the color! My Holiday Cactus are blooming now too. I love the deep pink color flowers and the white ones. I have two half dead pink ones. This one is not my favorite color but it was given to me a few years ago and seems to be happy ...

Great photos all!

Hey Lin, you're noid Plumeria is Plumeria rubra. The cultivar may be 'Pua Malia', as it is known in Hawai'i. It is highly fragrant (sort of spicy lemon) and a favorite for making lei. Elsewhere it has been called 'Common Yellow' and 'Celadine'.

I think I have that one. It hasn't opened yet. The buds are more rounded looking instead of pointy like the other Christmas Cactus.
I have a red with white center, red with a tinge of violet center, white with pink and a hot pink. That big one above, I got it at Publix on clearance last year, right after Xmas. It was $40 and they had marked it down to $9 or $7 (can't remember). I bought them for my mom but then she told me she had too many plants to haul in, so I have more than I bargained for.

Here is my no id plumeria. It has an apricot scent.

Tremendous picture's everyone. Tropic, this picture look's like some great trekking in your part of the world.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7446657.

Everyone, keep them coming on the next thread too.

Tropic, all your pictures are INCREDIBLE!

Hey tropicbreeze,
well, I think the tree fern will live. The fiddles seem firm in the center, the opened fronds however froze and are brown. I'll have to take a photo of it. The whole garden is bedraggled to say the least...will take 6 months if not a year for recovery. Would have rather had a hurricane!

Good news, it started warming up some here. I was able to go out without a heavy coat. The sun is shining and really a nice day today. Lost a lot of plants in my greenhouse but some made it ok. Should warm up for you guys in Florida too now.

Yeah, we are more back to normal at 63F today...

Good news down this way too ... after another night at 26º it warmed up to the 50's today, finally! We are supposed to be mid to upper 70's by the end of the week and I really, really hope we don't have any more 20 and 30º temps here for a long time!

I posted this picture on the continuation thread, but this is what the Schefflera tree looks like today. In another week or so the leaves will all be total mush but my husband will eventually take the chain saw to the tree and cut it back and by mid summer it will be pretty again. It's pretty sad looking right now ... and that was a pretty red Hibiscus just below in the foreground of the photo ... it got hit pretty hard too. I'm not sure if any of the Hibiscus will recover.

So happy you all are getting back to normal. they say we are too.
Whatever "normal" is......

LOL...normal is not freezing 3 nights in a row!

Tha is so right and not leavingwater dripping all
night long so it won't freeze. What a waste of water.