Tropical Garden #67

Yes, that is it, here it is pictured on my Kansas Native Wildflower site that I use as a guide to go get seeds and plants, I found a crop load of these out west of town in what we refer to as THE BIG DITCH.. it catches run over water.

http://www.kswildflower.org/flower_details.php?flowerID=3
too bad I can't convince the picture taker of this site to join daves but he is really picky about his photos and where they go.. anyway.. here is another picture I took, this guy was in a Natural Garden right about twenty feet from me, the gy who rescues wild birds around here has rasied this one since he was 8 weeks old.
He had a great Horned Owl the last day I was there, both of these birds claws have a 300 pound grip.. this Golden eagles name is :Callie: she and I kept looking at each other wishing we were somewhere else..

This Garden was about twenty feet away from me, it took them 5 days of 24 hours set up time, their water fall kept running over the boundaries.

this tree was just starting to bud at the beginning of the show.. weeping something cherry .. only 700.00 for this tree planted in your back yard.. ( the white one)

By the third day they had these around the base of the tree..

I am enjoying this;-) Thank you Debra. I have never been lucky enough to view a golden eagle in person.

I found out that there are three camellas that we can grow thru winter outside here.. I did not get there names and pictures. Mr Hong said to plant them on the north and east of the house if I got some..
I asked alot of the owners of these nurserys what they are going to do with all the "forced" blooming shrubs, plants and bulbs and things, they all said they couldn't sell them because as soon as our wacky weather turned freezing it would shock everything back to dormancy.. so they all said they would just "house them" ...must be nice.

Liatris.... this grows wild out in our native habitat, but they had it as an ornamental in this display.



last picture tonight..

You know Rachel, there was a ton of orchids from the orchid society and I was going to take pictures, but they had me doing the Vanna white presentation thing on our Honda Pilot there, and by the end of that day standing on my feet, I just plain forgot to bring my camera in to take pictures of them and also of that beautiful huge Owl. so many people were just coming at me, I was wigged out by the end of the day.


I have two new leaves on the Philo you sent, and I am enjoying it alot. I took two cuttings from the Chalice Vine rita sent me last year since it is going crazy, and they seem to be taking.
The black Majics are peeping out in the black purse. when things get pretty enough to take photos you will get a picture report of them.
my anthuriums seem to be in a "not doing anything" state, but they aren't dying either. I have asked all my plants to rest up before we make the move to the outside. They are going to need it, for I fear a wild tornado filled spring coming on. I am almost tempted to leave the tropicals down in my little basement heaven. I know, I am crazy.


Ever since I saw this in Buffalo last summer, I have been dying to have one.. but it looks like it grows on air..

Joeswife - that is a Platycerium bifurcatum, better known as Staghorn Fern. They grow outside here in Southwest Florida but we had one in the house when I was a child. They are indeed epiphytic and can easily be kept indoors, as long as you mist them occasionally. They can get immensely huge but not inside... I encourage you to try one, they are not hard to care for (my mother was unable to kill it and I'm sure she tried, she had brown fingers....) ^_^

Staghorns can grow really large, they're multiple plants so they just keep multiplying. They're both epiphytes and lithophytes, and I've seen them grown in pots too (looks a bit weird though). They've got 2 types of leaf. The "nest leaf" surrounds the roots, collects falling leaves and keeps the moisture in. The roots attach to wood or rock. The other leaves are the fertile ones that produce the spores. My father has a huge one he's had for ages. Over the years he's taken large slabs off it to give away but it's still massive. When I was there last year the host tree was dying so I started taking off a lot of plantlets and left them for my sister to look after.

Thanks for the information, it makes me want one even more. ;) Do they "eat" the host tree? I am thinking about my tall old elm tree out back, that the trunk I would hang it on faces east.

It is not a parasite so it does not harm the host tree.
You will have to protect it from frost though.

Here is a picture of mine.

OH OH WOW!!! That is AWESOME! Dang, why didn't I get that one at the show for 25.oo???

Epiphytes use the host for support only.

Saprophytes 'feed' off dead organic matter.

Parasites 'feed' off the living host plant (ie Mistletoe).

That Platycerium looks really healthy Dutchlady. I see a Dragon Fruit at the bottom of the tree. Actually, also see what looks like Pennisetum there as well.

Having taken some time off work (for a few reasons) has given me the opportunity to try and catch up on a bit of work around my place. After all the heavy rain and now a lot of sun the grass has gone ballistic. But the up side is the lack of recent rain lets me get about in the tractor and start slashing some areas. There's still more than half my place where the tractor would bog (as happened last wet season) so I have to be careful. But I'm pleased with what's been achieved so far (and still got a few more days to do more).

This area in the photo was a sea of tall grass but now really looks great (in my humble opinion anyway). Still much more to do but at least this scene encourages me. :O)

A few bamboos for 3jsmom31

This one grows tall in an incredibly tight clump. Much tighter than any of my other bamboos (which are all "clumpers"). The culms are pretty solid and are okay for handles. It's my only Bamboo that has practical uses.

This one (behind the small Coconut) is in amongst trees and I think it emerges from the canopy. Very dark green culm about 50mm in diameter, very tall, and splits easily when dry.

The very tall one posted the other day. Very large culm with a golden colour but hopelessly brittle when dry.

Thanks the Platycerium is doing very well in my Royal Poinciana tree. This is by no means a 'large' specimen in our area. At the Botanical Garden we are regular recipients of donated plants that are 5-6 ft or more in diameter!
And yes that is Dragonfruit and Pennisetum! Well spotted.
I especially like the bamboo in your first picture. Wish I had space for it....

Another one under the tree canopy. very dense clump with the culms tending to arch over.

Forgot to take a photo of my "Buddha's belly" (no, not my belly!) but it is only small so far, started it as a cutting. And another one, Climbing Bamboo, which grows as a fine vine.

Tropic, your place is beautiful!!! How tall is that bamboo? The shape of the clump is very attractive. Enjoy your break from work :), then you'll have to go back so you can rest up, lol.

You added some more. I really like the look of the clumping ones. Do you have a lot of trouble keeping them in bounds?

This message was edited Mar 11, 2010 6:42 AM

Pennisetum is one of my major weeds, both P. polystachion and P. pedicellatum. That's why I recognise them anywhere. There's a 'purple' ornamental one available but I'm not game to try it in case is cross breeds and creates another problem for me.

My Typhonodorum lindleyanum flower is open now.

Pennisetum rubrum is the purple one. It is very susceptible to cold. I bring them in for the winter, they look a little shabby but quickly make up for it in the spring. They continued blooming all winter this year, and I just cracked up when ever I saw it. They can root by stem cuttings, which I find interesting. How can you research how weedy they are?

I had to go out with the torch to estimate the size of that Bamboo (it's night here now). It's at least 12 metres high (39.4 feet) or more.

Mostly I feel confused, not sure whether I'm working or resting, wherever I am. But it's all good, can't call working at home "work", because it's a pleasure. And the "other work" pays the mortgage. Couldn't get a better arrangement. :O)

Found this photo from last year when I was visiting the botanical gardens in Cairns, Queensland. It's a bromeliad, don't know which one but very nice.

Yeah 3js, I see them around here, they have no worries with cold (what we call cold) but they do look ahabby sometimes. Guess that's their "off season". If they don't set seed then there shouldn't be any problems. They might be a hybrid, a 'mule'. I've never seen them growing as tall as the other Pennisetums, maybe they'd be okay. just that now I have more than enought grass, a lot of it about 3 metres tall (9.8 feet).

I have a lot of miscanthus and some get to 3 meters with the bloom. I love them except in the spring when it's time to cut them back. My son was holding a brown, raspy cane yesterday saying we should cut this now before it gets too warm. I'm thinking maybe he is right :). I have no idea if rubrum would set seed in better conditions, but they don't here, just make the pretty flower and no seeds. I've had small pennisetums outside that self sow, so I know what you mean. That brom is really pretty. What a bright color bract? under the flowers.

Your Typhonodorum lindleyanum flower is very regal looking :). I guess I am weird, I even think the petioles are pretty, lol.

These are the little elephant ears I showed a while back. I love the pattern on the petioles of stingray and lauterbachiana :).

That is a gorgeous bromeliad.

What do I do to have a happy Phormium? I've wintered it over, gotten rid of it's extensive mealy bug population, and now I'm thinking of putting it in a big pot with some chartreuse sweet potato and maybe begonia. It seems to be very thirsty. Is it a water lover through the summer, like a rainy season? And then a drier winter? I got it clearance last fall, so I'm very pleased to have it, and would like to see it thrive :).

New Zealand Flax, Dark Delight (but needing more sun)

Here ya go Rita, fully open.

Hm.
I used to have Phormium in southern England and they thrived.

I have lusted after phormiums for a long time. I don't think they like the least bit of humidity, so I've killed all the ones I've gotten. I have not seen any at the Houston nurseries. The ones I've got were online or in Dallas. very pricey, so i won't try again. When I think of phormiums, I think California, Oz or NZ--seems like the photos I see online always come from those places.

wonderful pics everyone, I don't have much to show yet and fer sure no tropicals

here is my magnolia Jane. such a lovely plant. I originally planted one in full sun and moist soil and it croaked. Got a 2nd one and planted in shade, ave. moist soil and it has thrived. here is a pic.

Last week I got 2 more m. Jane. They were on sale, 5 gal plants for $11 ea at my HD. I was thrilled. I am not sure they will bloom this year (though they had buds) but that's OK w/ me, I can wait a year for a show. Here's a tip: You can get plants past their bloom time for next to nothing if you keep your eyes open. Down side: you have to wait a whole year to see bloom action, I personally don't mind the wait. I'm talking about my area, don't know if the same elsewere. Examples, azaleas (not encore), fruit trees, m. soulangeana, TX Mtn laurel.

vossner, I found the phormium at Lowe's. It was originally just under $16, but I got it for just under $4. I'm hoping it will stick around... It looks kind of happier without all the bugs in the leaf bases. That was interesting to get out, lol.

wow, great pictures and plants everyone.. I am enthusiastic even more about tropicals of all kinds..

3js, the Typhonodorum lindleyanum is overall about 3 metres high, and the flower itself is about 60cms long. That's quite impressive for an EE type of aroid. I agree that it's regal looking.

I've been at the grass again most of today. Have made a big hole in it but there's still a lot more to go. The heat and humidity don't help, although the grass has been appreciating it. The temperature only got to 36C (97F) today but with the high humidity and lack of wind the heat index was 54C (129F). That's the problem when our wet season gives way to brilliantly clear skies.

Photo: can't go there with the tractor, so the Spear Grass (Sorghum intrans) is safe until the ground dries out.

More mangos getting lost in amongst the Spear Grass.

I've made a new thread; this one is getting long!!

Go here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1080799/