Tropical Pictures and Gardens #104

I'm with you on that, ardesia. It's costing me a small fortune now that I have 'discovered' that my shady border area can support all these gorgeous tropical foliage plants. And orchids . . . oh, and the begonias love it too! Rita's purple firespike starts are going in over there as well.

I didn't know Calatheas ever bloomed, I've used them as foliage plants but they're very cold tender. Maybe if I can get them through a winter they'd bloom for me.

My dark leafed cannas are developing variegation, for some reason. It's pretty, but I'd like to know what changed with them.

Alice; I truly do not know what I will have to do this fall! I Guess there will be many plant stands in the house made of Cast Iron! I do know that I will overwinter most of the Alocasias as dried tubers. Borneos and Bananas will need to go in the crawl space. The sitting area upstairs will be loaded, as will the garage. Oh the trials and tribulations of growing trops in a temperate climate!

Elaine ,Maybe it's the heat and drought, where we are having to water with municipal water?

Drew, these cannas have been watered mostly with rainwater. (by hand from my rain barrels) But I suppose air pollutants and stuff could have collected on the roofs that finally got washed into the rain barrels when we got the first hard rain.

Heat, hmm, it's actually been nearly 5deg. cooler here this last week, since it's been clouding over in the afternoons most days.

The other wierd thing - the other cannas have not changed, at least that I can notice. Only these ones with the dark foliage.

Happy Fourth of July!!

Joeswife, thanks, I am happy that homer had the answer to your EE queston.

mjsponies, quit fighting it, and just Go Tropical!!

dyzzy, I found those variegated impatiens locally.
I enjoy your visits to the thread and look forward to them. I am sure that everyone else feels the same.

Franco24, I bought that powder puff plant from Zone 9 in Houston. I have always received nice size plants from them.
http://www.zone9tropicals.com/calliandra-emarginata-red-powderpuff-p-256.html



homer1958, Good growing!! What a specimen your Philo. will make.


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