Tropical Gardens and Plants #107

Drew, your Alo's and Philo's are truly magnificent! Only thing I have with leaves that size are the giant White Birds, and I'm constantly cutting them back so the leaves don't whap me in the face as I walk the pathways.

My DH's request is that I keep the garden pruned so that when he walks around the house he doesn't have to 'touch' any plants. It's not unreasonable, except at this time of year when everything grows a foot overnight.

Bet yours are growing at that rate, at least, considering all the heat plus the water, (beer) and TLC you give them.

i always enjoy everyones pictures especially the begonias, and homer you have some monsters.

rita sorry to hear about your garden with all this heat and drought, i am sure it will come back as soon as you get some rain.

i had the day off so i took a few pictures. it is so relaxing to just walk around the garden and see what is new.

ee flower.

monstera fruit. i have a few but not quite brave enough to try it. not sure about when to eat, i have heard wait until the little scales start falling off.

red cloak

aristalochia swallowing up a palm but the butterflies love it

back yard

It occurs to me you must be in a very protected spot Drew, those leaves would be in shreds here where the wind really whips big leaves around. I had to get rid of one banana because the leaves looked so ratty the neighbors complained. Now I try and plant them where they will have a wind brake but they are in the shade so they do not grow quickly.

no id but they are a pretty weed.

Candela, WOW, I had no idea youcould eat monstera. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/ceriman.html

Also, that is a very pretty weed.

First, Thank you guys for the awesome comments; I love to be able to do the things I do. DW is the reason for that!

Elaine, looks like you have a "paradise" down there!

Alice, Growing up in Mobile, we got to go to the beach alot at Gulf Shores. Dad liked to take us about 3-4 days pre hurricane so we could "body surf" the waves!
He was the best! The back of the house sits northwest between my neighbor and I, where, there is a stand of pines and dogwoods! Most storms come out of the west or northwest here making it perfect for growing along the treeline.

Candela,You have got yourself Quite a "Jungle" down there yourself! That flower looks like a Xanthosoma. Great job!


This message was edited Aug 3, 2011 12:56 PM

i Love everyones gardens, so nice to look at from this burned up space.. ...
brought in three more big plants tonight.. [progress]

Debra, That High Pressure is great in the winter, but kills you in the summer!
I hope you guys get a slow, all day rain in the next week or so! Man I know we need it.

Can you hear the thunder? It is RAINING! Praise the Lord. Wichita, north of me 20 miles where I work at is already flooded, with roads closed and cars being washed down the street. LOL
There are 10k people without electricity right now from the 70mph winds. I went out and laid down everything on the patio that I could, so we are all good here to ACCEPT this storm. Bring It!
Drew, I am going to divide up the portera or odora or what ever it is, this weekend. There are about 15 pups in with the momma... Any ideas as to how to pot them? Individually or two to a pot?
My Sarian is getting big. I am so kacited. So is my dark stemmed EE, but the leaves just fry when they open. I am going to dig up as much as I can and bring them in.

When I potted up my large plant, I put one pup per pot. I am wondering if they eventually form tubers or if I have to try to protect every winter.

I may have to look into it again, I now have the room, but I think the zone was an issue also. I believe it was Zone 10, and I am 8. Good luck with yours!

I have what is think is Illustrius and Should be Black Magic, they are spreading like crazy! I hope to dig some of them up before much longer.

Debra, so glad you are getting rain, stay safe.

Debra, Hooray for rain! I saw that storm on the radar picture last night - looks like it was a dandy! We have a couple of little ones outside my window right now, but no rain yet.

I cut my Cannas way back before my trip, 2 weeks ago. They all have new stalks and flowers already - that's how fast things grow here in summer! This little white one has a flower without its usual pink spots, too. Interesting.

Little yellow one has the pink spots!

Taller red one with a nice soft color. Most red Cannas are so blazing bright but this one goes with softer colors nicely.

My cousin got this plant last year and lost the tag doesnt know what it is?

WooHoo the EE's and the phil arrived and they are huge. Paula did you get yours yet?

Alice, Where did you get those... Please; I have to know!!!!

LOL Drew, I don't want you to have a hissy fit or anything. :-)

I got them from Tropiflora in Sarasota. If you register to get on their VIPP special list they will send emails with their sale plants. The company is very responsive and easy to deal with. Normally they sell broms but this week they had other trops.

I just checked this weeks VIPP list and most of the plants are still in stock. They will tell you how many they had and how many are left. They had some really nice anthuriums this week too. Be sure and ask for this weeks VIPP specials. I had ordered the 6" pot size.
http://www.tropiflora.com/



This message was edited Aug 4, 2011 4:03 PM

Oho, Alice! I'm heading up there tomorrow, first thing! Those are so gorgeous, and I haven't been to Tropiflora for ages.

How's your dotty caladium doing? Mine jumped up nicely while I was away.

Alice,
VERY nice!! I have been pleased with all the ones I have got from them. Mine should be here soon, ordered a day or so after you. I better check on that because I am on my way out of town and it they come tomorrow, I will be in trouble.

Uh oh, you had better find someone to check the mail and open the box Paula, it was well insulated with about 5 million styrofoam peanuts but the plants were still hot when I opened the box and 2 of them needed water. I met the mailman so it is not like they were sitting outside, just the hot mail truck. They always ship right away when you place an order so yours should be on their way unless you asked them to hold them for a later shipping date.

Dyzzy, I never even knew they had other plants, I thought they were all broms and related ones like aloes. Now I need to do the homework I should have done before I ordered. Just how large is that Synandrospadix vermitoxicus going to get and does it have a common name?????

Going on a much needed vacation very far from here! I hope no plant deaths occur(I can dream...)! See you guys next Thursday!

pensacolagarden, that plant is a Thunbergia.

wow those are nice plants from that place. Uhm... gee I sure wish I could get some more, but having to bring in what I have, and some of the EE's or accolasias up and dissapeared into the ground somewhere, hopefully they will re-appear as it cools down. ( Here is hoping)
My . plantesis has three seed pods.. YAY!

Debra, don't despair, as you said, the heat does make some things go dormant. As soon as it cools down they will jump back with healthy new growth.

I did visit Tropiflora yesterday, and got caught in a huge downpour. Luckily I had just crossed from the two huge bromeliad shade houses over to the Tillandsia area and found an 'island' to wait out the storm on. So I had to amuse myself for 15 minutes or so, taking pictures of the cool plants around me.

Thought this Desert Rose was just lovely, and not thorny, either!

Here's a pretty bloom on a Plumeria Pudica - hoping the little start I got from Rita in April will grow up to be just like this!

They have a nice selection of orchids, too. Didn't buy these guys because they were huge and expensive.

Oh, and fragrant - a really lovely scent on these!

This was another huge, expensive plant, but the blooms were so big and gorgeous I at least had to take home a photo. Flowers were bigger than my hand!

Alice, I made the trip up there specifically to see if I could get one of those lovely variegated Alo's like you got. They had sold them all, unfortunately, but they had this one slightly leggy Syandrospadix vermitoxicus left - just the one, but it has two flowers coming! I'm excited to see them open.

NB! The very knowledgeable fellow who helped me said to be careful, if you prune leaves off this plant to wash your hands afterwards, because the juices are, indeed, somewhat toxic. He says it will get 3 ft. high and wide.

I also got this jazzy looking Brom Aechmea Chantinii 'Black'! Going to have to find a nice spot to feature it.

Last one - my new little diva "Orange Chief"

Dyzzy, nice photos. Those are the seedpods on your S. vermitoxicus. When they turn orange in color, they are ripe and ready to plant out if you want more. The plant blooms in Spring/early Summer.

Oh, what beautiful pictures, I am so envious of you getting to visit tropiflora in person. I have met the owners several times at different plant festivals and they are such nice people. Good to know how large the S. vermitoxicus will get. Mine is a goos size already but I did not see any seedpods on mine, lucky you!

Rachel, I imagine I should keep mine in a pot or should I plant it out and dig it for the winter when it goes dormant? It is in a 6" pot now and is seriously rootbound.