A few amaryllis bulbs blooming....
Black Pearl - pic doesn't capture the true color
La Paz
Pappillo
Tropical Garden #127
Awesome, Elaine! Mine are all in the ground and are leafed out, but no buds or blooms, yet.
Love those amaryllis, Paula. I have some Black Pearl too - they are a wonderful rich dark red. They were what I call a "two-way gift". I gave the bulbs to my daughter in Salt Lake three years ago, and she forced them at Christmas time. Then when they were done, she gave them back to me for my birthday (in March) and I planted them out in my garden. They bloom every spring in early April now, and have increased to a nice clump, too. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving, huh?
btw, some of the websites that sell premium amaryllis put them on sale after the holidays for up to 50% off. I've scored some great buys on huge bulbs that way, and they are perennials here. I've got my eye on some more of those Cybister hybrids like La Paz.
Here are my Bogotas, (picture from last spring).
Let me know if you find some, I would love to have more of the named ones.
I went out to "learn" my fancy camera this morning. Got some interesting shots I couldn't get before (using my phone).
First and second, huge Begonia odorata alba from Alice, which I had to prune back to half the size before we left for our trip. It's still 5ft. high and wide. Still blooming, still fragrant in the mornings, what a great plant! I have lots of cuttings starting if anyone wants a start?
Third, Brug. Charles Grimaldi blooming away on the patio. I broke a little end off a branch when I was covering him against the cold, and the flower on that cutting has opened nicely in a vase.
Fourth, Begonia Don Miller (another from Alice) with its sweet little blooms hiding under the pretty leaves.
Last, my "pet" cardinal on the birdfeeder. He lets me get within 5ft. before he flits into the bamboo. Of course he showed up after I took off the telephoto and put on the macro lens.
Merry Christmas, everybody!
This message was edited Dec 26, 2012 1:47 PM
All are lovely, Elaine!
I am looking to trade for both the black and the white Bat Plant - anyone have an extra to trade?
Just had to show you a picture of my beautiful Christmas Angel, now 3 weeks old, wearing an outfit I bought her:
Elaine,
I would love some cuttings of the odorata...and I'll send you the 'Elaine'. Just let me know. Thanks
MERRY cHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! I can not believe my 'babies' (16 & 19) aren't up yet!!
My goodness, Paula, they're teenagers! Let's plan to make a begonia trade when there's a warmer weather window, maybe in Feb. ?
KayJones, your Christmas Angel is just wonderful. Those bat plants are big and expensive! Didn't you put one on your wish list for your kids to buy as a gift? My kids love it when I keep a running list of plants they can give me - I just send them links. Easy, reasonable gifts for them, and plants that are a bit pricey for me. It's worked out very well for years now, and they love seeing the plants they give me when they come to visit. Nowadays, they are buying me orchids.
Happy Holidays to all, and we wish you many glorious blooms in the new year! Pic is Brassavola 'Little Stars'.
Elaine, thanks for the compliment on Fiona.
I did get a pitcher plant 'Miranda' from my son and his wife - the pitchers are HUGE!
How's about a picture of that pitcher?? (couldn't resist!)
Go for the bat plant for your birthday?? Florida Hill Nursery had the white bats for $6.99 but they're currently sold out.
http://www.floridahillnursery.com/foliage-n-flowers-c-15/tacca-integrifolia-exotic-white-bat-flower-live-plant-p-24?zenid=g7sbeu0n5svk5b9ji3rccledq3
Kind of like the Christmas-y look of my coleus these days.
Merry day after Christmas everyone, hope Santa was good to all.
I like to take pictures of what is blooming on Christmas day each year but the weather has been bad here, lots of rain and wind so there are only a few.
This bill is not quite open but soon.....
Unusual impatiens still plugging along
Salvia Van Houteii
Ponkan tangelos are yummy this year
Salvia Involcrulata (?) Rosebud sage
A few more
Ti Keeley's Gold - but it is more red this year.
This cute little geranium has been blooming outside for years, nothing stops it.
Seed heads from the H. Horsefeldii
Lots of Camellias right now.
Noid banana that i had been told was a fruiting (edible) variety is blooming and it sure looks like a M. Basjoo to me. Bummer, I have been babying this one thinking it would be real bananas. It iwill be compost soon.
Lovely, Alice. Sure doesn't look like you've had any freezing temps.
I love the color and flower on that yellow impatiens. Burpee used to carry those, and once I finally made up my mind to order some, they had sold out.
I have a few orchids in bloom, and more coming. The Brassavolas have a fabulous spicy scent at night. I've been obsessively rescuing Phals from the "death rack" at Lowe's and every one of them either has a new spike - or one even popped a flower for me!
This message was edited Dec 26, 2012 1:44 PM
Wild weather going through today - hope Drew is OK up there in NC right now. Tornado warnings there!
We have a squall line on the tail end of the storm coming through here, but not expecting much except some rain, then cooler air. It's sunny and 80deg. right now, but the clouds are in sight to the north of us.
It's windy here 25 mph winds and cool - I don't LIKE COLD WEATHER!
Here are some things blooming for me:
1: Wind-beaten Stictocardia
2: another shot of the poor Sticto.
3: Fiona snoozing
4: CP Miranda
5: Sean, sleeping in sister's basinette
I'm ok Elaine! It was just rainy here (what I ordered). We were 10'' short for the year and have had about 2''. Little brother in Mobile was not as fortunate. They had a 2x4 from a neighbors house fly like a missile through the Living Room window...Thankfully they were in a bathroom closet. Mobile was fortunate for only the three blessed lives lost.
Dyzzy your photos from Gr. Cayman are great...makes me wish I lived there.
Kayjones, congrats on Fiona...how precious. ☺
Somehow I'm watching this thread now...not sure but think it was a question I asked...but glad I am...I'm in love with the tropical plants you are posting photos of.
-Sherri
Sherri, we love to trade, too, so if you have a 'wants' and 'haves' list of plants, please post them.
Hi all, love all the photos and glad everyone is ok. Sure is cold here, I am about to hop a plane and move! LOL ( wishful thinking)
So excited, I have 4 bloom stalks on my ginger from KayJones. I am about to go crazy since I have yet to see ANY of my gingers bloom for me.
just all the hibiscus, sticto and mgs blooming here right now.. oh the lantanas are blooming, these seem commmon to yu all but so very special and tropical for me LOL
Love the Fiona and Sean blooms the most so far :)
Oh, love the yellow impatiens, too , tried to grow some of those out, they didn't take.
Did I say it was cold here? *shiver* If I am to be cold, I just want some SNOW!
Need water bad.
Don't know about living in Gr. Cayman, Sherri. It's lovely to visit, and we love to dive so there's no place better but . . . sort of a one-dimensional place with not a lot going on. Plus the soil is terrible, and very sparse. A lot of work to grow anything and they get a lot of hurricanes. (bet you can tell I've given it some thought)
I have a confused papaya with blossoms. Deb, did you get those pink salvia seeds to start for you? They are still blooming here, so should be giving you some joy about now. I still have a few flowers on Brug. Charles Grimaldi but having to protect him from the cold, he'll stop soon. Orchids are a joy in the winter - they start putting up flower spikes as soon as the first cold front comes through.
Well good to know about Grand Cayman...guess a nice place to visit... but....
I was over my mom and dad's yesterday and their angle trumpet is covered with blooms again. Crazy year this year for the tropical plants. Wished I had my camera with me to photograph it.
Hey are these going to be flowers on my Aunt's orchid? If you can see the little buds...I hope so. I've been taking into my makeshift green house on the real cold nights. It has these popping out all over the healthier looking stems.
Thanks, Debra - both of my Grandbabies are precious blooms in my Garden of Life! Here's Sean using the new broom I got him for Christmas - he loves to help his Mama sweep:
Elaine, my Papaya is blooming, too - poor, cold plant! My Passiflora 'Lady Margaret' and my Passiflora ' Vitafolia' are both blooming like crazy. My Senecio confusus (Mexican flame vine) has decided to start blooming - we are getting down to 31 degrees tonight, so it will go bye-bye!
Awww...looks like a happy fellow.
My lady Margaret has gone to sleep, but there are still three Gulf Frit caterpillars chomping on what they can of it, but my Crimson passiflora is all over the place and blooming like crazy, we've dipped to 35 for well over five hours last week and I saw some damage but most still blooming. Those cold nights didn't faze my Senecio at all.
Love those red Passi's, Sherri. Yes, I think that is a bloom spike on your Aunt's orchid. Nice going!
I have a bunch more coming along, too. Orchids are a great fill-in for flowers at this time of year. New spikes coming along nicely, but I'm not likely to see flowers for at least 6 weeks. Durned orchids sure are slow!
These little Spathoglottis are so-called "ground orchids" and they've been blooming for months now!
Oh yea! I'm so glad.
The ground orchids are pretty, I have one that I've had form many years now, but it never bloomed again, I'm pretty sure it is white. However this year it has more foliage than it ever has, always freezes back to the ground...still no flowers or signs of any though. My Christmas cactus did very well this year.
hello everyone! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and will have a prosperous new year! I have been so busy I didn't even notice my subscription to daves expired. I took a few pictures this morning. I have quite a few bromeliads flowering. the angel trumpet is at least 12 ft. tall and loaded with flowers. they always seem to flower around the full moon.
carambola and more bromeliads.
I have this clerodendren flowering not sure of the name. the last one is for homer, it is the musa varigated 'tani' still alive.
So many pretty things, Cassie! That musa 'Tani' is going to be gorgeous.
Always love the brugs, don't they smell great? I had not put together the full moon/bloom connection before, but I think you're right. My yellow one was blooming this week, too. Just gave up from last nights cold wind. Let's hope the cold doesn't last . ..
Alocasia longiloba "Watsoniana" Sport with inflorescence... I do believe. Oh so much different than my regular A. Watsoniana. I am glad so many of you guys live in the great State of Florida...keeping all those beautiful flower pictures heading our way. Saaaaluuuute!
Cassie,
I think that one is Clero. smithianum - light bulb clero. I would LOVE, LOVE to have a couple of cuttings from it or if it has babies like most of the others. I would gladly pay you for it.
Drew, love the alocasia.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
That is a beautiful Alo Drew. The flower looks like it is made of bronze in the first picture.
Love the kitty using his protective coloring under there, too.
Is it Spring yet?! I just came in from the greenhouse - poor, cramped plants!
39 here this morning, brrrr, I am ready for spring too. I have frost cloth covering everything even though we have not had any frost yet - but they keep calling for it, it is frustrating.
Drew, either your cat loves to have his (or her) picture taken or it is always busy guarding your plants.
Happy New Year everyone.
Thanks Elaine! Before you know it Kay! Way to go Cassie... great job...can't wait to see more pictures, nice variegation also! Alice, seems one of those three is always around wanting to be in the picture!
Happy New Year to everyone.
This message was edited Dec 31, 2012 12:48 PM
Alice, same here - my yard looks like a grave yard for blankets and sheets!!!