I have no clue what genus this plant belongs to. After the yellow flowers fade the bract looks like a shrimp plant, but, plant files doesn't show this one.
I bet someone knows this plant.
I have the camera out today, this is some bougainvilla I planted in self watering pots last summer, at Marilyn's.
Here is one of the back flower beds that has been recently replanted. The oxalis (clover leaf) is considered a winter weed by some people, but, I have learned to accept it's presence
A close up of the area, hiding in there is a begonia, lillium, and ?
This is a close up of a succulent/cactus that I like the foilage, but am disappointed by the flower, so tiny.
Hiya,
I'm thinking the plant at the top reminds me of something we grow as a houseplant. Its really unusual over here so can't remember the name properly. I looked in plant files and cant find it so i'm probably wrong. The name is something like Pachystachus lutea. or Pachystachyus lutea. Something like that.
Its a guess only so sorry if i'm way off.
Mike
Barleria micans :)
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/62945/index.html
Yay! I got to ID it before the more experienced ones could (no offense there, Mike) ;)
I did cheat- I looked through the TopTropicals picture gallery, because I remembered seeing it there.
ps. Mike- you weren't wrong, just a bit off on spelling- I know because Google corrected it properly
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1870/index.html
Always happy to get one right,
~Gina
This message was edited Jan 3, 2007 9:26 AM
Cheers Gina,
I'll always answer if no one else has. But tropicals are hard as we have no chance of growing them here.
Most won't even live as Houseplants as the lack of light kills them off. lol
Aww... yes, I've heard that many people find the grayness depressing...
How's your humidity? Some can take the gray days, but need the humidity.
Actually, I find tropicals hard to grow even in tropical areas! LOL...this one can't have any direct sun, that one will die if it gets too much or too little water, etc.,etc...
Last week i didn't see sky all week because of the fog. Humidity isn't a problem it rains all day too!
Rain and no sun for 6 months. Thats why we English talk about the weather all the time.lol
And the gold star goes to Gina, with my thanks. This Baleria spreads nicely, grows well in a northern exposure against the house and under an oak. Those are tough conditions for most plants, except bromileads. And I am a big fan of yellow flowers. I looked on Zone10 nursery web pages. I will have to bookmark TopTrop for future reference.
You're very welcome Dale- always happy to help when I can!
Top Tropicals' photo gallery is a gorgeous place to visit when you're looking for ideas, or just want to drool over all those tropicals like I do :)
~Gina
Dale, your succulent might be Rhipsalis elliptica. They're not really known for their showy flowers. http://rhipsalis.com/species/elliptica.htm
Or R. pachyptera?
This message was edited Jan 4, 2007 8:15 AM
B.crazii, it is R. Pachyptera. I grow it because of the foilage. Showy flowers would be a plus, not a must. I added my images to plantfiles, there weren't any, until today.Thanks.
My poinsettia is finally blooming, always seems to looks best after Xmas. As you see from the photo I should have cut it back in Aug. Oh well, I was busy.
And the Orchid tree (Bauhinia) is blooming. This is a sterile hybrid, I have seen it labeled locally as 'Hong Kong' anyone know for sure?
Here is a close up for those who are not familiar with this species.
Dale, you have some gorgeous plants. Love the Bauhinia and Barleria.
Jackie
I use to grow the barlerias, but developed an allergy to them, they have minute hairs on the stems and gave me a rash. so out they went :-(
they are so nice to use in tropical displays.
I just tried Orchid tree, was hoping it would overwinter in the greenhouse. Its not looking so good. The white lost all its leaves first and the purple on looked untouched! But yesterday i went in and it looked not so clever aswell. I wouldn't mind but its not like we had a frost in the last few days.
Love them still though.
I still want to find Cebia trees. the Bauhania reminded me of it.
Mike
Mike, some of the tropical bauhinia go dormant when they experience long periods of cool temps, don't give up if the branches remain supple. I have a website that you can visit and check out some of the more cold tolerant species of bauhinia, but, I think they have a high summer heat requirement. The site is in Texas-their summers are a lot warmer than yours, I would venture to guess, it is www.yuccado.com
Here is a lawn that has been invaded by oxalis, a winter perennial/summer dormant bulb here in FL.
Mike, forgot to mention that we have Cebia trees here, if you want I can collect some seed in late spring, when it is ripe. I am not sure if the seed is fertile. It is in a public garden and produces seed every year, but, I have yet to find a wild seedling growing in the area. I am fairly sure that they don't get all the 'weeds' that come up, but, I haven't really perused the grounds closely for a volunteer. The one that I remember best has light pink flowers and the seeds are 'cottonball' when they burst open. Is this the right tree?
Here is a nice composition I saw today on my way back from lunch...
Hey Dale, That would be fantastic if you coud. No one offers seed that i can buy over here so not sure if it is viable or not.
Its the right Cebia by the sounds of it. I know it as a Kapok tree aswell as Kapok is the fluffy stuff they used to use as stuffing cushions etc.
I'll keep my fingers crossed with the Bauhania the purple one does look supple enough. The white looks like its gone. Its just so cloudy at the moment that everything seems to be rotting off where it stands.
If i can get a full years growth out of them they might be big enough to survive.
Thanks again
Mike
Dale--your Bauhinia looks like my Bauhinia x blakeana (except mine bloomed a couple months ago). It sometimes goes by the common name Hong Kong Orchid Tree, so I'm not sure if the Hong Kong label that you've seen is because of that, or if there's an actual cultivar called 'Hong Kong'. Mine didn't come with any sort of cultivar name on the tag.
Mike--unless your Bauhinia's are rotting from too much moisture, I think they should come back for you in the spring, I think to kill them with cold they would have had to be outside and got some frost so if you have them in a greenhouse I imagine they should still be alive.
Hiya Ecrane, It could be both everything is really damp here even in my greenhouse it seems to get lots of condensation. And its been near freezing in the greenhouse a couple of times so far this year. Most tropicals here rot off rather than die from the cold. Also the winter is so long that alot of tropicals can't stand the 6 month dormant period!
Nor can i!
Mike, I lived in San Francisco for many years and had an unheated glass house that I used for growing tropicals. SF has a very cold climate, not good for plants from the warm tropics. I had good success with using heat mats (or propagation mats). My goal was to keep the pots (root ball) warm, especially at night. I built a frame of 1" X 8" redwood, making sure it did not rest on the mat, placed it on floor and put the mat inside on top of a layer of thin insulation. I set the pots on the mat and backfilled with 1/8" fir bark, you could also use perlite or some other fine material. It worked very well, didn't cost alot and energy cost was low (300 watts). On one of my trips to FL I picked some palm seeds, planted them in SF and they grew very well.
I do need to set something up for overwintering tropicals. My greenhouse is a long way from any power. I think it will be this summers job to get it sorted. I only got the greenhouse finished enough to grow plants in this year so next stage is keeping it warm and suplementing the light.
I'm guessing San fransisco is loads further south than us so can make use of the higher light.
This year i'm experimenting with flourescents in the house over my seeds. Early on it seemed ok but just recently things don't look so well. But we have had the shortest day now so its onwards and upwards. Sunrise at 8.30 ish and sets at 3.30 ish so every few days we gain 5 minutes of extra light.
I look at all the picture you post and keep wishing! lol I'll have to dump the misses and marry an American to get a green card. lol Knowing my luck it get it wrong and marry someone from a colder darker place than me though. hehe
Mike, just don't marry someone from Norsk country and you will be fine, can't you all move around the continent now? And you can take the present missus with ya. I thought that was what the EU was all about. Portugal and NCalifornia are on the same parallel.
Yeah all one big happy family over hear. haha.
I was figuring i could use the weather as my reason for the divorce. j/k Out with the old in with the new....
When i retire i plan to move but we earn more in england than the rest of europe. So for now i'm stuck.
Couldnt really move to portugal as i dont speak the lingo. Would struggle asking for seed trays in a foreign country. lol
Still with those pictures! grrrrr. Lemon trees now. Gotta say i think our grass looks nicer. Yours looks really sharp and spikey. I'd put up with it though. lol