Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly

Beautiful shot Betty. Seems like the Monarchs are finally coming out of hiding. Yea!!!. Do you mind telling what flower that is it is on? Looks like a coneflower maybe? I doubt it but just guessing. The flower is beautiful anyways.

Leslie

Hi Leslie,

That is a Zowie Zinna. It is one of my favorite and my second year growing them. No mildew at all and here it is mid August. One plant grows 3-4feet tall and that wide and tons of blooms. Some do need to be staked and I lost one during a wind storm that I had not staked. I am new to the butterfly forum and loving it. I just posted a picture of a black and blue butterfly and I did not know the name but saw a similar one posted and I think it is the same ---Black Swallowtail. I will post another picture of the Zowie Zinna. I got the seeds from Burpee and started them last March under lights and got good germination. They are hybrids so I will not save the seeds. I did pot some of the seeds from flowers this year and they are in pots and growing well. Curious to see what the flowers will look like and hopefully will get a bloom on them before it gets really cold.

Hi Betty! Beautiful female Monarch photo there! And love the Zinnias, we have to start them later in the summer or they rot or get that awful mildew.

Hi Fly_girl,

I was just getting ready to send you a D-Mail. The garden center where I got that multi colored Portulaca that you and I and a member in Pa. loves too, ---they are not sure if they will carry it next year. I posted it on Plant Identification forum and was told it is Duet Rose. I found it on line and a nusery in Illinois carries it. He said his cultivar is called Fire Gold--which seems more likely and he took a picture of it which I will post. He said he does not ship annuals mail order but since I told him I want it so badly --he is going to mail it to me next May. He says he has 5 in a pot that is 3 feet wide and it is trailing down and he says he propagates them vegetatively--which I assume means leaf cuttings that he roots. He said that is the only way to get the exact plant. He said the blooms are very large. I will mail yours to you when I get them the first week in May . I have your address on my fridge and I mailed you the picture yesterday. Also he said they will be in 4 and one half inch pots--so they should be a pretty good size.

Reply to let me know you read this.

Betty

Speaking of Cone Flowers, how do you like this one - double headed.

Don't know where Catbird found this one, but the butterflies do like it.

Rod (mate of 8)

Rod,

That is beautiful. I was waiting to see if anyone was having any luck with this newer variety before I purchased one. Now I see it and know it is beautiful.

Thanks Betty, that sounds wonderful and it is so pretty!
I would like to find some unusual portas around here, if I do I'll send you a piece of it.

Rod, cool cone!

Thanks Fly_girl--much appreciated!!!

Rod,

You should post a picture of that beauty under the new Forum--Coneflowers.

Betty, that 'Fire Gold' is beautiful. You will have to find out how he propagates it, and propagate yours when it gets big. Then trade or sell one to me, and I will learn how to propagate . lol ; )
~Lucy

Hi Lucy,

I will ask him how to propagate it next spring. If he tells me now I will not remember by next spring. I will give you some for sure. I am purchasing the plants from Greg the owner of AAA Ornamentals in Big Rock, Illinois. He mostly sells Hostas --mail order. I will put your screen name on my fridge right now so I won't forget to give you some too. And living in Florida, yours will come back from year to year. Lucky you!!!!! I ordered 6 plants and they are in 4 and a half inch pots so I may have one for you. I just want to see how big they are first.

I don't wanna take one of yours that you might need. Just one, if you get others started later on
It sure is unique looking. So bright and cheery in the picture. : )
~Lucy.

Hi Lucy,

I will probaly be able to give you one too, as I do not need so many as they will spread quickly. I am so excited. They are beautiful and do not need a lot of watering as they are succulants. I will post a picture of the one I gave to my sister and hers really took off but she tossed it after frost. And I was not able to find it locally this year in Louisville. I started a thread about it under the Annuals forum and some posted pictures also of their Trailing Portulacas.

I went over and looked at the thread, in Annuals. Your yellow portulaca was just beautiful. : )

I remember years ago, one of my Aunts had a real frilly red one. I haven't seen that particular one in years. It looked like a rose. I've looked around alittle on the internet, but I have yet to find one that looked like hers. Maybe one day it will just pop up. : )

~Lucy

Thanks Lucy,
Lucy,
I just read on the internet that portulaca are easy to propagate by just cutting a stem and sticking it in potting soil. This may be referring to the common rose moss but I am trying it anyway with my trailing ones. This year I have a yellow one and a bright red one and two whites. I have done the red and yellow and now am going to try the white one. It is supposed to root in a few days and we will see what happens. That yellow one has really taken off. They do have seed also and I am also collecting the seed and will start them in pots now too. The seed may not produce the same exact color as the plant it came from--at least that is what I have been told. So more than likely the plants will not come back for my zone and so I am rooting cuttings and planting seeds now to keep them inside under lights for the winter. That should work.

I just went out and checked my little pink one that I broke about a month ago. I put the broken piece in a pot, threw some dirt on it and forgot all about it. When I just checked....it has rooted. : )

So that must be all there is to it. : ) I think you will be able to hold them over during winter, inside. Just don't overwater them, like I have been known to do. lol

~Lucy

Thanks Lucy,

That is my problem--over watering. What was the one you rooted--a trailing or a common moss rose. I am so glad yours rooted--Gives me hope for mine to root. So exciting.

I think it is just a common one you can get at any Lowes or HD, down here. Someone gave it to me at a RU.

~Lucy