I have the perfect sunny spot against a warm brick wall waiting for either one of those 2. I'm a bit partial towards the pulcherrima as far as looks go...but it seems to me the mexicana could be "easier" and more rewarding as far as flowering period, etc...
What is your opinion? Anyone here in CA who's growing either one? Thanks!
I think what we have is the C. mexicana, Roberta. I'll look for a photo. They were given to me as seedlings and we thought they were something else. You are welcome to some cuttings or seeds (lots of seeds! lol). You can come by if you're in the area, or I can bring them to the Roundup if you're going to be there.
Kathleen
Here's a photo of the first blooms last year. Do I have the ID correct?
Kathleen, I think what you have is a C. Gillesii! It's stunning! I couln't find any photos on plantfiles, but google it and you'll see some pics...I didn't even know there were any of those here in CA!
Yes, that looks more like ours. Look what popped up when I googled it:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2120/
We have one near our pond that I would love to dig up, but according to the info, it has a big tap root, so I don't know how it would transplant. Let me know if you want to give it a try. Anyway, you're welcome to cuttings or seeds, as I said.
Cheers,
Kathleen
You have a bit different climate than I do obviously, but I've had WAY better luck with C. mexicana and C. gilliesii than I've had with C. pulcherrima. I love the pulcherrima, but I've managed to kill it about 10 times now--probably about half the time it was in the ground and half the time it was in a container. A couple times it was too much frost in the winter which you'll definitely have less of, but I've lost them in the summertime too. It's very weird because I know I've seen people in AZ post saying they grow them and our summers are better than theirs. But whatever it is, I have had absolutely terrible luck with them and I've officially given up on them! But I've had absolutely no problem with mexicana or gilliesii.
See, that's EXACTLY the type of info I needed! I am JUST starting my first garden, and I need plants that won't frustrate me...Seems that C.Gillesii and C. Mexicana are better options for me! Kathleen, I would be thrilled with a cutting! (I am so far a loser when it comes to seed! lol)
LOL - so far I'm a loser with cuttings. Are you going to the round-up? I can take cuttings now, see they survive, and bring to the roundup. If it doesn't, I can bring a fresh cutting to the RU. Or, you can come by and get some. We're in Bonsall, right off the 76.
Thanks Kathleen!
In your climate in San Diego you won't have a problem with any of them... most have a problem with pulcherrima due to cold (tend to burn below 30F) and go dormant in winters... but if you truly live in zone 10b, a rare zone in California, you are blessed and will never have a problem with that plant... it is a spectacular one, as is giselle.. mexicana is the least interesting, but does have the advantage of blooming year round.
Here are shots of my three plants (growing all three in zone 9b): Caesalpinia pulcherimma
close up of flowers
My Caelsalpinia mexicana
Here's a photo of both plants so far (taken last year) with the C mexicana growing across the photo with the bright green leaves and the C pulcherimma below with the smaller turquoise leaves
Then there's this monster... the C giselle is a tree compared to the other two and you need to be sure you have room for it.. I am constantly hacking this one back.. this photo is this years AFTER I cut off almost half its limbs... yikes!
Wow--I didn't know that C. gilliesii would get that big--mine's still nice and small and shrublike. Guess I'll give it a good pruning this year after it blooms! LOL
That's why I have one I want to dig up. It's right next to the pond and we're already ducking out of the way. DH just hates digging up a tree! The other is out by the street and can grow to its heart's content - just across from the Palo Verde that is now about five by five! Will tell DH about this thread and see if it convinces him.
Wow.. don't plant these near ponds... very very 'dirty' plants... there is more litter from this shrub than I can believe- constantly losing branchlets, flowers, itty bitty leaves, sap, etc... I wish that I had not planted it above my other succulents... but then I hate digging up anything, too.
Wow Palmbob, that's just what I needed, I picture of both side by side! Maybe that's what I'll end up doing in the end....everyday I stare and stare at that spot and try to decide! Definitely now, I think the pulcherrima is way more interesting though. But I just can't picture myself staring at a sleeping bare plant for several months (sorry guys, I know I'm spoiled, I'm from Brazil what would you expect? lol!)
C. gilliesi..what a marvelous "moster" you guys have! Wish I had room for this one too!
Hi guys....long time since we had that discussion...I found out my local nursey carries C. Gillesi! Is it evergreen like C. Mexicana?
Mine drops its leaves every winter. I'm not sure if that's a climate thing though or if they're supposed to be deciduous. It seems to behave more like something that's supposed to be deciduous though rather than like some of my plants that are supposed to be evergreen but drop their leaves if we get a cold snap.
Thanks Ecrane....does it look unsightly in winter or is it something you don't mind?
I don't mind it, the vast majority of my garden is evergreen so having a few things here and there that are deciduous is fine by me, honestly I hardly notice them because of all the evergreen stuff around. So I guess it depends on your preferences and where you put it, what other plants are around it, etc.
Yes, I know what you mean...it's a little crazy but I work close by to a nursery and every week I go there to check the "progress" of the trees, to see which ones will look nice first!
Rob
I am coming there for a few days begining this weekend. Can you give me info on a Farmers Market and a neat nursery that has tropicals. I want to visit them.
Thanks,
DD
DD, my favorite local nurseries are:
Walter Anderson - large nursery, lots of variety, your best bet for finding tropicals http://www.walterandersen.com/
Mission Hills Nursery - smaller nursery, but high quality plants
http://www.missionhillsnursery.com/
The Plant Man - tiny nursery with unusual cacti and succulents - they are in Old Town but I doubt they have a website...should be easy to find if you go visit Old Town!
As for a farmers market, there are several, let me know which area you'll be staying at if you'll be here a whole week, if not let me know which days of the week you'll be here and I'll tell you where the markets will be!
Rob
Kartuz carries a lot of exotic plants - http://www.kartuz.com/
Kathleen, have you ever been to the Plant Man? It's pretty amazing!
No, I haven't. Don't go down south very often. I'll have to look it up in case I'm down there one day.
Edited to add: I don't think so. After looking them up on the web and reading what the owner has to say, I don't think I'll go out of my way to go there!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/plant-man-the-san-diego
This message was edited Jun 12, 2008 4:12 PM
Oh, just ignore that...mostly the owner isn't even there...I've never seen him. Actually, when I went I had my 7yr old with me, and the sales person (a crazy looking tatooed "dude") was very very friendly with my son, and took all the time in the world to show him cool plants! He even gave me 2 plants for free that he had used for a show and wasn't going to sell anymore...
Ignore that one mishap and if you happen to be nearby do go there!
Good to know. I wonder how many people have been put off by that posting, though? One would tend to listen to the owner!
Yeah, I don't know...that was a stupid comment he made, he problably thought it was "cool"...whatever....I go there for the plants! ; )
I also recommend stopping by Kartuz--I stopped in there during my last trip to SD and he had a better selection (and better prices) than what he's got on the website. Definitely worth a stop! I also liked Bentley Tropicals in Fallbrook, they have really excellent prices and some nice stuff. But I think they mostly do wholesale and things aren't really labeled, so you have to either know your plants or be prepared to bug the owner about what's what (she's very nice and I'm sure wouldn't mind being bugged). I went there to get a Cassia leptophylla which I'd been looking everywhere for, and I got one in a 1 gal pot, I forget the exact price but I think it was in the ballpark of $5. I would have looked around more to see what else they had, but they had some dogs there and my dog wasn't too crazy about them so I had to leave him in the car and it was a warm enough day that I didn't want to leave him there for too long.
Hmmm...Bentley's is on the hill behind us, Liz. I'll have to go get lost over there some day. Interesting plant list. http://www.bentleytropicals.com/
You should definitely check it out Kathleen, you can't beat their prices and they've got some cool plants. The place is pretty big, lots of places to wander. I really wish I could have explored it a little more when I was there. But honestly I didn't have much room in my car for more plants--I've got a little hatchback which already had to hold my dog & his stuff, plus all my work clothes/computer/etc (I was down there for a conference) so there wasn't too much room left for plants! That's why Kartuz was especially great, all those little 2.5" pots don't take up a lot of room!
Since the trip is to visit with family mainly, I will have little time, maybe on day and probably Sunday.
So which good farmers Market is open on Sunday ?
Not sure of the area I will be staying in but would also like to look at a good nursery that again is open on Sunday. I live is zone 8 with a small GH but love tropicals. I can not take much back since I am flying.
Thanks for your assistance.
D
Can't help you with farmers markets since I don't live down there, but Kartuz is a good bet for nurseries if you can't carry much back, most of their stuff is little plants in 2.5" pots. I'm not sure if they are typically open on Sundays or not, I'd call them and check.
You can always ship them home. :-) With small plants, it wouldn't be difficult or too expensive.
San Diego is a big county; without knowing where you will be, it's hard to help. You can try here, but I would verify any info. http://www.localharvest.org/search.jsp?lat=32.740784&lon=-117.24507&scale=5&ty=1
Kathleen, that's a great link, thanks for sharing! Yes, D, without knowing where you'll be staying it's hard to recommend a specific farmer's market, but do ask your relatives and we can find it for you on that link K sent. Both nurseries I mentioned are open on Sundays.
I feel like checking out Kartuz too, the website shows almost everything as sold out, but probably going there they will have more availability..
Yes, I really like that web site. I purchased some catnip toys for my relatives from one of the farms listed there and they were great (so they tell me, I'm allergic to catnip and some cats); handmade and free shipping. There are a lot of family farms listed. I like to support small businesses and family farms.
There are so many nurseries around me that I haven't been to or don't know about. There's an exotic fruit nursery in Vista you might want to visit - http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=20851790
They have great stuff and pretty good prices as I remember. I don't think it's far from Kartuz, so it could be a combined trip.
