Found some images of Dragon Fruit: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=dragon+fruit&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title
Found this story too: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.leftoverqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/dragon_fruit_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.leftoverqueen.com/2007/08/17/dragon-fruit-heartbreaker/&h=675&w=450&sz=58&hl=en&start=39&um=1&usg=__nINnyC8jnBmgff1qRTKLK_58pGM=&tbnid=YwRLMiY9J2EoaM:&tbnh=138&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddragon%2Bfruit%26start%3D21%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Eileen, is it an "aquired" taste? I've never seen it for sale in our grocery stores here but I know I've heard it's plentiful in South Florida. Someone told me to check out the Farmers Market so next time I'm there I'm going to look for it ... if I don't like the taste maybe I can grow a plant or two from the seeds!
OT - September Outside Beauties
The man that helped my brother and me get all my plants in the house (while I can still find some help before the hurricane) told me that the fruits from the plant that I have sells for 3.99 each in Mexico and other places.
I am laughing and have to show you some of my hurricane preparation. These were all the plants my brother was willing to put in my house. He said I could leave my precious orchids outside until I left on Thursday to get out of the way of this hurricane which could easily be a cat 4......even the forecasters are saying it now on our local news.......
This is a small portion of half of this bedroom.
I can't get all of the plants in.........these are on the other side of the bedroom (LOL)
I had nowhere to stand to get all of these in another bedroom. He kept saying, "If you pick another FAVORITE PLANT, I am going to quit working for you".
These plants wrap all the around to the other side of the bed.............I am so sad..........I had to leave for the winds to blow away all my begonias and about 30 other plants.............such hard decisions I had to make. But he refused to haul any more in..........and I can't. I am very grateful I have such a nice brother.
I think I see your Whirlpool begonia in that last picture Gail!! It's as big or bigger than the mother plant!! Sorry your having to go through all this!! I'm staying in the mountains and the snow for sure!!
Becareful Gail,We will be thinking of you and hoping the hurricane dies down or skips you
JIM
I am packing tomorrow what I need to take to my brother's house which is much sturdier than mine...............he can't leave because of his deer and cattle...................but Mother's house has withstood over 70 years of hurricanes and never blown down!
It is coming straight here so far isn't it? SO scary. I hope it turns and does not get strong. We will begin to get ready tomorrow. Going to the store, will board up soon.
Gail - maybe tomorrow, after brother has had a chance to rest from today, maybe you can talk him into moving a few more plants into that little building where you have your morning glories growing? Couldn't hurt to try!
Both of you be careful! Both of you could always come up here for a few nights!
Gosh..Gail and Sally you all be careful down there in that storms path..I have been hearing alot of what ifs on the news..never a good sign...Gail glad to hear you are going to your brothers..
Gail: I have been watching all the news reports about "Ike" ... definitely a major hurricane and nothing to take for granted. I am so glad you are going to your daughters house to ride out the storm. Be safe.
Sally: You and your DH stay safe too!
I wish the best for everyone in Ike's path ... take care and stay safe!
I am going to Cassie's...........the latest report 10 minutes ago, SAlly, said that it will come in bewteen San Antonio bay which is right outside Rockport. Rockport is 17 miles from my house. If it hits in Rockport, you will get a lot of damage but not the worst and you will be on the south side of the hurricane which is a good place to be. We are parallel with Rockport............
Really wishing you and your house and plants and family the best Gail ..... at getting through Ike!
My first ever dahlia, I want to try more next year!
~Brenda
What a Beautiful Dahlia! I tried planting some here a few years ago but they didn't do a thing! Someone told me they don't do well in Florida but I remember Allison who used to be here on DG said she grew Dahlias without any problems. She lives on the west coast of Florida, directly across the state from me and if they grow there, they should grow here.
A friend of mine bought a bunch of dahlia tubers on clearance and gave me a few, this one is growing in a big barrel on my back deck. The ones I planted in the ground didn't do diddly for me, so it's all barrels next year for me. LOL Makes them easier to get the tubers up to store them for winter too, which I'm going to try my hand at????
This is a plant I bought on clearance in a dried up six back, it came back nicely as did four of it's siblings, all in different colors. If I remember right it was marked something like Latanias?? I like it so well I'm wishing I would have kept the tag!
~Brenda
That kinda sorta looks like Lisianthus: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://plants.thompson-morgan.com/pix/m/plants/3/3897.jpg&imgrefurl=http://plants.thompson-morgan.com/product/3897/1&h=280&w=280&sz=19&hl=en&start=2&um=1&usg=__TdvmdPOqrQ77_7YSv9WlalUCCyg=&tbnid=EstmEH7OnIGXlM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlisianthus%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX
Whatever it is, it sure is pretty.
Yes, the path has changed again, Gail. I hope it will change again and get further away. We have been busy! We went to Home Depot late last night. We got a generator and window unit ac. We have central air, but in case the elec. goes out, we will be cool in one room and have the fridge working.
We have everything we need now. Fred went out today and did a lot of shopping.
Hope all goes well at your house Gail. We will all keep watching the updates.
Sally, I will keep good thoughts for you and your DH, Gail and her family and anyone in the path of "Ike". Last report I heard was it would be strengthening to a catagory 4 hurricane and tracking towards Corpus! Yikes ... Y'all stay safe!
Brenda, you are in the perfect climate for so many beautiful plants that we will never get to grow..........like that dahlia. They despise heat. Yours is wonderful. I also love all those pictures you posted. Maybe I am on the wrong thread but I swear I saw some fabulous pics of all your plants................
Back to work...........
Hey Gail ... How's the Hurricane preparation going? I still think you should go to your daughters house instead of being there alone but I'm so glad your brother boarded up your house for you and that you've gotten supplies stocked.
I know how you enjoy storms and think they are exciting but please stay safe! Ok? ... no trying to peek outside to see what's going on during Ike's visit! We don't want you getting blown all the way to California! LOL.
We will be on pins and needles waiting to hear from you after the hurricane has passed.
It is looking good for us and bad for people on the coast north of us...........at this point we are about 110 miles south..........and they are predicting only 60 mph sustained winds and gusts to 90. The eye appears to be a big one being 200 miles across. But it has changed course and is no longer going to rip the cities of San Antonio and Austin apart. My son will be disappointed because he is a tree guy !! (LOL)
The housekeeper is one of my best friends (really close to her). She is about 47 years old and she and her husband are thrilled to stay out here with me in a house boarded up. I am very happy to have a man around. If we lose power he knows how to work the generator.....and all those good things...............
Good news for you Gail and how nice to have friends stay and a man to help! I'm sure your son can head to where ever it does hit (really hoping the whole thing just fizzles!) and find work there.
You always make me fell better about what I CAN grow as opposed to what I can't .......morning glories etc!! ^_^
Lin that Lisianthus may be it! I'm going to go check and see if it comes in a variety of colors. Here is the the plant in it's pink version. I know you like pink!!
~Brenda
Brenda.....I need to make note that you would like some morning glory seeds. I cannot tell you how generous the people on that forum are. They sent me lots of seeds which I can share with you. Will make a note in my folders so I don't forget.........don't worry.........they are not coming soon...............
gail
I hate to be a party pooper but that pretty plant is not a lisianthus...........will come back later and try to find out what she is........
The more I look at the pic's the more I don't think it is Lisianthus. I think that was the closest I could come up with with what Brenda remembered the name sounded like.
They look a lot like some sort of Dahlia's: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=dahlia&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search&offset=0
This is the only Lisianthus I've ever seen in garden centers/nurseries here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/891/
Genus: Eustoma but one of the common names, Prairie Gentian and Lisianthus ... and they don't have the raggedy edges like Brenda's flowers. I will be curious to hear what exactly they are ... and if they would grow in my zone - they sure are pretty!
Your right Lin, when I went and looked at Lisianthus closer in various places I noticed that these flowers of mine don't have the pretty centers and are fuller ........ I bet somebody had stuck the wrong tag into my dried up clearance six pack!
I've spent a good long time looking up flowers that start with L under both annuals and perennials and so far no go ....
The purple ones above were in full flush, just right. The pink ones were fading and a little ragged looking. Here is one more shot of a purple and white bloom in between the two fazes of full flush and fading ....
~Brenda
Lin.......hate to tell you but we don't have cool enough weather for lisianthus and I think Brenda is too cold
Off the top of my head, that looks like a scabiosa.........going to plant files and look.
Try this link...............you know the old fashioned pin cushion flowers.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=Scabiosa&Search=Search+PlantFiles
Yes, looks like we might be in the clear, unless the storm decides to go south again. Bad news for the upper coast.
I think you might have found it Gail ... sure looks like Scabiosa to me too.
Some folks down here do grow Lisianthus: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/891/ but it only does well for a couple of months in the spring and fall. I remember years ago my BIL had a lot of Lisianthus growing in a flower bed that were just gorgeous! He was able to keep them alive for a long time, and he lived down in the center of the state at the time. I think they just need more shade down here or the intense sun would fry them!
This is actually funny about the hurricane. My kids were having a fit about me staying and now the one in New Braunfels says they are getting at least 80 mph winds there!
This Desert Rose is about two feet tall now. Just wonderful looking. I have had it about four years I think.
That is really beautiful Sally! I may be showing my lack of knowledge but ..... do you grow it outside or inside??
~Brenda
I grow her outside. They like the sun. She gets sun alot of the day. They like to be fed also. Really is a pretty plant and the trunk is so nice and fat!
I wish this storm had come this way where we are so sparsely populated. Corpus Christi is a small city. Ike is headed towards 11 million people is what the new is saying. Houster greater is over 4,000,000,000 people and 6 more million people will be so affected by her incredibly high rain amounts.........as much as 20+inches. Please keep these vulnerable people in your prayers.
do we have any members of DG in houston or the surrounding areas,might have to make them care packages after the storm passes
JIM
Sally, that is a beautiful Adenium! I tried growing that plant once but we had a lot of rain and I was out of town. When I returned the plant was mush! So beautiful, someday I might just try another.
Gail, I saw on the news where they were evacuating some of the Texas Gulf Coast cities. I sure hope people in low lying areas heed the warnings and leave. Although, I realize sometimes there are folks who have no place to go and can't afford motels. I am keeping all in my prayers. Ike is a monster storm, almost 600 miles wide!
plantladylin - even for those people who have limited means (no $$, gas, etc) in those low lying areas that are calling for evacuation can call 2-1-1- or 3-1-1 and they will be put on the evac list, then taken to a shelter inland. That service is free - and I understand some pets can go, too.
Syru: That is wonderful! I know here in Florida many folks do not evacuate because they don't want to leave their pets! We do have one local shelter here that accepts pets but I think it fills up fast!
Gail, I just noticed that the "Random Image of the Day" is the Fruit Cactus: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/141160/
like the one you posted a picture of a few days ago! Maybe you will get seeds from that fruit and can grow some babies.