Tropical Garden # 92, Here comes Spring!

Fiddleheads.

Kay....sorry my bad. I guess it's a variegated hibiscus. Thanks for pointing it out Debra.

Debra is that a Xanthorrhoea in your pic? Very pretty...luv the variegation! Would luv to find one like that.

Xanthorrhoea is the Australian Grass Tree.

Kona Nightingales.

awwwwww, Long Ears !

Dave, do you need those keep away the coyotes or the feral hogs?

Hello!!, I hope that Everyone had a wonderful warm day and is as tired as I am from working in the yard. It was mostly mowing and picking up the leaves with the lawnmower, it makes for good mulch.

LiliMerci, that is nice looking foliage on that hydrangea, you know that I will be on the look-out for that one.

KayJones, I actually got two different colors of the rick-rack cactus for free. He said that he needed the room in his GH for other plants. I am a lucky old girl.
I am waiting to get caught up with promises I made to friends, and to see what plants came back before I get on the trade list.

Persicaria capitata

GAgirl1066, The fern came from Miller's Tropical nursery. He told me that it was a rare fern, but I did not actually believe him until I looked up the name. (All the plants on e-bay are marked rare) I hope that I can keep it alive to get as big as the ones I saw in my google search.
I am only guessing that your anthurium could be a black 'Marie' hybrid, It should turn very dark, if left in bright light.


PerennialGirl, That is a Copper leaf plant, I posted in error and hurriedy said something about plumerias. It takes me forever to type a few lines, and was too lazy to re-do. (sorry)
I do have a variegated Plumeria picture from last year for you though.

HollyAnnS, That kalonchoe was very pricey, but I just could not leave it behind, it is a beauty.
That is a geat picture, did you stand on something in order to get the whole plant in the picture? It is abut 6-7ft tall. Good Job!!!
What is the plant, sitting on the white pedestal in the background?

I found these Bromeliad Queens tears blooming under a bench in the GH today.

Metrosideros, I always find something that holds my interest in all your posts. The Australian grass tree did it for me today, it is a shame that it is difficult to transplant.

Joeswife, that Lady probably knew from just looking at you that her plants will be well cared for. Good for you!!!

Here is my Snowqueen today, with a few bugs and a couple of blooms.

RachelLF, you made my day!! I am all excited about that Philo. all over again. I love the mature foliage in Enids picture. It seems as if I did everything right this time. I am proud of myself for picking it. Thanks very much for taking the time to help me. I have a nice cutting that I am rooting for you.

Hi LouC and mjsponies, Happy Gardening!

The Kona Nightingales (Burro) are invasive feral animals on the Kona Coast of Hawai'i Island.
Ranchers don't like them because they knock down fences.

Recently a rancher near Kona rounded up a number of them and gave them away to get rid of them.
My neighbor picked up two of them.

Old timers in Kona gave them the name of Garden Nightingales because they would hear them in their gardens at night. Nowadays they are known as Kona Nightingales. They are found from Kona to South Kohala.

I hope they don't show up in my garden. They eat everything!

Oh, Prita - if I had lots of money, I'd have a variegated Plumeria, too, but I don't!

prita your variegated plummie is a beauty!

Prita That is my Queens Tears Bromeliad just finishing up their blooming cycle. You are right the Kalanchoe is over 6ft tall. Didn't have to stand on anything to get the pic just had to stand back pretty far. That is just a few of my plants most of them are still in the upstairs plant room.
So I did a bad bad thing today, I went to a local Garden Expo without my camera. There were some lovely large mixed container plantings with tropicals. Sure wish I had taken it with me. There was a beautiful Alocasia lauterbachiana I must check that one out.
Close up of Queens Tears bloom.

I love those Queens Tears. They are beautiful. I have seen Hollyanns Kalancho in another thread and was amazed at it.
Dave, that is a Calithea you asked about in that picture. It is very happy.

I love the red you have in your snowqueen Hibiscus, Rita. I can't wait to see some in mine, I only see white and green. But it blooms it's little head off. My Jasmine has been blooming all winter. I like that.
My I. Plantesis is waking up. I am very happy.

This is what it takes to water EVERYTHING downstairs. I used to haul all these gallons of water mix down all night long once a week. Now I just add my stuff, run the hot water in it fill a few jugs with some of the old water and remix it back in a water everything with warm water. This is ugly and not tropical, but ya gotta know it is alot easier than it used to be. Now all I need back there is a double laundry sink tub set up LOL You all know what a glass flower frog is right? I have an aquarium pump with the tubes running up thru the frog holes, and it seems to keep the water gurgling. Kinda nice sounds like a creek running. Last year I didn't know the pump was not submergable and almost electrocuted my self. *duh*
I sure did like my little cuppea, Dave. Yours is alot bigger than mine(was).

Debra that's a nice size caudex!

Thanks, PG I have had to up end it and remove some new big tubers.
I grew this from a seed, or maybe two, and it took almost 6 months to sprout. This seed was in a seed offer from Lazlo, and I repotted it. Finally..
It was a Sago Palm seed offer..Isn't it just so cute?

So this is a Ficus? Gosh, It sure doesn't look like the ficus I am used too.. But, if you are saying it is, I need to know if it can go outside this summer..

Rachel, I am betting these will be ready to open by Sunday..

It is hard to get a shot when they are wound so tight and pointing away from me and to the light.. *sigh*
I find it interesting that these are still going. The base is huge and getting woody. I am going to have to cut these back and separate them before they go outside. Son says to just leave everything down here and get more Light. Sheese! ( He is the Mover )

Only two more posts I promise.. I just have to show you the hybrid coleus from summer, it is getting ready to bloom..

My first Amaryllis from a Valentine swap. Isn't it beautiful! I made it bloom!

OK prita. Let me know when you see it, cause I want one too.

Rita, in this photo: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=8392888
Do I see a small Nancys Revenge back there to the left?

Good morning everyone! I've just finished packing the car and ready to head back to Florida. It's been a long but fun week. No time to take pic's of birds or blooms, LOL. I've been here in SC with a good friend helping take care of her nephew's twin 2 year old daughters while mom was having their new baby sister. They are a lovely family. I've known my friends son since he was about the age of his daughters. The girls are extremely smart for 2 years old, speak fluent English and French and can count and even read already ... they've been trying to teach "Aunt Linda" a little French.

Well, I'm sure enjoying everyone's posts and photo's and I sure look forward to getting home and checking on my own plants! The weather has been pleasant here in South Carolina and trees are bursting into bloom. There's a lovely Bradford Pear tree in the neighbors yard that began to bloom a couple of days ago and I've seen buds on many other trees as I've gone for walks with the girls. My husband tells me that back home in Florida it's been in the low to mid 80's all week so I will definitely be out working in the yard a lot.

Well, I'd better head out so we can be home by early afternoon ...

Yes, we've gone from cold to nice and warm here...actually weekend before last we had hard frost/freeze...now low middle 80's but nights in the upper 50's to 60º.
now everything is waking up and taking off and it's time to get them all back outside.
I've been nervous about putting anything in the ground yet, but I think I going to go ahead.
10 day forecast looks good and it would be very rare for us to have any more frosts beyond that point ( but not unheard of)
Even have some things blooming so I hope I can get some pics soon. Been working either in the yard/greenhouse or doing something with the horses till dark every day.

I may have asked this before but does anyone grow Sky Blue Vine.? I just fell in love with this plant and now found out that there is a variegated variety which I love even more. When I first saw it I was thinking it was something that I could get seeds for and grow as an annual every year. But I have found out that it is a Trumpet Vine. My hardy Orange Trumpet Vine is huge, heavy and took 3 years till it bloomed for me. Do you think there is any chance I could grow the Sky Blue Trumpet Vine in a large pot and cut it back enough to bring it into the house for the winter. Maybe it would go dormant in the pot till spring?

opps do have a pic...can't remember the name of this shrub...light fragrance..........curly blooms.

Oh Lynn, forgot to say how great it will be to have you back. I bet you had a great time with your friend watching those twins. I imagine that you will need to rest up from your vacation. LOL

Holly,
I grow the Blue Sky Vine...I can get you cuttings later, it's push up out of the ground now. You can grow it in pots...I've had them bloom in a pot in the greenhouse in the winter.
This is mine growing on the arena fence in October of last year.

Welcome home, Lin. I am glad you had fun. Rest up and get ready for spring!

Holly I thought that was what I had, the sky blue vine when I got my black eyed susan, but of course, it isn't. I love it anyway, it is just blooming away.
I hope you get some going and then you can bring yours in, like I do ...
MJ, that is a gorgeous color of blue.. I did plant some seeds of the blue sky cluster vine if that is the same thing..
How about this little blue that greeted us?

mjs, Thank you for the kind offer. Maybe I will have something you would like in exchange. We can talk about that when things start greening up.
Joeswife, I have some new MG seeds to try this summer. That blue is beautiful.
Heading out to a seed swap talk later.

mj, are those lorapetulam? I have only one and the Dallas paper suggested cutting them into standards this week. I did and sure hope it blooms like it has in the past.

Lou,
Yup that's it ! I hard pruned them last summer, and am doing a "semi-standard" cut on them as they get to "wild and wooly otherwise". I think that may be why I'm getting the great bloom this year...or they liked the cold winter we had.

More nice photos!

Guess the Blue Sky Vine is Thunbergia grandiflora.

My Loropetalum bush has never gotten covered with flowers like mjs. Guess it doesn't get cold enough here. Although it's been warmer in the SE US lately than here.

Metro - Yes, T. grandiflora , I'm suspecting the Loropetalum may be blooming like that because of the very hard pruning it got last year.

Debra, if you had seeds for this ( T. grandiflora) where did you get them ? I've never seen seeds offered and my vine has not produced seeds...either not the right pollinator or ???? And it is at least 4 years old now. Trying to eat the arena fence and anything else it comes in contact with. LOL

This message was edited Feb 26, 2011 12:14 PM

MJ's I got some seeds from you yesterday, thank you.. the blue sky cluster vine seeds were from an online source. I will send you some. When I send you the varigated stuffs, there will be some cool seeds for you too. Thanks for being such a great enabler.


Dave, those orchids are beautiful. I am anxious for the Wichita Lawn and Garden show next week, my camera will be ready.
Thhought I would show you what a pink moon vine seedling looks like...