Tropical Garden #98

LouC: I've heard stories of birds flying into windows and knocking themselves out. You were the true blessing that day! Many people would have kept right on walking, so I commend you for rescuing one of God's amazing creatures!

Yeah, Christie - good deed!

Christie, God Blesses us with YOU!

Big Boy and Company ( T plants) need a room of their own..

a Lilly for you all is blooming..

My azaelia survived it's first winter..

These bloomed all winter inside, they are now outside for the moment, awaiting their summer placement.. from Rita..

tropical hibiscus tree has been outside out front for three weeks now, it is a very tall tree, and here is a Good Morning Bloom for you all... should I trim it now?

Good morning, Debra and all! I wouldn't trim that Hibiscus, Deb, unless there's dead wood - wait until you bring it in this fall.

Somehow I lost the thread from my watcher. I went back to work just a seasonal PT job but between that and the spring garden work I haven't been keeping up with DG. Finally realized I hadn't seen any posts for a while. So I am back again and will try to keep up. Enjoying all the beautiful flowers and birds.

Hi, Holly!

Good Morning everyone! I've been outside watering and fertilizing since 7:30 this morning ... and taking coffee breaks and stopping to take pictures now and again. It's already 81º outside, going to be another hot and humid day. I came inside to take an air conditioning break and to switch from coffee to water ... or I might empty the rest of the coffee into a pitcher and add cream, sugar and ice to have iced coffee.

Debra: Wow, what beauties! It amazes me that you northerner's grow so many tropical's and grow them well I might add ... I can't imagine having to move plants in and out, in and out depending on the season ... hard work indeed! That yellow Lily is really beautiful, I'm really drawn to yellow flowers the past couple of years for some reason. Now, please tell me what the gorgeous bloom is that you posted here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=8508129

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday ... sure hope all the bad weather is soon to be finished for everyone! I saw on t.v. that someplace was getting more snow! Yikes ... it's the end of April already, and Snow?%!?

Blooms of my little Blue Glory Bower Vine:

Linda, I think what your last plant might be is king's mantle aka Thunbergia erecta. Mine's in bloom right now, too - LOVE IT!

KJ: When I bought this plant it was labeled Thunbergia battiscombei.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/t/thun_bat.cfm

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38378/

I wonder what the difference is between T. battiscombei and T. erecta?

I have no idea, Linda - I bought mine as T. erecta. I'll call yours T. battiscombei!

I have some pretty things blooming today, such as my king's mantle:

Here's another plant in bloom - Sesbania tree:

These pink lilys are just lovely:

I couldn't get a good shot of these pineapple Guava blooms:

These easter cactuses, in the greenhouse, are just blooming their hearts out:

Another easter cactus:

Yet another easter cactus:

This red shrimp plant just keeps on blooming:

Grrrr! I keep getting logged out and losing my posts! I don't know what's going on ... must be this new laptop because I've been having the problem ever since I got it.

KJ: Your King's Mantle sure looks identical to my plant .... yours is a beauty! I wonder what the difference is between T. erecta and T. battiscombei? Maybe one grows more upright and one is more viney? Mine may very well have been mislabeled, that wouldn't surprise me one bit!

Love the Sesbania tree and those Pink Lilies are to die for! I love that color! I don't think I've ever seen that Pineapple Guava, will have to google that one, I like those blooms! Nice Easter Cactus too!

Linda, here is some information:

PlantFiles:

Bush Clock Vine, King's Mantle
Thunbergia erecta 'Fairy Moon'
Family: Acanthaceae (ah-kanth-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Thunbergia (thun-BER-jee-uh) (Info)
Species: erecta (ee-RECK-tuh) (Info)
Cultivar: Fairy Moon


PlantFiles:

Blue Boy, Blue Glory, Clock Vine
Thunbergia battiscombei
Family: Acanthaceae (ah-kanth-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Thunbergia (thun-BER-jee-uh) (Info)
Species: battiscombei (bat-tis-COM-ee-eye) (Info)

From what I gather, the one I have is a shrub and the other is a viney shrub, but it beats me!

Yeah, I read that info and was thinking maybe T. erecta grew more upright and T. battiscombei was more viney ... mine seems to be a bit of both, LOL. It's not as large as your plant ... maybe I will put it in the ground and see if it changes habit.

Lin, I think Debra's pretty white flowers are columbines. Aren't they gorgeous! I planted a whole bunch of those in my daughter's garden in Salt Lake, but they're not blooming there for another month. They come in lovely pastel colors and bi-colors, and have self-sown for her. They like it cool, so not for Florida, sadly.

Here's a shot of my Louisiana Iris 'Black Gamecock' in bloom. I'm hoping to replace the invasive iris plantings around my fish pond with these.

Hi Dyzzy, I am heading down your way tomorrow, going to spend a few days on Captiva but will likely drive through Sarasota. I know about Tropaflora and I believe there is a place called Crowleys? Anyplace else I should not miss.

Kay and Lin...Yes...sounds like Kay has T. erecta and Lin has battiscombei . I've grown both...and personally prefer the battiscombei to erecta, ...but it is more "recumbant". I also have the T. erecta "alba" which is definitely more picky. T.battiscombei is very forgiving of neglect, abuse, and general chaos ! LOL....so it fits right in around here.

Martha, now you've gone and hurt my one little feeling! You like Linda's better than mine - oh, NO!!!! I received the white shrimp plant today, in fab. shape - THANK YOU!

yes, columbines, Lin, they are prennials here and I have all kinds.. so pretty. I have a thumberiga erecta, I hope it does something soon.. anyone hear from Rita? I hope she is okay after her fall and stuff.


They said it was going to rain for two days now, but after seeing droopy coleus, I decided I wasn't gonna wait for the man upstairs to send any. Yellow lilly is a no name from a lady at work.. came home with a plant from work my boss said " Debra, I don't like it , it looks bad, take it home and use your green thumbs stuff" HA! I wish I knew WHAT it was, no tag just a gift wrapper and poor thing was drowning from people dumping their left over water bottles in it. Any ID for me? Care? Climber? sprawler? high light? dark light? LOL HELP!
here R the pictures.. looks like a diffenbachia of some sort, it has nubs starting for arial roots, which leads me to believe it is a climber and needs a pole.. size pic, sharing light while waiting to know what to do..

bottom view

I keep telling my self.. no more plants! HA!!! here is a close up of the leaves..

Check out these images and see if any of them match:

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-US&rlz=1I7GGIT_en&biw=1245&bih=575&site=search&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Dieffenbachias&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=

Nice picture with the Monstera Variegata Marmorata Debra!

Thanks Homer, it is waiting for it's pole , too, and Kay, I can't believe I have another diffenbachia geez! The one downstairs that is 6 ft tall sure looks different on the base of it. you know, that one down there if I took outside and Let it loop over on the leaves , would make another plant that way, I have seen them drop to the ground and take root and make more plants. sheese!
no way is this new one gonna go back to the showroom, he ( boss) likes things more "tamed " and Neat and Tidy.

Ardesia, if you make it out to Crowley's be sure to drop by the Florida Native Plants nursery as well. They are quite close together. You go east on Fruitville Rd. all the way to the end, about 11mi. turn right, and the FNP nursery is about 1/4 mile down on the right. Crowley's is my very favorite, though. It's like a theme park for gardeners. They have a 'herd' of various adopted cats there too so it is a really interesting place.

Go early in the morning, it's been getting pretty hot inland in the afternoons. Best to be on the beach later, as the sea breeze comes in. Water's getting really nice for swimming now, too.

Speaking of theme parks, Epcot has their Flower and Garden Festival on through the end of this month, if you have time to get over there.

What an awesome picture to end the day! You just can't beat the Gulf!

Just a beautiful beach pic. I could use a week at the beach right about now.

me too, or even a lifetime....

Well, what's stopping you - come on down - I have plenty of room right near the ocean!!!