Tropical Gardens and Plants #106

I too have so many plants that have not bloomed yet, it is certainly a very strange year weatherwise. I can't imagine even thinking about you bringing the plants back inside in this heat Debra. Let's hope you have lots more time yet.

One of my all time favorite flowering trees is now in bloom. Floss Silk Tree - Cieba speciosa. This particular tree is approx. 30' tall and is located at our local barefoot dentist's office... and he is really barefooted at work.
Scott

Here is a closer image of a single bloom.

Debra, I hope the temperatures cool down some so you don't have to drag your plants back in the house so soon. Beautiful Hibiscus you showed.

Hi Scott and nice close up shot of a Cieba speciosa flower. Are you still growing Aroids?

Sounds like a great place to live Scott!

You're absolutly right Homer, the Keys is a great place to live. Laid back folks down here and a great climate to grow tropicals.
Yep Rachel, aroids is still my favorite. I've kinda focused on increasing my Anthurium collection this year. NSE is putting a hurt on my plant budget via Ebay but they sure do have some great plants.
Scott

And I bet we have had a bid war or two with NSE also! LOL!!!

So YOU"RE the one!!!LOL

Rita and Rachel this is for you...the tag says Anthurium hybrid,radicans X dresserii. I just had to have it. It seems to be doing great. Can either of you give me some info on it.

Perilla had really taken off this year

Hoya kerrii varg. is really growing..

One of my favorite begonias

Beautiful!

Paula, beautiful plants and I can definitely understand the statement " I had to have". I grow radicans x dressleri and can say it has been another easy one for me to grow. It's not too picky about humidity but it does not appreciate if you allow the soil to dry out. I've never found any pest bugs to be a problem with it and it's also a great bloomer. Hope this helps and if there is anything else you want to know just ask.

Scott, ebay puts a hurting on my pocketbook too but I can't stay away for too long. NSE does sell some nice and hard to find plants and I've been happy with most that I've received from her. I figured you were probably still growing them and I hope you show us some photos from your collection.

If this weather pattern continues to persist, I'll be showing you pictures of dead plants! A 110 degree heat index with no rain= dead plants eventually! Watering is a new learning curve also as the plants don't know if they want to grow or not!

I call it heat dormancy. I think LariAnn could give us more "educated" terminology! LOL

Everybody stay cool if you are in the eastern half of the country. Please check on your friends and family!!!

Bananas on one and flower on another Musa Orinoco

Mr. Borneos new leaf starting to get going in foreground.

New garden picture with potted plants taking in morning sun.

Gag, it is smokey again here this morning, Paula, what is going on? That poor swamp must be about consumed by now.

We are much better off than the rest of the country but it is still to hot for McCalley's Finale, it is so faded looking in this heat.

This message was edited Jul 23, 2011 7:41 AM

I love these tall stripey aspidistras. Truly no work, they will get a once a year haircut to remove old leaves and that should be it.

This message was edited Jul 23, 2011 7:40 AM

I have had this Culculata for years and it has always stayed small, under 15" at most. Now all of a sudden it wants to grow up and be a big ear.

Bigger than golf balls, almost tennis ball size seeds on the tung oil tree. These are weed trees around here but they have the prettiest flowers in the spring.

Very nice Alice! any changes in light,water or ferts for the Cucullata? It just does not seem to be the year for trops. in the east!

Hmmm, I did dig it up this year and put it in a large pot so the soil should be better than my marsh muck. Has anyone been to Plant Delights recently? I would love to know how Tony's EE's are doing this very strange year.

Alice, I would suspect, no better than ours with there 110 plus heat index lately!

The seeds are so big, they are perfect squirrel food. Start them in pots in some squirrel proof area and after they are growing well you should be able to safely transpant them into the ground.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/72530/

Oops, Sorry, I just checked PF and see where you did start them in pots.

This message was edited Jul 23, 2011 8:59 PM

White mandevilla, thriving.

the whole pot

I should say so! Great gardening JPlunket.

Thanks, Homer --BTW, these are growing in Washington, D.C., and the kudos go to DW Karen.

White flowers are perfect in this hot weather, they seem to have such a cooling effect. I may have to find some white mandi's now. LOL

oh my goodness went out when I let the dog out this morning and on the rose bush that came back to life when the rains started, has been eaten on, almost like jap beetles, but then on a new bud about to open it was covered with the strangest bug and it looked like they were mating??? Its too early in the morning for my brain to work so didn't have a camera, but my first reaction was to swat them off. When I get home from work, I'll recheck and if there are any will get a picture and post to find out what they are, haven't seen anything up north like them so I guess they are a southern or FL critter.

Off to work I go.

Jan

Well I am finally settled in Washington state and now have a greenhouse. and a few plants got to get started with some new plants that is for sure. I managed to save some of my plants and sent them before I left. I will post pictures later of my plants but here is one of me and my cousin Kate with Mt. Rainier in the backgroud.

I get up this am to this picture after watering the three clumps last night.

Deer? Coon? Just the leaves, not the stems! WT*!!!

If you look closely you can see the claw mark holes of the squirrel that was attempting to destroy the latest leaf of my potted A. Portora! S.O.*. !!!

oh dear Drew, I feel your pain.
this dainty little lilac de fleur datura has turned into a garden hog..

every year something turns into a giant in this spot.. one year it was a triple datura black current . Another year it was a giant HUGE cleome. I sweatr there must be something in that spot that feed things and super sizes them.

welcome back James, I am glad you have a green house , that is awsome!

Drew,
Don't you hate that !! Squirrels ate all the blooms of my Hoya mindensoris earlier this spring. And the deer were eating my Japanese MG's as fast as they were sprouting.
I was having serious wildlife anger issues.