Tropical Plants and Gardens #119

Welcome all, and please post pictures of your tropicals, flowers, fruit and foliage.

We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1244830/

thanks for the new thread and the great shot.

Jan

Second flower on my Worm Killer - synandrospadix vermitoxicus

I'm hoping everybody abandoned the previous thread because it was getting so long. It's hot outside here this week, and I'm gardening indoors at the computer even more than usual. It's lonely in here!

Wow is all I can say over that picture. Very nice close up.

Jan

Photos>

Awesome photo Elaine, I just repotted my synandrospadix vermitoxicus this morning. I was reading online that they like the bulb to be planted quite deep. Mine had been near the surface and it was not growing very fast so I made some adjustments. Hope it takes off like yours now.

Dale what is that orange one in your third picture?

This is not a trop but a lovely little native, Ruellia Caroliniana, the flowers are about 1 1/2" across and it self sows freely but it is easy to prick out. So far I have not had to do much of that, it looks great under other plants and acts as a living mulch in some places.

This message was edited Apr 29, 2012 1:00 PM

I've looked at these threads on & off for a couple years. Finally moved to FL last week. Have been trying to get the front garden in decent shape. Spent all day out there moving a couple plants, dealing with old rotten roots, and getting some mulch down. I wore out way before the task was finished so will be out there 1st thing in the AM.

I bought a healthy looking Passion vine yesterday. Want to put it against the split rail fence - full sun. Should I put some additional trellis up or will the 2 rails be sufficient to get the vine going down the fence?

Love looking at all the pics you post & I'll hopefully have some to add - one of these days.

You might want to just tie some strings between the rails to help the Passionvine 'grasp'. It doesn't twine or stick itself to supports like some vines do, it has strong tendrils that wrap around anything small enough. Most often it will end up grasping its own stems, and you can encourage that happening as it grows.

I'll see if I have a picture showing the tendrils so you can see what I mean. (right above the flower is a grasping tendril, not wrapped around anything but you get the idea)

Which variety did you get? First photo is 'Purple Possum' and second one is P. Coccinea.

Thanks....................I have a ball of twine somewhere. Not sure of the name.

Well ladies yesterday was not a good day. My fan went out on my GH and it has been a couple of days since I have been in there. Went to water yesterday and what did I see but a whole bunch of 'fried' plants...mostly orchids. I bawled like a baby and now I am in such a bad mood...I just want to get rid of everything. It just broke my heart. They were all blooming and now brown and dead. Is something wrong with me that I get that upset? of course the hubby was like...'oh well'...

So sorry for you Paula, that is big time discouraging. Do you have any SuperThrive? That works well on reviving plants that have baked in our heat - and it has been unbelievably hot this week.

Paula, they will most likely come back from the roots - it will take some time, though. Don't slap me for asking, but why weren't they outside? My greenhouse gets emptied out around the end of March - everything goes outdoors.

Nothing is wrong with you Paula!!!

Paula, did you just hit me on the head with a hammer?!!!

awwww poor Paula.. I am sooo sorry, I woulda cried too! I havn't been posting because the stuff looked better INSIDE than it is doing outside.

Everything that looked fried or lost leaves has new growth, I think the only major loss is of the rootbeer plant. Anyway, after three days of rain, the 86 and 40 mph winds will certainly dry things out again.

Gosh, I better find a place with a pool when we come down there, KayJOnes.. if it is hot we will fry!

Don and Patty are moving to Texas because thier son built them a home and it is on acrage south of Amarillo I think. They are getting the greenhouse ready now. Patty is not doing real well, I am glad that Don is retiring to take care of her.

Anyone heard from Rita?

We'd all be upset if that happened, Paula. We understand how hard you work to make your plants grow and thrive. Such a shame. The only thing I see wrong is that you didn't get in there for a couple of days . . . you must have too much on your plate if you don't have time to love your plants every day.

My 3yr. old pineapple plant is making a fruit! Guess the cold winters slowed it down a bit. Now I'll have to sleep out in the garden to guard it against the raccoons when it's ripening!

Thanks ladies, I knew you would feel my pain. Normally Mine would have been out also. BUT... we moved as most of you know. The 4 acres the house sits on is in full sun, we have pines trees on the left of us. That is where I am trying to move all of them. But that requies loading them on a trailer and taking them across the 4 acres. Basically between trying to get this house moved into, the other house emptied out and 'spruced up., my dad being in the hospital several days because they thought he had a heart attack, traveling around for my daughters tennis, and all of last week my mom being in the hospital, and other life things, I just have not had time to move them all. You just have to understand how many I have ( I had over 200 orchids) and probably a couple hundred other plants or more.

In my spare time (ha) I am trying to landscape my house, plant a pasture for my horses (12 acres), paint the barn, still unpacking boxes, mow the grass at both houses, cook, clean, wash clothes, and run errands.

Today my husband expects me to pick up sticks and things out of the yard where he has harrowed so the rest of the new grass can be put down. UHH sorry, got other things to do. Leaving tomorrow to go the the Dominican Republic (only because its a free trip) for 4 days.

Sorry, I am on a 'whine' fest. This is one reason I have to donwsize my plants.

OK, it is 7 a.m. and I am already exhausted after reading all you do Paula. I so remember those days when I had teenagers and aging parents, to throw in a move to some pretty significant acreage is a lot on top of what you were already dealing with. So, make some "lemonade" out of any plants that do not recover and compost them. They will make excellent food for your future garden.

Also, print out what you wrote about all you are doing right now and put it on the fridge door to remind you about just how much you are accomplishing. Girlfriend, you are an amazing whirlwind with everything on your plate.

Have fun on your trip. Just lie back and sip something with a funny paper umbrella in the glass. :-)

After reading all you have going on, I feel I have no reason to whine about moving to a smaller house on 1/2 acre (over 2X the size of what we had in MD). Even if the addition, that should have been completed a month ago, is still in progress so I can't have my furniture delivered, and that has also made a mess of my back yard.

I have just a doz Orchids but they are my babies and I'd feel terrible if I accidentally hurt them. Reminds me, they do need watered this AM.

And I can sure relate to the remark about "spare time". Today, in mine, I'm going grocery shopping.

Hugs, Paula.

Not to worry, Deb - we have a BIG pool in our back yard - it's called the Gulf of Mexico!

Look who visited the feeding station this morning. Took this shot through the window so it is a bit fuzzy.

First flowers on the Vietnamese gardenia.

Finally found a replacement for the Neo 'Zoe' I lost last year.

P. McColley's Finale

Sorry, my friends, don't mean to complain...I am blessed beyond measure. I am the type that I want to do everything myself and I want it done yesterday. Sometimes it just gets the better of me and I have a 'pity party' then move on...LOL I should be packing but what have I been doing....planting plants. Too bad were not going to a nude beach, then I wouldn't have to pack. hahaha!

LOL

Found that phil at a farmer's market. A local grower had picked some up in FL someplace. Apparently McColley was a well known hybridizer and that one was his final hybrid. He passed away several years ago and his wife released his named plants, one a year until the "finale."

I'll see if there are any more around or work on some cuttings but not until you are better situated - time wise. :-)

Awesome P. Finale Alice

OO, love the little painted bunting, Alice. I've only seen one since I put up my feeder, and he only stayed around for 2 days. Migrating, I suppose.

Love your Neo. 'Zoe', such pretty colors. My little tigers A. chantinii are two big pups now. Wondering if I'll see flowers this summer.

Can't walk by this canna with the camera in my hand, sorry for the repeat.

This message was edited May 2, 2012 9:32 PM

Alice,
I could trade this one with you. I have a couple of cuttings going. One I owe to Drew.

We'll talk another time, pack Paula,PACK. LOL

Nice photos everyone. I've heard from Rita and she is still staying very busy with house hunting/etc. but she is doing well.

So sorry to read about your lose of some plants Paula. Hopefully, "life" will settle down a bit for you before long.

Canna is a bute Elaine! You owe me Paula? I've forgotten and slept since then! Good to know Rita is Good! Would love to see some of her pictures!

I agree, Paula.. get packing! LOL oh don't forget to come by here and pick me up before you head out to the beach..


beautiful Philo. Here is my newest addition to the front porch tropical area// Philo "cobra"
everything seems happy here..

Holy cow, Deb! I like the first plant and the fourth one - beautiful! What are their names?

I think Iove your Cobra Deb and with the shape of that new leaf I can see where that name came from.

Me too, it's got a gorgeous color as well as the cool shape on the leaves. But that 4th pic, as Kay said Wow! It looks like the leaf has a different pattern of leaves imprinted on it. Really cool!

Anybody recall the name of this little guy? It was a cutting from Rita, and I thought it had expired last winter but here it comes up from the roots again now!

Coleus sprouting everywhere in a bunch of colors. Alice this umbel of flowers on B. Odorata Alba is nearly a foot across.

Calathea is the first one.

That Begonia is amazing!

Hello everyone from RAINY Punta Cana /dominican rebublic. Got here about 1 30 and has been raining every since. My husband says he couldn't ask for better beach weather. He hates the beach. Tomorrow we are going on the zipline...everybody ask a prayer that the line won't break as I am flying through the treetops.

Paula, rainy times are good times to go snorkeling! Doesn't matter if you get wet . . .

Have fun on the zipline! I've always wanted to do that (but then I am a total adrenaline junkie anyway).

Take lots of pictures of the plants, too.

beautiful coleus and begonia, very vibrant!

I think that leaf is a member of the prayer plant family, i love it. I have three different kinds so far.

zip flying sounds fun, I would do that in a heartbeat.

Deb, you can do it when you get here - we have all sorts of outdoor entertainment, like most tourist traps/towns!