Bloom Day - 51 varieties for May!

Lots of blooms for the month of May!  Viewing across, then down:  Dendrobium pierardii, Loropetalum, Don Juan Rose, Porterweed, Brunfelsia, Thevetia, Jaboticaba, Pomegranate.




















Barleria (white & purple), Ruellia brittoniana, Ruellia elegans, Shrimp plant, Tecoma, Dietes iridioides, Dietes bicolor









Jewel of Opar, Yesterday-Today & Tomorrow, Turnera, Russelia, Bush Daisy, Duranta, Spiderwort, Plumbago

Cestrum aurantiacum, Cestrum diurnum, Jasminum ilicifolium, Jasminum sambac, Lantana, Dianthus, Petunia, Pentas

 Cattley Guava, Elderberry, Ascocentrum curvifolium, Magnolia grandiflora, Tipuana tipu, Mimosa, Passiflora incarnata, Neomarica gracilis

Aechmea lueddemanniana, Aechmea fasciata, Aechmea Burgundy, Aechmea Royal Wine, Aechmea distichantha, Billbergia Windii

Neoregelia carolinae, N. olens,
N. rosea-lineata, N. Sheba,
N. spectabilis, N. Tangerine







To see what's blooming in gardens around the world today visit May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

Space Shuttle Launch (as seen from my backyard)

Here's a photo of the launch that I took from my back yard this afternoon (located near Orlando, about 50 miles from the launch pad).  Second and third photos are zoomed progressively closer.

 

Orchid waterfall

Dendrobium pierardii planted on a horizontal branch makes a waterfall of blooms!  This orchid is cold-hardy to the mid 20° F range, deciduous, and pendulous.  Since they are leafless in the spring when the blooms appear, there is no foliage to obscure the mass of blooms.

The flowers are lightly fragrant and when the sun shines through the petals, they sparkle!  The yellow lip is slightly fuzzy.

Dendrobium pierardii is a natural epiphyte and thrives when planted along with other epiphytic plants. Here's one growing with Resurrection fern.

They require no care whatsoever once they are attached to the branch.  A single staple holds small plants steady until rooted.  The roots run along furrows in the bark and gather nutrients from decomposing leaves and other debris falling out of the tree.  New green shoots grow from the base of the plant in spring and will produce flowers a year later. 

Each year they grow larger and more beautiful! This specimen has been growing unattended for more than 20 years!

Another four years of growth since the above photo was taken for this original post and here's what it looks like:

I had to stand back much farther to get the whole thing in the photo!

Nun orchid (Phaius tankervilliae)

This is a terrestrial orchid that behaves like a perennial in the garden.  Phaius tankervilliae is native to large parts of tropical Asia.  The long, pleated leaves grow from the base of the plant and arch over to a length of two feet or more.  In early winter the flower spike will start to emerge from between the leaves and the flowers will open in mid-spring on a 3 to 4 foot stalk.  The bloom spike will last for 4 to 6 weeks. 

The nodding flowers are a rusty brown color on the front side and white on the back, with a prominent purple lip.  Each flower is about 3 to 4 inches across.  It is the reproductive parts within the throat of the flower that give the plant its name.  If you peer inside you will see the image of a nun wearing a white habit.

Phaius can be grown outdoors in the ground in USDA Zones 9-11.  In cold climates the plant can be grown in containers and protected from freezing weather.  A light shade or filtered sun location is best.
One other interesting thing about these plants is that you can cut the old flower stems into sections and lay on moist soil or sphagnum moss and they will send out roots and grow new plants!

Gardening Mothers

This is dedicated to all mothers who garden with their children.  You are passing on knowledge and skills that could never be taught in a classroom.

You teach self-sufficiency when you grow food plants.
You teach appreciation for beauty when you grow flowers.
You teach forethought when you plan what to grow and when.
You teach compromise when there is not enough space for everything you want to grow.
You teach patience when you plant a seed that will one day grow into a tree.
You teach how to nurture and care for others when you grow young plants that need careful tending.
You teach discipline when the weeds must be pulled.
You teach cooperation when you work together to achieve your goal.
You teach decision-making skills when crops must be thinned or trees pruned.
You teach that hard work has its rewards when you harvest and eat your crops.

These are just a few of the immeasurable things a child learns while gardening.
Most of all, you are spending quality time with your child, getting to know each other better, and becoming friends.

This is dedicated to all mothers who garden, but especially to my own mother who gardens, and who taught me all these things.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Friday Creature Feature - Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar

This is my monthly spotlight on one of the creatures that lives in my garden.  Today we have the Gulf Fritillary caterpillar feeding on Maypop (Passiflora incarnata).  Soon it will pupate and emerge as a beautiful butterfly!

For more creatures that live in my garden, click HERE

Aechmea distichantha

The flower spike on Aechmea distichantha lasts a very long time, and if you have several plants the succession of blooms can extend for months!  The plants grow about three feet tall and the flower spike extends above the foliage.
The hot pink flower spike branches out and darkens with age becoming more of a dull red color.
These are very spiny plants with a sharp spine on the tip of each leaf.  They should be planted away from high-traffic areas, or clip off the terminal spines.  They are great barrier plants to keep out unwanted animals or people!
They will grow in full sun and are also very drought tolerant. The leaves are not damaged by frost or brief periods of hard freeze. This is one of the most indestructible bromeliads you can own!

Aechmea distichantha works well in arid gardens but can be used anywhere for a long-lasting splash of color in winter and spring.
Buy this plant!

What's New

This is my monthly roundup of all the miscellaneous goings on in the garden.  It's May, and summer weather is here!  Highs in the 90s and lows in the 70s.  Humidity as high as it can get.  Where are the afternoon rain showers?  I hope they're coming soon!
The fragrant spring blossoms are filling the air with their blended scents.  Southern Magnolia, Sambac Jasmine, Star Jasmine, and Cattley Guava all combine to produce a heady aroma.  The heat and humidity seem to intensify the fragrance.

The spring and summer fruits are developing nicely.  Peaches, Chickasaw Plum, and White Sapote are all swelling with the promise of delicious flavors to come.  

                                                            

Surinam cherries are ready now and make a delicious snack right off the tree while working in the garden.

The caterpillar population has exploded, which means lots of butterflies will soon be flitting about.

I spotted a box turtle under the lemon tree the other day.  Looking for a mate?  Love is in the air!

Quesnelia liboniana

Another of the spring-blooming Quesnelias, but this one looks completely different!  Quesnelia liboniana has rigid, erect foliage that is plain green in color and a single plant only produces 3 to 4 leaves before flowering.  The leaves grow about 18" tall (24" in shadier spots) and in the spring a vivid orange and blue flower spike emerges.

The colorful portion of the flower spike is about 4 to 6 inches in height and is held above the foliage for maximum visibility.  These plants are cold hardy into the mid 20° F range.  Offsets are produced on stolons, which quickly fill a pot and creep over the sides.

Due to its comparatively small size, this Quesnelia can easily be grown in a 6" pot and moved around when blooming for increased enjoyment!

Plants will grow in nearly full sun to mostly shade, developing lighter green leaves in more light.

Harvest Monday

The winter fruits are almost finished and the summer fruits are starting.  I am still harvesting Red Grapefruit, Kumquats, Sweet Lemon, Valencia Oranges, Eustis Limequat, Starfruit, and Glycosmis.  The Surinam Cherries are just starting, and in the garden I'm picking Turnip greens and Parsley.  For photos of the fruits, see my previous posts for Harvest Monday.
Thanks to Daphne's Dandelions for hosting the Harvest Monday meme!