Brunfelsia nitida

Brunfelsia nitida is an absolute must-have for the night-time fragrance garden.  The long, tubular, white flowers start to release their scent as the sun goes down.  After dark, the entire garden around the plant will be perfumed with a spicy, clove-like aroma.
The flowers appear on each flush of new growth throughout the warm months of the year.  The white blooms flare open at the end of a 6-7" long nectary, and will last for several days.

As the blooms age, they take on a yellow-gold tint.

Pollinated flowers develop a round fruit that turns orange when mature, adding another ornamental aspect to the plant.  The fruit is not edible!

The plant grows as a shrub, 4-5 foot tall, in sun or light shade.
Brunfelsia nitida is native to Cuba and is sometimes known as "Lady of the Night" or "Cuban Raintree".  Most references recommend this plant for USDA Zones 10-11, but mine in Zone 9B appear to be fairly cold-hardy.  Last winter, plants slightly under the protection of tree canopy suffered no damage.  Exposed plants froze to the ground but returned quickly and were blooming by mid-summer.
These plants bloom extremely well in containers, and I like to keep a few in small pots that I can bring in the house when they come into bloom.

Tibouchina grandifolia

Tibouchina grandifolia is an impressive plant even when not in bloom.  The large fuzzy leaves just beg for closer inspection.  They get to be about 6 inches by 8 inches.  The stems are four-sided.

This native of Brazil grows 6-7 foot tall in full to dappled sunlight.  It is recommended for USDA Zones 10-11 but I know several people growing them in Zone 9B.  Plants can be damaged during a hard freeze but will come back from the base of the plant.

The deep purple-blue blooms of Tibouchina grandifolia appear in mid-summer and continue until mid-winter.  Individual flowers are about 1.5 inches across, and they open with a white center which turns red the second day.  Flowers are fragrant if you stick your nose right in the bloom.

Tibouchina granulosa

Tibouchina granulosa  is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to western Brazil and eastern Bolivia.
It grows 10-15 feet tall (in cultivation) and blooms most of the year, but heaviest bloom is during the warmer months.  In its native habitat, this Tibouchina can get up to 40 foot tall!

The leaves are dark green, 5-6 inches long, with prominent veins running the length of the leaf.  The upper leaf surface is glossy with depressed veins and the underside is rough with protruding veins.  The stems are four-sided and winged.

The vivid purple blooms appear in clusters at the tips of the branches.  Individual flowers are about 3 inches across.  Flowering will be best when the plant gets sun for at least half a day.

Most references list Tibouchina granulosa as hardy for USDA Zones 10B-ll but I know of several specimens happily growing in Zone 9B.  They will come back after a hard freeze.

Bloom Day - September

This month's Bloom Day is all about the range of colors on display right now.  We'll start off at the red end of the spectrum...  (click on links for a profile of that plant)

Pentas, Knock-out Rose
Ruellia, Odontonema
Jatropha, Billbergia
Clerodendrum speciosissiumum, C. paniculatum

Bauhinia, Caesalpinia
Asclepias, Porterweed
Tecomaria, Crossandra
Campsis, Lantana

Tecoma, Turnera
Bush Daisy, Cassia
Gold Shrimp, Cestrum
Thevetia, Tabernaemontana

Barleria, Shining Jasmine
Plumbago, Blue Ginger
Spiderwort, Porterweed

Tibouchina granulosa, T. grandifolia
Ruellia, Passiflora
Duranta, Carambola

Setcreasea, Loropetalum
Crape myrtle 'Tonto', Periwinkle
Podranea, Jacobinia
Chorisia, Brugmansia













...and the bloom of the month...

Banana!

To see what's blooming in gardens everywhere today, visit May Dreams Gardens for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  This post is also part of the Tuesday Garden Party hosted by An Oregon Cottage.

Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola) trees are believed to have originated in Sri Lanka, but have been cultivated for centuries in southeast Asia and Malaysia.
Flowering can happen any time, but they mainly appear starting in early to mid-summer and continue through early winter.  Buds and blooms emerge from the leaf axils of new growth,

or directly from the woody branches of the tree.

The fruit starts to ripen in mid to late summer and will be non-stop until mid-spring.  A single tree can produce an enormous quantity of fruit.  Trees that receive adequate nutrients and moisture can provide 300 pounds of fruit per year.

The ripe, yellow fruit is 4-5 inches in length, and very juicy, but with a firm crunchy texture.  The fruit is at its peak flavor when it has a deep yellow-orange color and is starting to show a little brown at the tips or on the edges of the ribs.

Carambola fruit deteriorates rapidly once it is ripe so you never find truly ripe fruit in stores.    The only way to experience their full flavor is to grow your own, or get it directly from another grower.
The common name of Starfruit refers to the shape of the fruit, especially when cut into thin slices.

Most Starfruit are consumed fresh, but they can also be made into jams, cobblers, pies, and drinks. They can also be dehydrated for later use.  The flowers are edible and can be added to salads for color.
The flavor of fruit from different varieties varies between sweet and tart.  Named varieties also vary in size and color intensity.  Some cultivars require cross-pollination for improved fruit set.
Averrhoa carambola grows 25-35 feet tall in sun or light shade and is recommended for USDA Zones 9B to 11.  Mature trees can survive a hard freeze for short periods of time and the trees are evergreen if no freezes occur.
The large pinnate leaves give the tree a ferny appearance.

The outer branches tend to weep downward, especially when they are laden with fruit.  Heaviest fruit production is usually on the lower half of the tree, making for easier picking when the fruit is ripe.

The Carambola fruits contain oxalic acid, and the juice of the tart varieties can be used to polish metals, especially brass.  There are folk remedies from around the world utilizing various parts to the tree to treat many afflictions, including headache, vomiting, eczema, fevers, and hangover!  Medical studies indicate patients with chronic renal failure (on dialysis) should avoid eating starfruit due to documented adverse reactions.

Aechmea lueddemanniana

I usually post bromeliad profiles at the time they're in bloom, but Aechmea lueddemanniana is a species that I think is showier long after the flowers have faded.

The flower spikes appear in the spring, covered with a fine scurf.  The flowers are small and lavender in color.

As the flowers fade, the "berries" start to swell.  While they develop over the summer, they change color.  Green first, then white,

and finally purple!  This is when they're the most eye-catching.

The Aechmea lueddemanniana plants grow best where they'll get morning sun, or shifting shade throughout the day.  Each plant will get about 18 inches tall and 2 foot wide, and they seem to be fairly cold-hardy, surviving brief freezes with little damage.  The purple "berries" will remain in color for a couple of months before finally shriveling and falling from the plant.

Macadamia tetraphylla

Macadamia tetraphylla is a nut tree native to Australia.   The pendulous flowers are beautiful and have the fragrance of honey.  The scent is detectable in the vicinity of the tree.

The floral sprays can be up to 15 inches in length.  The blooms appear in early spring from the leaf axils of mature wood on horizontal branches.

The nuts start to swell as soon as the bloom is finished, and develop over the summer.

The nuts ripen by late summer or early fall and the husks split open to reveal the nut inside.

Macadamias are evergreen and grow 30-40 foot tall.  The leaves are stiff and leathery with sharp prickles along the margins.  New growth is a coppery-red color.

Macadamias are listed as hardy to 24° F but I suspect they could survive lower than that.  Mine had no damage at all during an extended period of 26° last winter.  The trees are drought-tolerant once established, but nut production will be improved with adequate soil moisture.
After cracking open the brown shells, the white nuts inside can be eaten raw or roasted.

Harvest Monday -September

The Starfruit trees are bearing lots of fruit as their season starts in earnest this month.

Persian Limes and Key Limes are also ready in large quantities, as well as a few Limequats.

The Pineapple harvest continues and I look forward to slicing into each and every one!

A double-header!

Jaboticabas have been producing a few fruits every week all summer long.
I'm also picking a few Elderberries, Glycosmis, Cattley Guavas, Passionfruit, and Cereus fruits.

The fall vegetables are growing but haven't started producing yet.  There is still plenty of Okinawa Spinach as well as Basil, Mint, and Cuban Oregano.

To see what gardeners everywhere are harvesting this week, visit Daphne's Dandelions for the Harvest Monday meme!

Creature Feature - Grizzled Mantis

This is a Grizzled Mantis (Gonatista grisea) female.  The males have wings that cover the abdomen.  They are predaceous insects, typically feeding on other arthropods.  The females are more commonly seen because the males are often eaten immediately after mating.  
They are known for their ability to blend in with their surroundings.  This species is also sometimes known as the Lichen Mimic Mantid.  This two inch long one was nearly invisible on the trunk of a starfruit tree.
*UPDATE* -- When I published this post this morning, I had only seen this bug the one time I took the photo, but lo and behold... when I went out in the garden this afternoon, there was a male on the same tree!  Maybe I'll soon have lots of little Lichen Mimic Mantids running around here!  Here's his picture..

The First Friday Creature Feature is a monthly event on this blog, held on the First Friday of every month.
This month I'm inviting anyone who has recently posted about a creature in their garden to join in on the fun.  Simply link below and leave a comment.  Thanks for participating!

What's New - September

September is here already(!) and the days are growing shorter.  My garden is always in best form this time of year.
The change of seasons is starting to show.  The Magnolia pods are opening to reveal their shiny red seeds, and fallen pods litter the ground.

The Beautyberry is showing its royal purple colors...

and Firespike is sending out its scarlet blooms.

Amazingly, several of my plants that I thought were frozen dead last winter have just started showing signs of life, eight months after our last freeze!  Dracaena massangeana, Ficus Alii, Erythrina herbacea, and a yellow Hibiscus have just pushed out their first growths in the past few weeks.  Just this morning I saw the first signs of life on an Aechmea chantinii that was planted in the ground.
I've planted tomatoes, beans, squash, and cucumbers for the fall garden.  The timing of the rains was perfect and they are up and growing in no time.

The late-summer to fall fruits are ready.  I'm picking lots of pineapples, starfruit, and limes right now.

As the main pineapple crop of the year matures, there is always another round of blooms that will produce fruit to ripen near the end of the year.

What's New is a monthly roundup of the miscellaneous tidbits going on in my garden.  It's also part of the Tuesday Garden Party hosted by An Oregon Cottage.