Weekly Photo Challenge: Curves

For this week’s photo challenge, WP demands, “Show us your curves!    In an effort to keep the challenge “clean” and give you a rare glimpse inside smallhouse, I present to you the perfect curvy subject:

The plant above is a Madagascar Dragon Tree, aka Dracena Marginata.  Although mine is solid green, varieties with pink/white/red stripes are also available.  As you can see, 4 slim stems curve upward from a central trunk, winding this-way-and-that as the plant matures.  This amazing indoor specimen thrives in low light environments!  4yrs ago, I placed it dead center in my open floor plan house, and it still looks as heathy as the first day.

Now let’s adjourn to the garden, for a different set of curves:

A week ago, this croton aka Codiaeum Varieagatum was a mere tip cutting, a rootless “stick” with the tiniest hint of budding at the very top.  Through the miracles of copious rain and good potting soil, fresh leaves are now curving and curling nicely!

Crotons are bio-genetically unstable with an ability to “sport.”  In layman’s terms, this means they often mutate and produce offspring that look nothing like themselves.  Judging from what I’ve seen so far, my new little croton will be much like the Ram’s Horn variety from which it came:

Now that’s what I call lots and lots of curves!!!

As always, be sure to click the Zemanta links below for other interpretations of this week’s challenge!

Until next time….

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Aloe Juvenna vs. Aloe Squarrosa

There are over 500 recognized varieties of Aloe in the world, and it seems I’ve misidentified this one:

What I thought was A. Juvenna from Kenya is actually A. Squarrosa from Socotra but I’m not alone in my mistake. Google  ”A. Squarrosa” and at least half the returned images are mislabeled Juvennas….and some are from reputable succulent scholars and plant distributors!!!

Despite having the same white-spotted, bright green leaves, these aloes have VERY dissimilar shapes and growth habit. Squarrosa is a rock climber with long, recurved leaves that feel smooth to the touch;  Juvenna is a small, clump-former with prickly, triangular leaves that grow upward in columnar fashion. Take a look at this image from photographer Christian Defferrard and you’ll see the difference:

If you’re wondering how I caught an identification error I never should have made in the first place, it has everything to do with flowering!  Both aloes have the same unbranched inflorescence that carries a cluster of tubular, coral colored flowers with greenish tips, BUT Juvenna rarely (and I mean RARELY!!) goes into bloom. Imagine my surprise and suspicion when I noticed an inflorescence on this barely 2 yr old aloe

 I don’t like that awful outlet dead center, so let’s just look at the spike:

All well and good to know exactly what I’m growing, but it still doesn’t explain the overall name game….so I dug a bit deeper.

In 2003, the Aloes of the World Project began the daunting task of compiling data on each name given to every aloe in the world since record-keeping began in 1753. This compilation presented a unique opportunity to analyze and trace the use of common and scientific epithets in a large genus, and to identify trends in plant naming practices.  If you’re at all interested in linguistics and plants, I highly recommend reading the entire research file, but for our purposes I’ve pulled out this little nugget  in 1979 someone misread the pseudo-Latin “Juvenna” on the original label of a cultivated aloe tagged as “possible juvenile.”  From that moment on, the new name stuck, but who and what Juvenna was before ’79 remains a mystery!  I can tell you this, though–last week I saw an aloe at Home Depot labeled  A. Zanzibarica and it looked exactly like the Juvenna in Christian Defferard’s picture further up the screen.      Uh-oh! Here we go again!

With so many mistagged plants and pictures out there, it’s amazing any of us ever gets it right!

Until next time……

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting (2nd Submission)

As I was finishing my initial post for this week’s challenge, I realized I had a second submission in a group of photos I took at Patisserie, one of our little, local coffeeshops.  To set the stage and provide context, I had just taken a tiny walk with enormo implications.  It was a beautiful, blue sky day, so I chose an outdoor table…..

…..and enjoyed being alive (with a great Ethiopian brew!) in pretty surroundings:

Quand les vieilles dames ont quitté leur table (polite translation for ”when the old broads left their table?” ha! French café and all that ) I moved to their spot by the window…Hmmm….look at all those people…are they inside or out?  Fleeting images are so confusing!

It was then I noticed une autre vieille dame starring at me!  What is with this window and old folk!?

Oh no way!!!  A fleeting glimpse of myself!??!!

Until next time!

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting

I’ve been loving the recent Photo Challenge topics!  This week, we’re asked to share images of something fleeting so I’ve decided to focus on the weather!

During the first week of May, Vero Beach was alternately shrouded in haze, drowning in rain, or baking under the sun.  As you can see in these pictures, all three seem to be happening at once….that’s what I call fleeting weather!

A thundercloud above cast our chairs into shadow, but looking toward the east you can see the sun’s glare and the hazy outline of people playing in the surf!  Such strange, fleeting light that day!

Although it’s early in the challenge week, many bloggers have already posted EXCELLENT submissions, so be sure to click the Zemanta links, below.  I’ll be back for another shot at this topic in a day or so.

Until next time…..

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Lilium Scarlet Delight, Orienpets, Red Lily Beetles

There are approximately 110 distinct wild species of lilium and well over 9,000 hybrids. One of these hybrids, Lilium Scarlet Delight, began opening yesterday in my side garden:

This fascinating group of lilies is derived from crossing Trumpet types with Orientals into a category known as Orienpet or O.T..  Due to their complicated breeding history, this American hybrid blooms earlier in the season and imparts the most magnificent scent!  Seriously, my entire yard is redolent with the perfume from a single open flower!

Orienpets also have excellent disease resistance and naturalize quickly. The flower texture is waxy, and the stalks quite sturdy, as seen in the next photo.  I love a plant that no longer requires staking!

Click here to compare last year’s bloom.

As these bulbs mature and enlarge, the stems should produce additional flowers by branching off and growing at least 3-4′ tall.  Side note: my garden is located on the cusp of zone 10 but “Scarlet Delight”  is hardiest if planted in zones 5-9.  I’m not 100% sure how excessive heat/sun will affect its long term growth.

Before I close, I’d like to mention a pest that plagued my Massachusetts lily garden,  but so far hasn’t been an issue in Florida.  If you live in northern climes, I’m sure you’ve seen the damage wrought by Red Lily Beetles aka Lilioceris Lilii:

This hungry pest arrived in Cambridge (MA) via flowers shipped from Montreal in 1992 and spread steadily westward to other temperate states.  Although I didn’t take the above photo, it accurately depicts my old lily garden…every part of my plants was on the menu and consumed with no regard for savoring the moment Those dang bugs worked FAST!!

The worst damage from the Lily Leaf Beetle occurs (right now!) as the mothers’ eggs hatch and enter the larval stage These larvae have brownish bodies with black heads.  To keep predators away, they carry their excrement on their backs, leaving brown smudges as they spread up the stems toward the flower buds.  Ewwww!   After 2 to 3 weeks at the “buffet”  the larvae return to the soil for a 3 week pupation period before starting the process all over again!

So….how do you keep up with these infestations?   My favorite methods included dousing the garden weekly with Neem oil sprays and “squishing”….but neither worked well enough! Sad but true…they definitely beat me!

If you live in Connecticut or Rhode Island, there are two lily beetle management studies underway and both need the help of home gardeners. To learn more (or volunteer) check out these links:

University of Connecticut Integrated Pest Management, Red Lily Beetle

University of Rhode Island Bio-control Lab, Red Lily Beetle

Until next time……

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs

This week’s challenge asks that we share a photograph of a sign. Unless you’ve visited shallow inlets around the Treasure/Space Coast or Florida Gulf, you probably haven’t seen this one!

The manatees found in Florida are a geographical sub-unit of the West Indian manatee, Trichechus Manatus.  Their ideal habitat is 3-7′ deep, warm water (above 70degrees) where the sun can penetrate and maintain underwater plant life.  Manatees are the only aquatic mammals that are herbivores; they feed indiscriminately on submerged or floating vegetation, with seagrasses being a major staple in their diet.

The pictures that follow were taken in June, 2011 at Round Island Riverside Park, and are an accurate representation of the manatees’ natural habitat.  If you look behind the girls and toward the left, you’ll see the back of the sign from pic 1.

This next angle gives a better perspective of the type of shallow, calm waters these creatures call home.

Per a 2009 survey, there are at least 3800 Florida manatees, a good sign their population has stabilized since they were last counted in 2001.  To learn more, check out the species profile page at the Smithsonian Marine Station Website.

Until next time…..

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I’ve got company! :)

I had SUCH a memorable Memorial Day!  A family of unexpected guests arrived just in time for breakfast!

Hmmmmm…..beach sunflower buffet? Mighty enticing! ;)

Of the 20 known Armadillo species, only one resides in the US: Dasypus novemcinctus aka the nine-banded or longnose variety. The next two photos show how well they live up to these common names!

D. novemcinctus are somewhat opportunistic eaters.   Their pig-like snouts function as foraging tools, seeking out insects, earthworms, small reptiles and amphibians.  Plant roots, carrion, small birds and mammals may also be consumed.  If they head to your garden, beware!  Even the briefest foraging session leaves behind holes and misplaced garden soil…especially around new plantings like the banana and small cactus in my ranchero!

The Florida armadillo population was the result of a few animals released from a small zoo in 1924, combined with several more that escaped from a traveling circus in 1936. They’ve multiplied and spread thoughout the state due to a fast reproductive cycle. Female armadillos reach sexual maturity between 1-2yrs of age, bearing 4 pups from a single egg that divides into quarters before implanting!  Interesting fact should you ever appear on Jeopardy armadillos are the ONLY mammal to give birth to identical quadruplets all the time!

If you look closely at this next picture, you’ll notice a few “dings” in the rear armored plates of the animal nearest the street:

When they came back on Tuesday, I got a closer look and noticed another mark towards the head:

In person, these looked more like claw marks (or scrapings) than indentations.  In terms of local wildlife predators, bobcats and hawks have been known to hunt armadillos, although most fall victim to car accidents when crossing urban streets.  An armadillo’s natural escape reflex is jumping instead of running…jumping is what typically puts them at odds with grilles of oncoming vehicles! Eek!

If you think it odd to see armadillos during daytime, it isn’t!  Juveniles are more apt to seek food during daylight, largely to avoid adult armadillos who forage during dawn and dusk, and behave aggressively toward youngsters at “adult feeding time.”

I had hoped to see these fascinating prehistoric holdovers again Wednesday, but it rained (HARD!) intermittently all day.  I think they’re living among the plumbago hedge along my house’s concrete slab, an ideal, safe spot of well concealed brush!

Here’s one final glimpse:

Until next time…..

Related articles

• http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/dasypus_novemcinctus.htm (Smithsonian Institute Armadillo Page_
• http://armadillo-online.org/

Wordless Wednesday: May 29, 2012

On May 17, I showed you some early stages in the development of the Gulf Fritillary butterfly.  Two days ago I observed the end result:

Gulf fritillaries (Agraulis vanillae) are one of four longwing and fritillary butterflies found in Florida. They range throughout the southern U.S. and migrate northward during warmer months. They have been seen flying far from land over the Gulf of Mexico, hence the name.

These medium-size butterflies are bright orange and black on top (see header photo) with white spotted undersides. They usually flutter along a fairly straight course within a few feet of the ground.  They also roost near the ground, like you see in this picture.

Gulf fritillaries prefer the nectar of red and white flowers. Some males sip mud.

For a wonderful, comprehensive photo journal of the Gulf Frilillary life cycle, click here.

Until next time……

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A little plant with a big name

I’ve had fairly good luck ordering plants via online retailers but this group from Logees Greenhouses seriously impressed me.

Passiflora Lady Margaret, Strophanthus preussii, and ? (From L to R)

Logees’ speedy delivery (9 days from order to doorstep!) and careful packaging are also worth praising. The above photo was taken immediately after I unwrapped each little pot. Look at the dark, moist soil. Amazing, yeah? And not a speck out of place.

Whenever I receive new plants, I google the bejesus out of them to ensure I site them properly. No problem finding info on the Lady Margaret (red) passionflower or S. Preussii, an African liana with unusual medusa flowers.   Big problem researching this one though:

Logees had it listed as “Hemizygia Candy Kisses”…argh!!!  Half scientific/half common names make me absolutely bonkers, so I began looking for something more accurate. What I found surprised me!

In 2006, DNA sequencing revealed plants previously placed in the hemizygia genus shared a common evolutionary ancestor with those in the syncolostemon genus. Because this common ancestor was NOT shared by any other plant group, all involved were reclassified as Syncolostemons  big Latin word for minty sagebushes.   If you’re still following, H. Candy Kisses is now  S. Transvaalensis, the variety name given as a nod to its native African region.

All science aside, my new little shrub should be quite pretty!  Mature height is 2 to 3ft with width about the same. When it blooms, purple/pink flowers will spike high above the foliage.

Despite its small size, S. transvaalensis  is well adapted to rebounding from (brief) hard freezes or scorching fires due to a starchy swelling of its root crown known as a lignotuber. The lignotuber contains buds from which new stems sprout and a sufficient store of nutrients to keep them growing until photosynthesis kicks in again.  Pretty amazing stuff!!!

Before I close, one last close look at its reddish stems and somewhat waxy leaves:

Until next time…..

Strange growth in the Brassia Maculata basket!

After my Brassia maculata orchids finished blooming (last August) I divided 2 original pots into 6 separate clumps. I gave one group away, wired 3 to various branches in the bauhinia tree, and placed the remaining divisions in a basket:

Brassias are sympodial (bulbous) orchids whose large fleshy leaves and woody flower spikes emerge from oval pseudobulbs along the soil line.  Each pseudobulb provides nutrients and water for a single bloom cycle before becoming a dormant ”backbulb.”  When things proceed normally,  backbulbs divert their remaining energy to producing next year’s growth, as illustrated by this group wired to the tree:

The severe wrinkling tells me these pseudobulbs  COMPLETELY depleted themselves to ensure the next generations’ survival…the new growth looks absolutely normal…..and not at all like what’s going on in the basket!

I’m uncertain what’s growing from the “V” in the leaf…it has the overlapping, braided look of a pseudobulb but is way too thin, long, and misplaced.  I don’t think it’s a flower spike because it looks nothing like last summer’s growth, and is emerging from an atypical spot. Weird!

Now for that strange disc shaped thingy growing from the root!  Here’s a close-up:

….and another from a slightly different angle showing hairlike roots emanating from the attached leaves.

I bought my first orchids in 2010 and have probably learned more from making mistakes than doing research!  Dividing these brassias, placing them in a tree that provided inadequate shade, and then not watering enough, clearly stressed them to the max!

Under severe stress,(and sometimes for no reason at all!)  brassias are known to asexually reproduce via the process of  developing a keiki.  Keiki is Hawaiian for child/baby but is a bit of a misnomer: orchid keikis are clones of the original plant. Eventually the keikis develop a full root system that allows them to survive independently.

Needless to say, I’ll be watching the basket for further developments!   If any of you are orchid experts or have seen similar strange and unexpected growths, please comment!

Until next time…..