Flower Power

As I was walking around the garden this week there were a few flowers that just struck me as ridiculously perfect.  Notice the structural similarities of the first three which are all more or less lilies (this family is always changing).

Hymenocallis 'Tropical Giant Sister' aka Spider Lily

Lilium duchartrei

Gloriosa vine is reportedly hard to grow here in Seattle because of its tropical origins, but for me it has been well worth the effort.  The flowers on this climbing lily are green when they open up, then slowly evolve to red and yellow before flattening out and becoming a deeper, richer red as the grand finale.  They are long-lasting and take about two weeks to complete their entire display. 

Gloriosa rothschildiana

I put some bromeliads & orchids from the clearance rack at Lowes in this hanging basket (No names unfortunately - I need to smack their garden supplier in the head and tell them "Assorted tropical foliage" is not good enough for me).  They have literally been blooming all summer and are still going strong.

Bromeliads & orchids in a basket

Abutilon or flowering maple is not completely hardy but here's what I do to keep it alive: I buy one in the spring and plant it in the ground, let it grow and flower like crazy, then in September or October, I take cuttings (5 or 6 inches long from the growing tip) and stick them in a glass of water with a clear plastic bag loosely covering it to help retain moisture.  They will be sprouting roots in no time, and then I can pot those up and place them next to a window for next year.  If we're lucky and get a mild winter, the one in the ground will survive.  'Tiger Eye' is my favorite cultivar.

Abutilon 'Tiger Eye'

Lobelia tupa is right in the middle of its almost endless stretch of flowering.

Lobelia tupa

Another plant that slowly changes the color of its flower is this Opuntia which I'm 99% sure is Opuntia engelmannii.  It starts out bright yellow, is orange by the next day, and then turns red on the third day.  A flower that lasts for three days isn't bad for a cactus!

Opuntia engelmannii

Same Opuntia engelmannii a day later

And finally, here's one of the Plumeria cuttings I "collected" from my trip to Hawaii this past winter.  This is the only one out of the four I brought back that has flowered so far:

A Happy Accident or Two

Opuntia engelmannii

Opuntia cacti, or prickly pears, may be considered to be scrubby weeds in the southern US but they are a prized possession here in the Northwest - at least by the people weird enough to grow them.  I've heard the new growth is edible but I haven't been brave enough to try it yet (they seem to have micro-spikes on them).  I think I'll just hold out for the prickly pears.

Solanum aviculare

In addition to about 12,000 other phases, I'm currently in a "big annual" phase.  One of the best big annuals for our area is Solanum aviculare or Kangaroo Apple.  The many purple flowers give way to miniature eggplants in shades of green, orange, and then red.  Its dark burgundy stems contrast incredibly well with the lush green leaves.  It grows quickly - to 10' in a single season.  Just go online and order some seeds, then sprinkle them around in a sunny area that will get watered and stand back!  If the summer is warm enough, the fruit will drop to the ground in the fall and seedlings may sprout the following year.  I believe the seeds have to go through a fermentation process like tomatoes.

Dahlia imperialis

When I was potting up a tree Dahlia (Dahlia imperialis) a couple weeks ago, a section of one of the main stems broke off.  So I took a shot in the dark and stuck it in a bottle of water.  I was floored about a week later when I noticed some roots starting to form at the base.  Two for the price of one!

Finally....a few figs on a fig tree no bigger than a stick.

Ficus carica

Happy Plants = Happy Me

The elusive thermal trough is back in Seattle.  Sunshine, clear blue skies, and heat (low 80's) are what most plants have been waiting for.  The relatively few plants that like it cool and rainy will manage to survive the party I'm sure. 

A glowing whorl of new growth on Metapanax delavayi

This heat wave (by Seattle standards) is our first after a cooler than normal spring which was beginning to feel like a repeat of last year's 2nd coldest spring on record.

Asphodeline lutea (King's spear)

The nice weather just might give some plants that don't really belong in this climate, like the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), a chance to bulk up a bit.  The bright yellow groudcover is Sedum makinoi 'Ogon', which has so far done a decent job of staying evergreen and seems to spread at just the right rate.

Left to Right: Lewisia cotyledon, Phoenix canariensis, Sedum makinoi 'Ogon', Artichoke foliage, and Opuntia engelmannii

Finally, I planted a couple tomatillos outside last week with a bit of protection.  They are looking good and starting to grow!  Let's keep thinking SUN!!!!

Two Tomatillos