This beauty will be planted on the side yard and will replace the cactus garden. Less harmful to the cats jumping the fence up and down.
Callistemon rigidus or Stiff Bottlebrush is an Australian native shrub that can get 3-8' tall with a 6-10' spread at maturity. This Bottlebrush has a bushy growth habit with stiff stems and stiff linear shaped leaves and will do best on a well-drained soil.
In the summer this Callistemon will bloom sporting spectacular bright red bottlebrush-like flowers that are great for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
Actually the red that is seen is the showy stamens, as the petals are small and inconspicuous.
After bloom the Bottlebrush will have button-like seed capsules. One interesting thing about Bottlebrushes, for us "plant nerds" is the fact that the stems continues to grow after the flowers and seed capsules, sothey are not necessarily at the terminal. So there will be foliage, flower or seed capsules and then foliage
again.
It comes from north western South America and it's one of the nightshade family, so be careful, these are poisonous plants.
Iochroma cyaneum has big quite felty leaves. It grows to about 3 to 4 metres and needs a sunny, warm position. Frost would be its big enemy, they really hate that winter cold.
Grow it in a protected position where it will get some reflected heat from a wall. Prune right down to ground level in Autumn or after flowering. It starts flowering again in December and flowers all the way through until late summer. It needs some summer moisture, but not a lot. Use it at the back of a shrub border to add some height, and then plant other things in front of it. This is a plant that usually grows in south eastern Australia, but grows anywhere, as long as it's not too cold.
This plant sends out strong suckers so if you live in the warmer, wetter areas where it could get away, keep it in a pot.
Located seeds: Rare Seeds
Other Names: Iochroma Brugmansia Relative, Blue Brugmansia, Red Brugmansia
Unfortunately, we don't live in an ideal world, and we as gardeners must adjust to unfavorable changes in the weather. In Texas, the major environmental threats to the garden are: too much sun, sandy soil, lack of water, too much rain, violent thunderstorms with accompanying high winds and hurricanes.
Papayas have a main tap root rather than the expansive network of roots that most other species of trees have anchoring them into the ground. The main tap root has a few side roots, but they are closer to the surface of the ground rather than deep in. As a result, the papaya is vulnerable to being toppled over by high winds or young boys who might like to uproot one just because they can.
The inner core of the trunk is hollow, much like bamboo. Even slight damage to it produces a rush of milk that streams to the wound (as white blood cells do when human skin is injured) to begin the process of creating a crusty "bandage". Keeping the tree properly hydrated maintains the "milk pressure" as our bodily fluids and the free flow of them maintain our blood pressure.
This year temperatures dropped to 31-32 degrees in the Houston area. Although the actual temperature was above freezing, there was enough wind chill to cause frost damage to most of my papayas.
All blossoms are lost and developing buds drop off. The leaves show all the signs of irrepairable damage i.e: wilting, rapid change in color from green to yellow to brown, complete crisping and eventual dropping off. If temperatures are expected to continue at the near-freezing level, it is best to let the leaves remain on the tree as long as possible as they will protect the tender and more likely to regenerate top growth. Absolutely remove all fruit. A tree fighting to survive doesn't need a pile of fruit to nurture. When all danger of frost has passed, strip off all dead leaves.
Do
n't be hasty about removing what looks like a dead tree. Be patient. Many trees will send out side growth or regenerate top growth. By being patient, you may salvage the tree and insure many more years of healthy, abundant harvests . Introduce plenty of water and gradual dressings of your usual fertilizer as soon as possible. If you must, saw the tree down to the nearest new growth at the thickest part of the trunk and paint the wound liberally with tree tar.
Sometimes, all is not lost. Patience and a good salvage job may lead you back to tasty fruits and your peaceful, leafy canopy.
The coolest yucca of all yuccas. Yucca elephantipes, more commonly called the spineless or soft-tipped yucca, is a fast growing member of the agave family. In fact, it can quickly outgrow its original position in the garden.
First, tidy up the clump by stripping the lower leaves off the stems. Stripping the leaves will also prevent the cutting from losing its moisture before the roots grow. Take your cutting from a mature stem, with brown bark underneath the stripped section. If the bark is cream-coloured, rotting may occur. The cutting can be taken from any part of the stem. The thickness and length of the stem doesn’t matter. The foliage at the tip of the cutting does not need pruning. Allow the stem to dry out for a few days to a week in a shady spot. After drying out, put the cane in an appropriate-sized pot filled with a free-draining mix. Keep the pot moist and store in a shady spot with plenty of light. (Tip: make sure you tie the cutting to something after it is potted, as it may fall over in the wind.) Roots should form in about two to four weeks. Do not re-pot until you see roots in the drainage holes of the pots. 
Finally some color in the garden (besides of course, the weed). The first plants are blooming since tuesday and one I've already snipped to decorate our receptionist desk.
This is a very cool way to make personalized cards for any occasion. Can also be used, whoever has the patience, for scrap booking, check book inserts, creative canning labels yadda yadda etc.
I remember an aunt who did this while I grew up. Definately unforgettable.
I've received my seeds from tradewinds!
Wohoo!
At first I was growling at the label "germination can take up to 3-9 months" ugh, but what do you know, 2 of the seeds in the package were already sprouting and rooting. They are freshly potted up - so more to come on that... when more comes.
This rare gem is considered a weed in New Zealand, hard to believe. That must be the reason so many people want to move there, it's got to be breathtaking.
A brief description:
Several weeks ago, I've finally received the seeds. My 16 year old carefully planted them and did everything to guarantee success. So he soaked 12 peat moss pellets in hot water, carefully put 2 seeds in each pellet, covered it and put it up on a warm place .
A couple of days ago there was the first sprout, success! It's already about 1 cm tall! See pic.
Pereskia grandiflora is considered to be the original cactus, the ancestor as it were of all other cacti. Strangely enough, the plant looks nothing like a cactus. In fact it does not even resemble a succulent, but rather a wild rose. It is one of the few varieties of cacti to have leaves.
Pereskia grandiflora produces delightful pink flowers that bloom in clusters. A plant 30 to 35 cm high (17 cm pot) will bear two or three clusters of flowers, a plant 50 to 70 cm high (25 cm pot) three to four clusters. The plant is also characterized by large, pale green, privet-like leaves and a long, thorny stem. It is sometimes called 'Rose Cactus'.
Fast grower
The plant can be kept indoors or on the patio if the temperature is no lower than 12°C. It tolerates sun and (semi) shade. Only the very hot noonday sun should be avoided. Contrary to other cacti, it does need regular watering. However, please ensure that no water is left standing in the pot. Underwatering will cause the plant to shed its leaves. In spring and summer weekly feeding will contribute to (speedy) growth. In winter the plant loses all its leaves and the rootball must be kept dry although it must not be allowed to dry out completely. With proper care the plant can flower from spring to winter.
Update: This seedling died after developing 4 nice leaves. Not sure what happend, it was happy in my window sil till it shriveled up into nothing - RIP
This rare plant is my pride and joy.
Native to Australia, the Pandorea jasminoides grows to about 20 feet in one growing season. The Vine is hardy into the mid-twenties and will bloom from late in the Spring through Summer and into the Fall until frost. This year however, it never stopped blooming.
I am fond of the clean leaves and dark green foliage and the fact that it attracts hummingbirds . It will reach and twine about anything within several feet so periodic trimming is required. Pandorea jasminoides prefers regular water and plenty of sun.
Cyperus Papyrus
Some asked me if there was a religious plant / biblical plant.
So I dug a little deeper and found something I've remembered from my catholic upbringing.
Papyrus is a beautiful plant with a rich history and tradition. Where it can be grown it is both a striking accent in the environment and a great conversation piece. Soft green clouds of papyrus lined the Nile River during the time of the pharaohs. In the Bible the infant Moses was found among the bulrushes, as Cyperis papyrus is also called. Ancient Egyptians kept records of their pyramid building activities on papyrus sheets, from which we get the word "paper."
The image to the right is, written on papyrus, the earliest substantial New Testament manuscript known to exist, a slightly mutilated codex of Paul's epistles from about the year 200 (2 Corinthians 11:33-12:9) The image is borrowed...but I forgot from where. Feel free to let me know if you know, to pass on the proper credit, or to remove it if so desired.
Today papyrus is appreciated for its beauty and is often used in ornamental landscapes especially in pools, ponds and containers.
I got a plant from my favorite plant/seed supplier: centerofthewebb
There are different types of papyrus, some dwarf, some house plants, or the one that currently grows in my yard... Cyperus Alternifolius.
Grows nice and bushy around the fountain in the backyard.
After browsing around for some new stuff I came across this baby. This got to be the coolest plant there is!
Ochna thomasiana
The Ochna thomasiana flowers are actually yellow at first. After it flowers, it turns red and produces some seeds. The seeds start with a green color and turn black. Sometimes when the seeds fall it resembles the Disney character "Mickey Mouse."
The shrub or small tree grows 6 - 8 ft. Of couse this plant is, yet again, only suitable for USDA zone 10 and wont survive the occational frost in zone 9.
So therefore... none for me :o/
D. imperialis or also Tree Dahlia.
Spanish invaders catalogued several kinds of dahlias and sent plants back to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid. The species was named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl. European breeders produced double flowered dahlias by the early 18th century, and the plant was very popular between 1810 and 1840. In 1872, a Dahlia juarezii tuber survived shipment from Mexico to Holland, and its brilliant red flower with pointed petals captivated breeders. Soon this new species was crossbred with cultivated varieties, leading to the thousands of cultivars being grown today
In between working on this years tedious task of making 2008 Christmas presents, I'll be catching a breather by another project. Peanuts! -
Christmas, already??? Well, my boss has a saying on his desk, "If something needs to be done, do it now, not later". And there is a lot to be done.
I figured, if the project is successful, we'll make fresh chokolate covered peanuts too! Who would have ever thought they can be grown in a pot! The planting recipe comes from one of my garden nut friends, Donna. This is my first try, lets see if the effort pays off and fresh peanuts emerge.
Peanuts are native to South America and are actually part of the legume family, not the nut family. Whether you want to grow your own peanuts to sell, eat, make peanut butter from, or just because you’re curious to know if you can, pay careful attention to the following suggestions.
How to Grow Peanuts
Things You’ll Need:
* Raw peanuts
Step 1:
Order your seeds from a well-known seed company for the best growth results. Do not buy boiled peanuts for planting.
Step 2:
Soak seeds overnight for quicker germination, before planting.
Step 3:
Plant peanuts after the last frost in very sandy soil. Make sure your soil drains well.
Step 4:
Sow two inches deep, with lots of compost and manure. You can even add a couple inches of mulch on top of the surface if you are concerned that the ground is too hard to grow peanuts or if you have a lot of weeds.
Step 5:
Space peanuts seven inches apart, making sure the kernels stay whole. If split, they won’t grow.
Step 6:
Water well when planting, but not again until the peanut plant sprouts. This should take about a week. When you begin watering them regularly do not overwater.
Step 7:
Keep the area free from weeds which can hinder peanut plant growth.
Step 8:
Allow 130 days for plants to mature.
Step 9:
Harvest in the fall by pulling the whole plant out. A spading fork is helpful. You’ll see a mature nut when you pull it out of the ground. The foliage will be yellow.
Step 10:
Allow peanuts to dry for two to four weeks.
Step 11:
Store in a cool, dry place until ready for roasting.
Step 12:
Enjoy the peanuts. You can grow more next year!
The magnolia grandiflora is a magnificent tree with broad strapping leathery leaves and can grow up to 80ft in height. Typically the trunk is straight and the tree forms branches which tend to result in a pyramid type crown. The leaves are of particular beauty with their deep green tops and velvet like undersides which are a lovely russet color. The flowers are large and a glorious crisp white with wafts of fragrance and covers the tree beginning spring and all through summer. There are lots of different cultivars.
How to Propagate:
Magnolias thrive in fairly rich, moist, peaty or sandy loam, but can grow satisfactorily in any garden soil if acidic fertilizer is added.
Most magnolias are grown from seeds, or from cuttings, by grafting or by layering. Rare kinds are sometimes propagated by grafting in winter or spring in a greenhouse. The period between sowing of the seed and germination may be as long as 18 months. Magnolia Grandiflora trees grown from seed may take from 15 - 20 years to produce a blossom, while trees that are grafted bloom much sooner. Please keep in mind that trees grown from seed may not be exactly like the tree the seeds came from due to haphazard pollination.
How to plant the seeds:
Seeds should be sown in a fresh state, and not allowed to dry out. Remove the seeds just before the pod bursts open or immediately after.
Remove the red-orange coating. This can be done very easily if you soak them in water for a few days. If, when put in water, the seeds float on the surface, they have gotten too old.
Squeeze out the hard seed and wash them in dishwashing liquid to remove the oily coating that prevents them from absorbing moisture.
Sow in a light compost of two parts peat, one part loam and one part sand. Don't let the seeds dry out. Cover with 1/2" of compost. Cover the tray or pot to maintain moisture and protect the seed. They should germinate in about four weeks. Pot them after about four weeks, making sure the roots don't dry out.
In colder climates, you may not be able to plant them outside. Place the seeds in a bag containing a damp, sterile medium such as peat or grit, seal and label and put in the refrigerator at about 40 º. In February, sow the seeds under glass at temperatures of 64-68 º.
With one or two exceptions, the Magnolias are not well adapted for planting in lime soils. They like deep, well-drained loam and benefit by a little peat or compost placed about the roots at planting time. Soil should be well aerated. Transplanting isn't advised because injury to large roots generally leads to ill health. They shouldn't be planted very close together. In order to blossom, they need to be planted where they can get plenty of sunshine. From my observations, the sunny side of a magnolia has many blossoms; the side shaded out by other trees seldom has a blossom.
Jatropha podagrica or also Australian bottle plant
Originating in the Caribbean, the jatropha was spread as a valuable hedge plant to Africa and Asia by Portuguese traders. Currently the tree is widely used for getting biodiesel in India, and is being promoted as a very easy to grow biofuel crop in hundreds of projects throughout India and the third world. The rail line between Mumbai and Delhi is planted with Jatropha and the train itself runs on 15-20% biodiesel. The mature small trees bear male and female inflorescence, and do not grow very tall.
Kalanchoe daigremontiana syn. Bryophyllum daigremontianum also called Devil's Backbone, Mexican Hat Plant or Mother of Thousands is a succulent plant native to Madagascar. This plant is distinguished by its ability to propagate on the mother plant itself.
Plants reach up to 1 m (3 feet) tall with opposite, fleshy oblong-lanceolate "leaves" that reach 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) long and about 3.2 cm (1.25 inches) wide. These are medium green above and blotched
with purple underneath. The margins of these leaf-like organs have spoon-shaped bulbiliferous spurs that bear young plants. The plantlets form roots while on the plant. The "leaves" are actually short, determinate, leaf-like branches that can be termed phylloclades or cladodes.
Adult plants can also develop lateral root structures on its main stalk, as high up as 10-15 cm from the ground. The upper leaves of the plant tend to develop into disproportionately large structures, causing the main stalk to bend downwards and the lateral roots to take up root of their own, anchoring into the soil and eventually developing new primary stalks which establish themselves as independent plants.
Furthermore, Kalanchoe daigremontiana can go through a flowering season, where the main stalk elongates vertically upwards by as much as 30 cm, within a couple of days, developing an umbrella-like terminal inflorescence (a compound cyme) of small bell-shaped pink flowers. Flowering is, however, not an annual event and will occur sporadically if at all.
We grow sugar cane, yes we do! In our small garden and it's very invasive and a lot of work to contain. There is not much else to say about it besides that it's a nice ornamental grass and great for cooking. Sugarcane is a giant, tropical, perennial grass that grows up to 12' high. Its stalk contains sweet juice from which sugar can be extracted.
Wrap it around a nice steak, use it with stir fry, stick it in hot or cold tea or give it to your kids to chew on.
It's imortant to use fresh stalks to make twizzle sticks. Cut sugar cane stalks into 6"-8" pieces, avoiding the nods and then lengthwise into 1/4" sticks, remove outer (hard) coat.
Here is one of my favorite grill recipes with sugar cane.
Rum Glazed Shrimp on Sugarcane
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 pounds)
8 sugarcane swizzle sticks, each cut into 3 pieces
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum (or 2 tsp alcohol free "rum aroma", in the baking isle)
1/4 cup corn syrup
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
Preparation
Prepare grill to high heat.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
Cut swizzle sticks at a sharp angle. Thread 4 shrimp on each skewer.
Combine brown sugar and next 8 ingredients (brown sugar through pepper) in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until syrupy.
Place shrimp on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until done, basting generously with glaze.
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 4 shrimp)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 273(22% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 1.9g,mono 1.6g,poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 23.6g; CHOLESTEROL 177mg; CALCIUM 83mg; SODIUM 541mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 3.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.3g
Steven Raichlen , Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003 Recipes adapted from Steven Raichlen's books How to Grill (Workman, 2001) and BBQ USA (Workman, 2003)
Also known as Amorphophallus konjac. I have managed to get some bulbs in a trade, so this bizzarre additions will be my newest challenge of all plants that I have had the pleasure to grow so far.
The images are borrowed from the Institut for Plant Biology Technical Univerity of Braunschweig, Germany and Botanical Garden Bonn, Germany
Amorphophallus. konjac, formerly known as A. rivieri is perhaps the hardiest species, taking winters in zone 6. It is an intriguing plant even without the bloom, with its large leaves and leopard-spotted stem. Same bad but short-lived odor as the other plants in this genus.
Plants and bulbs found here depending on season
The Dictionary of Plant Names says that the Greek amorphos means deformed, and, well, you know what the rest of the name means. The Dictionary also says that the name refers to the shape of the tubers. Amorphophallus is a genus of 90-100 species of mostly warm-weather perennials, distinguished by extremely large "flowers".
One member of the genus, Amorphophallus titanum (or also Corpse Flower), has the largest inflorescence on any plant, and usually rates a newspaper article when it blooms in captivity. (No, I don't have one of those, yikes)
Because it takes a lot of energy to produce such a large inflorescence, Amorphophallus doesn't bloom until the tuber reaches a certain size, and then may take more than a year between blooms, or even foliage production. These plants have a long dormant period, usually not coming up until June, and dying back in September.
A "Voodoo Lily" that is hardy in zone 8 if planted a foot deep with good drainage. The flower may be 18" tall, and is quite colorful, with a spathe that is mottled on the outside and rich crimson/pink on the inside, with a cream-colored spadix. The foliage is also very striking, with attractively segmented leaves on a green-mottled petiole that should reach 3' or more in a shaded location with lots of compost. The flower stinks for a few hours shortly after opening, then stops. (Maybe it will keep the nonstop barking dogs of my neighbor in check?).
Along with our Tomato harvest past fall came some strange critter, the Horn Worm. After collecting 2 whole plastic cups full for kids show and tell around the neighborhood, I came across this huge specimen. Worth Posting. Meaty Tomato's with meaty Protein.
Hosts: Primarily tomato but can also attack eggplant, pepper, and potato.
Description: The larval stage of this insect is a 3 1/2 to 4 inch long pale green caterpillar with 5 pairs of prolegs and a "horn" on the last segment. The two most common hornworms are the tobacco hornworm (7 diagonal white stripes and, most commonly, a red horn) and the tomato hornworm ("V" shaped markings with a horn that is often black). The adult of the tobacco Hornworm is the Sphinx moth. The Five-spotted Hawk Moth is the adult of the tomato hornworm. Both moths are stout-bodied, grayish-colored insects with a wing spread of 4 to 5 inches.
The larva is the damaging stage and feeds on the leaves and stems of the tomato plant leaving behind dark green or black droppings. Though initially quite small with a body about the same size as its horn, these insects pass through 4 or 5 larval stages to reach full size in about a month. The coloration of this larva causes it to blend in with its surroundings and is often difficult to see despite its large size. It eventually will burrow into the soil to pupate. There are two generations a year.
Recommendations: This insect is parasitized by a number of insects. One of the most common is a small braconid wasp. Larva that hatch from wasp eggs laid on the hornworm feed on the inside of the hornworm until the wasp is ready to pupate. The cocoons appear as white projections protruding from the hornworms body. If such projections are seen, leave the infected hornworms in the garden. The wasps will kill the hornworms when they emerge from the cocoons and will seek out other hornworms to parasitize. (Yuck)
Desert Rose is one of my ultra favorite plants. Native to arid areas of Africa including Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, it is related to the Plumeria.
Here are some images and notes about Adeniums. I have succeeded for the first time to grow them from seeds. The left image are my babies..
Place the seeds flat on top of the soil, barely cover part and just sprinkle dry mix over the seeds until they are surrounded but a little can still be seen put on the humidity dome and place in a dark place at 70-80*. 90-95* may be a little hot. You should see germination starting in 3-5 days assuming the seeds are viable. Some will take longer. You can then remove them from the community tray with a spoon and transplant them into individual pots when the get about as big around as a pencil. There is many variations to this but moisture, warmth, BRIGHT light and viable seeds are absolutely necessary.
Origin: Arabia, Africa
Flowering: Twice yearly Spring/Autumn
Height: 3'
Width: 3'
Culture Information: Indoors
Temperature: Thrives at temperatures up to about 85°F but, can tolerate temperatures down to 54°F
Light: Direct sunlight to indirect sunlight, good light is a must for this plant all year round. Plants can be placed into a partially shaded area outdoors in summer.
Watering: Water similarly as with cactus, allow the plant to dry between waterings, often the base of the stem become soft when the plant requires watering. Increase watering when plants are in flower or actively growing. Decrease watering in winter. Leaf drop in a common sign of overwatering.
Humidity: Medium
Pests: Mealybugs and scale can be a pest to these plants occasionally.
Diseases: Root rot can occur when the plant is kept too cold or is overwatered
Propagation: Seeds, cutting should be allowed to dry for a few days before placing into a simple sand-peat mix.
Care & Tips: Leaf drop in winter in a normal for this plant. In the wild this plant may grow up to 9', but rarely exceeds 3' when grown indoors. Plant flowers twice yearly once in the warm seasons and once growing into the winter season.
