Devils Hand Tree

This weekend we are growing Chiranthodendron pentadactylon from seeds. My favorite seed supplier got some in, we're plenty stocked up and off we go. Suppose to be really easy, but given the availability this has yet to be seen, but I am confident!!

The seed trays are ready and so is the green house. Will update as we go along.

Available here

It's Tomato time!

I've always liked simple good and identifiable food with fresh herbs. Here is one of my favorite super light summer hors D'oeuvre or snack recipes.

4 Ingredient Bruschetta

• French bread
• Ripe Tomatos
• Fresh Basil, cut into thin strips (never dried)
• Fresh sliced Mozzarella cheese

Slice or dice fresh french bread into 1" slices
Slice fresh Tomatoes 1/4" and place on bread (1, 2 or 3 slices)
Top with 1 slice of Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450f, place bruschetta on cookie sheet into the oven and reduce heat to 275f
Bake for 10 minutes
Add a good amount of fresh shredded basil on top of the hot cheese (adding basil prior baking will make the herb gray looking and shriveled up). Voila'

My boy's literally "inhale" them like a vacuum, so I have to say 4 to 6 per person

Dorstenia - The Star Trek Plant

A new find, the very rare caudex plant Dorstenia also known as star trek plant or alien plant. This one I'd like to grow from seeds completely. It will be a challenge to find them.

Dorstenia is a large genus occuring in the tropics around the world. There are succulent and non-succulent species. Most of the succulent species come from Africa. It belongs to the fig and mulberry family, and has also an unusual flower arrangement. The flowers are grouped in a structure called hypanthodium, and many in this genus have a common name of 'shield flowers'.

When the seeds are ripe, they are expelled at distances of several several feet.

Tropical Rosary Pea Abrus precatorius

Weeeh. That picture is enough to scare anyone. Unusual tropical seeds.

Rosary Pea, Crab's Eye, Abrus precatorius The plant is a slender twiner with alternately placed compound leaves. Each leaf has about 20 pairs of narrow, oblong leaflets, looking like a delicate feather. The rose to purple flowers are crowded at the end of a stalk. Fruits are short, inflated pods, splitting open when mature to reveal the round, hard and shiny seeds which are scarlet but black at the base. The plant is native to the tropics. It grows by the seashore among the undergrowth and in hedges. Seeds when broken or chewed or when the external coat is removed are highly toxic. The highly attractive seeds are sought after for beads. They are sometimes made into necklaces and rosaries.

Seeds are extremely poisonous if cracked; a single one, if swallowed can be fatal.

Someone suggested that these have been used in hostile gardening and to make arrow poison for self defense in SHTF situations.

Seeds found here 

Lotus berthelotii, another Kaka Beak

Call that hot stuff ground cover or pot companion.

Lotus berthelotii is a perennial plant native to the Canary Islands. In the wild it is extinct or almost so as it was pollinated by birds that are also now extinct in the Canaries. Flowers are pea-like and come in shades of red, yellow, and orange. It has needle like foliage covered with fine silvery hairs. It is a creeping ground cover spreading to 3 feet in full sun.


Credit for this image: Haplochromis

Brighamia Insignis

Ancestors of the Hawaiian Palm probably arrived on the Hawaiian Islands millions of years ago. Because of the isolated location of these islands in the Pacific Ocean, plants and animals were able to evolve mostly undisturbed and form unique and remarkable relationships. It is thought that the long, tube-shaped flowers of the Hawaiian Palm evolved in parallel with a moth species, believed to be the only one capable of pollinating the plant’s flowers.

The delicate natural balance of the Hawaiian Islands was dramatically disturbed over time with the arrival of people on the islands. Through clearance and the introduction of non-native plants and animals, the moth’s natural habitat disappeared. It is thought that the moth itself has also disappeared. Without these moths the plant cannot easily pollinate and reproduce. As a result, no more than seven of these plants are known to exist in the wild on the island of Kaua’i, making the Hawaiian Palm one of the world’s rarest plants. According to the IUCN Red List, Brighamia insignis is listed as Critically Endangered.

Propagation by Seeds

The fruit of Brighamia insignis is a green capsule about 1/2 inch long which ripens six to eight weeks after pollination. When mature, the capsule splits open releasing many small, smooth seeds. Capsules may still be green when the open or they may have turned pale yellow or light cream in color. Some seeds may remain stuck to the sides of the capsule. The capsules can be harvested just as they start to crack open. Place the capsules in a paper bag or envelope until the seeds fall out of the open capsule.

Most sources state that Brighamia seeds require light to germinate and to sprinkle the seeds on the surface of moist, fine textured medium that drains well such as fine perlite or commercial peat/perlite potting mix. Seeds should be kept in partial shade. Seeds will begin germinating in a couple of weeks and that most seeds will sprout at the same time.

Indian Blanket

A stunning native of Texas that loves sun, sea and salt water.
Scientific Name: Gaillardia pulchella
Common Name: Firewheel, Indian Blanket, Blanket Flower
Flower Color: Red rays with yellow tips
Plant Type: Herb, Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Height: To 2 feet (61 cm) tall

The up to 3 inch (7.6 cm) wide flowers have 8 to 14 three-cleft rays. The leaves are linear, spatulate, or oblong and may be toothed or lobed. This wildflower is usually an annual and often blooms earlier than the similar perennials G. aristata and G. × grandiflora.

Great cut flower!

Another Unusual Plumeria

A friend of mine just introduced me to the "Hanging Wind Mill" Plumeria and a cutting is in the mail (to moi!!!!) . Holy cow, this is very exciting.

At this time I have no good experience or feedback on this plant, borrowed or otherwise collected. We must see and wait.....

A Tree Lily

I often wonder what makes some people look so hard for other life forms on other planets. There is so much here. Have they seen it all already?

And when I thought there was no other possible surprise, here we go again. Looks almost like a very rare Angel Trumpet, but is not anything like it. Not even close..........

"This is a Portlandia relative native to the Dominican Republic. It has pendulous, bell-shaped, cream-colored, flower, unusual and rare in the United States. It is a delightful shrub and would be a wonderful addition to any garden."

investigating....

Indian Curry Leaf - Murraya koenigii

Another gem herb. Indian curry. As a wife and mom, I cook and I cook dishes from all over the world.

This one is just about impossible to find. Where can I find seeds or plants or cuttings? Please let me know if you have an US source.

Investigating........

July Gardening

A Double Plumeria?

What a beauty.
Somebody recently posted somewhere a wanted ad for this unusual gem. I had no clue that there was a double plumeria, so off I went to research and found this...

It's suppose to be a Plumeria Celadine mutant (grown from seed), a plumeria that has instead of the usual 5 petals, 9 or 10 petals. Same awesome aroma. That's pretty cool I must say. It takes great patience to watch any plumeria seed to come up and then wait 3-5 more years to see it bloom, to discover one has a managed to have created an entirely new breed such as this. Many cudos.

I've heard several stories on how it was initially cultivated in Australia as well as Tailand but I have not yet pinpointed it's origin nor have I found a reputable seller. This one is rare.

Once we have explored the (hardly) available suppliers, we'll put up our 2 cents...:)

June Gardening

Saffron - most Expensive Spice

How to Plant Saffron Crocus
Although the crocus is famous for being one of the first flowers of spring, the saffron crocus is a fall bloomer. Crocus Sativus is hardy in zones six through nine, and thrives in full sun with rich, well-drained soil. It also prefers a sheltered location. Avoid windy spots, or areas that stay wet in the heat of summer, around downspouts or at the bottom of slopes. Purchase corms and plant them four inched deep and about four to six inches apart in late spring to early summer. A favorite of gophers, crocus should be protected with a mesh enclosure or other varmint resistant device. Years where there is a long, hot summer will give you the best harvest.

The Blooming Habits of the Saffron Crocus
The saffron crocus will send up flowers in late September to early October that will last for about three weeks. A good bloomer, look for upright, spiky lavender blossoms of about four to five inches with long red stigmas. These red stigmas are the saffron.

After what can be a delay of months, the crocus will produce narrow grass-like leaves that will generate nourishment for the plant. These leaves will persist for 9 to 12 weeks and then vanish until the next blooming. Be careful not to destroy the leaves prematurely.

Propagating Saffron Crocus
The saffron crocus will grow additional corms from the mother plant. After three years, the corms can be dug up (during the summer when the plant is dormant), divided, and replanted. Break off the smaller outer corms from the mother plant and replant them in a separate location or at a distance of four to six inches from other plantings. Periodic thinning of the corms, at lease once every six years, will keep your crocus plants healthy and blooming well.

Maypop

Another lovely blooming vine. I got 5 sucker plants in a trade for some brugmansia.

Maypop (Passiflora incarnata), also known as Purple passionflower, is a fast growing perennial vine with climbing or trailing stems. A member of the passionflower genus Passiflora, the Maypop has large, intricate flowers with prominent styles and stamens. One of the hardiest species of passionflower, it is a common wildflower in the southern United States.

The stems can be smooth or pubescent; they are long and trailing, possessing many tendrils. Leaves are alternate and palmately 3-lobed, measuring from 6-15 cm. They have two characteristic glands at the base of the blade on the petiole. Flowers have five bluish-white petals. They exhibit a white and purple corona, a structure of fine appendages between the petals and corolla. The large flower is typically arranged in a ring above the petals and sepals. They are pollinated by insects such as bumblebees, and are self-sterile. The flower normally blooms in July.

The fleshy fruit, also in itself called a Maypop, is an oval yellowish berry about the size of a hen egg; it is green at first, but then becomes orange as it matures. As with other passifloras, it is the larval food of a number of butterfly species, including the zebra longwing and gulf fritillary. In many cases its fruit is very popular with wildlife.

Plumeria pudica “Bridal Bouquet”

Botanical name: Plumeria pudica “Bridal Bouquet”

Got one too! What a beautiful plant this got to be. Instant gratification once planted. The leaves are beautiful.

Rare evergreen variety, bushy hedge growing with unusual hammer head shaped leaves, flowers are white with a small yellow dot at the center, flowers are bunched like a bouquet.

If you are in the US and want one, I found one here.

Unusual Ceropegia

Another unusual beauty I am contemplating on growing - well, that if I can locate it. This might even be growing in my area. What a perfect little gift this would make!

Ceropegia ampliata - Bushman's Pipe

Ceropegia ampliata is from southern Africa; it’s called horny wonder or bushman’s pipe. Nearly leafless rambling stems produce 3-inch inflated balloon like flowers. The thick, twining, succulent stems make this plant well-suited to hanging basket culture or trellising. This plant needs at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day and can withstand a fair amount of drought.


There are several varieties it seems, one pictured below...


Ceropegia sandersonii - Parachute plant, Umbrella Plant

Umbrella plant is also from southern Africa and belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae, and so is it closely related to the milkweed varieties that are grown as butterfly plants in gardens throughout the United States. It likes full, but not hot, sun and the potting medium should be kept moderately moist during the growing period. It doesn’t like wet feet, so allow it to dry slightly between watering. It is extremely sensitive to Malathion.

New South Wales Waratah, Australia

Success! 3 of the 10 seeds I bought germinated and we now have 3 healthy seedlings. This is exiting! This got to be one of the most stunning cut flower there is. Lets see how well it does in Texas climate

It is a slender, erect shrub, to 3 metres tall and about 1.5 metres across. It has stiff, wedge-shaped and usually coarsely toothed, dark green, leathery leaves to 15 cm long. In cultivation they can grow to about twice the size.

The ‘flower’ is in fact a conflorescence that comprises, depending on the species, as many as 240 individual flowers. It flowers during spring, October to November. It is a bird-attracting plant, providing large quantities of nectar for a variety of honeyeaters.

SOIL:

These plants are most particular in their requirements as they are very subject to root rot.Grow in deep, sandy, extremely well drained soil, friable and of good texture, but not highly acid. A mulch of leaf mould or compost is beneficial and will keep roots cool in summer. If adding other soil to the site, always incorporate it into the existing soil, building a raised bed or mound.

CLIMATE:

Cold to semi-tropical. Moderately frost resistant.

ASPECT:

Adaptable to various situations. Suitable for either full sun or dappled shade.Waratahs flower better in full sun, but must be protected from strong, hot westerly winds.

WATER:

Water liberally during spring and early summer when new growth develops but once established it can withstand dry periods. Water during hot or dry spells. Never let the soil dry out completely.

FEEDING:

Responds well to application of light to moderate application of fowl manure, blood and bone, other organic or slow release general purpose fertiliser in spring to established plants only, followed by liberal watering.

PRUNING:
Prune back as soon as flowering has finished to ensure good flowering in the following season. Some pruning is achieved by cutting flowers. Pruning also overcomes the natural tendency of the shrub to develop a straggly shape.

PROPAGATION:

Seed or cuttings. Waratahs can be grown from cuttings but the more usual way is from seed. Fresh seed germinates in 2-3 weeks after sowing. Sow seeds in a coarse sandy mixture and transplant seedlings into individual pots of similar soil. Fresh seeds germinate readily but the seedlings are prone to fungal disease, ‘damping off’, which may be reduced by exposing the seedlings to full light. Some shading is necessary after transplanting. Water every few days until fully established, but avoid water-logging. Allowing seed to set is not recommended as it saps a lot of strength from the plant.


-(Update 3/30/2009 - 2 of the seedlings died, shriveled up without known reason- the remaining one is doing fine so far)
-(Update 4/03/2009 - The remaining seedlings died, shriveled up. The seedling does not like temperature change of any kind)

Texas Olive Tree

This weekend we're going to plant a Texas Olive tree. The 3 ft plant we bought last year on a nursery plant special, survived the winter stay in the garage and is now with 5 ft in height, ready to be put in the ground. This heavy bloomer is a Hummingbird magnet. One of my plant friends has seen as many as 5 hummingbirds at once and that is very exciting news :) Common name: Texas Olive, Wild Olive, Anacahuita, White Geiger Botanical name: Cordia boissieri Family: Boraginaceae (Forget-me-not family) Texas Olive is an evergreen tree, growing to 20 ft tall, native to North America. The tree spread to 10-15 ft. This small tree is very rare found and believed to be close to extinction. The silvery green leaves have a velvety texture and the showy, white flowers appear all year round, given enough watering is available. Otherwise, the flowers appear from late spring to summer. Flowers are 3 inch wide, trumpet shaped, with yellow throats. The olive-like, white fruits have a sweet flesh popular with birds and other wildlife and, although edible to man, should not be eaten in quantities.

Seeds are only available in the fall and require stratification.

This Lady has sometimes, seeds, plants or cuttings

 

 

Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia rebaudiana

This will be my first experience with stevia growing from seeds, but since I do have some experience in germinating tropical seeds...I am hopeful and optimistic!

Stevia is a herb used as a sweetener. Stevioside is 3 times sweeter than sugar but without the calories. It can be used in place of sugar in drinks, baked goods, desserts, preserves, also plaque retardant and tooth decay inhibitor. Stevia comes originally from Paraguay.

Plant Height: 24" tall
Sunlight: Partial Shade

Planting Instructions: Seeds are expensive and need light to germinate. Do not cover with seed starting material. Just sprinkle the seeds on top. Germination is slow and erratic. Use lightweight sterilized seed starting material as seeds are very tiny. Keep soil damp but not soggy or seeds may rot. Maintain heat at 77 degrees F or higher to speed up germination. Bottom heat may speed up germination. Must be brought indoors during winter.

Soil Facts: Requires a well prepared soil. Use general purpose fertilizer when preparing soil.
Germination: 12-18 days

Amongst several other websites, fresh seeds can be purchased here

WANTED: Daun Pandan - Bai Toey

Someone somewhere posted something about this plant and after some research I found out that this is an incredible herb used in asian deserts and other dishes and I decided to buy one to try it out. I prefer fresh over frozen or dried herbs or vegies.

Well, guess what, it's nowhere to be found and I am now on a mission to grow this or at least try. Other people must be wanting fresh leafes too!!!

Pandanus odorus. This species is often referred to as daun pandan and grows 1-2 metres tall with lush-green, smooth-edged, blade leaves to 50cm long. The main stem is supported by numerous aerial roots.The leaf is ubiquitious in Southeast Asian cooking, especially in desserts. Pandan is used in curries and meat dishes, wrapped around chicken and fried, used to perfume rice and to flavor cakes, ice creams and popsicles. Light green pandan cakes are a popular dessert in Malaysia and Indonesia, similar to a chiffon cake. Pandan leaves are also woven into baskets baskets, which can be used for serving food. Pandan is not readily available in the U.S., which is why it's rarely seen on menus, but can sometimes be found frozen in Asian markets.

Be so kind and give me a live plant source here in the US, if you have one. Thanks!!

Yum Yum Pomelo

Saturday my sister inlaw brought by 2 huge bags of pomelo. This was my first ever citru jam. (pictures of the procedure to follow).

The jam turned out pretty good, given that it was the first time for me to made a citrus jam. The seed removal was a bit of a pain, but otherwise it took the usual 4 hours like most of my jams, jellies or salsa.

Also called Chinese grapefruit, shaddock, pumelo, pommelo, and pompelmous. The pummelo is an exotic large citrus fruit that is an ancient ancestor of the common grapefruit. It is the largest of the citrus fruits with a shape that can be fairly round or slightly pointed at one end (the fruit ranges from nearly round to oblate or pear-shaped). They range from cantaloupe-size to as large as a 25-pound watermelon and have very thick, soft rind. The skin is green to yellow and slightly bumpy; flesh color ranges from pink to rose.
Like grapefruits, they can range from almost seedless to very seedy, from juicy to dry, from sweet to sour. It is sweeter than a grapefruit and can be eaten fresh, although membranes around the segments should be peeled. Pummelos commonly have 16 to 18 segments, compared to most grapefruit that have about 12 segments. Be sure to refrigerate and use quickly. Use as you would grapefruit sections. They are also good for jams, jellies, marmalades and syrups.
It is grown in many eastern countries including China, Japan, India, Fiji, Malaysia, and Thailand. It is also now grown in the Caribbean and in the United States, in California and Florida. In season November through March, Pummelos are especially popular for Chinese New Year. The Chinese believe the delectable Pummelo is a sign of prosperity and good fortune - good things will happen if they eat it.
One-fourth of a Pummelo (152 grams) has 60 calories and provides 130% of the Vitamin C recommended for the day. It is sodium, fat and cholesterol free and is a source of potassium.

Banana Flower

A lot of people do not know or have never seen a banana flower. I was pretty stunned too the first time I saw one. Come to find out that they are eatable too.

The deep purplish-crimson-coloured banana flower is used as a vegetable from Sri Lanka to Laos. The flower is borne at the end of the stem. Long, slender, sterile male flowers with a faint sweet fragrance are lined up in tidy rows and protected by large reddish bracts. Higher up the stem are groups of female flowers which develop into fruit without fertilisation.

In Thailand, slices of tender banana flower are eaten raw with the pungent dip known as nam prik, or with fried noodles, or simmered in a hot sour soup with chicken, galangal and coconut milk. In the Philippines, banana blossom is added to the famous kari-kari, a rich beef stew. 'Banana blossom' or 'banana heart' are the favoured names in the Philippines and 'banana heart' in Indonesia purely because its colour and shape suggest a heart; (nothing to do with the 'heart' of the trunk used in Burma). In Sri Lanka, it is simply 'plantain flower'. In Australia it is known as 'banana bell'.

Purchasing and storing: Buy flowers which look fresh and bright. Often they are wrapped in transparent plastic, which keeps them from drying out too quickly. If they must be kept for a few days leave them in the wrapping and store in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.

Preparation: To prepare the flower for cooking, remove and discard outer bracts until the inner, paler portion is revealed. Some recipes advise steaming the whole blossom for 20 minutes or so before cutting into it. This may also be done in the microwave oven in a much shorter time by first putting the blossom on a dish and covering it with microwave-proof plastic wrap. Allow to cool before slicing.

Your own personal Avocado plant.

Many, including myself, wondered if it's possible to grow your own avocado plant. Here is an easy growing instruction for the challenged avocado mind. You start by buying an avocado, nice and ripe....

· Clean the seed. Using 4 toothpicks, suspend it broad end down over a water-filled glass to cover about an inch of the seed.
· Place in a warm place out of direct sunlight and replenish water as needed. First roots and stem sprout should show in about two to six weeks.
· When the stem is six to seven inches long, cut it back to about 4 inches.
· When the roots are thick and the stem has leafed out again, plant it in a rich compost soil in a 8 inch pot, leaving the seed half exposed.
· Give it a frequent watering with an occasional deep soak. The soil should be moist but not saturated. The yellowing of leaves are a sign of too much water; let the plant dry out for a few days.
· Now you can move the plant into the sun. The more sunlight, the better.
· If leaves turn brown and fry at the tips, too much salt has accumulated in the soil. Flush the soil, meaning, let water run freely into the pot and drain for several minutes.
· When the stem is 12 inches high, cut it back to 6 inches to encourage the growth of new shoots, or leave it as is and expect a more uniqe


Don't expect your houseplant to bear fruit. Although this does occur occasionally, it usually requires grafting. A plant grown from seed without any grafting help, will take anywhere from five to 13 years to flower and bear fruit.

Happy Stuffed Champignons!

I meant to say Happy New Years!!

My question for your opinion today is.. Is a mushroom just a fungus or is it a vegetable? (It's a heated debate with my husband)

On the new years celebration finger food menu for today are:
( I had to mention it while I am waiting for stuff to cook......)

• Port Wine cheese with Ritz crackers
• French bread round rolls (the frozen kind), freshly baked to a crisp, stuffed with delicious spinach dip
• Peppered pork tenderloin, thinly sliced (served cold)
• and the most awesome meltinyourmouth stuffed mushrooms (family recipe)

And here is the mouth watering recipe...

12 - 15 large chamignion mushrooms
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small onion chopped
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash ground cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.
3. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.


REP TIME 25 Min
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 45 Min

Yum

Trumpets, Trumpets, Trumpets

This is my new garden project for 2009 - To have Angel Trumpets of all sorts of colors, all over the garden. Specifically trained or pruned small trees. Even though I already have pink, white, salmon, yellow and a variegated, I am still looking for shades of yellow and white, maybe double or shredded. My most desired cultivar is the double orange "Herrenhauser Garten" brugs pictured below of which I hope to get my hands on. A shrub with 12 inch double ruffled trumpets dangling show stopper. Rated extremely rare and challenging to grow. Whats time and patience for, right?

Price for the pinks, whites, yellow Brugmansia plants are aprox $10 per plant or cutting, but depending on the breed can be as much as $35. I found this to be the least expensive source.

Frogs on a Pad

It's getting cold outside and I have been working on indoor goodies.

Since it's garden related I've decided to post my Frogs on a Pad knitting needles on this blog. Each pair created is totally custom made and one of a kind. Hardwood Birch sanded, waxed, sanded and waxed again. Sanding and refinishing nude furniture was my first self supporting job in the US, so these lessons stuck with me.

In the works are currently Ladybug, Turtle and of course Flower themes :)
Hey Son of Mineimasoanxioustoseeforchristmas, you get to help me!!
Hehe just maybe..

If you are interested in a pair, let me know...but there aren't very many....

Thai Greater Galangal

Greater galangal: a tropical herbaceous plant of the ginger family reaching to about 2m (6 1/2ft). The blade-like leaves are long and wide, 50 x 9cm (18 x 31/2in); the flowers are greenish white with a dark-red veined tip. The fruits are red berries. The rhizomes are beige, orange to brown and ringed at intervals by the yellowish remnants of atrophied leaf bases.

What a nice spice. It resembles ginger in appearance. However, it tastes little like ginger; in its raw form, it has a soapy, earthy aroma and a pine-like flavor with a faint hint of citrus. Fantastic in seafood or fish dishes.

We have a Papaya Fruit !

It's been a long time coming. My son Alex helped me nurse the seedlings 2 years ago from seeds and look what we discovered this fall. One large Papaya and several babies. All of the 4-6 ft trees are still blooming like crazy and it's almost December! This makes me very happy because all my tomato plants fried this summer and harvest was pitiful. We had to buy tomatoes for Salsa this year.

There will be papaya sauce!


Scallops with Spicy Papaya Sauce

• 1 small papaya - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound sea scallops

In a medium bowl, combine papaya, red pepper, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, cilantro. Set aside.
Combine flour, black pepper in a sealable bag. Add scallops, and shake to coat.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add scallops; cook and stir until golden. Serve scallops over papaya sauce.

The Monarch

A picture from my favorite garden photographer. This pictures was taken at the Houston Zoo in Fall 2008.
We have tons of butterfly attracting plants in our garden too. Monarchs live there in abundance.

Monarch on a purple Butterfly bush.

Monarch Caterpillar

Giant Spider Lily Queen Emma

'Queen Emma' (Crinum augustum). Queen Emma was the wife of Kamehameha IV.

Our last visit to the Houston Zoo showed a great deal of magnificent plants. Ronnie took some great pictures. One of them was a 6 foot tall spider lily.

So I went web surfing for several weeks with a just a picture on hand, not knowing what it was, I found one on ebay Wohoo. I am not quite convinced this is for real because rare plants are rare plants and they usually cost more than $10 unless they are a pest "there".

Cross fingers we got lucky :)

Lion’s Ear

Lion's Ear Leonotis leonurus

We're told this plant was used in religious ceremonies by Zulu priests and that if you smoke the dried leaves it causes euphoria. We don’t know any Zulu priests so we couldn’t verify this information.

Lion’s ear can reach 6′ in height and 3′ across. It needs little water, so find a relatively dry location for it.

Hummingbirds and butterflies love this plant. They had already migrated through here before this plant bloomed so we’ll know better next year. I’ve also read it attracts many wild birds.

It will happily bloom in sun or shade, just less often in the shade. You will want to prune it back late winter to early spring to keep it looking nice, otherwise it will require little care. It will lose its leaves after a frost but should recuperate nicely.