Terra Mirabilis

Catching up, bees, pollinators

2011-06-14T18:37:00.001-04:00

I'm back! I'm embarrassed at how long it's been since I posted. I think I've had the infamous blogging blahs. Plus, I spent three glorious weeks in England on family matters. I was there during Easter, the hottest since 1949, and it was so sunny, I had to buy sunscreen!

Once I finally sort them out, I plan to post pix of plants I came across, wild and cultivated, in bloom. (My sister quipped that I had taken photos of everything in England with a leaf!)

But today I want to post a bee update and write about pollinators -- how important it is to protect and nurture them, perhaps by supporting the Pollinator Partnership.

Those who have read earlier posts will remember that I have four beehives, maintained by a professional beekeeper, in my typical suburban garden. Two are doing extremely well, and two are so-so. According to Steve, the beekeeper, those two hives have poor quality queens. (Who knew that queens came in different qualities?!) Something else I've learned is that beehives produce a perfume, and these days the garden has a wonderful scent of honey.

So, last week, the first of the honey was harvested, an activity that upset the bees rather a lot, and forcing Steve and his brother-in-law helper, to don shirts along with the face veils. I got my first sting since I was a small child when a bee got tangled in my hair. I wasn't particularly close, but I wish I'd worn a hat. Still, I feel I've been initiated!

The "supers" were laden, each bearing some 60-pounds of honey. We tasted some scrapings from one of the hives; it had a wonderful mild flavor and I'm eagerly anticipating Steve's return with our "rent" of bulk honey.

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I remain fascinated by my bees, happily sitting next to the hives, watching the bees come and go. (As long as I don't block their flyway I'm ignored.)

--o0o--


From: Queen of the Sun

The other day I saw the beautifully shot documentary Queen of the Sun, about the worldwide decline in honeybees and how returning to wholesome practices may take the stress off colonies.

Trucking hives from the Eastern US (and flying them in from Australia because so many American colonies have died from colony collapse disorder), for a three-week pollination frenzy at Paramount Farms' massive almond groves, is, on so many levels, a travesty against nature. Paramount needs to do this because it operates a monoculture, there's nothing else for bees to survive on for the rest of the year.

Taking out every tenth row and planting native flowering plants would likely solve the problem, but that, it seems, would diminish profits. A quick view of Paramount's home page indicates the bees' problem. (Notice that its sustainability pages says nothing about bees!)

--o0o--

While I was in England I saw so many bumblebees, and I can't remember when I last saw one in South Florida, although there are plenty of native species. How can you not love bumblebees? Even the scientific name, Bombus, is wonderful! And, like honeybees, bumbles are another vital pollinator.

Bumblebees were, and probably still are, in decline in the UK, so the Brits launched a massive campaign to save them. (The website includes North American bumblebees and info on encouraging them to visit your garden.)

--o0o--

The UK campaign to save pollinators extended to mason bees, too. Friends I stayed with in rural Dorset in southern England had built a delightful "house" to encourage them to stay in the vicinity. If you have mason bees, and they're common in North America, you'll find lots of info here.

--o0o--

Ultimately, the survival of the bees depends on what we, as individuals, choose to do to save them: Keep your own bees, plant flowers, write to Paramount Farms and other farming conglomerates practicing monoculture, donate to pollinator awareness campaigns are just a few suggestions.

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Visiting a trial garden

2011-03-27T23:24:00.015-04:00

Last week, I had an opportunity to visit Costa Farms' annuals trial garden, located some 25 miles south of downtown Miami in the Redland agricultural area. As the name suggests, the garden tests new introductions for wholesale growers, and these introductions are reviewed by a panel of judges.

There's a formal landscaped garden simply bursting with color, but the trialed plants are in long rows, either in the open or under shade cloth.

It was a picture perfect day so I'll just post a bunch of photos of views and plants I particularly liked.

These are rows of open plantings. The formal garden is laid out around the viewing platform in the background.

The trial garden is entered via this pergola ...

... and then you are greeted by two stunning planters of Calibrachoa 'Can Can Terracotta' (Ball Horticultural Co.)

The next three photos are of the formal garden.

I was so much reminded of Bath, my home in England, which, aside from the Roman baths and the Georgian architecture, is famous for its summer flower plantings and displays.

I forgot to note the name of this Osteospermum, but don't you love the color?

These yummy petunias are "Pink Star."

Tiny, tiny petunias. Named Littletunia "Sweet Pink."

Or, if you want a little more drama, this one is Littletunia "Bicolor Illusion."

I was wowed by these hollyhocks (Alcea rosea annua), which, not surprisingly, turned out to be award-winning. This one is named Spring Celebrities "Crimson." Below is the white version. Oooh, do I want to get some of these!

Like the hollyhocks, this curious little pepper (Capsicum annuum) above, is grown under shade cloth. It's named Mambo "Mixture."

Here's another delicious white plant, also grown under shade:

This is Iberis, commonly known as "candytuft." This one is named "Masterpiece." It's a brassica, therefore closely related to things more usually found in the veggie garden.

Back out in the open rows, this primula wasn't looking happy.

But the label said it was grown from seed and was in week 50, so I suppose it can be forgiven for looking sad. The label also said this is Primula elatior, the true oxlip, but it looks more like a primrose to me. Either way, these grow wild in England and are not tropical.

Here's an artemisia (I don't know which one, but it may be wormwood), a plant I've not seen grown here before. I used this in my garden in England because of its very useful silvery foliage.

This one has the lyrical name, "Parfum d'Ethiopia,"

I think the plant below is Lobelia erinus; the label just says "Lobelia," and is apparently "experimental." L. erinus appears to have become bigger; the ones I'm familiar with are much more compact.

Lobelia is a wonderful plant to use in containers and hanging baskets, especially the trailing varieties. It looks spectacular next to yellow marigolds. I've grown it from seed, with mixed results. The seeds are miniscule, more like bits of dust, but it's always worth the effort.

Here's a delightful little yellow annual, Sanvitalia, Sunvy "Super Gold."

I'm not familiar with any of the species, but I know I want some!

Back to blue: The verbena below is grown by Proven Winners, so it should turn up in Home Depot, at least in South Florida; I will certainly be looking out for it.

This one has been named Superba "Royale Chambray."

My final photo is of Diascia, which I don't see grown down here. It's another annual I've grown from seed, and deserves broader attention. It's a lovely container plant.

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Trouble ahead: Lubbers

2011-03-09T12:54:00.000-05:00

Taking the dogs for a walk to the nearby pocket park, I noticed this horrible sight: hundreds and hundreds of lubber nymphs. I've never seen them clustered in such large numbers before, so I guess for those of us in Florida, we're in for another bad year.

Now is the time to check your garden for the nymphs because they tend to cluster together and are susceptible to Sevin or other insecticides. As they get bigger, they disperse and are immune to everything but being squashed.

The butterfly amaryllis

2011-02-25T15:44:00.002-05:00

Here's a plant you don't see often. I was fortunate enough to buy a large crowded pot of them from a former Fairchild Garden curator who was moving to Michigan.

The butterfly amaryllis, Hippeastrum papilio, is not technically an amaryllis since it's native to Brazil and all such South American bulbs are in the Hippeastrum genus; Amaryllis are native to Africa. But, as you probably realize, they are both are in the Amaryllidaceae family.

To my mind, these blooms are way more sophisticated than the gaudy Dutch amaryllis, as cheerful as they are. I love the lime green center and the maroon outline of the petals. The only drawback is that the flowers don't open as fully as commercial amaryllis.

I'm still figuring out the best light for them, but they seem to be happy in either bright sunlight or dappled shade. And they didn't mind the cold snap, either.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

2011-02-20T13:13:00.000-05:00

A blue-gray gnatcatcher

The 2011 Great Backyard Bird Count is taking place this weekend, and everyone in North America is invited to participate, even if it's only for 15 minutes. All you need is pen and paper, and you've got today and tomorrow's holiday to participate.

For me, of course, it's just another excuse to be outside on this glorious day. But instead of gardening tools I've got binoculars, camera and bird books .

I logged 12 species in the hour from 11:30 to 12:30, although I suspect if I'd started in the early morning, I would have seen more. Maybe I'll get up early tomorrow. Maybe ...

Oak and mango blossom

2011-02-15T20:57:00.001-05:00

This morning, I was standing under one of the oak trees and realized there was a familiar humming above my head. For a moment, I thought the bees must have swarmed, but they were just collecting pollen from the extraordinary abundance of flowers the oaks have produced for the second year in a row. I'm sure it's the shock of a sharp cold spell that encourages them flower so prolifically.

And for a third year running, the mango trees are covered in blossom; again, I'm sure, because of the cold weather. (Who knew mango trees like a shot of cold?) We should have another bumper crop in a few months. If you don't live in the right climate to grow mangoes, consider moving!

A sweet deal: honey for land

2011-02-06T14:27:00.001-05:00

The starter beehives. The smoker calms them down.

Last fall we talked to a beekeeper about installing a hive or two on our smallish suburban property. Steve, the beeman, surprised us by saying there was room for four, and he shocked us by saying that we should get about five gallons of honey a year in exchange for "renting" the land for his hives. I mean, we love honey, but five gallons seems an awful lot. But, of course, it does solve the Christmas present dilemma...

So, in December, Steve brought four "starter" hives and made sure that there was enough sugar water for the bees during cold weather. Now, we've moved on to the full sized hives, and he says the first "supers" will be going on soon.

Steve, the beekeeper, inspects a frame from a hive and ...

I asked him about the problem of Africanized queens, and he said that he changes out the queens once a year so it won't be a problem. And since I've been weeding close by, I've learned that bees really don't bother me if I don't bother them.

Steve has some 600 hives, mostly in agricultural areas, and they have to be moved to wherever the blossoms need pollinating, but he really likes urban/suburban hives because they don't need moving and because there's always plenty of stuff in bloom. He already had hives in a friend's large backyard, which is why I called him, but your local extension office probably has a list of licensed beekeepers. Or, if you're in Florida, check FloridaBeekeepers.org or the Dept. of Ag.'s website.

Hosting beehives is such a friendly thing to do, and I would encourage you to investigate for yourselves.


... points out the queen. Click for a better view; she's immediately to right of the colon.


Sparky and Highway investigate.


Sparky discovers that bees are tasty, but there is a drawback... It took several stings before he got the message! Highway, the chow, lost interest after the first inspection, but I think his fur is too thick for a bee to sting him, anyway.

Finally, the full size hives arrive. From now on they will grow upwards as our busy bees make lots of honey. :-)

Belated Happy New Year!

2011-01-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'm embarrassed about how long it's been since I posted. Oh, well, life happens.

Since it's still the beginning of the year, I wanted to post something in honor of Janus, and what could be better than garden gates? On my walks and bike rides around the neighborhood, I've been struck by what gates tell us about the occupants.


My first thought? Drug dealers! Yikes! I wouldn't want to meet the people who live here.

Doesn't this make you feel welcome?


This is one of our gates...


... which, I think, entices you in, in large part because of the way the bricks are laid


I so want to know what's behind this gate


If you want to keep people out with a steel crate, at least this does it with a bit of charm

Here's a detail


This is attached to an ordinary South Florida ranch house and it really shouldn't work, yet, it clearly does

I think these occupants might be fun to get to know. The side gate has a moon and directly behind it, on the wall, is a smiling sun

Worm tea and orchids

2010-12-02T20:36:00.001-05:00

The worm bin in the photo is the second I've had, having first started with a simple plastic container. I like this stacking one better because it allows the liquid to collect and be drained easily. And, as any worm compostor knows, the liquid is the best fertilizer you can find.

Worm tea can be heavily diluted, and used as a drench or a spray, but I like to add about half again of water. Since the beginning of the year, I've used it exclusively on the orchids, with some very gratifying results.

I don't feed my orchids as often as I should, but most of them flower on and off regardless. However, for years I've had a large cattleya growing on the north side of a coconut palm trunk. It flowered once, nearly 10 years ago, but now it's got two huge blooms! I was stunned to find them a few days ago.

And a vandaceous orchid that's not flowered before produced some delightful blooms of the palest purple, a color I've not seen before.

Here are the pix:

An indication of the size

Random pictures

2010-11-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

It's been ages since I posted. I had computer problems and after they were fixed, I couldn't decide what to write about, what a friend back in England used to call a "rictus of indecision." While I sort out my rictus, I'll post some pix, with comments.

First, a couple of disasters:

This is my wonderful Souv. de la Maison that I heaped praise upon in my last post. I woke up one morning to find it completely wilted. I figured out that a certain dog had attempted to catch a squirrel or rat that must have run across the string of garden lights immediately above the pot and pretty much flattened the rose. There was an indentation of a paw print that gave the game away. Still, I think it will live to see another day. (Why do I still love my dogs?!)

The sky blue cluster vine, Jacquemontia pentanthos, is an endangered native, but can be found in a few nurseries. Two days after planting, it turned brown. Rats! With its little bright, bright blue flowers, it's such a pretty vine in the morning glory family. Click here for a close up of the flowers. I'm hoping that it isn't entirely dead, not least because it was an expensive plant and the nursery is 30 miles away.

But onto happier things:

This is a very old vanda that belonged to my husband's late aunt. She died in 1986 and she'd grown it for many years prior to that. It has a lovely old-fashioned look to it, and must have wowed orchid enthusiasts back in the day. I'm so glad I'm able to keep it going.

How do you tell if bananas are ripe? These only look yellow in the late afternoon sun, and they haven't done much for a couple of months except get a bit fatter. What gives? Tips and explanations are welcome.

I found these lovely Neoregelias, above, at a garage sale, while ...

... somebody threw these gorgeous broms onto a trash pile. I'm always happy to adopt unwanted specimens.

The second raised veggie bed, at the rear, has been built. Thanks, Dan!

The garden cherub is still standing, although his head frequently rolls off; they were parted when I found them at an estate sale. However, the dogs (grrrr) are responsible for breaking the lute, which I keep promising myself I will glue back on. It's only been two years ...

A clump of Philippine violets, Barleria cristata, is flowering prolifically by the bridge.

The pink Jatropha flowers all year round. But, best of all ...

... my Natchitoches noisette is about to produce a million blooms.

And hasn't the weather been lovely?

In praise of roses

2010-10-04T12:21:00.000-04:00

Souv. de la Malmaison

There are orchid people, and there are rose people. Despite having dozens of orchids, I'm firmly in the latter category. Nothing speaks to my heart like a rose.

Our garden in England was full of roses, mostly hybrid teas, and we had a gardener take care of them, a luxury I certainly can't afford. Oh, but I loved growing up with vases of sweet scented blooms around the house.

Natchitoches noisette

Moving here in '86, I was happily surprised to find that roses grow in tropical climates, too. In fact, we used to visit a nursery out on Krome Avenue, way west of the city, operated by a lovely man who had grown roses in his native Cuba. You could even buy bunches of roses, and you'd never know what you'd get as he or his wife wandered around selecting the best blooms. That was part of the charm. Tragically, he was murdered when he was depositing cash at a night safe, and his wife didn't have the heart to keep the nursery going.

Natchitoches noisette

For a while, I grew hybrid teas, but I gave up because they're a lot of work and it takes masses of chemicals to keep blackspot, mildew and the like, at bay.

While roses can take all the heat and the sun on offer, they don't like humidity. Nor do they like the nematodes in our soil, so most roses are grown on nematode-resistant Fortuniana root stock. Since I grow my roses in pots, it doesn't matter to me.

Then, last winter, I ordered three old garden roses from Rose Petals Nursery in Gainesville: Souvenir de la Malmaison, Natchitoches noisette, and Louis Philippe; I'd heard that all three did well in Florida humidity. After a rocky start, when I thought they were all going to die (and thanks to Meems at Hoe and Shovel for encouraging me to stick with them), I am simply thrilled!

This past summer has proven to have been one of the hottest and stickiest on record, and my roses have thrived! They're all in pots and I feed them rabbit pellets (because they're made from alfalfa), and worm tea. I occasionally find leaves with blackspot, but that's the worst of it.

As soon as I can afford it, I'll be buying more OGRs.

A vintage oil painting I found on eBay

Monarch butterflies

2010-09-24T12:51:00.000-04:00


Click on the photo to see the empty chrysalis next to the hind feet

I don't have much luck with monarchs. Not because I don't have the right plants, and not because adult females don't lay eggs on those plants, but because damn great nonnative bufo toads (Bufo marinus) sit under them and feast on the growing caterpillars. So, when I found a solitary large caterpillar on a milkweed, with a toad waiting underneath, I took action.

I've never raised a butterfly in captivity before, and it turned out to be a successful endeavor. The caterpillar turned into a chrysalis two days later and about nine days after that, a beautiful, and good sized, monarch emerged. After being released, it spent a few hours flexing its wings before finally disappearing, and, ideally, getting ready to produce another generation.


The newly released monarch gathering strength


Nearly ready to fly away

I'm certified!

2010-09-21T15:54:00.000-04:00

Hooray! The sign says it all. Note the gold label, which is the higher of the two classifications. (It's not difficult to qualify if you're an environmentally aware gardener.)

The extension office in most Florida counties participates in the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program.

My next goal is to have the garden certified as a Florida Backyard Wildlife Habitat, which is more complicated since there are forms to complete, a property survey -- with bird feeders, native trees, shrubs, and the like, all marked out -- to submit. Plus it will cost a whopping $5 for the sign.

Fall migration

2010-09-17T23:52:00.000-04:00

Credit: Mark Jones, Painted Bunting Observation Team

Realizing that the migration must be well under way, and also being located under a major flyway, I Googled for information about what I could expect to see at my feeders.

I came across the website of the North Carolina based Painted Buntings Observer Team. It's latest blog entry, dated Aug. 31, said that the buntings had already been spotted in north Florida, which is quite a bit earlier than usual. (The redstarts appeared in my garden in August, which is also way earlier than usual; I wonder what they know that we don't?) Anyway, it means that painted buntings should be arriving in South Florida any day, if they're not already here. Time to make sure there's plenty of white millet in the feeders.

(For those who are not familiar with it, the painted bunting, Passerina ciris, is one of the continent's most colorful birds.)

I'd also read somewhere that migrating birds show up on radar, so I asked a friend, a meteorologist at the Miami National Weather Service office, if the NWS ever tracked migrations. His answer was no, however he did say:

"... the Doppler Radar imagery right around sunrise can give you an idea if there's an increase in bird population. There is usually a small ring or circle that expands outward in the area of the Everglades which occurs for about 10-20 minutes in the early morning. If you play a movie or loop of the base reflectivity radar imagery, you'll probably see it."

I got up too late this morning to catch it, but if you are an early bird, pardon the pun, please let me know if you see anything. Don't forget to hit the "refresh" button on the lower right.

An unwelcome visitor, or the very hungry catarpillars

2010-09-09T15:45:00.000-04:00

Credit: Wikipedia, Bugboy52.40

It's odd how attitudes will change. I spend a lot of time in the garden encouraging butterflies to visit and to lay eggs, but when an unwanted one arrives, I'm furious!

In this case, it's the oleander -- or polka dot -- moth (Syntomeida epilais) that's got my dander up. How dare it (they) lay eggs all over my Adeniums!

The harmless caterpillar looks a lot like that of the gulf fritillary, and the moth itself, which is actually rather beautiful, gets its name because, well, it likes oleanders. I no longer have oleanders, which are in the Apocynaceae family, along with Adeniums and my Mandevilla splendens that the caterpillars have also eaten back to the stems.

Since I do my best to stick to a no-kill policy, and because I do encourage wildlife to visit, this presents a dilemma, especially with at least eight much prized desert rose plants.

So, early in the week I went to a fabric shop and bought several yards of white nylon netting, the kind of material used for the underskirt of a wedding gown. The photo illustrates the first attempt of wrapping up a plant after picking off any caterpillars.

Fingers crossed this will do the trick. Stay tuned.

A visit to a native plant nursery

2010-09-01T00:55:00.000-04:00

Native blanketflower, Gaillardia pulchella,

I'm planning a little guerrilla gardening on a tiny, tiny plot of city-owned land by my house, so over the weekend I went to Casey's Corner, a native plant nursery, near Homestead (Ground Zero in Hurricane Andrew). As would be expected, there were butterflies everywhere. It was glorious!

Susan, the owner, specializes in butterfly garden installation. (She provided the plant material for the Smithsonian's Butterfly Pavilion.) She told me that one of her clients called to say the garden was a disaster because caterpillars were eating everything! After wondering how someone could be so clueless, I moved on to wondering how it's possible that someone was never taught that caterpillars become butterflies.

Anyway, I spent more money than I intended and have decided that most of the plants are going to stay in my garden. It just goes to show how selfish I am.

Disguising itself as bird poop, the caterpillar of the giant swallowtail languishes on top of a leaf

A gulf fritillary caterpillar feeding on a corky stem vine (Passiflora suberosa)

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

This sunflower is remarkably similar to tickseed; I have trouble telling them apart

I think this one is the Helianthus


Butterflies, including queens and white peacocks, were all over these shrubs

One of the numerous white peacocks

I'm amazed that anyone would pay for this; I keep pulling it out of the lawn!

Rows of (mostly) native plants, with blanketflower in the forefront

Storm clouds roll in; it's time to leave

Lawn care

2010-08-23T11:56:00.000-04:00

This has been around for a while, and it's always made me laugh. It arrived in my inbox again today, so I'm posting it here in case you've never seen it:

GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD: Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it, sometimes twice a week.

GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS: No Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.

GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD: No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD: And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE: 'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

Spider gets Good Housekeeping award!

2010-08-16T14:25:00.001-04:00

While I was taking pix of this golden orb-weaver spider (Nephila clavipes) at Fairchild Garden yesterday, a man gently threw a few tiny bits of trash (leaves, twigs) into her web, where they stuck. Immediately, she examined the nearest one and dropped it from the web, doing the same with the other pieces. She was not having any trash clutter up her nice, tidy web.

Years ago, I heard that the silk of this Nephila had been used as cross hairs for WW2 rifles, so for one of my son's dreaded middle school science projects, I helped him (hey, isn't that what all parents do?) design a plan to test the relative strength of spider webs. We carefully gathered the dragline silk -- the silk that forms the web's structure -- of different species, including the golden orb-weaver. The silks were taped to a bar and lead fishing weights were attached until the silk snapped. I don't remember all the details, but the Nephila was vastly stronger than anything else, and I have a vague memory that we were able to attach 26 weights before it finally snapped.

It was a cool project. Feel free to use it!

Ae ae bananas

2010-08-11T12:16:00.000-04:00

TOG with one of his clumps of ae ae bananas

A few weeks ago, fellow blogger, TOG of Coral Gables, generously gave me a pup from one of his ae ae bananas. These huge, beautiful plants produce not only variegated leaves, but also fat, variegated fruit, which, TOG assures me, tastes wonderful, and can be treated as bananas or plantains, depending on their ripeness.

The ae ae comes from Hawaii and is difficult to grow anywhere on the mainland, although TOG has grown them successfully for 40 years. In fact, just after he gave me mine, folks from the Montgomery Botanical Center (closely related to Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens) were coming to get replacements for theirs that had died.

I was expecting a small pup, but I was given one that was about seven feet tall. TOG cut back the leaves to lessen the stress on the plant, and I planted it close to a coconut palm, where it seems to be quite happy. Fingers crossed it will survive and thrive!


My newly planted ae ae

Passionvine virus warning; Pest Alert website

2010-08-04T12:47:00.003-04:00

Collier County's Extension Office has just put out a warning about passionfruit crinkle potyvirus. The concern is that if it gets established, it will ultimately affect butterflies, such as the gulf fritillary and the zebra longwing, for which it's a host plant.

I learned about this today from Thomas Fasulo, who runs the very useful Featured Creature page on the University of Florida's IFAS website. He also maintains the Pest Alert listserv, which also provides invaluable info for Florida gardeners.

Eastern lubber grasshopper

2010-07-31T13:28:00.002-04:00


Adult Eastern Lubbers

In South Florida, you can find these critters all year round, with a peak in early summer. In most of its range (the rest of the Southeastern US) they are seasonal.

I was surprised to learn that despite their size (3" or 8 cm -ish), lubbers (Romalea microptera) cause less damage to crops and plants than smaller grasshoppers. In the home landscape, they're particularly fond of plants in the Amaryllidaceae family. I've seen them decimate crinum lilies used in public parks, for instance, as the smaller photo illustrates.


Lubber damage on a crinum lily

The best way to deal with them is to look for the young black-with-yellow nymphs, which like to cluster together, and dispose of them, because once they're large adults, they are much harder to find and kill, by then being resistant to most backyard insecticides.

If you need more info, check out the University of Florida's Featured Creature page.

County's Adopt-a-Tree program is a blooming success

2010-07-25T14:50:00.003-04:00

Crowds come and go at the tree give-away

This tree give-away program rocks! And kudos to Miami-Dade's Department of Environmental Resource Management for setting it up some 10-plus years ago. It's given away hundreds of thousands of shade trees -- flowering, fruit, natives -- to home owners who are entitled to up to two trees per year.

It started after a survey indicated that Dade's tree canopy was a horribly low 10 percent. And then the citrus canker fiasco began and some half million backyard citrus trees were cut down by the state in order to protect the commercial citrus industry. Fail.

So DERM applied for canopy restoration grants, and the rest is history.

After we complete the paperwork, we stand in line in the hot, hot sun, waiting our turn. (I've done this enough times to be prepared with hat and long sleeves.)

We watch the trees being unloaded from one of the huge tractor trailers, which collect the trees from local nurseries contracted to grow them for the county. (The program is a boon to nurseries, too.)

Finally! It's my turn. But I arrived late for today's event (one of four, this year). By the time I got to the head of the line, only pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia) was left, which is way too big for my yard. I sneaked back around to the education center where, hooray, there were three native Dahoon holllies (Ilex cassine) -- the trees I had wanted -- on display. Dahoon holly is dioecious and I managed to get the only female, showing small green berries. So, I came away a happy camper. I will claim another tree at the next event.

And here's my holly, home and waiting to go in the ground.

Mangoes!

2010-07-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

Eat your hearts out, northerners! It's mango season!

I skipped Fairchild Tropical Garden's mango festival last weekend because I knew I'd spend money I don't have. If you're planning on coming to South Florida sometime, think about timing it with the annual festival.

It's also proving to be another abundant year, and, as you see from the first pic, there are enough around so that damaged or too small ones are simply discarded. Since my own mango tree is still too small to be allowed to develop fruit, I rootle around in these piles for ones that are still fine to eat. (Can you say mango smoothie?) I also go out on the bike and collect them from the public-rights-of-way where the trees overhang. (This whole neighborhood was once mango groves and many homes still have trees from the original groves.)

I took the other photos in the garden of fellow blogger TOG. He says his trees produce masses every year and the trick is to cut the trees back hard after the fruiting season. It also keeps the trees a very manageable size and enables several varieties in a small space. Trees that are allowed to get big eventually stop producing fruit and concentrate of getting even bigger.

Old Miami

2010-07-11T23:48:00.001-04:00

This is what much of South Florida, east of the Everglades, looked like until the post WWII building boom began the destruction. The "pine rocklands"
are unique to Miami-Dade County, parts of the Keys and a few Bahamian islands. Of the 225 species of native plants that grow on them in Dade, 20 percent can be found nowhere else, and their survival is far from guaranteed.

The understory palm, growing beneath the pines, is the low growing saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), used in several natural remedies, especially for prostate health. It has nasty little spines along the petiole, hence the "saw" in the common name.

I bicycled over to this area with Sparky recently, but it's fenced off, which, while keeping people (and dogs) out, doesn't prevent invasive, non-native plants from taking root. Still, it didn't look too bad, so I guess the county is taking care of it. This particular site is only a few acres and, you guessed it, a new development is going up next door, although it seems to be stalled for the moment. (One of the few benefits of the recession?)

Many years ago, I was listening to Car Talk on National Public Radio, and someone from Pembroke Pines, a municipality in Broward County, just north of Miami-Dade, called in with a question. The Car Guys decided that pine trees couldn't possibly grow in a climate like this. Ha! Actually, these are a subspecies of the southern slash pine, generally known as Dade County pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa).

They are very slow growing, which results in a dense, resin-filled wood that's resistant to termites. No wonder so much was cut down; every house built through the 50s had floors made of it. Fortunately, when old houses are being torn down, much of that precious wood is now being recycled.

The last photo is of a similar habitat, but this was taken in the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key. It gives the impression of being hot and dry, but this was a September afternoon, and it was hot and humid and the skeeters were out in full force.

A butterfly mystery

2010-07-05T12:18:00.000-04:00

A few nights ago, around 10, I was surprised to find some half dozen zebra longwing butterflies (Heliconius charithonia) fluttering around an outside light. Butterflies to the flame! Does anyone know why they would do that?

Rain lilies

2010-07-04T21:18:00.001-04:00

We must have had about 4 inches of rain last night, which thrilled the rain lilies, also known as zephyr lilies, (Habranthus robustus), because they rewarded us with one of the best displays in ages. The photos tell the story.

June: Hottest month on record for S. Fla

2010-07-01T18:35:00.000-04:00

In case anyone in South Florida didn't get the memo, it's been the hottest June on record. I can attest to that; I got prickly heat and the beginnings of heat exhaustion working in the yard this month. The latter is a first. Yikes!

The South Florida office of the National Weather Service also notes that Junes' record breaking heat -- averaging 85.5 degrees -- actually resulted in the hottest month ever! (Last August was the previous record at 85.4 degrees.)

No wonder my winter annuals gave up the ghost so much earlier than usual, as the photo of a miserable, sun-bleached trailing geranium indicates.

For those who want the gory details, you can read the NWS update here.

Lychees

2010-07-01T00:03:00.000-04:00

I love this fruit with its flavor of damask roses or rose water. Native to tropical China, I once read that a Chinese empress sent her servants 1,500 miles to bring her some.

After picking, the hard skin turns from rosy red to brown and peels like an eggshell. The white, translucent flesh (technically, the aril) surrounds an inedible, dark brown to black seed.

I'm assured that some varieties are better than others, but I don't know which they are. And I don't know which one I have; it'll be some years before it's big enough to fruit.

The trees in the photos are in the neighborhood and the fruit in the last pic was given to us by a friend.

Butterflies!

2010-06-23T19:46:00.001-04:00

It was butterfly day in the garden a couple of days ago.

First, a pair of southern whites (Ascia monuste) obligingly settled in the perfect place for a photo. I don't know what it was they found so attractive, but they didn't want to leave it.

Not long after, a giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) settled -- and stayed for a long time -- on a Murraya, close to where I was working.

If you're not familiar with this butterfly, it's not only the largest of the North American swallowtails, it's the largest butterfly on the continent, with a wingspan that may exceed six inches.

Realizing it was my lucky day for butterflies, I took the camera around the garden. After a fruitless wait for one of the skittish zebra longwings (Heliconius charithonia) to settle on something, a male julia (Dryas iulia -- note it's "i," not "j.") conveniently landed on an elephant ear right in front of me. This one is old (relatively speaking), probably a couple of weeks, indicated by the many missing scales.

Missing the merry month of May, Part II

2010-06-20T13:52:00.000-04:00

Click beetles.

Unlike the click beetles of temperate climates, where the larvae -- wire worms -- do so much damage to root crops, these beetles are beneficial. But the best thing is that they're bioluminescent.

Pyrophorus noctilucus is found throughout Central American, the Caribbean, and South Florida, it's northernmost range. It's not a firefly. (Fireflies are now rare in urban South Florida, although you can find plenty in the Everglades.) It prefers places of fairly dense vegetation to light up, although I also find them on the wall under an outside light -- as in my very poor photos.

Click beetles, which get their name from the loud "click" they make as they right themselves from an upside down position, have two neon-green luminous "eyes" on their backs, or, technically, the pronotum. In May, you find them glowing under vegetation. When they fly, though, they expose another glowing spot on the abdomen that glows steadily in flight; unlike their distant firefly cousins, they don't "flash."

Before the hurricanes of 2005 destroyed my hammock, I used to lie out in the evening and watch them glide past; it was such a treat. This past May was horrendously hot and humid, and the skies were filled with too many skeeters to make it any fun.

I found some much better photos on this site.

And if you're looking for an excuse to come here, make it to see these unique beetles in the merry month of May!

Missing the merry month of May, Part I

2010-06-20T12:49:00.001-04:00

It's in May that the gardenia bushes burst into bloom and the air smells divine. I'm always amazed by how well these usually chlorotic shrubs do in our limestone soil. Traditionally, to keep them happy, one pours pickle juice and other acidic food waste around the roots. The simplest thing to do, really, is mulch them well.

Still, I keep my gardenias in large pots and water them from the rain barrel to avoid the problem. Even so, I've lost them from other diseases over the years. They tend to be a bit finicky in their needs.

My favorite bloomed throughout the winter, and wasn't even phased by the freeze. Extraordinary!

I also have a trailing gardenia. It's more of a curiosity since it's a very slow grower and the small flowers don't have a particularly strong scent. It's nice in a big ceramic pot and helps disguise the rain barrel.

Gardening and the sunshine vitamin

2010-06-19T01:51:00.002-04:00

Following routine blood work, I was surprised to learn from the doc that I had low Vitamin D levels. Apparently, it's so common that these days it's regularly tested for. Nobody knows why this should be so, but the doc said the odds-on favorite is excessive use of sunscreen. (The skin cancer message seems to have been received.) The pharmacist said the same thing when I picked up the D3 prescription.

Well, I'm not buying it. The best source of Vitamin D comes from sun exposure, and nobody, especially in these latitudes where the sun's rays are strongest, should be deficient. And especially if they spend time outside. I only use sunscreen when I plan to be in the garden for any length of time, but I'm not fanatical and I spend a few minutes here and there most days in sunlight. I have (light) tan lines to prove it.

There are all sorts of factors that govern the manufacture of D in the skin, including intensity of the rays and the color of the skin (the darker, the more sun exposure required). Here, for example, is what WebMD says:

Many people living in the Southern United States can get enough vitamin D by getting about 10-15 minutes of sun exposure on their arms and face a few times a week -- as long as they don't use sunscreen, which blocks some of the UV rays necessary to make the vitamin.

That is not difficult to do in South Florida.

So, dear readers, are you Vitamin D deficient? Do you think the sunscreen explanation is credible? Do weigh in.

Growing nasturtiums with the GROW Project, May report

2010-06-16T11:33:00.000-04:00

Yet another late report ... Did I ever mention I have ADHD? (I do. Really.)

My Spitfire nasturtiums, an exclusive from seed suppliers Renee's Garden, began struggling in May. We had record breaking heat, not to mention horrible humidity, and that took a toll on most of the annuals. I'm not sure whether the Spitfires will even make it into July. The GROW project sent them out in March, which is really too late for this climate; ideally, I would have planted in October or November.

The photos illustrate that these sweet little plants are not really thriving.

Royal poincianas

2010-06-01T20:42:00.000-04:00

There are so many spectacular flowering trees, but the royal poinciana (Delonix regia) must be at the top for sheer extravaganza.

The first photo is of the tree on the other side of the road. It's not the typical shape, which is umbrella-like. The second photo, taken one block away, is more like it. You can also see two more further down, and in May and June, this is a common sight -- a tunnel of vermilion.

Poincianas (also known as flamboyants or flame trees) are true tropicals and I'm not sure how far north it grows, but probably not above Lake Okeechobee.

The first time I ever saw one I was visiting Guiana with my father. As I stood gobsmacked by the glorious sight, my poor old dad couldn't understand what I was talking about. Turns out that poincianas are all brown if you have red/green color blindness. Sadly, I also have the gene since I passed it on to my son. He can't appreciate them, either.

A white-crowned pigeon visits

2010-05-31T17:01:00.002-04:00

Actually, they're quite common in my neck of the woods, but they are considered "near threatened" throughout its range, which consists of the Caribbean islands and parts of coastal Central America. For once, habitat loss isn't the problem; it's hunting. At least they're protected now in the U.S. where they're only found in Florida south of Lake Okeechobee and through the Keys.

This one's a juvenile; an adult is easily recognized by its bright white pate. If you click on the top image, the enlarged photo will show you where its white crown is starting to appear.

It hadn't quite got flying down, and was having a hard time landing on the bird bath. A smaller blue jay arrived, but the pigeon successfully shooed him off.

Rangoon creeper

2010-05-29T23:10:00.000-04:00

I don't remember seeing a Rangoon creeper (Quisqualis indica) around here, but I came across this one this afternoon while taking Sparky (the dog) for a bike run.

It's a big, vigorous vine, as the second pic illustrates, but it certainly is beautiful, and has a pleasant, light fragrance. The flowers start out white, change to pink, eventually becoming a deep red.

The strange thing was that as I continued the run, I came across four more (okay, three were in close proximity). One of them was growing up a dead tree on the right of way, and there were lots of easily-removed suckers nearby. Guess what I'm going to do tomorrow?

Biodiversity and gardening

2010-05-28T15:27:00.000-04:00

I came across an article on the topic in The Daily Telegraph, which I recommend reading. At the bottom of the piece are these recommendations:

When you buy plants, try to ascertain which family they belong to. It will help you understand what they might be good for in terms of nectar, food plant and so on.
Leave at least some of the garden to grow wild. Let it do what it wants to do and follow the course of the seasons naturally. This will have a very beneficial effect on diversity in the garden.
Try to grow at least some native plants apart from grass. Notice what wild flowers and bulbs are native to your area and bring them in. They feed the indigenous population of birds, insects, fungi and bacteria.
Always include leguminous plants in the veg garden to grab the free nitrogen that they produce.
Make as much compost as you can in order to recycle nutrients around the garden. It uses up waste, be it kitchen or garden, to best effect.

The Telegraph is the paper my family read growing up. It's a conservative paper, but it does seem to take seriously the connection between "conservative" and "conservation." And it's the only paper I know that has a whole section dedicated to "beekeeping."

Dancing ladies

2010-05-18T20:57:00.000-04:00

These dancing ladies (yellow Oncidiums) grow on a live oak a few blocks from my house where they appear to be extremely happy. I've watched them grow over the years and have always been surprised they do so well because I thought Oncidiums needed much more light.

I hope the homeowners cut the Epipremnum back before it strangles the orchids.

My own DLs, including this one with giant flowers (I have no idea what its name is) have mostly finished flowering, so it was nice to see those in the oak still going strong.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Cassia bakeriana

2010-05-11T15:29:00.002-04:00

I'm going to let the photos do the talking.

Very late Project GROW April report

2010-05-10T22:45:00.001-04:00

My bad. 'nuff said.

OK, my Spitfire nasturtiums from Renee's Garden are flowering and some of them are beginning to trail.

The first pic is of one growing in a large pot along with some rather sad Turnera subulata, but the leaves compliment each other nicely.

The flower color is what I consider to be "traditional" nasturtium orange, not the scarlet-orange of the description, which is a bit disappointing. (I love yellows, such as Whirlybird Cream, and deep reds, like Cobra, which also has grey/green leaves.) Perhaps Spitfire will get redder as she grows.

The second pic shows one of three plants, in a different location, beginning to wander off. These are in the toughest spot; the soil is poor; it doesn't get watered often, and I suspect that, since it's close to the street, a dog is using the heavy wrought iron screen I "planted" as a place to pee. But nasturtiums are tough plants, which makes them such assets for a chaotic gardener like me.

Bird dialects

2010-04-28T15:23:00.000-04:00

While I was in Atlanta, I read a New York Times story about birding apps for iPhones and the like. (Until I get another job, I can't afford an iPhone but I'm lusting after one.) The article says that developing an app that identifies birdsong is problematic because birds have regional "dialects."

That was a coincidence because I'd been listening to the breeding song of the cardinals in Atlanta and it was noticeably different from those in Miami, 700 miles to the south. The song in Miami has a higher pitch and is faster.

Has anyone else noticed the same thing with cardinals or other birds?

Visiting my mother-in-law in Atlanta ...

2010-04-23T23:51:00.003-04:00

My MIL lives in Buckhead, which, if you know Atlanta, is an area of grand homes and splendid gardens.

I've missed the dogwoods, but the azaleas are at their best, and I'm told that it's the "best best" for years.

My MIL is elderly, frail, and has a list of ailments as long as your arm. Each weekday is about trips to this clinic followed by appointments with that doctor. It's no vacation.

Whenever I can, I escape to the garden and its magnificent oaks, magnolias and tulip maples. I look up at these towering trees, breathe in their spirit and feel my own blood pressure sink. To paraphrase the King James version of Psalm 121, "I lift up mine eyes to the trees ..." The sun is warm and the flowers are glorious. It only takes a few minutes to feel restored.

Amazon lily

2010-04-16T01:10:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the poor photo, I was experimenting and forgot to take better ones.

Anyway, for the first time my Amazon lily (Eucharis grandiflora), which I keep in a clay pot, has flowered. I've had the plant for years and always kept it in shade, per most horticultural recommendations. Then, I read somewhere that they like sun, so I moved it into a sunny pot, and Hey Presto, it flowered! Go figure!

Return of the swallow- tailed kites

2010-04-13T20:47:00.000-04:00

I saw the first swallow-tailed kite of the year, today. (Click on the link if you're not familiar with them.) I reckon they are the most beautiful birds of prey on the planet. Once seen, not forgotten.

They're such graceful, acrobatic fliers, too, rarely flapping their wings as they wheel around in tight circles, controlling their flight by simply twisting their tails.

Prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, which, in 2005, took out so many of our trees and birds' nesting places, I would see as many as two dozen circling overhead. I'm not sure where they nest now, but I haven't seen those numbers since.

Until a few years ago, nobody was sure where they spent the winter. Eventually, they were tracked to the Brazilian/Paraguayan border, a journey of some 4,000 miles.

(The photo is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is in the public domain.)

Blue walking iris

2010-04-12T12:47:00.001-04:00

My pots of Neomarica caerulea 'Regina' are beginning to bloom. These bigger versions of the blue walking iris are spectacular in a large pot raised off the ground allowing the bloom-bearing leaves to arch over.

Stemmadinia littoralis: An ideal tree for a small, tropical garden

2010-04-07T15:38:00.000-04:00

"Lechoso" is a small tree, native to Central America, that's gaining well-deserved popularity; Fairchild Garden made it the 2009 Tree of the Year. It has an open habit and produces delightfully perfumed white flowers throughout the warmer months. Ideally, it should be planted near open windows, outside seating, or somewhere you can benefit from the scent.

I planted mine a few years ago and it's about 12' tall, now. The literature says it will reach about 20'. It's shaded from the strong afternoon sun by an oak. Apparently, it's happier with the shade, but other than that, it doesn't require any maintenance, being quite happy to do its own thing.

Another benefit is that it didn't seem to suffer much from the freeze, despite getting the full force of the northwesterly wind. It dropped some leaves, but it's blooming again now. That makes me think it might work in Zone 9 in a sheltered spot.

Karma and gardening

2010-04-05T22:47:00.000-04:00

Once a week I go to a Tibetan Buddhist dharma center to work in the garden. Considering its location, just a few miles north of downtown Miami, it's a surprisingly big garden. At the moment, I'm the only person volunteering there, so until others get the gardening bug, things only just stay tamed.

I was there last Thursday. It was one of those days that make us remember why we live in South Florida: warm and sunny with the slightest chill on the breeze. I found a shady chair at the end of the garden, which has become totally wild, and gave myself up to the day. Butterflies, damsel flies, bees, citrus blossom, wild flowers. Even the city noise dimmed. And all the while, a mockingbird sang his heart out above me.

Buddhists say that experiencing moments like this is the karmic consequence of previous positive actions. Upon recognizing that, one immediately pays forward such "merit," asking that all sentient beings may, in turn, experience such peace.

Erythrina: Eye candy for a spring day

2010-04-03T23:35:00.008-04:00

I came across this Erythrina in Coral Gables. After shedding its leaves it produced these stunning blooms.Glorious!

Growing nasturtiums with the GROW Project, March report

2010-04-02T01:43:00.001-04:00

One of the many reasons nasturtiums are on my top-five list of annuals is for the saucer-like shape of the leaves; in a mixed planting, they set off other foliage beautifully.

As you can see from the first photo, the Spitfire seedlings are doing nicely. I think everything I planted germinated, but, my bad, I'm such a sloppy record-keeper... I've got about 25 seeds in various locations, in containers as well as the ground, where they can trail or climb. One location will suffer from more neglect than others, so that will be a test. Traditionally, the more they are neglected, the more they bloom.

With a bit of luck, I'll get the first flowers by late April.

I'm hoping that Spitfire will hold its blooms above the foliage. One fault in older varieties of these otherwise splendid plants is that you have to hunt for the (edible) flowers. The second photo shows a trailing nasturtium snaking along but its lovely yellow blossoms tend to stay out of sight.

Mystery solved! Plant ID revealed

2010-03-30T23:33:00.000-04:00

It's Vicia acutifolia, a native vetch. I learned this from Suzanne Koptur, a biology professor at Florida International University. According to Dr. Koptur, it can be found in "many Florida counties."

The vetch continues to grow but it's being attacked by blackflies, which I'll need to deal with. It's got lots of tiny pods (click on the photo), so I'm sure it will seed itself again.

If anyone wants seeds, let me know.

Is your veggie garden ugly?

2010-03-22T23:00:00.002-04:00

Well, my veggie patch wouldn't win any beauty pageant; the tomatoes have all fallen over in their useless tripod cages and weeds abound, but hey, it's still a lot of fun.

GardenRant.com had a guest post about ugly -- or neglected -- vegetable gardens that has set off quite a buzz in the garden-blogging world. Add your thoughts at the above link.

Plant ID, anyone?

2010-03-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

This tiny -- and very pretty -- little vetch appeared in a pot. Can anyone tell me what it is? Is it a wildflower? Is it a cultivar of some sort?

The divine scent of lemon blossom

2010-03-20T14:42:00.001-04:00

A friend's lemon tree is in bloom and I could have spent my day sitting close to it.

Do you remember the calypso? "Lemon tree very pretty/ And the lemon flower is sweet/ But the fruit of the poor lemon/ Is impossible to eat."

For your list of things to do before you die: Walk, cycle or drive (with open windows) on a drowsy, sunny day through citrus groves when the trees are in bloom. You'll neither regret nor forget the experience.

The accidental tourist: A rufous hummingbird

2010-03-20T14:30:00.002-04:00

Well, this was an exciting visitor. He was about 15' up in one of my oaks and is actually the first hummer I've seen in the garden all season. After watching him (he was a juvenile male), through my binoculars, flick out his long, thin tongue at (presumably) passing insects, and swaying and bobbing on the branch, it occurred to me that he was not like the regular ruby-throated visitors.

When my neck was aching too much to continue watching, I did some research, went back to confirm, and of course, he'd gone.

Since rufous hummers are native to the left coast, I submitted a report to eBird.org.

Sorry, no pictures for this post, but do check the links for images and info.

Growing nasturtiums with the GROW project, first report

2010-03-17T01:26:00.000-04:00

I'm one of 40+ garden bloggers around the country participating in GardenBloggers.com's GROW project, which seeks to promote "a sense of community among garden bloggers who may only know each other online by simultaneously growing the same plants."

We have all been sent a packet of nasturtium 'Spitfire' by Renee's Garden, the project's sponsors. If you're not familiar with the company, check the website and do note the artwork for each seed description and packet.

I love nasturtiums and have lots already, but this winter's exceptionally cold weather has resulted in very slow growth. I planted most of the Spitfires on March 1, saving some for later in the year to see how they cope with Miami's heat. The majority are in assorted containers, with seven sown in the ground. (I should also have posted the day I sowed them -- my bad -- but ...) Anyway, the first seedlings appeared last Friday, March 12, and the remainder have also poked their heads up into sunlight. My next post for the project will be April 1. Stay tuned.

Bob, the baby Eastern screech owl

2010-03-15T17:02:00.000-04:00

If you're on Facebook, I urge you to find, and become a fan of, "Bob." He, and possibly some siblings, lives in a cavity nest in a mango tree in friends' backyard. Since the homeowners are Miami Herald photographers, the photos are spectacular. And Bob was born to be a star!

Essential gear for the tropical gardener

2010-03-11T14:11:00.001-05:00

Not exactly for the best-dressed girl about town, but I couldn't do without these.

There seems to be no shortage of "sharp" things growing in a hot climate and these long sleeved, leather welder's gloves are just the ticket for tackling an unruly bougainvillea or thinning out vicious bromeliads. I found these at a yard sale ($1!), and they've proven invaluable.

The pantyhose/tights were given to me by the woman who runs my favorite thrift store. I cut them into smaller lengths and use them to tie orchids, ferns and small (friendly) bromeliads to palm and tree trunks. They stretch as the trunk expands and can be cut off when the plant has firmly attached itself.

Orchid shopping

2010-03-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

Someone once told me that if you're hard up (and who isn't?), always go to sales at closing time. There are two good reasons for this: First, you never know what you missed, and second, prices plummet.

I went to an annual flea market last Saturday as the stall holders were packing up and got this Burr. Stefan Isler 'Lava Flow' for $20 reduced from $35. The main flower spike is a whopping 2' long!

The only downside was that it was potted in a horrible, compacted and moldy muck, but it's now attached to a tree, where I hope it will thrive.

The neighborhood clowns

2010-03-08T15:23:00.000-05:00

We have a flock of six turquoise and yellow macaws around here. They make a horrendous call that can be heard from a long way away and is particularly harsh when they are overhead. This was taken from the garden last week.

Cardinal

2010-03-08T11:20:00.000-05:00

A lovesick cardinal is singing its heart out in the yard. If you're not familiar with the song, I recorded this the other day at Fairchild, where they could be heard all around the garden.

I took these photos last June of a pair that visited one of my feeders. Curiously, they alternated visits, never coming to the feeder together. Perhaps that was to ensure that one parent survived an unforseen attack.

Mangoes

2010-03-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

One day in November 2008, standing on the platform waiting for a train to go to work, I noticed the (unpleasant, in my view) scent of mango blossom. It was a first since there are no trees near the station and suggested we were in for a bumper crop. Sure enough, last summer produced the biggest harvest for a very long time. People couldn't give them away (I still have some frozen puree), and I almost got to the point of being sick of them.

Nobody was expecting much for this coming summer, especially given the freeze, but to our amazement, the blossoms are almost as prolific as last season's. It seems that mangoes like a cold snap to get them going.

Some people are allergic to mango, but it turns out it's the sap, also found in the skin, that's the problem. The flesh itself is safe. If you've never tried a fresh, ripe mango of a good cultivar, you don't know what you're missing.

Laundry

2010-03-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

How can one garden and not use a laundry line?

The view from my desk

2010-03-02T22:23:00.001-05:00

Working at my computer earlier today, I looked up to see white ibis balancing on the utility lines. They really don't look stable up there, but they made me smile.

The Australian pines behind offer a perching place to an osprey. I hear it calling to its mate frequently, but there's no nest.

Despite looking onto the street, I get a nice view from here.

Sometimes I hate my dogs . . .

2010-03-02T21:49:00.000-05:00

Until yesterday morning, this was a lovely patch of lush liriope. I'm not sure which dog is responsible, but they've already made themselves plenty of sleeping hollows around the garden. I know it will recover, but enough already!

Flaming flame vine

2010-02-27T00:25:00.000-05:00

I wonder how this plant got its common name??

Inspired by fellow South Florida blogger, TOG of Coral Gables who posted pix of a hedge of flame vine (Pyrostegia venusta), I'm posting pix I took at Fairchild Garden this week. Generally, I'm not a fan of orange flowers, but this was a stunning sight.

The vine is native to Brazil and is vigorous enough to smother trees, so it needs to be con

trolled, but, as TOG's photos show, it makes a nice hedge, too.

Oaks in flower

2010-02-17T20:39:00.000-05:00

It's another sign of spring.

I was up on the roof this afternoon to clean the gutters and take care of any pruning needs and was delighted to see the live oak closest to the house covered in "blooms." Most of the time, they're so inconspicuous you don't even notice them. They remind me of tiny catkins.

Death and life in the garden

2010-02-15T00:20:00.000-05:00

I was at my potting bench this afternoon when a commotion at the top of a coconut palm caused me to turn just in time to see birds scattering and a broad-winged hawk flying off with a victim in its talons. Small, downy feathers drifted to the ground.

This morning, there was a dead Muscovy duck in the water that looked like part of it's underside had been ripped off. I'm wondering if there's a gator or a croc back in the lake. I haven't seen any ducklings for a while, which adds to my suspicions.

The effects of the long cold spell continue. The cold chilled the waters deep enough to cause a massive fish die-off, and for a while the stench of decay wafted up from the canal where dead fish -- and iguanas -- floated past.

It also stayed too cold for the iguanas to revive. I haven't seen the monster at the top of his tree since the freeze. Vultures are flying low, spoiled for choice of dinner. Much as I regret the loss of life, gardens around South Florida will benefit from the reduction in their numbers.

Coconut fronds have turned brown and continue to drop in large numbers, but I don't think that the palms themselves will die. Before a palms drops a frond, it pulls out the nutrients, leaving a dry, brown skeleton to fall. In a healthy palm, the lower fronds die first, as is the case here. Even so, they're still heavy and they can damage the plants below. Last week, a frond split the trunk of a prized croton.

But enough of the gloomy news; the Clerondendron quadriloculare, the starburst or shooting star clerodendron (below), is in flower, and orchids and bromeliads are about to bloom, too. Plus, I heard a mockingbird singing its heart out the other day. Twitterpating 2010 has begun!

Architectural plants

2010-02-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

I am endlessly fascinated by the architecture of plants. Here are some examples, starting with a couple of shots of a silver gray Bismarckia noblis palm.

The next is a banana leaf unfurling.

Then we have a silver gray bromeliad, but I don't know its name.

The final one is a cycad.

Art by M. Nature

2010-02-02T19:39:00.000-05:00

The neoregelia bromeliads are beginning to flower around here; you can see a tiny pink one in the center of the plant surrounded by water.

But I do I think the artist was a little sloppy with the paintbrush!

Challenging the future

2010-02-02T13:43:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, I was one of several volunteer judges for the high school environmental debates, part of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's annual Challenge. Pictured are the debate participants.

The Fairchild Challenge encourages middle and high schoolers to become environmentally aware through assorted programs and competitions. Now in its seventh year (and my third time judging the student congress debates), the program is being copied by other organizations around the U.S., and as far away as Singapore, South Africa, Brazil and Ireland.

It really is inspirational to be part of such an endeavor and I encourage anyone affiliated to a botanical garden or a museum to learn more.

A cool tool for opening coconuts

2010-01-26T00:29:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I saw one of these simple and efficient little gadgets used to open coconuts, and knew I needed one. I have four highly productive coconut palms, but we don't benefit from their fruit because it's such a hassle opening them up. (We once resorted to an electric drill, which, while successful, made a mess of the bit. And no way am I employing the traditional machete method).

These are made in Brazil and were being sold on eBay for $25. The business end is pushed into the coconut (where it attached to the stem), twisted and pulled out.

I asked for one for Christmas and it just arrived (better late than never), but I have yet to actually try it; I can't reach any of the ripe coconuts and none have fallen in the last couple of days. Stay tuned ...

A plant commits suicide

2010-01-21T21:50:00.001-05:00

This has nothing to do with the freeze...

Some time ago, one of my variegated crinum lilies stopped producing chlorophyll, resulting in all-white leaves. They got a viral infection, and the plant died.

Before it changed, it had produced several pups that I planted around the garden. The first two photos are of one of those mature pups. The third is of a healthy plant.

It must be some genetic trait, but it won't be passed on since I don't plan to take any more pups.

What a shame, though. It was so beautiful before it went downhill, a bit like a consumptive Victorian heroine!

The Garden Goddess

2010-01-20T20:55:00.000-05:00

It occurs to me that perhaps my garden was spared the worst of the freeze through the good offices of my Garden Goddess!

I found her, with her lovely Rubenesque torso, at my favorite thrift store and got her for $20. (She's about two feet tall and made of plaster.) Then, a month or so ago, I found a pedestal carved from local limestone at an estate sale (another $20 and a real find). So, I found a place under an oak, not far from a lute-playing cherub I found at another estate sale, and placed her on top of the pedestal. That's when I named her Garden Goddess. She reminds me of the Venus of Willendorf or the Venus of Moravany, although she may not like being thought of as that old!

The fastest creature on Earth

2010-01-19T21:25:00.000-05:00

Taking the dogs for a walk this afternoon, a mourning dove, pursued by a bigger bird, flashed past just above my head in an avian dogfight. They were so fast that I barely registered their presence before both had disappeared into some trees. Given the speed, I assumed the pursuer was a peregrine falcon. That was confirmed seconds later when the falcon pulled up rapidly a few houses away, clearly showing its grey back and the distinctive wing shape of a true falcon. Whether the dove escaped, I couldn't tell, but it was an exciting moment of birding for me. (The only other falcon in S. Florida is the tiny American kestrel.)

Peregrines have been clocked at speeds of 200 mph when they dive on unsuspecting prey, thus making them the fastest creature on the planet. In pursuit of prey, as in this case, they can fly at nearly 70 mph. Doves fly fast, too, which is why both whizzed past at such speed.

(I found this photo on Wikipedia. It comes from a US government agency, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and is thus copyright free.)

A backyard snake

2010-01-19T20:09:00.005-05:00

I often spot a brown water snake (Nerodia taxispilota) sunning itself close to the canal, but this is the first time I've seen one right in my backyard. I think it must have been searching for a nice warm paver since it's still relatively chilly. This one is a juvenile; adults are much longer, getting to five feet or more. It didn't move a jot while I was taking photos.

The fact that brown water snakes are completely harmless doesn't prevent them from routinely being beaten to death by frightened humans.

There are only six species of poisonous snakes in Florida:

Southern copperhead, only found in the Panhandle
Cottonmouth/Moccasin, found near or in water throughout the state
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, found throughout the state, including the Keys
Timber rattlesnake, found in the northernmost counties
Dusky pigmy rattlesnake, found throughout Florida
Eastern coral snake, found from the northern Keys and north

The most common South Florida snakes, such as the black racer and ringneck, as well as the brown water snake, are harmless, but if you don't know your snakes, it's always a good idea to assume they can hurt you. That doesn't mean killing them; it means just steering clear.

The University of Florida's Museum of Natural History provides good identification information if you want to know more.

Seeing the garden after the big chill

2010-01-18T18:29:00.000-05:00

I was out of town last week when the coldest nights for a couple of decades hit. My first reaction on seeing the garden was that there was much more light that usual. All the non-native trees are losing their leaves, which, according to my husband, only started happening on Saturday. Unlike fall in temperate climates, these leaves are still green so the trees have dropped a ton of nutrients. I'll leave them to break down in place, and I hope the roots take back most of what was lost. New leaves will appear soon, so I'm not worried.

My natives, the oaks and mahogany, don't seem to be affected at all, but they may simply take longer to show stress. The avocado's response was to drop its remaining fruit. There's so much that even the squirrels can't get to it all.

My next reaction was, "Phew!" Although there is plenty of damage, most plants should recover. Even the orchids my husband left attached to tree trunks are better than I expected. I'm attributing this to two things: First, the wind came out of the northwest and directly over the lake, and that may have had an ameliorating effect on low level plants. (There's more damage higher up.) Second, the red pavers, which cover much of the yard as paths and sitting areas, may have retained and released sufficient heat to keep frost at bay.

Cold damage: First report

2010-01-08T14:27:00.001-05:00

It didn't get below 38 here (phew), and so far, everything looks okay. The cattleya and dendrobium orchids growing together on a coconut palm took the full force of the wind blowing across the lake and seem none the worse for it. However, if there is damage and rot sets in, it won't show up for a while. The only thing that does show damage is the basil, which has wind burn. Go figure.

And there was a lovely surprise, too. One of the gardenia plants, that's been in bud since well before Christmas, has started opening its flowers. I would certainly have expected them to drop because they are usually cold sensitive. It's possible that the reddish colored pavers soaked up enough sun in the daytime to release a little welcome warmth. And they were out of the worst of the wind, too. My camera doesn't like anything white, so forgive the poor photo.

Raining iguanas? Really!

2010-01-07T18:34:00.001-05:00

To paraphrase humorist Dave Barry, "I was not making it up." The Herald finally got around to putting something on the Web. Here's the video.

It's raining .... iguanas??

2010-01-06T15:22:00.002-05:00

The AP has a story about the cold in the South, ending with a couple of paragraphs about iguanas, stupefied by the cold, falling out of trees. It happens most years in these parts. It's one of those things that goes with cold weather and always makes us laugh. (Well, they don't belong here, after all.)

A couple of years ago, one of The Herald's photographers had been dispatched to take pix and he came back with a bright green one, about 14" long, in his pocket. It was just beginning to revive in the warm newsroom.

I forgot to check the neighborhood this morning for any on the ground, but in the meantime, here's a picture of the monster that lives on the other side of the canal where he suns himself at the top of a tree and wards off all rivals.

American kestrel

2010-01-06T12:41:00.000-05:00

If you spy a bird perched on the tallest branch, pole, spire, or similar, in Florida's winter, the chances are good that it's an American kestrel. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reckons that this little bird is about the most colorful raptor on the planet. Its call, a quick high-pitched "kee kee kee," is unmistakable once you hear it. I took this photo yesterday close to my house.

Spanish moss For Mr. Brown Thumb in Chicago

2010-01-06T12:14:00.000-05:00

Blog follower, MBT, commented that he likes Spanish moss, so here are some pix I took yesterday with the sun shining through. It was a gorgeous sight. Incidentally (and as I responded to his comment), in most of the South chiggers live in Spanish moss, so it's risking handling it. For some reason, South Florida's Spanish moss is chigger free and safe to pick up. I've got it hanging off a young oak as well as dripping off orchid containers where it proliferates in the sun.

Urban hens

2010-01-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

These ladies, who look like Rhode Island reds, live about a mile from me. Four hens should provide a family of four enough eggs plus some for the neighbors.

Before moving to the US, I'd kept "Rhodies" in England where I remember letting them out of the coop on frosty mornings. Their feathers, all plumped up, were sometimes glistening with frost. They might have preferred this climate.

Miami (temperature) blues

2010-01-04T17:31:00.000-05:00

Brrr! It's even chilly in Havana! While this may be a subject of mirth to those familiar with snow, hard freezes and below-zero wind chill temps, it's a serious problem for those of us who grow cold-averse plants. (There's a reason you don't see snow on coconut palms.) The Miami office of the NWS put out a statement earlier today saying this might be the longest cold spell for 15-25 years. Already, my aglonemas have keeled over from a combination of strong, cold wind, low temps and, I suspect, rambunctious dogs; these plants are usually dense, upright, and beautiful.

Most of the plants in my garden, including the orchids, will survive temps that fall into the low 40s for a night -- or even two, as long as it warms up in the daytime. But this week, with yet colder weather forecast, look like a disaster in the making. It doesn't help that I'll be out of town for a week leaving my husband, who has limited skills -- and even less interest -- in maintaining the garden (although he does appreciate the results of my efforts), to institute an "action plan" to prevent a calamity.

Winter in Miami

2010-01-03T19:33:00.003-05:00

It's always odd to see Miamians wrapped up against the winter cold, and it must be a real shock for tourists expecting to prostrate themselves before a hot sun on the beach, but it is cold today and will be colder tonight with a freeze warning for interior regions of Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) and north. It's been more than 20 years since downtown Miami had a frost; I remember ice on the bird bath. It killed so many precious plants.

Today, it's grey, matched by the oak and Spanish moss above, but I came across one glorious bright spot out on my bike ride with Sparky the dog. It's one of the most colorful crotons I've seen, beautifully framed by the silver grey leaves of a young Bismarckia noblis palm.

Violence of the palms

2010-01-01T16:02:00.000-05:00

These were inspired by the photos taken by my teacher, Lama Karma Chotso, who happens to be a terrific artist and photographer. Notice the lethal edges.

Welcome, 2010!

2010-01-01T00:51:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to you. And may it be better than 2009.

Here's a view from the back garden shortly after midnight.

Poshing up the garden

2009-12-29T01:07:00.000-05:00

Every well dressed garden needs a chandelier, don't you think?

I found this one -- the real deal -- at a yard sale, going for a whopping $10! It was very dusty and the new homeowner couldn't be bothered to clean it.

Our little house is not the right place for such a splendid piece, but I wasn't thinking about using it inside, anyway.

I've removed most of the electrical wiring and for a post-Christmas gathering, hung it from a branch of the big mahogany. I used fake flickering LED candles, and I think it looked fabulous. It looks just as goodby daylight, too.

A Christmas beetle

2009-12-29T00:53:00.000-05:00

With its iridescent red and green back, it seems appropriate to write a blog entry at this time of the year about Phanaeus igneus, our local dung beetle. The first time I came across one I was enchanted, turning it upside down and wondering at its brilliant colors. I hope I washed my hands well, but I don't remember.

I only realized how it made its living when I noticed a pile of dog dung gently rocking, seemingly of its own accord. It was both fascinating and, since I didn't know what to expect, distinctly alarming. Gingerly poking the pile with a stick yielded the reason: a dung beetle had tunneled underneath and was dragging the contents down the hole. A few days later all that was left was dirt from the hole, and the area looked like an old ants nest.

Dung beetles fall into three categories: "Tunnelers," like P. igneus; "rollers," which roll balls of dung; and "dwellers" that simply live inside a dung pile. Dung is either used as food or as a place to lay eggs. The scarab revered by the Ancient Egyptians was a roller, a piece of information I'm sure you needed to know.

So next time you're down on your luck, you know to be grateful you're not a dung beetle. Even so, we'd all be climbing over piles of poop if it weren't for these beetles, so I guess we should all be grateful to them.

Avocados

2009-12-02T19:29:00.001-05:00

We've had two consecutive years of a bumper avocado crop. Unfortunately, they're not my favorite fruit, but these are a good variety and they'll spread like butter across a sandwich. I've been giving them away to anyone who wants some, but they're still way too many and the squirrels are having a fine old feast.

Last year, I gave some to Sparky. He wolfed them down and got diarrhea in the house, so he's not having any more. Some people I used to know moved, with their skinny black lab, to a house with several avocado trees. The next time I saw the dog, he was easily double the size. I think the owners finally resorted to putting a muzzle on him during avo season.

But why do trees make so much fruit when it only takes one successful germination to replace the parent? I found an answer in a 1990 movie called Mindwalk, starring Sam Waterston, John Heard and Liv Ullmann. It's kind of a forerunner to What the #*!$ Do We Know, with just as flimsy a "plot."

Waterston plays a failed presidential candidate who meets up with his poet pal, Heard, at Mont St Michel, off the Brittany coast. The film is all about the conversation they start with Ullmann's character, a Norwegian quantum physicist. It's she who puts forward the hypothesis that the tree -- my avocado -- is part of a much greater system and as such, the abundance of fruit nourishes the system, which in turn protects a new seedling, later to become the replacement tree.

James Lovelock wrapped this up in his Gaia Hypothesis, which has always appealed to me.

The Ramble

2009-12-02T17:58:00.000-05:00

Fairchild held its annual Ramble, the weekend before last. I went twice since this year it started on Friday, running through Sunday. The first thing that caught my eye was the Rolls Royce I parked next to.

One improvement over the years is the inclusion of "green" groups, such as Urban Paradise and Urban Oasis, so everyone can learn more about sustainable living.

Even if you're not into growing things or the environment, there's always great art and food and activities for the kids, not to mention the antiques in the main auditorium.

I spent way too much of my unemployment benefits on a couple of "must-have" unusual plants, including Flame of Jamaica (Euphorbia punicea), a shrub that will put out striking scarlet bracts.

Vultures (with feathers)

2009-12-02T00:13:00.007-05:00

A couple of turkey vultures were arguing over a possum carcass in the road a few houses along. There was a lot of commotion and clashing of wings before they sorted it out, and then a car drove one off, leaving the feast to the other. I walked over to what was left of the possum (be glad you didn't smell it), which caused me to wonder whether vultures, like raptors, have exceptional eyesight, or whether they have exceptional smell -- or both. Questions, questions.

If you live in suburban South Florida (and assuming you even notice them), you probably like seeing vultures wheeling around the sky. Vultures, turkey vultures specifically, are harbingers of the fall; they arrive from somewhere in the Midwest or Northeast in the first week of October, bringing with them the blessed promise of cooler weather. Except in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane, I don't think it's ever cooled down before the "buzzards" show up.

The occasion used to be celebrated annually on the steps of the courthouse in downtown Miami, which is where dozens choose to roost at night. As tall buildings went up around the courthouse, the vultures roosted there, too. The Herald wrote a story about very expensive lawyers in very expensive penthouse offices not appreciating vultures resting outside and spoiling their otherwise very expensive view. Oh, the irony!

If you do look up, watch these masters of flight as they ride thermals and glide across the sky with the rarest flap of a wing. On the ground, though, it's another matter. These huge birds, ungainly as they are ugly, are positively comical as they lumber along the ground preparing for takeoff. Sadly, this is when the vultures themselves become road kill.

A tiny owl

2009-11-02T20:48:00.007-05:00

Fairchild had its first Bird Day on Sunday, which I deemed to be a success apart from the bird walk that started at the ludicrously early 7 a.m. (I can't do anything at that hour other than sleep.) The wildlife rehab center at Miami's science museum was in attendance with a couple of of permanent residents, a red shouldered hawk and an Eastern screech owl.

I'm sure that like me, many of the day's visitors walked right past the tiny owl assuming it was a stuffed bird. You can see what I mean from the first photo. And what a treat to see the hawk up close and personal.

Our first raised veggie bed

2009-11-02T20:07:00.005-05:00

Here's the first of two. It's 4' x 8' and the other will be 4' x 10', and both will be plumbed for drip irrigation. They're made out of pressure-treated lumber, so the insides are lined with black plastic bags (a quick stapling job). Next, I have to line the bottom with something to keep nematodes at bay, probably newspaper, brown paper and old cotton blankets.

The designer and general contractor is Dan the spouse who insists on getting things nigh-on perfect, which is way more than I would do (and I'm a Virgo!). He thought of finishing the bed off with a 2" x 6" board to make it easier to sit or kneel, and it's a brilliant idea, not to mention it looks nice.

Anyway, I'm extremely grateful that he took it on because gardening is not his thing, except that he likes to cook so he does have a vested interest.

Going bananas

2009-11-01T09:59:00.005-05:00

We take bananas for granted; they are, after all, only an everyday fruit. But there's a whole bunch (pardon the pun) more to them than that.

I grow a "Brazilian dwarf," which I thought meant that the plants would be dwarf, but it turns out the name refers to the fruit, so they are unexpectedly tall. I also have a true dwarf which produces apple-flavored bananas, and I'm encouraging a struggling plant that supposedly produces bananas with red flesh. I also have ornamentals, meaning the fruit is inedible, with variegated leaves of a stunning red and green.

This photo, which I took at Fairchild earlier in the week, is of another ornamental. The fruit and flowers are simply spectacular. Click on the picture to see the flower's occupant.

Breezy bamboo; sorry Northerners

2009-10-24T19:16:00.006-04:00

Those who have grown bamboo in a temperate climate are likely to wish they never did. Once a temperate bamboo gets going it's almost impossible to keep under control, shooting up in all sorts of inconvenient places and doing more damage to lawns than pesky moles.

But for us lucky folks living in a tropical climate, we grow clumping bamboos, which are sooo much easier to maintain.

This is Bambusa malingensis, a particularly thickly-clumping, vigorous species that I really must get round to thinning out. It's about 25' now and can get to around 35'. It's a graceful plant that will bend nearly horizontal in our frequent, strong winds.

It started off as a weedy thing about seven years ago, and now it blocks out the view of (and from) the bridge, which is what is was intended to do.

I got it from Daniel and Martha Holmes of Holmes Bamboo in the Redland. If you're in the market, check out their website.

Halloween fishermen at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

2009-10-24T19:11:00.004-04:00

These guys look suspiciously like the fruit of the sausage tree (Kigelia africana). I hope the gators give them a pass...

Devloper makes quick buck with cruelty to trees

2009-10-13T12:35:00.006-04:00

This really annoys me: Planting young trees right under utility lines. It's a cheap developer's trick to make a property look nicer. These live oaks will soon reach the overhead lines where they will cause power outages to homes further along and then FPL will hack them back. We all pay for that service.

Little Brown Jobs (and keep your mind out of the toilet, please)

2009-10-05T19:19:00.004-04:00

The LBJs, small brown birds -- mostly warblers, are back. The fall migration has been under way for a while, but I've only just started paying attention. The LBJs flit from branch to branch too quickly to figure out the species, but I have seen American redstarts and a male prairie warbler. I may have seen a black-and-white warbler, too, but ...

It's a colorful time of year, birdwise, in the garden. Blue jays and cardinals come to the feeders and the bright yellow spot-breasted orioles are all over the place.

Snail sex

2009-09-10T22:27:00.004-04:00

Just came across this wild sex scene as I took food out to the cat. The motion lights came on and caught them in the act. (I'm assuming this is how snails have sex, but maybe they were just having a nice chat.) I suppose this means baby snails and all that entails ...

Ring neck snake video clip

2009-09-10T20:57:00.003-04:00

After posting that I hadn't seen a ring neck for a long time, I found one when I was weeding and sorting out the bromeliads at the base of the avocado tree. It didn't want to be caught. It was difficult keeping the camera in the right place and keep the snake from escaping too soon.

It's a harmless snake, in case the gardening gloves alarm you.