RECENT POSTS
RECENT POSTS
ALL PLANT POSTS
What’s growing at the Acre
Towering Tithonia
Tithonia diversifolia in autumn The Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) grew 20 feet tall over the summer, but now that autumn is here, all but the uppermost leaves have died back. Standing below, the effect is kind of Dr Seussian, a forest of towering sticks with a few green feathers sticking out the top.
Guava Season
I bought a couple of guava (Psidium cattleyanum) seedlings, one red/strawberry and one yellow/lemon, about 15 years ago and planted them at opposites ends of what is now the tropical garden. Both grew to be big shrubs that flowered once in a while and produced a bunch of pellet-sized bitter fruit that tasted nothing like strawberry or lemon. In the winter they froze easily, loose all their leaves and spend the better part of four months looking like dead brush on the hillside. I was [keep reading...]
Gasteria Nigracanus
Gasteria nigracanus,, like all gasterias, is from South Africa and loves the hot, dry weather. When the plant is happy, it sprouts thick, flashy leaves in pink, green and gold.
Little Succulent, Big Flower
This little baby tiger doesn't look like much during the day, but just before sunset, it throws out a very impressive flower. Use the before and after slider to see how it changes
Orange Marmalade Aloe
Currently my favorite aloe is this guy, Orange Marmalade. In the winter he's a blue-green, but in the full summer sun he turns orange. Very cool.
White Squill Flowering
Cleared an area behind the pond for a new succulent / dry garden last weekend. Came out today to find that two White Squill I forgot about are now flowering. Looks like two snakes coming up out of the ground.
Video: Attack of the Passion Fruit
I think my passion fruit is getting out of control. It just attacked me.
Kahili Ginger in the Tropical Garden
This spring I overhauled my tropical garden adding tall, kahili ginger to make a spicy flowering forest as a transition to the fruit orchards and dry creek below.
A Striped Pepper
I came across this Italian frying pepper in my garden today. It's changing from green to red with stripes of color instead of the usual blush.
Tomatillo Time!
The tomatillos are practically throwing fruit at us. These are from some wild plants that reseed every year. Once they were either purple or green, but now they're all crossbred and just sort of do whatever they want. Still taste great!
RECENT POSTS
RECENT POSTS
ALL PLANT POSTS
What’s growing at the Acre
Towering Tithonia
Tithonia diversifolia in autumn The Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) grew 20 feet tall over the summer, but now that autumn is here, all but the uppermost leaves have died back. Standing below, the effect is kind of Dr Seussian, a forest of towering sticks with a few green feathers sticking out the top.
Guava Season
I bought a couple of guava (Psidium cattleyanum) seedlings, one red/strawberry and one yellow/lemon, about 15 years ago and planted them at opposites ends of what is now the tropical garden. Both grew to be big shrubs that flowered once in a while and produced a bunch of pellet-sized bitter fruit that tasted nothing like strawberry or lemon. In the winter they froze easily, loose all their leaves and spend the better part of four months looking like dead brush on the hillside. I was [keep reading...]
Gasteria Nigracanus
Gasteria nigracanus,, like all gasterias, is from South Africa and loves the hot, dry weather. When the plant is happy, it sprouts thick, flashy leaves in pink, green and gold.
Little Succulent, Big Flower
This little baby tiger doesn't look like much during the day, but just before sunset, it throws out a very impressive flower. Use the before and after slider to see how it changes
Orange Marmalade Aloe
Currently my favorite aloe is this guy, Orange Marmalade. In the winter he's a blue-green, but in the full summer sun he turns orange. Very cool.
White Squill Flowering
Cleared an area behind the pond for a new succulent / dry garden last weekend. Came out today to find that two White Squill I forgot about are now flowering. Looks like two snakes coming up out of the ground.
Video: Attack of the Passion Fruit
I think my passion fruit is getting out of control. It just attacked me.
Kahili Ginger in the Tropical Garden
This spring I overhauled my tropical garden adding tall, kahili ginger to make a spicy flowering forest as a transition to the fruit orchards and dry creek below.
A Striped Pepper
I came across this Italian frying pepper in my garden today. It's changing from green to red with stripes of color instead of the usual blush.
Tomatillo Time!
The tomatillos are practically throwing fruit at us. These are from some wild plants that reseed every year. Once they were either purple or green, but now they're all crossbred and just sort of do whatever they want. Still taste great!