Never heard of it, see it, want it, own it...in five days...

On October 27th my friend, and fellow blogger, Amy Campion posted a photo of a plant with dark, dramatic, flowers on the Plant Idents Facebook group. It was quickly identified as Lardizabala biternata, I was smitten and asked where she'd found it...turns out it was only blocks away from me, at McMenamins Kennedy School. Of course I was over there to see it for myself later that same day...

Seeing the plant only made me want it more. The word "rare" was used in the Plant Idents post, that's a challenge of course. Less than 24-hrs later I had located one and placed a hold on it. The location? Cistus Nursery...

So on a drizzly Tuesday afternoon I found myself at Cistus. Not such a bad thing. Of course one must casually circle it's prey, before pouncing. So I did a slow walkabout the nursery...

Metapanax delavayi, heavy with seeds.

And such a fabulous color.

I am hopelessly drawn to every Loquat I see. A primal urge to take it home with me...

My what large leaves you have!

Speaking of large leaves, baby Magnolia macrophylla! This is about the same size ours was when we took it home from Cistus.

Even a rainy day in November feels summery when your standing next to a palm like this.

Thus far I'm managing to resist the urge to collect Cyclamen (C. hederifolium).

C. hederifolium - silver shades

Love Astelia, all of them.

I remember something Jim, a former Cistus employee, said to me one day about how difficult it was to keep tags in the containers of spiky plants. People take them out to read, but then don't want to risk the pain of putting them back. Looks like someone has come up with a fun solution...

Tag flags!

Let's not forget safety.

This old guy's been beat up a time or three, but still manages to look regal.

Spikes! Everywhere you look.

Well except when you look up. When you were a kid you ever do that project where you place fall leaves between wax paper and melt the wax?

I'd forgotten about this!

First spotted when Peter and I visited in August.

This time I was gifted a couple of the tiny bulbils to take home, guess I should try and get a name for what it is that I'm attempting to grow.

Finally, in the parking lot, check this out....Aesculus californica, California buckeye or California horse-chestnut...

Fabulous!

Since I've been in a chestnut drought this year (all my usual sources are dried up) I picked up a few of these to take home as well.

But back to why I was there in the first place...I got it! My Lardizabala biternata...

Here's an interesting "twist"...the tag describes the flowers as white. I found this in other listings online as well.

So if those little guys in the center are the flowers, what are the black parts called? And why aren't they mentioned since they're such a part of the appeal?

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.