This is my Melocactus matanzanus, those pink bits have been appearing (and disappearing) for weeks now. Some days there's nothing resting on top of that orange cap. Some days are like this...
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The orange cap is called a cephalium and according to an article I read online once the plant develops a cephalium the rest of it ceases to grow, and only the cephalium continues, getting taller and taller.
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You're probably wondering about the flowers? Could't tell you. Haven't seen a singe one. Only the pink bits. Now I'm also wondering (thanks to a cropped photo that takes me in closer), are those black dots seeds? .... (investigating)....Yes! They are. I broke open one of the pink capsules to find lots of tiny black seeds inside.
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Remember my desire for a big mound of Symphytum x uplandicum 'Axminster Gold' foliage? Got it.
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The new growth on the Leucadendron 'Ebony' is nicely variegated. Nice only as long as it doesn't stick around. I want black.
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This is the Agave victoriae-reginae I picked up at a sale in Spokane last summer.
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It's got me feeling a little paranoid. I thought I noticed a significant change to the center of the plant. I've been staring at it trying to decide.
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See how it looks like a Hershey's kiss? Like a cone with a melted base? I'd convinced myself it was getting ready to start pushing out a bloom spike, but now - looking back at the photos I took when it first came home - well I'm not so sure.
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Across the patio a Bromeliad bloom has busted out!
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Such a strange thing.
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Andrew compared the blue bits to satin ribbon and I had to agree with him.
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This was an interesting discovery. Do you know what it is?
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A Leafcutter Bee's nest cell.
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I found it on the lawn and thought maybe it had fallen from a branch of our big-leaf Magnolia. Reading up on where they build their nests that's most likely not the case. Where did it come from? Dunno.
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Whatta ya got there mom? Is it something for me to eat?
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The little cap is my favorite part.
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Blooming Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream', a pretty picture before moving on to an ugly one.
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I dug these Agave americana pups last fall. They're still in the container I potted them into, as I've been too busy to properly deal with them (plans, of course I have plans). Anyway I noticed something had been gnawing on a couple of the leaves.
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Ugh.
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Little bastard!
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The culprit.
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This is my Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida'. On the bottom is the darker, old foliage. On the top, well - it's had a bit of a growth spurt this summer.
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Old foliage...
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New foliage.
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It looks quite different!
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That knobby knuckle is close to the top of the tree. The obviously broken bit on the right was my fault, broken wrestling the unplanted tree into the garage when snow, ice and super cold temperatures were predicted. The new growth is surging up from the far right stem, out of the photo range.
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Taking off!
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The side that's not growing.
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And that's my report of gardeney goings on...
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All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
The orange cap is called a cephalium and according to an article I read online once the plant develops a cephalium the rest of it ceases to grow, and only the cephalium continues, getting taller and taller.
You're probably wondering about the flowers? Could't tell you. Haven't seen a singe one. Only the pink bits. Now I'm also wondering (thanks to a cropped photo that takes me in closer), are those black dots seeds? .... (investigating)....Yes! They are. I broke open one of the pink capsules to find lots of tiny black seeds inside.
Remember my desire for a big mound of Symphytum x uplandicum 'Axminster Gold' foliage? Got it.
The new growth on the Leucadendron 'Ebony' is nicely variegated. Nice only as long as it doesn't stick around. I want black.
This is the Agave victoriae-reginae I picked up at a sale in Spokane last summer.
It's got me feeling a little paranoid. I thought I noticed a significant change to the center of the plant. I've been staring at it trying to decide.
See how it looks like a Hershey's kiss? Like a cone with a melted base? I'd convinced myself it was getting ready to start pushing out a bloom spike, but now - looking back at the photos I took when it first came home - well I'm not so sure.
Across the patio a Bromeliad bloom has busted out!
Such a strange thing.
Andrew compared the blue bits to satin ribbon and I had to agree with him.
This was an interesting discovery. Do you know what it is?
A Leafcutter Bee's nest cell.
I found it on the lawn and thought maybe it had fallen from a branch of our big-leaf Magnolia. Reading up on where they build their nests that's most likely not the case. Where did it come from? Dunno.
Whatta ya got there mom? Is it something for me to eat?
The little cap is my favorite part.
Blooming Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream', a pretty picture before moving on to an ugly one.
I dug these Agave americana pups last fall. They're still in the container I potted them into, as I've been too busy to properly deal with them (plans, of course I have plans). Anyway I noticed something had been gnawing on a couple of the leaves.
Ugh.
Little bastard!
The culprit.
This is my Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida'. On the bottom is the darker, old foliage. On the top, well - it's had a bit of a growth spurt this summer.
Old foliage...
New foliage.
It looks quite different!
That knobby knuckle is close to the top of the tree. The obviously broken bit on the right was my fault, broken wrestling the unplanted tree into the garage when snow, ice and super cold temperatures were predicted. The new growth is surging up from the far right stem, out of the photo range.
Taking off!
The side that's not growing.
And that's my report of gardeney goings on...
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.