September is the height of hurricane season. It’s been hot, and we’ve had rain which means everything is growing. After years of getting up with an alarm clock, I wake up early most mornings. Sometimes I see a beautiful pink sky.
Read MoreTag: semi-tropical
Spring Crown of White
I live in Central Florida, growing zone 9B which is semi-tropical. Amaryllis is a subtropical bulb that belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and is native to South Africa. It is grown as a potted plant in most parts of the United States but can also be grown outdoors year round in warm areas like Florida. The red amaryllis you buy at Christmas are FORCED bulbs.
Two weeks ago I shared my first white amaryllis blooming in my front yard here in central Florida. Over the next few days almost every white flower opened in a beautiful white crown in the garden. Today I’m sharing photos from a early morning visit.
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Last Amaryllis & A Bunny
Last week I shared what I thought was my last amaryllis. It was my last solid deep red amaryllis. Then I got a surprise from a little amaryllis I got as a forced bulb 3 years ago at Christmas and then planted in the yard. Last year no flower. I thought it was dying. It was a little green plant with a couple of small leaves. Then I noticed 2 small buds forming in almost the middle of May. I’ve explained before that most folks in my neighborhood have flowering amaryllis in February, March, and maybe April. My solid deep red amaryllis bloom late in April. Now this little red amaryllis with a solid white center has 2 flowers. I moved my little bunny over to pose him smelling a flower. (No there isn’t a great fragrance.)
First Gardenia Flowers
Gardenias are subtropical plants that thrive in warm, humid weather. Most gardenias are hardy in zones 8-11, though a few varieties hardy to zone 7 have been developed and a few are only hardy in zones 10 and 11. Gardenias can be grown in pots and brought inside in cold climates. See How To Care For Gardenias for more information.
Several years ago, I bought a little gardenia bush. According to experts, if protected during cold snaps for the first few years, mature gardenias can survive an occasional frost.