Posted on by tonytomeo · 16 Comments

Six on Saturday: More Winter Flowers

This is why hummingbirds do not need to leave for the winter here. By the time autumn flowers finish blooming, a few sustaining winter flowers begin their bloom.

1. Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’ manzanita is the common cultivar of an uncommon species from Sonoma County to the North. It continues to bloom until April.

2. Garrya elliptica, silk tassel is native. This particular specimen and a few others in the landscapes were installed, though. They are surprisingly messy to work with and prune.

3. Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, California lilac is also native. I suspect that those that inhabit the landscapes were also installed. Their spacing is not haphazard enough to be natural.

4. Tulbaghia violacea, society garlic is at its best for winter, not because it blooms more, but because it does not smell as objectionable as it will during warmer summer weather.

5. Grevillea spp. lost its identity. It seems to bloom continually. I can not remember ever seeing it without at least some bloom. Hummingbirds are very fond of it, especially now.

6. Salvia leucantha, Mexican blue sage bloom is fuzzy, but not quite as fuzzy as it seems to be in this unfocused picture. The camera was more interested in the foliage behind it.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Posted on by tonytomeo · 9 Comments

Six on Saturday: Slim Pickings

Perhaps flowers were not the best subjects. They are quite scarce about now.

1. What is this? It grows like ground cover. Although it has not yet bloomed profusely, it blooms with a few flowers continually. I am not keen on it, but I want to know what it is.

2. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’, trailing rosemary blooms a bit less during winter, but seems to never be completely without bloom. Hummingbirds are pleased with these.

3. Coleonema pulchellum ‘Sunset Gold’ breath of Heaven probably should have stopped blooming by now; but I must not complain if it insists on blooming right through winter.

4. Rosa spp., rose bloom is finally succumbing to wintry weather. I do not know if this is because of the earlier rain or more recent chill. Other roses have been pruned for winter.

5. Erica spp., heath is happy to bloom through winter and perhaps into spring. I have no idea what cultivar this is, and I do not remember when it started blooming in November.

6. Rhody has been absent from Six on Saturday for quite a while. He is not easy to take a good picture of. This week though, it might have been easier than finding a sixth flower.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

Posted on by tonytomeo

Winter Flowers May Be Scarce

Not many flowers bloom for winter.

Evergreen foliage and berries are now popular for home decor for a primary reason. Not many winter flowers are blooming and available for cutting and bringing in. Most flowers prefer to bloom while more pollinators are more active. Not many pollinators are out and about while weather is cool through winter. Consequently, winter flowers may be scarce.

However, they are not actually as scarce as they seem to be. Some winter flowers bloom without drawing attention to themselves. They do not need to if they rely on wind for their pollination. Colorful flowers are colorful only to attract pollinators. For example, redwood is blooming quite privately about now. It produces no prominently colorful flowers to see.

Some winter flowers do not actually intend to bloom in winter. They are merely confused by the local climates. For example, African daisy blooms whenever the weather is warm. It does not know to stop blooming for winter here because the weather is not overly cold. Cala are tropicals, so have no concept of winter. They should not bloom, but might try to.

Camellias are some of the most familiar and popular winter flowers. Sasanqua camellias bloom before common camellias. Different cultivars of each type bloom at different times. The latest sasanqua camellias might actually bloom after the earliest common camellias. Sasanqua camellias bloom more abundantly. Common camellias provide larger flowers.

Although most salvia bloom during warmer weather, a few bloom sporadically for winter. Autumn sage seems to never be completely without bloom. Meanwhile, cultivars of witch hazel bloom curiously on bare stems. So does winter jasmine, but only in yellow. Oregon grape can bloom impressively within cooler climates. It is evergreen and blooms yellow.

Many of the better winter flowers are cool season annuals, which are no good for cutting. These comprise pansy, viola, cyclamen, dianthus, snapdragon, nemesia and primroses. Stock is exceptional, because it can be cut and brought inside and is splendidly fragrant. Ornamental kale and ornamental cabbage are foliar plants that present like wide flowers.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 6 Comments

Six on Saturday: More Unseasonal Azaleas

Half of these blooms are right on time. The other half are azaleas that really should wait until spring to bloom. I hope that some refrain from blooming now to bloom in season.

1. Osmanthus fragrans, sweet osmanthus may not be much to look at, but is exquisitely fragrant. I believe that the current cool and humid weather enhances its floral fragrance.

2. Viburnum tinus, laurustinus, which is not typically very fragrant, likewise seems to be more fragrant with cool and humid weather. This one blooms white without pink blush.

3. Osteospermum ecklonis, African daisy blooms significantly less while weather is cool, but seems to never be completely without bloom. This one blooms with a billowy center.

4. Rhododendron spp., azalea should not be blooming now. Flowers that bloom now will be finished and unavailable to bloom in spring. I believe that this cultivar is ‘Coral Bells’.

5. Rhododendron spp., azalea, which is likely ‘Fielder’s White’, is blooming prematurely also. If I remember correctly, it typically does this, but somehow blooms for spring also.

6. Rhododendron spp., azalea with double bloom is probably a recycled florist specimen. I have no idea what cultivar it is. It certainly is colorful. I hope it saves bloom for spring.

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/