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Six on Saturday: First Rain! Etcetera

It feels like autumn now. The first rain of the rainy season has come and gone, and more is predicted for Thursday and Friday.

1. Rain fell from the sky last Wednesday. It was not much, but it was enough to fill a few puddles and delay irrigation. The first rain of the rainy season is major news for us here.

2. Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata’ mock orange and Acer circinatum, vine maple needed to be removed from their two other landscapes, so live here in their new landscape now.

3. Salvia elegans, pineapple sage is from the same landscape that the mock orange came from. It is scrawny now because it had been crowded. It should be fluffier next summer.

4. Clivia miniata ‘Variegata’ Natal lily with broad creamy white variegation has the same name ‘Variegata’ as a cultivar with thin yellow variegation. One was likely misidentified.

5. Hedychium gardnerianum, kahili ginger is still blooming. It would likely be blooming more impressively if I had taken better care of it. Pradhan’s ginger is also still blooming.

6. Chrysanthemum X morifolium, chrysanthemum is a bit too refined for my taste. They obviously did not grow here but were added from four inch pots. They sure are colorful.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 15 Comments

Six on Saturday: Six Mix

My Six again lack a common theme. These are just random pictures.

1. Coleonema pulchellum, breath of Heaven is supposed to bloom for spring but actually blooms whenever it wants to. This was supposed to be a low grower but is a large shrub.

2. Salvia greggii ‘Hot Lips’ autumn sage might actually be Salvia microphylla. I learned it as Salvia greggii. It is blooming right on time but it also blooms whenever it wants to.

3. Salvia greggii, autumn sage also might actually be Salvia microphylla. It blooms for autumn only but is more colorful than ‘Hot Lips’. Its bloom is the color of perennial pea.

4. Lathyrus latifolia, perennial pea grows and blooms through spring and early summer to then die back through late summer. A few that get water may bloom until about now.

5. Trifolium pratense, red clover happens to be a weed, but blooms with these delightful pale pink flowers. Bees are fond of them. It would be nice if more weeds were this pretty.

6. Echinops ritro, globe thistle is beginning to bloom again. It is relatively new to me, so I am unfamiliar with its bloom season or life cycle. I am pleased that it is so happy here.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 5 Comments

Six on Saturday: October 10, 2026

After a week of summerish temperatures in the nineties, autumn is beginning to express itself, although some plants still believe that it is summer.

1. Weeds are going to seed now more than the rest of the year. While most disperse seed almost continually through their growing season, some disperse more prior to autumn.

2. Cotinus coggygria, smoke tree retains is purplish foliar color rather well until the end of summer. Pollarding enhances such foliar color, although it also compromises bloom.

3. Cornus X ‘Eddies White Wonder’ dogwood is already beginning to show a slight bit of autumn foliar color. Only a few leaves are like this while all the rest remain bright green.

4. The same dogwood is also blooming with a few flowers. I do not know if these are late from last spring or early for next spring. It does this annually and still blooms for spring.

5. Feijoa sellowiana, pineapple guava supposedly ripens about now, but actually ripens for late autumn or even early winter. These fruit are abundant but still need to plumpen.

6. Leycesteria formosa, Himalayan honeysuckle is producing its first two berries here! I realize that each of several trusses should produce several berries, but these are the first!

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 14 Comments

Six on Saturday: Bark II

Six more mostly big conifers continue from last Saturday.

1. Juglans hindsii, Northern California black walnut is one of two of these six which are not conifers. It is also one of two that are exotic, though it is native to adjacent counties.

2. Cupressus macrocarpa, Monterey cypress is the other one that is exotic, although it is native to an adjacent county. Both it and California black walnut are almost native here.

3. Pinus ponderosa, ponderosa pine does not mingle much with redwood or Douglas fir, so is the dominant big conifer within its forests. It is the Official State Tree of Montana.

4. Pseudotsuga menziesii, Douglas fir mingles mostly with redwood or oak forests. Only a few venture into nearby ponderosa pine forests. It is the Official State Tree of Oregon.

5. Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood is the Official State Tree of California, and the tallest tree species in the World! It really is a pleasure to work around so many of them.

6. Rhody has the nicest bark. He is the other one of two of these six that are not conifers. It is difficult to get a good picture of him. Even with a treat, this was the best I could do.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 10 Comments

Six on Saturday: Bark

It has been quite a while since I shared pictures of the interesting bark around here.

1. Umbellularia californica, bay is known by several common names, such as California bay laurel, California bay, California laurel, Oregon myrtle, mountain laurel, spicebush, pepperwood, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree, headache tree and balm of Heaven. Wow!

2. Platanus racemosa, California sycamore is technically not a riparian species, but does prefer to be near water. They can grow a bit too well in lawns, and then become too big.

3. Arbutus mensiesii, madrone has both very smooth bark and finely checkered bark like this. The smooth bark is chestnut brown, and is about as smooth and shiny as chestnuts.

4. Quercus lobata, valley oak is still relatively young. Otherwise, its bark would be more deeply furrowed. It might be here for another six centuries, and grow impressively large.

5. Quercus agrifolia, coast live oak has variable bark. It is mostly smooth and gray while young, but can get striated at an early age. It eventually roughens and darkens with age.

6. Lithocarpus densiflorus, tanoak is technically not an oak, but creates acorns anyway. The gray portions of its bark resemble that of coast live oak, but are not quite as smooth.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 6 Comments

Six on Saturday: Early & Late

Punctuality is an attribute that is not endowed equally. Some plant species march to the beat of a different drum.

1. Lagerstroemia indica, crape myrtle is ready for autumn with its foliar color. However, the weather has not gotten cool yet. This may be the result of distress through summer.

2. Clerodendrum myricoides, butterfly flower supposedly begins to bloom in June, and then finishes about now. However, this tardy specimen is only beginning to bloom now.

3. Camellia sasanqua, sasanqua camellia should bloom for autumn or winter. However, this specimen blooms whenever it wants to. It seems to be at a different time every year.

4. Hebe buxifolia, boxwood hebe should have bloomed for June or July. However, it did nothing at the time. Instead, it is blooming now. I believe that this one is ‘Patty’s Purple’.

5. Crinum bulbispermum, Orange River lily bloomed on time for spring, but is doing so again. However, it can bloom randomly any time, so is technically neither early nor late.

6. Rhody says that it is never too early or too late for a nap. He is an expert on that topic. He also mentioned that it is bad grammar to use “however” in each of these six citations.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 12 Comments

Six on Saturday: White

White is my favorite color; so I found six white flowers for this week. None are new here, though. Each was featured at one time or another.

1. Lobularia maritima, alyssum performed well this year. A tree that formerly shaded it has been removed. Since someone asked earlier, I realized that it does smell like honey.

2. Begonia X semperflorens–cultorum, wax begonia stands higher behind the cascading alyssum. Actually, it is not notably tall; and the alyssum does not cascade all that much.

3. Pelargonium X hortorum, zonal geranium does not shed its deteriorating blooms like the other varieties which bloom pink or red. It consequently needs occasional grooming.

4. Brugmansia X candida, angel’s trumpet is not quite as bright white as the other white flowers here. Externally, its flowers are slightly greenish. It is the most fragrant, though.

5. Rosa spp., rose is a climbing cultivar. Of course, it does not actually climb on its own. It merely extends long canes that can be tied to the fence behind it. It is still quite small.

6. Agapanthus orientalis, lily of the Nile finished blooming quite some time ago and was already deadheaded along with the blue sorts before this single late floral stalk bloomed.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 16 Comments

Six on Saturday: Arborist’s Report

Both of only two grand valley oaks at work are deteriorating. Sadly, the prognosis for the smaller of the two is not so good.

1. Quercus lobata, valley oak is obviously distressed. It should not start to defoliate until after cool weather later in autumn. Even then, defoliation should be more symmetrical.

2. Upon closer inspection, fluffy and newer interior growth is evidently comprising most of the canopy, while the exterior of the canopy is notably sparse. It is not a new problem.

3. The defoliated portion of the canopy appears to be completely necrotic. No foliage can be seen. If the tree survives, removal of this portion will severely disfigure its symmetry.

4. This significant cavity is developing on the formerly flawless trunk. The interior wood is badly decayed. Sadly, the tree may not live long enough for this to become a concern.

5. Cupressus macrocarpa, Monterey cypress, next to the valley oak, is likely succumbing to cypress bark canker. A few trees have already been removed. It is also a slow process.

6. Meanwhile, in other news, a collared mountain lion was seen on surveillance video in the neighborhood. We all know that they live here, but it is different to actually see one.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 15 Comments

Six on Saturday: Just Some Random Flowers

Some of these might be redundant to earlier posts. I am still somewhat disheveled from last week. I should recover next week.

1. Pelargonium X hortorum, zonal geranium makes another appearance, but in another color. At least I think that this is a new color here. I can not be certain. We have several.

2. Salvia guaranitica ‘Amistad’ friendship sage is a bit new and trendy for my taste, but it sure is pretty, and popular with hummingbirds. Incidentally, someone else selected it.

3. Lagerstroemia indica ‘Twilight’ crape myrtle is another species that I would not be so keen on if it were not so pretty. It has many attributes, which is why it is overly popular.

4. Osteospermum ecklonis, African daisy blooms in several colors here. All of the others have single flowers. This is the only one that blooms with these odd semidouble flowers.

5. Lathyrus latifolius, perennial pea is a naturalized roadside weed. It certainly is pretty, though. I think that it usually dies back by now, but is doing so a bit slowly this summer.

6. Hydrangea macrophylla, bigleaf hydrangea is blooming with exceptionally big floral trusses. I should have put something else in the picture with it to demonstrate its scale.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.

Posted on by tonytomeo · 11 Comments

Six on Saturday: Disheveled

Life is presently hectic here. Consequently, I did not prioritize six pictures for this week.

1. Acer macrophyllum, bigleaf maple leaf against a backdrop of sawdust looks malicious. Sadly, the tree needed to go, for a variety of reasons. Someone got some good firewood.

2. Chamaedorea plumosa, baby queen palm is reaching the saran ceiling. Now, it needs to relocate outside. The problem is that it has always been partially shaded by the saran.

3. Canna X generalis ‘Tropicanna’ canna was supposed to be ‘Alaska’. Fortunately, I got real ‘Alaska’ from another source. ‘Tropicanna’, although not planned, is a nice mistake.

4. Amaryllis belladonna, naked lady maintains some degree of modesty by being out of focus. Actually, I do not know why that happened. I am very fond of this white bloomer.

5. Heather has it made in the shade while she takes a break from rodent control. She can lounge about as much as she wants to, now that there are not many rodents left for her.

6. Rhody is difficult to get a good picture of. Nonetheless, any picture of Rhody is always the best of my ‘Six’. For this picture, he is on the porch of the home of one of his friends.

Anyone who would like to participate in this meme should peruse this participant guide for Six on Saturday.