The annual gathering of the Southern California Orchid Society is this weekend. We are members of the South Coast Botanical Gardens and since our facility was host to the event, we were able to attend today. All I can say is the show and the orchids and flowers on sale were breathtaking. Here’s the proof:
The little pale-blue blossom of the “Creeping Charlie” is decorated with tiny symmetrical patterns — very delicate and pretty. These short-lived blossoms are currently growing on a plant I have in the shady part of our patio.
From WIKIPEDIA:
Glechoma hederacea (Ground-ivy) is a an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to Europe and southwestern Asia but introduced to North America and now common in most regions other than the Rocky Mountains. Its common names include Alehoof, Creeping Charlie (or Charley), Catsfoot (from the size and shape of the leaf), Field Balm, Run-away-robin, Ground Ivy, Gill-over-the-ground, and Tunhoof.
It can be identified by its round to reniform (kidney or fan shaped), crenate (with round toothed edges) opposed leaves 2-3 cm diameter, on 3-6 cm long petioles attached to square stems which root at the nodes. It is a variable species, its size being influenced by environmental conditions, from 5 cm up to 50 cm tall.
Our weekly visit to the supermarket usually includes a stop at the floral section. These beautiful pink roses were a perfect target for the little camera.
Last week, I got a potted zinnia at the local garden shop. I put it on the back patio before we left for a short trip to Catalina Island this week. When we returned there were several beautiful bright red flowers to greet us. This is a close-up of one of them.
Well not exactly green but a shade of yellowish-green which I’ve never seen in an orchid. What an unusual hue. Very pretty! I snapped this today at our local home supplies emporium in their tropical hothouse.
These lemons are quite large, measuring 4 inches (10 cm) long by 3 inches (7 cm) wide. Now, this wouldn’t be weird in itself, but the tree that they’re growing on is only 40 inches (1 m) tall! These are destined to be used in my favorite lemon bar recipe in about a week.
While cereus cactii varieties bear their flowers in the night, most varieties of barrel cactii produce flowers that open to the sun’s rays and close before sundown. They often open for several days in a row before withering.
The Devil’s Tongue Barrel or Crow’s Claw Cactus has pinkish purple or yellow flowers, 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter (2.5 to 3.5 cm). Ferocactus latispinus, as this variety is known, is fairly popular in cultivation because it blooms very early, many young plants will bloom when they reach 4 inches in diameter (10 cm). The cactus that produced this flower is about the size of a basketball, 10 inches in diameter (25 cm).
