Foliage at the San Diego Botanic Garden.
Fiber curls from the Bismarkia frond.
Nice duet between the stiff, linear palm fronds and the softly weeping Kashmir Cypress.
Nice trio, an Ozothamnus(?), an Aloe alooides, and a Dioon:
Nearby, the long languorous tresses of an Araucaria, species unknown.
Canna in peak foliage in November? No problem in San Diego.
A bromeliad also shows off San Diego's mild climate.
No sunburn or dry foliage on these succulents.
What is this--grass? No, the wax Euphorbia, E. cerifera. Wax(!) is made from the foliage.
Another unusual type of foliage is found on this leafless Strelitzia juncia. The leaf stems do all the photosynthesizing. Odd that I saw this species for the very first time yesterday--and today I see it again in a completely different location. Does that happen to you?
San Diego's mildness allows Aloes to be grown extremely dry without sunburning. This creates brilliant foliage color.
Aloe microstigma, maybe.
A. peglarae?
A greatheadii ssp davyana turns a deep bronze.
And that's November Foliage Follow up from mild San Diego. For more amazing foliage, visit Digging.
Great photos of fascinating foliage combos. Ah, that San Diego climate and it's a beautiful place too. The color on those aloes!
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that when I notice a plant for the first time I see it more often afterward. Even more interesting when I go back through photos from a garden tour and see the "new to me" plant I didn't even notice at the time.
Yes, isn't it strange what we notice and what says under the radar--do we ignore what we know we can't grow? We see it but we don't see it? Complex things are going on in the brain we are never aware of.
DeleteHappens to us too, notice a plant once and then suddenly notice it almost immediately somewhere else. San Diego is blessed with nice, mild weather, mild enough for the stunning Bismarckia, and the Kashmir cypress.
ReplyDeleteAlways very slightly warmer than here, when it is cold, and always slightly cooler than here, when it is hot. Their big problem is water supply.
DeleteI agree exactly with what Shirley said to answer your noticing a new plant question. I find it especially funny when I search for something to discover I have shared a photo on my own blog and then completely forgotten about it.
ReplyDeleteThat happens to me also in funny ways. I was searching on images of an Aloe, saw one and thought "good photo", and then realized I'd taken it.
DeleteGreat plants! I'm unfamiliar with many of them. I've always been hesitant to plant bromeliads in the ground but, as your photo and other sightings indicate, it's clearly not hazardous to the plant's health so I must reconsider.
ReplyDeleteI have the same experience in suddenly seeing lots of plants once I've been "introduced" to them. Sometimes I think it's because I notice them just as they're in the process of being popularized (like the Digiplexis) but on other occasions I think it's the result of taking the time to become acquainted (like meeting a person that you've probably passed in a crowd many times).
I suspect broms are vulnerable to slugs/snails, but I'm not sure about that. I have some Tillandsias laying in my damp(ish) garden beds as a ground cover, and they look great and are happy and spreading! I learned that from a neighbor.
DeleteThat whole Digiplexis thing was fun and strange. Looking for the next "blockbuster" plant. Took the garden world's attention by storm, but now we're all thinking...???...is it just an expensive annual, or what?
Gorgeous photos and plants!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteYou can be forgiven for flaunting your San Diego Novembers if you keep posting such luscious photos.
ReplyDelete