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We purchased Leucospermum 'Spider' at the Ruth Bancroft Garden when we visited in October. The first flower is now opening.
Those thready things are "styles", at the end of which are anthers, which produce pollen. On 'Spider', the anthers are distinctly fuzzy. The anthers of 'Yellow Bird', another of our Leucospermums, appear smoother.
One 'Spider' that won't give anyone the creeps. Or at least hardly anyone. The plant is young and small, so it's temporarily fenced off. It has new growth as well as a flower. Though rabbits have taken no interest in the other Leucospermums, protecting a young and newly planted shrub provides peace of mind. Doesn't cost anything; doesn't hurt.
'Spider' took over the space formerly occupied by a variegated Ceanothus, which after several years trial, was only so-so.
Several days on, 'Spider's flowers are more developed.
Nice. Me likey.
Speaking of 'Yellow Bird'--it continues its effort to take over half the front slope.
I think I need to move more plants.
Such a big flower for a little plant. Me likey too.
ReplyDeleteFoliage is nice, as well.
DeleteI'm so jealous! My one and only Leucospermum is still doing nothing - except not dying, which I guess I should count as something. Was the displaced Ceanothus 'Diamond Heights'? I've given up on that one myself (for the third and final time). Happy gardening! It's pleasant out there right now, at least when the sun warms things up a bit.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the rain will get your Leucospermum growing. Rain, as we know, is magic.
DeleteNo, it was 'Lemon Ice'. I tried 'Diamond Heights' twice, killed it twice, have not tried again. Best 'DH's I've seen were in foggy central coast and PNW, so perhaps it is a cool-summer lover?
Yeah, beautiful outside, and a chance of rain again Friday! Wheee!!!
I live about 1/2 hour from the Bancroft garden and it inspired me to start more succulents in my yard. I have! Just walked in from the yard and accidentally knocked off a huge stem of one of my favorite succulents while trying to protect from frost...it is grey-blue-green and grows stacking itself on top of itself like a house...do you know this one? What should I do with the now detached and large piece of plant? I don't want to lose it. Thanks! If you have time. Don't want to be a pest.
ReplyDeleteWell there are quite a few of the ones that stack, so hard to say, but generally if you let the broken wound on the stem dry out for a few days, you can reroot the piece fairly easily. Put in dry free-draining mix in bright shade and wait for roots; do not water until roots appear; watch and control mealy bugs. If the piece is quite large you can cut into several pieces and root all of them, make sure you stick the lowest part of the stem into the mix, not the part that was originally on top.
DeletePretty! I don't envy you having to move plants, especially not if they're agaves. Ouch!!
ReplyDeleteSmaller Agaves are actually pretty easy to pop out of the ground. Not much of a root system, and holding on to the roots rather than the plant makes them easy to move. Big Agaves--impossible, more due to weight than spines--forklift required!
DeleteThe complexity of that flower reveals itself in the close-ups...stunning!
ReplyDeleteAll to attract Promerops cafer, three species of Sunbird, and several species of small beetles. Discriminating creatures, no doubt!
DeleteI did try, but I lost them. You inspire me to put a few pincushions on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteYou must have a larger selection that what is available here.
DeleteSo beautiful. I'm going it's doing well in its new home.
ReplyDelete