Desert lily blooming for the first time
The following thread was started by Linda Denman Island,BC 8b on May 07, 2008 at 7:18 am PST
Starting to open.
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 07, 2008 at 7:19 am PST.
Can anyone identify this?
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 07, 2008 at 7:21 am PST.
I assume this is a weed, but it has pretty flowers - looks like a monkey flower. Can anyone identify this?
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 07, 2008 at 7:23 am PST.
I don't recognize this caterpillar. Any ideas of what it might be?
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 07, 2008 at 7:26 am PST.
Lots of newts in the ponds. This pic turned out better than I thought it would.
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 07, 2008 at 7:28 am PST.
Behind the flowering Hesper what kind of Milfoil is that?
The vine is Kenilworth ivy,Cymbalaria, i beleive.
The above followup was added by STAN on May 07, 2008 at 4:54 pm PST.
Nice garden Linda, you should post pics more often. Can't wait to see the flowers in bloom, nice job.
The above followup was added by Roger on May 07, 2008 at 5:53 pm PST.
Please, we must see more pics!
The above followup was added by Bryce on May 07, 2008 at 9:44 pm PST.
Thanks guys. :-) I'll take another pic once all the flowers open up. I was excited to see the blooms. It has taken a few years for it to flower for the first time. I'm disappointed with the damage on the agaves in this area and can't quite figure out what the problem is. After January it has been much drier than normal and the minimum temperature this winter I'm sure was much higher than the previous year.
Stan, thanks for the identification - that's it! It's quite pretty and doesn't seem to spread too much, but then again, I don't know where it came from. I'm not sure which milfoil you are referring to. There is parrot feather in the pond, but it's just coming up now and I at least can't see it in the pic. The flowering water plant is Aponogeton - Water Hawthorn. The plant directly behind the lily is Linaria and will eventually be removed from that section. The hummers, butterflies, and bees love it, so I reluctantly pull it out from some parts of the garden. I eventually hope to restrict it the best I can to the lowest section of the garden.
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 08, 2008 at 7:17 am PST.
That's the plant .
The above followup was added by Stan on May 08, 2008 at 7:35 am PST.
It's tender.I havent had much luck in Hayward..but seen it rampant in the cooler more humid Oakland hills climate. Also in warm humid greenhouses. SO it's more humidity then warmth..followed by no hard frosts.
Is the parrot feather a golden type or is that a early season look?
The above followup was added by s on May 08, 2008 at 8:04 am PST.
The ivy has been in the same spot for a few years now, so I guess it's happy with the conditions there. Thanks for the extra info about it.
I think what you see as milfoil/parrot feather is actually Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'. I can see the resemblance. As it warms up the parrot feather thrives in that pond and grows next to the sedum. I'll have to take a pic of it - it looks quite nice.
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 08, 2008 at 8:23 am PST.
Linda, nice pics. First mystery plant is really cool, I hope someone knows what it is.
When I went to Austria that Cymbilaria was everywhere; here it seems less rampant. I think it appreciates rocky ground and lots of summer water.
The above followup was added by Ian on May 08, 2008 at 10:27 am PST.
I think its a sedum. Isnt it sedum spathufoilum? if not some other sedum? Yellow flowers is the tip off.
Cymbularia takes Austrian cold?..why did i always think it was tender?-lol.
The above followup was added by STAN on May 08, 2008 at 4:18 pm PST.
Linda, looks like a silver spotted tiger moth caterpillar sitting on, what I believe, is a nice Eucryphia. Here is more info on the insect, courtesy of a coleague at work:
http://www.pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/entomology/defoliators/tiger_moths/silverspotted_e.html
Agree with Roger. Nice garden; post pics more often.
The above followup was added by Vlad Pomajzl, Saltspring on May 08, 2008 at 5:24 pm PST.
Nice catch Vlad..that is a nasty lookin bug for sure..
John in Beaverton
The above followup was added by John in Beaverton on May 08, 2008 at 6:16 pm PST.
Stan, I know it’s not Sedum spathulifolium because I have a few cultivars of that. It’s a nice sedum, especially ‘Cape Blanco’.
I was told it’s a hardy Crassula species from the Drakensberg mountains. One of my succulent books has lots of photos of Crassula species, but I don’t see anything that looks like it. I agree Ian, it would be great to get an identification. It’s quite unusual looking. Maybe it will flower this summer. That would be nice.
The Cymbilaria must be living off of water from the winter because I certainly never water the path in the summer. I’m going to try to root a piece now that I’m more confident that it won’t be a rampant weed here. Before I looked closely at it, I thought it was a Veronica, which are really pretty but spread too much.
Vlad that’s great – thanks! It does look like larvae of the Silverspotted tiger moth. And, yes, it was munching on an Eucryphia x intermedia leaf. Apparently natural enemies keep them under control most of the time, so I’m not too concerned at this point. It surprises me that any caterpillar can survive in the garden because there are so many birds around.
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 09, 2008 at 7:20 am PST.
This plant self sows easily once established, and can completely overtake smaller growing plants when grown in containers. It does love lots of water for best growth,, and also seems to do best with lower water if grown in part shade. It will come back from seed if killed back by frost, and is native to Australia, not Austria. There is a white flowering version, as well as a dwarfer growing and larger growing lavender form. they can climb over plants and completely cover a retaining wall in our climate. I generally tolerate it in my garden, but find myself ripping it out when it completely covers my other plants such as smaller bromeliads and succulents, and then let it regrow. It is good for keeping other weeds from taking over, but dies out completely here in Berkeley if it gets no summer water.
The above followup was added by bahia on May 11, 2008 at 8:44 am PST.
I'll keep my eye on this one. It's pretty enough that I want it around as long as it behaves itself. The last thing I need is another plant that I need to rip out because it spreads too freely. I already have too many of those.
The above followup was added by Linda Denman Island, BC 8b on May 12, 2008 at 7:29 am PST.