It’s time for SOS again. This Saturday I am focusing on six fun things I found in my garden this week. Follow this link to see more Spring surprises from gardeners around the world – http://www.thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com
One of the aspects of gardening I enjoy most – the little surprises along the way. Above is a pot with miniature pineapple, graptosedum, and flapjack kalanchoe all doing their thing at the same time.
A surprise Amaryllis I never planted. There are red and orange ones nearby.
First Blue Larkspur in my South Florida garden.
Buds on the never seen before Nigella.
A very early Glenn Mango. This tree flowered in January, it is usually March. I may have one Mango in April.
The White Geiger tree (Cordia boissieri) in full bloom. This is an oddly shaped tree after getting blown over by a hurricane. Some of the more tropical woody plants tend to grow in a tangle and this is one of them. Contemplating the pruning.
Voila!
Happy Gardening!!
The Shrub Queen 
I didn’t know about Cordia boissieri and had to google to find out more. Did you know that fruits are edible when cooked? Have you ever eaten them? Very nice tree
Mango envious…😍
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That is great, Fred. The fruits look like white cherries, I think my dog eats them sometimes, but I haven’t tried them. Have you seen condo Mangoes? They are dwarf trees that do well in pots, I have one in the garden called Pickering and it bore fruit at 2 years and is about four feet tall.
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That sounds good! We can’t find them here. Maybe an online supplier delivering to France?
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Fred, I think this guy is your best bet. https://www.tropicalacresfarms.com/
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I took a look and he has a lot of varieties ! Why not this company if they deliver to France… We will see later when they have more products available online
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Here’s another. https://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/nursery-content-pineisland-2 The number of varieties are amazing and do taste different.
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I love your pot – an excellent combination of shapes and colors. Isn’t it wonderful when something desirable surprises you in the garden? I am also hoping for some nigella and larkspur on the “hell strip” where I scattered seeds. My success rate is such that I manage to be surprised by things I did plant!
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Thank you, I like the pot, too. I think my hell strip is more hellish that yours! I had great luck with Larkspur in Atlanta, but the Nigella won’t grow there. It was a surprise here. Gardening successes are a constant surprise. i hope nothing eats the Nigella buds.
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That little pineapple is so cute. I would love to find a surprise amaryllis.
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It is cute, now I have several as they reproduce madly. I think it might be a Butterfly Amaryllis, do you get those in Houston?
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I had to look it up. I’m sure it can be grown here. I gave up on amaryllis. I would buy a new kind every year and they did well for quite awhile, then stopped blooming.
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There is a coral Butterfly amaryllis that is very common and a passalong plant that is long lasting. I am hoping that is what it turns out to be. i have a couple of red ones from my father in law that are ancient and rarely bloom.
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I have never gotten a passalong. The amaryllis were Christmas gifts to myself.
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The Mango looks magnificent, I assume it will be taken to the table with a great fan fare.
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thank you, yes the mango will be celebrated.
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Does esperanza naturally grow low and tangled with other plants also? Those that I see in pictures seem to get too heavy on top to support their own weight. I expect to prune it to accommodate the natural structure.
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No, the esperanza is like a spindly crape myrtle. I am tree forming mine into a multi trunk, though it is nowhere close to good looking.
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That is likely how I will prune them, although I expect to prune them a bit to limit the weight and wind resistance while their primary trunks develop. Of course, I will do so only as necessary, and may not do so if not necessary. I would also like to put some near the edge of the road at work, and allow them to remain branched to the ground.
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The trunks are kind of floppy at this point..though the flowers are worth it. It keeps putting suckers out at the base. I will say I wish I had planted a couple more of these, thinking the one will look great in a year or two.
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So, it may prefer a shrubbier structure. I see it pruned up as a small unstaked tree in pictures, so I know it is possible.
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I think the canes will get bigger with pruning, they grow fast.
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That is the impression I get. If I cut them back to the main canes after the second winter, the canes can better support the new growth, and the new growth will be invigorated to generate nice straight canes higher up. I know that they do not get big, but I think that they will get bigger with that sort of pruning than without it, or with coppicing.
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Mine are 10-12 feet after 2 years and gangly
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I would be pleased if mine get that tall, although I would prefer them to not be gangly. I hope to accomplish that with pruning.
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Love that miniature pineapple!
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Thank you, they are fun.
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That mini-pineapple is so charming! Hope you get to enjoy that mango soon before a critter does. Do you have to pick them early to ‘save’ them?
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Thanks, Eliza. I usually put mesh bags over them to keep the squirrels away.
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Your pot is really lovely Amy. Nigella has graced your garden then…. I do hooe it flowers well and seeds around a bit for you. 😃 The Larkspur is gorgeous too… I am waiting to see if mine has set seed as it was so prolific last summer. Enjoy your mango. (I am so envious! ) 😃
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Thanks, Cathy. I am salivating over the mango already.
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