It’s another cool Saturday morning in South Florida. A bit windy and the temperature is hovering around 40 degrees F (4 C). I finally got the nerve to go out and check on my tomatoes and pepper plants, left uncovered overnight. They look shivery. A few of the less cold tolerant plants were invited indoors last night. I have found basil and zinnia seedlings do not enjoy being too cool. I am joining Jim and the SOS gang to share what cool exotics are currently in color in my garden. To see more SOS posts, visit http://www.gardenruminations.uk.co.
The flower of the Candy Portea Bromeliad. This is a medium sized Bromeliad with very sharp foliage that reliably flowers every winter in nearly full shade. I think it started showing color in late November.
Another Bromeliad – McWilliamsii Neoregelia, also called Blushing Bromeliad. These show red coloration during the winter and have green mottled foliage during warm weather. They are 2 – 3 feet wide and are quite showy. Below is the flower, reminiscent of a rosebud.
The China Hat (Holmskioldia sanguinea) continues to flower. I like the coloration going towards chartreuse as the flower ages.
Another winter stalwart, the Quesnelia testudo Bromeliad. I have heard native Floridians call these the tulips of South Florida. I think these are a bit burned from the holiday cold weather. They are usually more purple at the tips.
Number Six today is a flowering tree. This is a White Geiger flower. Cordia boissieri is a medium sized evergreen tree with an odd branching habit that I have been puzzling over how to prune for quite a while. Tropical trees have weird twisting habits and need to be sorted. This one remains an unsorted blob. Sigh.
Here’s to warmer days in the garden!
The Shrub Queen 
Morning Amelia ! Just the title of your post, “cool exotics”, made me read it quickly! 😂
40F is not very hot 😱! Here the sowing of basil ( large leaf basil and cinnamon basil )has started for a week and indoors of course (even if it’s warmer than at your home (52F here)
The Quesnelia testudo Bromeliad is really nice and what a flashy color!
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Hi Fred, I have a big Genovese Basil and some seedlings started for later. What do you do with the Cinnamon Basil? I don’t think I have had any. The Quesnelia is pretty but very sharp.
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This is the first time I have grown it, but I was thinking of using it in salads and with tomatoes/ balsamic vinegar for example. On the other hand, I read that it could also be used in baking to make cookies? I will also try to make ice cream ( lemon/basil ice cream or sorbet)
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That all sounds good. Basil is a favorite.
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It seems everyone that can’t have tulips are looking for them.
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Lots of people from New England here, tulips are not worth growing where I am from.
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Same here. I think of rain lilies as my tulips.
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definitely a favorite.
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Lovely six, such lovely colours, thank you.
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40º is a bit cool for your warmth-loving tropicals. Interesting that its been in the mid-30s most of the week here and yesterday it was 44! The jet stream is playing tricks again.
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It is. I was out covering tomatoes, it is supposed to be colder tonight. You are getting good walking weather from the jet stream.
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True, and little snow cover and bare fields makes walking a breeze compared to slogging through snow. Happy camper!
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yay! waiting for warmth here.
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Shivery? Well, it is more than what some of us have. I posted nothing new for Six on Saturday for the first time in a very long time. It is a long story.
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Cold tomato plants!
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Do they produce chilled tomatoes for salads and such?
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Exactly! tasteless and hard as rocks.
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ew!
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So many Bromeliads…all quite lovely and inviting…
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Some lovely warm flowers on a chilly day! I never thought I would say it is warmer here than where you are, but we had a balmy 11°C today! Really love the Florida ‘tulip’. Hope it warms up for you and your zinnias and tomatoes soon. ☀️
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Thanks, Cathy. It finally went to 61 F here. I think things will be back to normal in a day or two, fortunately no frost.
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It has been a cold weekend here as well. Most of my basil died during the last cold spell here in Vero Beach when it got down to 33. I’ll be having to take stock of all our exotics, mine are shivering too.
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It did not hit freezing here and I covered the basil and started some more seed. So far, so good. The peppers and tomatoes were much happier last night covered and I did it again tonight. hoping this is the end of the cold.
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