Six on Saturday – Cool Exotics

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!

23 comments on “Six on Saturday – Cool Exotics

  1. fredgardener says:

    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!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. It seems everyone that can’t have tulips are looking for them.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Rosie Amber says:

    Lovely six, such lovely colours, thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Eliza Waters says:

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. tonytomeo says:

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. So many Bromeliads…all quite lovely and inviting…

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Cathy says:

    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. ☀️

    Liked by 1 person

  8. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

    • 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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