It’s Saturday again and time to join the worldwide garden blogging community to share six items of interest from the garden. Follow this link to Jim’s blog http://gardenruminiations.co.uk to check out what fall fun other gardeners are sharing.
South Florida does not have what I would consider normal signs of fall, just symptoms. The air is cooler in the morning and a few plants produce colorful berries. The most significant sign is it is comfortable to work outside again, but only early or late in the day. It has finally stopped raining constantly ! I have been able to plant some of the perennials I bought and replant those little pots with seeds and cuttings for more plants.
The berries. These are the fruits of the Christmas Palm (Adonidia merrilli) By Christmas they will be completely red and resemble ornaments for the tree.
Another sign of cooler weather. Turk’s cap Hibiscus (Malvaviscus penduliflorus). These just seem to appear in the garden. I enjoy the flowers and cut them to hang over the edge of vases. Floridians call these Nodding Hibiscus. I guess there are hats like this in Turkey?
Atala butterflies are back in garden. These are the caterpillars consuming their only host plant, the Coontie cycad (Zamia integrifolia). I hope to get some butterfly pictures, Atalas have a fluorescent orange body with black wings streaked with turquoise.
Mulching the bromeliad beds with the leaning greyhound standing guard. Straightening the statuary is next on the list. The bromeliads were moved last spring and have been established over the summer.
The box of perennials I planted last week has been refilled with fresh soil and planted with Senecio and Turkeytangle Frogfruit cuttings. Senecio is the succulent. The Frogfruit is to fill in my slowly growing lawn replacement. Seeds for dill, basil and tomatoes were planted. I bought some thyme seed, but did not realize how long it takes to germinate (28 days) and decided to buy a plant.
This is not a regular fall event, a fairly rare sight actually. One misty afternoon this week I walked outside and spied a double rainbow.
Still looking for that pot of gold to buy more plants.
Happy Gardening.
The Shrub Queen 
I didn’t know Malvaviscus penduliflorus but it looks strangely like abutilon in drooping flowers.( same malvaceae family )
And double rainbows are rare… You have to make a wish when you see one and it will come true !
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Abutilon is native here, they are probably related. I hope I made a wish!
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How big are those Christmas Palm fruits? There has seemed to be a lot of double rainbows this year. Could there be a hidden meaning?
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About an inch. Hmm double rainbows seem like a good sign. Rumor has it there was rain there – did you get any?
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Yes we did, but haven’t heard about water rationing yet.
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Yay!
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One could use a pot of gold for plant purchases these days. I’m astounded, but I reckon everyone has to make a living.
Can’t wait to see Atalas!
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Yes, I could not believe 11$ for a 4″ lantana plant. I hope I get to see the Atalas, I saw one patrolling before I saw the cats, so they are around.
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That pot of gold is always just out of reach, isn’t it! (And the prcie of plants had gone up so much here it would be helpful!) The Hibiscus is very pretty. And I have never seen a red caterpillar before.
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yes, the caterpillars coloration is related to how toxic it is. Very, the leaves of the cycad it is eating are poisonous. These are kept well away from the dog.
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Good luck with the gold. I’m sure there will be signs if you do happen to find it 😉
Looks great, but caterpillars on the cycad make me twitch a little. I so much try to turn the other cheek to insect damage, but I feel like insect damage on a cycad would last for years.
Actually I’m surprised anything eats them, they’re so cardboardy, and honestly I would be excited to get a fe of those rare treasures living in my yard.
Enjoy “autumn”!
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Thanks, the cycads actually recover very quickly and are poisonous to just about everything else.
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At last I have a plant which you grow: Turkey tanglefoot, and what a name. I am so looking forward to seeing that butterfly. Have a great week.
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Thanks, you have to wonder where the name came from.
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Christmas palm must need humidity. It supposedly does well in Los Angeles, but all Christmas palms that I have ever seen there are either of the two less common king palms. I want to find a Christmas palm in a nursery there, but even if I do, I doubt that it would be happy here.
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I think it does, they are easy to grow from seed here.
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Lovely colors Queen.
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Thanks, Flower.
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You little beauty, I think we would all buy more plants with that pot of gold! 💛 I have never thought to grow thyme by seed that might take a little thyme!
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Hahaha, the truth is I might have a plant from seed by the thyme I get it together and buy a plant.
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Nice-looking hibiscus! It makes sense that Christmas palms would be happy in Florida, I think that last time I saw one was in Taiwan! Out of curiosity, I had to google if the fruits were edible and it seems they are if you’re adventurous enough to cook them 😀
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I’ve read about eating the fruit, though I haven’t met anyone who has. Most people cut off the flower. I find most of the tropical fruit you have never heard of has a good reason why, it tastes like turpentine or something.
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Oh nooo! Maybe best to leave for desperate times then lol
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I think iguanas eat them.
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