On my weekly garden tour this morning I realized my thinking that cold weather caused color changes in the garden might not be what actually happens. The weather has warmed considerably and now I am seeing the Blushing Bromeliads really looking embarrassed. The garden continues to educate me.
I am joining the group of SOS’ers sharing their garden tours with six items of interest. To join the crowd or visit the other gardens, follow this link to Jim’s blog.
Blushing Bromeliad (Neoregelia carolinae) in full blush, backed up with Quesnelia testudo bromeliads in pink.
Another blusher, Neoregelia ‘MacWilliamsii’, quickly becoming another garden favorite. These are not sharp and like a little or a lot of sun. They are completely green in summer.
I love finding Gallardia flowers in February.
I am hoping this is a future avocado. This is a Cuban Avocado, an unusual variety I had not seen prior to moving to South Florida. A rare one that is true to seed. A friend grew this from seed and brought a small tree to me about seven years ago. The avocados are the size of footballs. Fingers crossed.
The Cuban Avocado tree, about 15 feet tall.
The Sweet Almond (Aloysia virgata) has started flowering again – adding fragrance to the garden.
That completes my weekly tour. Happy Gardening wherever you are.
The Shrub Queen 
This avocado tree has a magnificent shape, and you say “the size of a football” !… It’s enormous
I have another variety of aloysi ( the A polystachya ) : the leaves are great for herbal teas. What do you do with yours?
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I have pruned it as it grew. so thank you. These are also called Catalina and they are enormous. Still puzzling over pruning the wacky lime tree – it is covered in flowers and I hate to cut the flowers off! This is a non culinary Aloysia.
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen an avocado that big. It would feed a whole family. We are going from the 30s to 80s in just a few days.
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It would, they can weigh two pounds. If I have one I keep it in the fridge and eat it for days. You are on a weather roller coaster this winter.
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I love the tones of the Gallardia flower. And an avocado that size? Wow!
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I hope I get one so everyone can see it.
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An avocado the size of a football! That’s crazy, a whole serving of guacamole in one fruit. I can’t wait to hear how they taste.
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They are very creamy and delicious. Sometimes called Catalina. A lot of avocados don’t ship well and you just don’t see them far from where they are grown.
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You are probably in luck with the avocado beginning to fruit – they say it takes a new tree seven years to begin to produce. 🙂
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I think that is true. Most of my fruit trees are around seven and it looks like a big crop is coming.
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I have Bromeliad envy. Mine look scraggy by comparison.
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We had an incredibly rainy year. I think the bromeliads are thriving because of it.
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I’ve just bought two. Any tips, please?
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Cuban avocado sounded tempting when you wrote about it earlier. It is a bit too odd for me though. I tend to prefer the simpler cultivars that were common here years ago. Although I enjoy a good avocado, they are not my favorite fruit to grow, merely because they were not one of the fruits that grew in orchards here a long time ago. What makes it so difficult (or impossible) to resist is that it is true to type. Your pictures suggest that it does not go through that awkward juvenile stage that other avocados go through. I could get a seed while in Los Angeles, and grow it without any real expenditure. I know that after it fruits, I will never cut it down.
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