Behold my all time favorite coffee mug. The handle broke some years ago and I cannot bring myself to throw it away. It lurks around the house holding one thing or another. Today it is a vase holding an unusual array of flowers.
Not quite all of them are flowers. I like to throw in a succulent from time to time and January is a really good time as cutting flowers are few and far between. I planted seeds for zinnias and rudbeckias in November or so and they were consumed by something. Whatever ate the flowers did not eat the herbs. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around that and come up with Plan B..
What’s the strange brew in my coffee mug?
The pink flower is a Bromeliad, Quesnelia testudo, sometimes referred to as the tulip of South Florida. Grey rosettes are Graptosedum, a succulent. The green foliage and flower is another succulent, Senecio barbertonicus. The Senecio flowers open for a short time and then make fuzzy seedheads. This plant is terribly poisonous, so brewing it would be a very bad idea!
That is all from my garden this Monday. Doing a rain dance here, showers are possible. Our rain totals are down about 10 inches from normal.
Follow this link RamblingintheGarden to visit our host, Cathy and follow links to vases from other gardens.
Happy Monday!
The Shrub Queen 
Ew! I thought that looked like a Senecio, but I am unfamiliar with that species.
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What’s up with Senecio, there are so many varieties?
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Senecio mandraliscae became too common a while back, particularly in Southern California. I got tired of it real quick. Yours is different because it is green, but it still looks related.
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I think I know that one.. its blue? you don’t see it around here.
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Yes, it is known as blue chalk sticks. (I think there is another species with the same common name.)
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Your “tulip” is quite pretty and adds flash to your arrangement. I expect you’ll see succulent rosettes in one of my arrangements soon as roses of any other kind are unlikely.
Best wishes for that rain! Ours has halted again but I’m hoping there’ll be more before our rainy season comes to its end in April.
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
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Thanks, Kris. That is a pretty zingy flower. I felt a slight drizzle..
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I also love your exotic Bromeliads. I have saved a few broken cups, usually ones that I get at a museum or from a trip.
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Thanks. That mug was from a good business trip years ago.
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I would be the same with that mug, Amelia – there’s something about the colour and the glaze that is so appealing. I love how you thought around the box, combining succulents with the bromeliad bloom to great affect. I hope your rain dance is successful – what is your average rainfall?
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I’m glad you agree, I realized I wished for another mug like it! We usually have about 60 inches of rain more in summer than winter. I felt a tiny drizzle moments ago!
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I am really surprised at your total, Amelia, as I thought Florida would be drier than that (here, on the cusp of more east than west, we usually average a little under 30″). Is yours usually in short heavy bursts rather than prolonged light rain?
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I have a few of those mugs! this one looks impressive with its unique collection.
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Thank you.
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I keep broken mugs for containers, too. They may not be reliable for hot beverages, but perfect for plants. 🙂 10 inches below normal is serious stuff, I never think of FL as having drought conditions!
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I know. My husband and I are both savers of odd, errant objects that turn out to be useful..or not. There are definitely droughts here.
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The pink ‘tulip’ is lovely Amelia, and I very much like the way you have arranged the Senecio behind it. Having succulents in a vase like that is something I could only dream of here! Amazing. Hope you get that rain!
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