It’s time for the weekly garden tour hosted by Jim at GardenRuminations Follow the link to see what is going on with gardeners around the world.
In my South Florida garden spring is rapidly shifting into summer. I’m trying to get the garden tucked in for the oncoming blast furnace of heat and humidity. The rainy season officially starts May 15, but the usual May forecast is hot and dry. I’ve decided to try some tropical vegetables. I bought long bean and winged bean seed and have Roselles coming up from seed. I will post pictures when they are coming along. As usual, I have some unusual things going on.
Desert Roses (Adenium obesum) love the heat. These plants fry is a cast iron pot on my driveway and love it. I rarely water and throw a little liquid fertilizer on them in the spring. A gift from African deserts.
The last White Bird of Paradise picture, I promise. These are shattering from the heat.
Some new container plantings and a washed up mermaid were added to my front garden.
I read up on using Purslane as a summer annual as everything I have ever tried has burned up in the full sun. Charco broiled Begonias are not pretty. My Bronze leaf Begonias will grow anywhere theory was quickly roasted in the SoFla summer. This is a named cultivar (name already lost) of a native Purslane. Despite the propaganda stating these plants do not like rich soil or water – you guessed it. The one planted in the container with rich soil and water is twice as happy as the ones in the supposed perfect gravelly soil! Unless the mermaid has magical purslane powers. Hmmm.
Several people have asked me about this plant I use in flower arrangements. It’s the ferny thing – it’s called Asparagus Fern (Asparagus setaceus). It’s not the usual thing, it was once grown around here for use in floral arrangements. Native to Africa, it escaped cultivation (have you heard this before??) and is now invasive along with the other types of Asparagus Ferns that are common houseplants. These appeared from who knows where and grow up the stems of the Lobsterclaw Heliconias. They are thorny and pretty enough to use in floral arrangements, so that is how I control them.
This is a new plant in the garden. I realized when I bought this it was quite possible I had eclipsed horticultural norms by having pineapples and bananas in a foundation planting – is this an American term? Pineapples and now a banana are planted in front of my house. I bought this as a Red Abyssinian Banana. Having never seen one before, it doesn’t look particularly red?? Anyone have thoughts? Thank you! My husband has a near phobia of bananas, so I sought out an ornamental.
Happy Spring Gardening to all. Cheers from South Florida!
The Shrub Queen 
The adenium and the helicona are fabulous. Your poor mermaid must be suffering in the heat. I grow red bananas and they always look a bit green indoors in the winter. They need sun to bring out their rich red colour.
LikeLike
Your Desert Rose is looking good, and I believe you have had it for a few years. It is a balance trying to find plants that can take extreme heat. I’m dealing with the opposite. I am hoping to start bringing plants up from the basement with my undergardener’s help.
LikeLike
Intrigued by the red banana, I read it is grown for its red-tinged foliage as opposed to fruit. Why is your husband opposed to banana trees, too large? I also read it likes evenly moist soil. That sugar sand might give you trouble! 😉 The Desert Rose has such a beautiful flower!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My husband was on a high potassium diet for years and is over bananas!! I hope I can get enough water on it – I planted it in a pile of potting soil and mulch. Fingers crossed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, the banana is indeed a red Abyssinian banana tree. When young, it’s green and thin, and with full sun and plenty of water, it will turn red with large leaves. With your climate, it will grow quickly! Mine produces about 15-20 leaves per season, but since you don’t have seasonal breaks, it’s ideal for you. However, you’ll never get any fruit.
Why your husband doesn’t like bananas? Is it a problem with the fruit, or rather, I think, with the banana tree, for fear of being overrun?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I just planted it and it seems to be getting redder with more sun. My husband was on a high potassium diet for several years and had to eat bananas every day and is tired of them. The dog would eat them!! I am not sure I could get enough water on them to get good fruit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I understand your husband… it’s a shame because bananas are very common and delicious (but high in K). You chose a banana variety that requires less water than the Musa variety because the plant has a water reserve in its pseudostem. Well-drained soil is essential.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Fred. He loathes bananas now. Sharp drainage and less water is a good thing! I have never seen one locally. Bananas yes but not the red one. I bought a tissue culture plant in a tiny pot about six weeks ago..it is up to 18″. The experiment continues.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I concur. It looks like an Abyssinian red banana that was grown from tissue culture. The newest leaf with the reddish blush will likely become redder as it matures, followed by more red foliage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, the Adenium obesum is stunning, and it sounds like a great plant for the hot summer in a pot in my climate. I wonder how it would do overwintered in the sunroom. I’ll check on it–thanks! Always a fan of Bird of Paradise–I so enjoy seeing it during travels. Great to hear the thoughs on the Red Abyssinian Banana. It will be fun to see how it continues to grow and thrive in your garden. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The desert rose is beautiful! And using purslane is a great idea. We have different sorts here and I have grown them from seed before… must keep an eye out for some. That is the first photo of a Bird of Paradise that really does look like a bird to me – normally I am not a fan of them, but that one is really pretty with the feathery ‘petals’. I find it amazing that a fern doesn’t just shrivel up in your climate. Amazing plants!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, I love the Desert Roses. Actually, many ferns are invasive here and Boston Fern, the famous houseplant is native. They just appear in my garden. I guess it is the humidity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Desert Roses are very poisonous if you have any concerns about that. I am interested to see how the banana does as well. Good luck with the book!
LikeLike
The desert rose is exquisite
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. It’s one of those flowers you have to get under to see.
LikeLike