I may be the one in Wonderland. After months of being “questionable for return from freeze damage” the normally all white “Miss Alice” Bougainvillea started producing purple flowers. Interestingly, this is a thornless (they use that term loosely) variety and the other so called thornless color is a purple called Silhouette. This leaves me wondering what happened?
We have had a strange weather year. Record cold followed by record heat and abundant rain. Rumor has is a cold front is headed our way, I hope so as my first batch of tomato and zinnia seedlings succumbed to an unknown black fungus and rabbit foraging.
Off with their heads perfectly describes my seedling situation. Sigh, life in the garden. I was so looking forward to those cherry tomatoes. Of course, a new set of seeds arrives this week!
The details:
The purple flower with the pink stem is a ‘Candy’ Portea Bromeliad, blooming a bit early. White and purple flowers are from “Miss Alice” Bougainvillea. Creamy spikes flowers are from the native Juba Bush (Iresine diffusa). The foliage is Cabbage Palm (Palmetto sabal) seedling fronds and Boston Ferns (Neprolepia exaltata); both of these just appear in the garden for no apparent reason.
That’s the news from my garden. Follow this link https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com to visit Cathy and see what has been placed or plonked in a vase this Monday.
Miss Alice is a dream.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The white Bougainvillea caught my eye, and then I saw the Bromeliad – the diagonal line created looks so great in front of the green leafy background.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Chris. It’s an interesting flower.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is interesting that ‘Miss Alice’ is “thornless”. I was not aware. That cultivar is not available here, but I will know if I see it that it is “thornless”. ‘Silhouette’ is one that I have never heard of. Bougainvillea brasiliensis is the best purple here
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thornless means shorter, blunt thorns. Silhouette is also called Singapore Pink.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I remember than name, although I am not so familiar with the cultivar.
LikeLike
Gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is so lovely. The color palette is fabulous with that pink-stemmed bromeliad and “Miss Alice” in purple and white. Hope you’re doing well. Good luck with the new seeds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Susie. I am craving zinnias!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel it for you! This time your zinnias will thrive.
LikeLike
Pinkish-lavender is a color I rarely see in your usually fiery arrangements, nice! I wonder if Miss Alice is a graft and the purple is the stock plant? The frost might have triggered root propagation of the purple.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I probably would not have bought that color! Interesting theory, I am not sure if it’s grafted I will have to look into that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You haven’t mentioned weather, so I am guessing you have missed cyclones and such? 🤞Such a pretty mix in your vase today, and your vertical accents always elevate the rest of the contents. Thanks for sharing it, and good luck with your next batch of seeds
LikeLike
I am on the Atlantic side, so no cyclones here. Fingers crossed for the seeds! thank you.
LikeLike
The bougainvillea looks great, considering all it has been through. Mine came back from the freezes, but it stopped blooming. How was the hurricane on your side of Florida? We received 2.5 inches of rain, which is a lot for this area, and had a very loud thunderstorm in the middle of the night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks. we had a very little bit of wind. I saw up to 18 inches of rain on the panhandle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So the white and purple Bougainvillea are appearing on the same plant? That is odd. I’ve had some hybrid plants (‘tho not Bougainvillea) revert to their original species forms but not usually on a piecemeal basis. In any case, it’s a pretty mix!
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, the same stem! odd, indeed.
LikeLike
Oh Amelia, I love Alice’s new colours! Isn’t that strange… did she sprout anew from the root? Maybe due to grafting? And the Bromeliad goes perfectly. 🩷 Good luck with the next seeds. Thank goodness it is not too late to resow.
LikeLiked by 1 person