Cactus - Blooms and Spines!

     I like this overhead picture showing the contrast of the soft blooms and the sharp spines on this cactus.

Plumeria Color

     I have several Plumeria growing on the balcony and here are some pictures of the blooms.  The red one was just a cutting seven weeks ago!

Plumeria

Plumeria

Plumeria

Plumeria

Activity Around the Trigger Plant!

 

A small winged insect hovering around the bloom of Stylidium debile AKA Fragile Trigger Plant

    I was tending to some carnivorous plants when I noticed, a tiny winged insect flying around the bloom of a Stylidium debile (AKA Fragile Trigger Plant).  That's the plant in my post from April 30, 2025 (click to see post), where the reproductive column "smacks" an insect when it is triggered, transferring pollen to the insect as part of the reproduction process.  I watched as the tiny winged insect landed in the middle of the bloom and triggered the reproductive column!  It was fun to watch and it looked like the column gave the insect a 'one arm hug'! It held for a few seconds and the insect didn't seem to be bothered by the action.  Oh I wished I had my camera with a close-up lens to capture that moment.

After a minute or two, the column reset and the insect returned to enjoy the bloom, but it didn't trigger.  After some observation I learned that after resetting, there is about a 15 minute window before the column smacks again.  The picture below is with my iPhone and after the insect got "smacked".

A small winged insect on the bloom of Stylidium debile AKA Fragile Trigger Plant

Red Bug Blooms!

Sarracenia x 'Red Bug'

    Sarracenias have unusual flowers, and this S. x 'Red Bug' has four blooms in different stages.  This is a compact carnivorous plant and the leaves/pitchers are only six inches tall.  The most developed flower is just above the pitchers at eight inches tall.  Based on last years performance, it does a great job of digesting ants!

Sarracenia x 'Red Bug'

Sarracenia x 'Red Bug'

Sarracenia x 'Red Bug'

German Empress - Seven Day Bloom!

 

Disocactus phyllanthoides the nopalxochitl or German empress

    If your a regular visitor to my blog, you know that I like epiphyllum plants and Mike has several varieties through out the garden.  The blooms are in different colors and sizes, but unfortunately only last a few days.  I was very surprised when I realized that this bloom had been looking great for seven days!  This variety is called German Empress and Mike gave it to me last year.

Disocactus phyllanthoides the nopalxochitl or German empress on a bench with other cactus and succulents.

The View A Hummingbird Gets!

    Mike has a Epiphyllum German Empress growing by the side of the house that gets covered blooms.  And as you can see below it looks great!

Disocactus phyllanthoides the nopalxochitl or German empress

Sundew - Drosera coccicaulis

 

Sundew - Drosera coccicaulis

     Here is one of my buys from Sherman Gardens Plant-O-Rama.  It's Drosera coccicaulis, a rosetted sundew with spoon shaped leaves.  It's a carnivorous plant that traps small insects in the tiny tentacles tipped with sticky mucilage.  The newer leaves tend to be more erect while the lower leaves hug the soil and you can see more mucilage on the newer leaves. This plant is native to Africa and will become redder in bright light.  I have it in full sun so it should become dark red.  

Sundew - Drosera coccicaulis with US Penny

     The plants will grow to 2-3 inches in diameter.  Here you see two of them are about the size of a penny.

A third very small Sundew - Drosera coccicaulis

     There is a third plant in the center foreground, that is about the size of the perlite in the soil mix.  It's so small I didn't see it until I was processing the pictures on my computer.  Three plants for the price of two!

Begonia Mr. Hunt

 

B. Mr. Hunt

     On Saturday we went to Plant-O-Rama at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona Del Mar, California.  I bought a couple of carnivorous plants and a couple of terrarium begonias to add to my collection.  It's always fun to tour the garden to see what's new and to my delight they have some very healthy specimens of Begonia Mr. Hunt.  It's named after me and was hybridized by Brad Thompson (Female Parent: B. Connee Boswell and Male Parent: B. Little Brother Montgomery).  I've seen this plant here before and it great to see it doing very well!

B. Mr. Hunt

B. Mr. Hunt