Happy July Celebration of Independence. Yes, the sun is out in all of it's glory. It is a beautiful warm day on Sanibel Island. We had a humongous "boomer" last week that provided us with 2" of much needed rain.
This is such a fun time of year in our southern gardens. Due to the great unusual rains in January; we are seeing exceptional blooms.
I found this hidden gem in my garden - a baby pineapple!
When I first attempted to raise pineapple, I could not get them to bloom. It always helps to think of the location where a plant is at its best. There is some rain nearly every day where they are grown in Hawaii. After I began to give it water more often, a bloom sprouted. My next lesson was to learn that you have to be on your toes to pick it at the ideal time. We were in Michigan for the summer. A son was watching the garden for us. When the Pineapple looked fully grown and ripe, he planned to pick it the next day. He found it bent over and attacked by one of our island critters. Our island critters are very much in tune with all things edible. Since that time, I watch closely when the pineapple is approaching ripeness. The one that is growing now is from one of the best. It is nearly hidden in the foliage, but must be getting just enough light and moisture.
The Pineapple like other Bromeliads displays little lavender/purple flowers when they are at their prime of blooming. The Pineapple gets a tiny purplish flower in each square. It is fun to watch in its different stages of maturity. I will keep you posted.
Blooming Bromeliads
Can you believe it? TWIN Bromeliads!
Several Bromeliads are currently in bloom. I will report on them later as there are so many Independence Day bloomers to report on at this time.
Ixoras are one of the most widely used, beautiful, adaptable plants on the island. They are large clusters of tiny flowers that resemble fireworks. There are several varieties in a variety of hues from pink to red to yellow. They bloom for several months in this area. They can be used as a hedge or as a stand-alone bush. Many of the hedges are sheared for maintenance. They bloom profusely in sunny areas.
Ixoras prefer a rich, acidic soil. They do well with a slow released fertilizer with minor elements such as iron in the spring. The Nora Grant variety has large, showy clusters of blooms in a coral pink color. They are my favorite. They prefer to be bushy and not sheared. The Malay variety has 10" wide clusters of blossoms.
Pink Ixora in my summer garden
Ixoras are lovely and long-lasting in arrangements. It is good to cut the stems long and insert into a tall vase. They arrange nicely without the skills of a designer. I added some cuttings from Carissas...Natal Plum bushes...to an arrangement of ixoras. The results were lovely .
The Carissas have a delightfully fragranced white blossom. The buds will continue to open once they are in the arrangement. Carissas have medium textured green leaves andbloom throughout the year. They develop plumlike fruits that are incorporated into Della Robia wreaths during the holidays. The fruits are used in delicious jellies.
Blooming Carissas - Heavenly Fragrance!
We grow Carissas as stand-alone bushes and also as a hedge. They will grow 10' tall if untrimmed. They have spines so one must use heavy gloves and caution when trimming. Partial to full sun is preferable for heavy blooming. They will grow well in some shade.
Carissas are tolerant of sandy soils. We amend the soil to resemble the potting mixture in the pot from whence it came. I would highly recommend this fragrant, beautiful plant for your gardens in South Florida.
Plumbago
Plumbago bushes are are a pretty, bright blue cluster of flowers on fine-textured thin, leggy stems. With enough sun they will bloom most of the year. They are at their best during the warm months. They make a beautiful accent to your garden and are nice as cut flowers.
Pink Allamanda grow rapidly and are a dense evergreen viney bush. They have large trumpet shaped flowers that are 5" long. They are a deep pink like Magenta color andprefer sun to partial sun. The bees love them. I have seen them trimmed into a free-standing small tree. Pink Allamanda are beautiful.
Firecracker Explosion - Just in Time for the Fourth!
I must mention the Firecracker Plant this month. It has long weeping stems with tiny red posies. The bracts arc over and resemble fine-textured asparagus ferns. They bloom all year in full or partial sun. I trimmed ours heavily as they are growing "leaps and bounds" this year. They are doing great after heavy pruning. Lots of new plants and they aren't as aggressive in taking over other nearby plantings. These plants also do well in containers.
If in doubt of where to locate your new plantings, it is best to keep them in a pot until you find a location they prefer.
See you next month. Questions? Don't hesitate to call or email.
Patti